AN infrastructure maintenance company is planning to create 100 jobs and triple turnover to £6m in the next two years by moving into new markets.

Infrasafe, which has about 70 staff, offers a range of services such as graffiti and vegetation control, originally worked in the rail industry, but has now diversified to work with local authorities and the private sector.

The company, based in Blaydon, South Tyneside, was originally called Railsafe when it was launched following rail privatisation 15 years ago, but has re-branded to reflect its diversification. It does still work closely with Network Rail.

Brian Cairns, commercial director of Infrasafe, said: “We have had to look a bit outside of the box and rather than sink with the recession, rise from it and expand.’’ The company has received help from Business Link and the North-East England Investment Centre in rebranding and expansion plans.

Business Link advisor Ian Coull said: “Infrasafe is a very forward looking company and it is to its credit that it looked at its market and identified that it needed to move into other things and look at new ways of getting into those markets. I look forward to helping it with future developments.”