A NORTH-EAST scanner maker has won a contract worth almost £1m to support US homeland security.

Kromek, based in Sedgefield, County Durham, has been awarded a contract with the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency for the design, manufacture and optimisation of high sensitivity radiation detectors.

The contract is worth $1.45m to Kromek over the next two years and will start next month.

Arnab Basu, the firm’s chief executive, said "Kromek is delighted to receive this award, which follows on from previous and current successful US Government programmes, and continues Kromek's strategy in leading the field in detector technology and material identification.

"With other potential future applications of this new technology in security, medical and civil nuclear radiation detection we believe that this programme can further cement Kromek's detector technology platforms into global growing markets".

In addition, contracts amounting to over $950,000 to supply nuclear detection products to customers around the world, have recently been signed by Kromek.

These are in the process of being supplied by the firm which has its headquarters on the Netpark business park.