AN engineering firm has secured a high-profile deal to support the construction of an £82m North-East train-building factory.

C&A Pumps and Engineering, in Hartlepool, is supplying and installing five underground pumping stations for Hitachi.

The Japanese company’s factory, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, will create 730 jobs when it opens in 2016, and build carriages for the Government’s Intercity Express Programme.

Bosses say work on the flagship project strengthens C&A’s order book further, after it won contracts to pressure test filtration systems at Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station and refurbish pumping stations for housing provider Gentoo.

It is also supplying a specialist pump for the Metro rail network, as well as servicing effluent systems on an offshore rig support vessel, docked in Sunderland, and installing a line to divert toxic water from a County Durham landfill site.

The company, which has 12 staff and was founded in 2012, says the projects are worth more than £70,000.

Alan Roberts, managing director, said he hoped its Hitachi deal would pave the way for further significant contracts.

He said: “We have quickly built a solid reputation for our specialist work and ability to get all manner of jobs completed on time.

“When you are a small business, flexibility is so important and that has been key to our success.

“We can be working on nuclear power station filtration systems one day and installing an office block toilet the next.

“That’s why it has really encouraged me to make significant inroads into so many different sectors, particularly with the Hitachi development.

“Once we are in front of these huge businesses, we can prove how flexible our team is and hopefully that will lead to long-term and successful partnerships.”

Earlier this year, C&A revealed it was branching out across the globe after teaming up with leading pump maker Vogelsang to supply and maintain products.

The German firm manufactures pumps to remove waste from train carriages, aircraft and abattoirs.

It also expanded into the chemicals industry with Teesside-based chemical firm Ineos, supplying and installing specialist ultrasonic and radar equipment to detect depth levels in chemical tanks.

Mr Roberts added: “Some of our work has come from direct contact with businesses we are building relationships with, but what is great is that we are repeatedly getting approached by some big names across all sectors.

“That is opening doors for us and allowing the business to prove what it can do.”