A CAR seat foaming firm is building a £1.5m extension to create a European research and development hub.

Lear Corporation says its Sunderland plant has been chosen ahead of rivals across the continent to become a home for the venture.

The centre is expected to open later this year and the company has thanked Sunderland City Council’s business investment team for its support.

Jim Casey, operations director, said: “The plant is recognised as a worldwide model.

“We have really talented workers, proven capability and strong links with the council and the university, which contributed to us securing this significant new dimension to our work.”

The extension comes after Lear, which employs in excess of 400 people, doubled the size of its factory and created more than 100 jobs to meet demand.

At the time, bosses said the investment would double production capacity to more than 600,000 car seats a year, helping production of Wearside- made Nissan Qashqai seats and Jaguar Land Rover’s new XF models.

Its Wearside site was its first UK foam making facility for vehicle seating.