THE summer of 1990 is most often recalled for Gazza’s tears, Pearce and Waddle’s missed penalties (or missed ‘pelanty’ in the latter’s case) and Pavarotti’s lung busting turn that for a few months made opera the new rock ‘n roll.

Around the same time as the Italia 90 World Cup tournament, Japanese manufacturer Nifco was buying a former Stockton shoe heel factory that gave it a foothold in the UK car making industry. The deal barely warranted a mention in the North-East press at the time, but 25 years later Nifco’s investment in Tees Valley manufacturing looks to have been a very shrewd move indeed.

The Elta Plastics plant on Yarm Road in Stockton had made everything from glue spreaders to safety restraints for the rail industry before a switch into the automotive sector secured its future.

After it won a deal to supply plastic parts for Nissan, the business was snapped up by Tokyo-based Nifco inc.

To say it has been a runaway success story ever since would be to ignore the ups and downs that almost saw the business go under on more than one occasion. The company struggled to find a strategy, bosses have subsequently admitted it was overstaffed, and inefficient with machinery no longer fit for purpose, staff in needed of training and the factory inadequate to compete globally.

But since the downturn, the firm has been on a growth curve that earned plaudits from ministers and industry leaders. It has recruited hundreds of staff, built two new factories and won deals with most car manufacturers of note. Its Darlington-born boss Mike Matthews has been awarded an MBE and elected president of the North East Chamber of Commerce. It is about to open another factory in the Tees Valley. This is a business that is going places, but it has reaffirmed its commitment to invest and create more jobs and apprenticeships in our region.

In 1990 Nifco might have struggled to attract our attention away from

Gascoigne, Bobby, Beardsley et al, but it has now become almost impossible to ignore. Here’s to the next 25 years.

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