FIRMS investing in the North-East could create more than 6,000 new jobs over the next three years, it has been claimed.

Invest North East England, the North East Combined Authority’s strategic inward investment arm, said there were 84 such investment projects between April last year and March with 64 of those coming from abroad.

As a result it said more than 6,000 new jobs over the next three years would be created from either companies creating a new base or expanding existing operations.

The US continues to be the biggest investor while the IT, automotive, manufacturing, energy, and professional business services sectors are among the most prominent sectors represented in the region.

Invest North East England provides a single point of contact for inward investment enquiries on behalf of the region’s seven local councils and also works closely with the North-East Local Economic Partnership (LEP).

It said “major successes” included ResQ, the UK-owned contact centre business, creating 1,200 jobs at its new base at Spectrum Business Park, Seaham and US-owned customer services outsourcing giant Convergys planning to create 600 jobs at its centre of excellence at The Rocket, in Newcastle’s Stephenson Quarter.

The organisation also cited the continued investment by Nissan in its Sunderland car-making plant.

ResQ chief executive Nic Marshall said: “We were delighted to be able to expand our business into the North-East.

“Spectrum Business Park and County Durham as a whole offered us the quality of premises we needed, with access to a high quality workforce, which was critical in our decision-making process.

“The outstanding support we have had to help us make the move and expand our business here entirely justifies our decision to come.”

The North-East has suffered a number of recent jobs blows with PepsiCo planning to shut its Walkers crisps factory in Peterlee and the Dubai-based parent company of AEI Cables, in Birtley, Gateshead, closing its plant with the loss of 250 posts.

But Invest North East England Director Guy Currey said the North-East continued to be an attractive location for business and inward investment levels were highly encouraging.

He said: “Companies who choose to invest here tell us the region’s highly skilled, flexible workforce, unrivalled business accommodation and connectivity to global markets means they make a great return on their investment.

“To build on our success, the team are now working proactively generate further interest in the North-East and create more jobs.”