A COMPANY that rose from the ashes of a former industrial oven manufacturing plant has opened its own design department to help it win more work.

Select Control Systems, of Hebburn, South Tyneside, was founded after workers agreed to plough their redundancy money from the former APV Baker plant into a new venture, which helped to save 13 of the 85 threatened jobs.

With the help of a £4,700 grant from the South Tyneside Development Fund, Select Control Systems was able to invest in new computerised 3D design systems and take on the designers able to operate the sophisticated equipment.

Based on the Bedewell Industrial Estate, Select Control Systems produces electrical control systems for food processing equipment, including commercial ovens as big as 120m long.

Its main customer is still APV Baker, but the new design capacity is helping the company break into new markets.

Director Harry Thomas said: "Since we got the business off the ground we have been looking to move into other areas but we needed the latest systems to allow us to do that.

"Having our own in-house design team gives us more options and already we have been producing systems for air conditioning and refrigeration unit suppliers."

He added: "Having access to the grant funding certainly helped us bring our plans forward and will ultimately help secure jobs in a competitive market."

The new company's current project is working on systems which monitor and control the flow of air through filters fitted to gas turbines used for the generation of electricity in power stations in Canada.

Councillor Jim Harper, lead member for regeneration with South Tyneside Council said: "It was a blow to the area when APV Baker shut its plant, but we were all behind the workers when they showed the self- belief and confidence to start a new venture providing work.

"I wish them all well in their hunt for new markets that I'm sure will secure jobs for a lot longer."