A NORTH-EAST firm, which makes fire and blast proof protection for global energy projects, has secured two new contracts to protect hundreds of workers off the Malaysian coast.

MTE Limited, based in Darlington, is working with oil and gas specialist, Jurunature, to build and supply heatshields for platforms in the South China Sea.

The contract comes after MTE earlier this year won a £4.5m contract to supply 25,000sq metres of carbon steel fire and blast walls for modules in Australia.

In its latest projects, the firm is making protective equipment for gas turbine generator exhaust pipes on the Petronas Kinabalu field, off the coast of Sabah, East Malaysia, and heatshields for a bridge between offshore platforms on the Telok gas development field.

Founded in 1969, as MechTool Engineering, the company employs more than 170 workers and makes offshore modules providing fire and blast protection for living quarters, temporary refuge rooms and offices and control rooms.

It has headquarters and fabrication plant in Darlington, with a manufacturing operation on the River Tees, in Middlesbrough, and saw a turnover of more than £16m and profits of £600,000 for the year ending in March.

Matthew Camp, MTE business manager, previously told The Northern Echo he was incredibly proud of its achievements.

He said: “It is quite a hard-working environment and the quality and standard of health and safety is taken very seriously and has to be exactly right.

“People are very fragile and you have to take extreme safety measures, the bottom line is that we have to ensure people who go to work get home safe and sound.

“The ethos of the company is simple, we must keep people safe, and our success is testament to the determination and attitude of our workers and it makes me very proud to see our projects unfold.”