AN online sofa company is eyeing national expansion within the next five years, in a move that will see the firm become a multi-million pound business and will bring jobs to the North-East.

Since being established three years ago, Sofaitalia.

co.uk is expanding beyond its head office in Willington, County Durham, and its online operation, to look at achieving national coverage by 2015, by opening three to four stores a year across the UK.

The move is to raise turnover 16-fold from its current £2.5m to £40m, and will create 75 jobs, at least 20 of which will be in the North- East.

Sofaitalia.co.uk, which already attracts orders from the US and Europe through its website, is making the first move in its expansion by opening a £250,000 store in Stockton, creating five jobs, and which is expected to generate more than £1m in its first year.

The showroom, in Portrack Lane, will be the first showroom in the planned network of at least 15 across the country in the next five years.

Further sites are being identified across the North, with the Midlands and the South set to follow.

The company was initially established by Durham businessmen Paul Smith, Karl Utley and Robert Hall, but last year saw the appointment of executive chairman Steve Adams, who brought a history of retail and industry experience, and helped to realise the need to expand beyond the traditional online operation.

Sofaitalia.co.uk believes it has weathered the recession better than many competitors due to the fact it sells higherend products, which have not been as vulnerable to people cutting back.

Mr Adams said: “Being a low-cost online business allowed us to get off to a fantastic start.

“However, we now realise that we need to roll out the stores to give customers the chance to see the sofas for themselves. Our range is highquality, stylish and upholstered in finest top grain Italian leather.

All our emphasis and focus is on the product and the customer.

If we continue to get that right then the profits will follow.”