JOBS are expected to be created across the Tees Valley through the latest funding released by the £60m Tees Valley Industrial Programme (TVIP) yesterday.

Business Secretary Vince Cable announced the funding of £4.6m during his visit to the region.

It includes £1.3m to help develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the North-East.

The TVIP was unveiled last December to support the area’s transition to low-carbon and advanced manufacturing after Corus said it was to mothball Teesside Cast Products (TCP) in Redcar.

Mr Cable said: “I am delighted to announce this funding, especially for carbon capture and storage, which the North-East is well-placed to capitalise on.

These projects will create a wealth of opportunities for local businesses and create new, highlyskilled jobs.”

Yesterday’s announcement will see the creation of six jobs at a new thermal imaging manufacturing facility, in Darlington, after Solo Thermal Imaging received £26,000.

A £200,000 grant will support the management buy-out of Katmex, in Stockton, safeguarding 71 jobs at the steel plate firm.

Dry suits manufacturer Typhoon International will create six jobs in Redcar, after receiving £36,000, and £25,500 for welding company Leven Bridge Engineering to diversify into the renewable energy market should safeguard 25 jobs and create six more at Thornaby.

Among the other projects to benefit, £262,500 is being given to create Enterprise Arcades, low-risk test trading environments to help startups test their ideas in the marketplace, led by Hartlepool Borough Council. In addition, yesterday’s announcement included £350,000 from TVIP to support future expansion projects at three companies in Billingham, £1.3m for rail gauge enhancement work at Teesport to allow more substantial freight to enter and leave the port, and £248,000 is being invested to support DRD Power to test waste heat recovery technology on process industry plants in the Tees Valley.

Other projects being supported will see procurement support to chemicals firms and investigations into the development of an Energy Hub for the Tees Valley.

From the £1.3m, to help develop CCS in the North-East, Progressive Energy, which wants to develop a carbon-capturing power plant at Eston Grange, has been awarded £240,000, and Rio Tinto Alcan £430,000 to develop plans to use CCS technology to run part of its Lynemouth Power Station, in Northumberland.

Durham University has received £415,000 to investigate carbon storage options in the North Sea, and £200,000 has been awarded to AMEC and Element Energy to investigate how CCS could benefit the engineering sector in the Tees Valley.