CONDOM manufacturer SSL International is expanding its County Durham factory, even before it officially opens for business.

The £12m project at Whitehouse Industrial Park had been planned to go on stream in June, creating 150 jobs.

Now a reorganisation of some of the group's manufacturing capabilities will bring additional production lines to Peterlee, creating a further 90 jobs.

Barry Stevenson, manufacturing director at SSL in Peterlee, said: "This is excellent news for the area and demonstrates the potential of our new flagship pharmaceutical facility in Peterlee.

"We are well on target to begin production in June in a state-of-the-art factory that allows us further scope for expansion as we acquire or develop new products."

The good news for Peterlee, however, is a blow for Bootle on Merseyside, where one of the group's two factories is due to close with the loss of 140 jobs.

The Bootle factory manufactures products for the medical profession.

The group, which employs 7,000 people worldwide, said a second Bootle site, at Millers Bridge, would be unaffected by the restructuring.

A spokesman said the transfer of its pharmaceutical and medical products operation at Bootle made economic sense.

He said: "The new site at Peterlee gives us the scope for future growth, together with significant economies of scale.

"Consolidation at Peterlee is in the best interests of the long-term future of the company as a whole."

SSL makes Durex condoms, Marigold gloves, medicines such as Resolve, and Scholl footcare products.