THE North-East could soon become the centre of the technology race to build paper-thin computer screens thanks to a new £2m facility.

The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) at Wilton, Teesside, has signed a deal with chemical company DuPont Teijin Films to develop the futuristic technology.

CPI is building a £2m "cleanroom" to develop products used in paper-thin, flexible TV and computer screens, solar panels and electronic smart tags to production stage.

The state-of-the-art facility will be instrumental in developing a manufacturing and supply chain for the region - and will also be available for other North-East companies.

The director of CPI's Functional Materials platform, Dr Tom Taylor, said: "Flexible electronics represents a massive global industry and the pioneering research that CPI is developing will help the UK lead its international competitors.

"Central to our technology is a special coating for film surfaces that needs to be operated in a clean environment.

"If the miniscule particles contained in ordinary air were to get onto the surface, they would prevent the coating from working.

"The industry is moving fast, but we're on the cusp of developing flexible electronics materials which will revolutionise the way consumers use their personal computers and televisions.

"These are very exciting times."

The cleanroom will be a controlled environment, similar to a pharmaceutical laboratory. Operators will have to pass through an air lock and no access will be permitted without protective clothing.

CPI is one of five centres of excellence established as part of regional development agency One NorthEast's Strategy for Success.

It was set up to build on the North-East's knowledge base in the process industries.