A BATH lift company in the region has trebled the size of its floor space as turnover continues to more than double year-on-year.

Aquajoy Bathlifts Limited, in Consett, County Durham, has seen turnover jump from £300,000 in 2002 to £1.6m this year, and expects it to reach as much as £4m suring the next 12 months.

The firm, which is now the leading supplier of powered bath lifts to local authorities across the UK, has moved to a unit three times the size of its former office, on the Consett Business Park.

Over the past six months, Aquajoy has expanded into the European market, with distributors in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and the Czech Republic, as well as in Ireland.

Managing director Hugh Malone said the company's success overseas has been boosted after winning a European Innovation Award for its Premier Plus bath lift.

"Winning the award was massive for us and it is great to be recognised in Europe for being both innovative and a leader in product design," he said.

"We have now moved into new premises three times the size of the former site and will continue to expand from here."

Aquajoy was set up in 2002 by Mr Malone, sales and marketing director Claire Cudden and local entrepreneur and chairman Robert Kane.

"We now supply our bath lifts to almost all local authorities in the UK, which is our biggest market. Our largest customer is Durham," said Mr Malone.

"Eight per cent of our business is supplying to high street mobility shops and we recently won a lucrative contract to supply our products through Argos."

The company employs eight people in Consett, but Mrs Cudden expects the figure to increase in the new year.

"The continuing success of the business will definitely mean more jobs in Derwentside," she said.

"Ideally, by the end of next year we'd like a distributor in every European country and in two years' time to be a market leader over there too."