AN ENGINEERING firm's diversification into the space industry will either create jobs or maintain them.

In 2010 it emerged that Durham Precision Engineering (DPE), based in Newton Aycliffe, had been awarded work connected to the Square Kilometre Array Telescope Programme (SKA), a £1.2bn project which will attempt to unlock the secrets of the universe.

SKA will include about 3,000 dishes, spread over thousands of kilometres to deliver the biggest radio telescope ever to be developed.

Ahead of a space industry conference in County Durham next month DPE business development manager Geoff Mason encouraged other firms to become involved.

DPE had traditionally worked in the automotive sector, supplying firms such as Jaguar, Nissan and Land Rover, but Mr Mason said: "This will either create jobs or maintain the employment we have, and that's the aim. You've got to be willing to broaden your horizons.

"The volumes were good. They were roughly equivalent to automotive volumes. It was something new to us as a business, but there were lots of things we could access in terms of R&D funding.

"I think people get nervous about dipping their toe in other areas. "There's work there and it's obtainable if you go about it the right way."

The company is working with engineers and scientists at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics to create insulation boxes for the 19 million antennae needed for the SKA project.

Mr Mason added: "We've done samples, which are on trial and performing fairly well as far as we know."

Tim Stevenson from the SKA Project office will provide an overview of the opportunities for businesses at the forthcoming Spacetech 12 event which takes place on February 9 at NETPark, near Sedegfield.

Further details are available at www.northeasttechnologypark.com/spacetech