A JAPANESE manufacturer has reiterated its commitment to employ as many North-East workers as possible on the project to bring train building back to the birthplace of the railways.

Bosses from Hitachi Rail Europe have shortlisted about ten contractors, which sees local companies vying with big national firms to build a train factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

As well as being able to deliver the 43,000sq m plant on time and to strict quality and safety criteria, the winning contractor must prove that it is committed to recruiting apprentices.

The preferred bidder will be announced this summer before 21 months of building work begins in November. The plant is scheduled to open at the start of 2016.

The move to appoint a main contractor was made possible after Hitachi announced this week it had signed a contract with Newcastle-based Merchant Place Developments to build and fit out the Aycliffe plant.

Hitachi has committed £82m to build its first European train factory in County Durham, and the Government has chipped in with a £4m grant.

About 200 construction workers will be required to build the factory and 730 staff will be employed at the Amazon Park plant to assemble the Super Express Trains for the Great Western Main Line and the East Coast Main Line.

“We are now financially committed to this project,” Hitachi plant manager Darren Cumner told The Northern Echo.

“We will appoint the strongest bidder – it is as simple as that. It has always been Hitachi’s strategy to work with local suppliers wherever possible and that won’t change with this project.

“Even if we award the construction contract to a national firm they will employ people in the North-East,” he added.

Hitachi has already handed work to firms across the region.

This month, Newcastle company Nomad Digital won the deal to fit on-board server systems for the fleet of Intercity Express Programme trains that will be built at the Aycliffe plant, and Carlislebased Wardell Armstrong Archaeology is carrying out a detailed exploration of the former farmland which will become home to Hitachi Aycliffe.

TGA Consulting Engineers, of Durham, and Ryder Architecture, of Newcastle, produced the detailed plans of the factory site that includes a research and development department and rail test track.

Tim Jeffery, a partner at Ryder, said: “This is a major milestone for a significant national and international project.

The facility will provide a high-quality working environment with flexibility to adapt to future requirements. The design includes excellent environmental responsiveness and extended building life.

“It underlines our ongoing commitment to industrial and infrastructure projects and to client-focused solutions.”