A SPECIALIST compressed air filter manufacturer has relocated to bigger premises as part of plans to double its turnover and create new jobs.

Award-winning Walker Filtration has moved into 12,000 sq m premises in Washington, Wearside - three times the size of its previous site.

The family business, which has won the Queens Award for International Trade three times, has relocated from Glover Industrial Estate, Washington, to its new premises which has nine acres of adjoining land for further expansion.

The company has already grown its workforce in the North-East by 30 per cent to 198 during the last three years and has an additional 30 staff based overseas.

Walker Filtration, which was founded in 1983 by Brian Walker, has grown from a small regional business to a global £22.3m turnover enterprise with overseas sites in the US, South Africa and Australia and manufactures a wide range of filtration equipment for compressed air, compressed gas, vacuum pump and medical applications.

The business, which exports 88 per cent of its products worldwide, mainly to equipment manufacturers in Europe and the US, said the new premises has a range of features which will support its growth as well as benefiting customers. These include an increased production capability, fully-integrated flexible production systems, better design and development facilities, an integrated supply chain and improved stock holding capability. The company reckons the re-location will enable it to double its UK turnover in the next five years.

Lianne Walker MBE, director and group general manager, who took over day-to-day running of the business from her father in 2005, said: "We are delighted to have completed our relocation which represents a significant investment and re-enforces our commitment to sustain technical excellence, exceptional product quality and outstanding service as we continue to grow."

The firm secured backing from Yorkshire Banks Financial Solutions Centre (FSC) through the Banks Investing for Growth initiative.

Ms Walker added: "We are pleased that Yorkshire Bank recognised the strength and potential of our business and had no hesitation in supporting us at a time when bank funding is still generally hard to come by."

Ms Walker received her MBE for services to manufacturing and international trade in 2008, following in the footsteps of her father who was awarded an MBE in 2001.