A company has marked its commitment to south-west Durham by opening a new £500,000 factory.
Mechetronics, which specialises in solenoid technology, has moved from its base in St Helen, Auckland, to South Church, near Bishop Auckland.
It had been leasing its former site before moving to South Church Enterprise Park.
The company has been forced to halve its workforce to fewer than 80 in the past 18 months. That is a far cry from the firm's employment peak of more than 300, a decade ago.
Pat McCormick, who has worked for the company for more than 40 years, and new starter Gemma Blackett helped at the opening ceremony conducted by technical director Jim Summerbell.
He said: "Mechetronics has an illustrious history stretching back many years. This new factory takes us into the future by creating a world-class manufacturing environment that truly reflects the stature of our global operation."
The company received backing from regional development agency One Northeast, County Durham Development Company and Wear Valley District Council for the move and the customisation of the factory
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