PERLOS Corporation, a worldwide supplier to the telecommunications and pharmaceutical industries, is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Its UK operation, Perlos Limited, in Sunderland, joined in the global festivities with a cake and coffee party which took place simultaneously across the group's production plants in three continents.

The Sunderland operation, which has two plants at Rainton Bridge Industrial Estate, was the Finnish company's first venture overseas in 1984.

Perlos specialises in the manufacture of high volume, precision-made plastic components and assemblies such as mobile phones and medical devices.

In Sunderland, 170 are employed at the company's dedicated pharma operation where last year it opened a new cleanroom facility for the manufacture of a range of products.