NEW jobs could be in the pipeline at a Darlington carpet business after it completed a £700,000 extension.

Maguires Wholesale Carpets, which employs 66 people, has expanded its premises by 10,000sq ft to meet the growing demand on the business from carpet retailers.

With the introduction of new training schemes and offers of long-term career development to local people, it is hoped the expansion will lead to new jobs.

Company chairman Frank Maguire said: "This expansion is good news for Darlington, as we are a proud local company, which is committed to investing in the town and its people. We focus on building long-term productive relationships with everyone we deal with, and that includes the town in which we are based."

The family-run business, currently one of the North's largest independent floor covering distributors, is hoping to draw business from all over the UK after the extension.

Maguires currently holds a stock of more than 10,000 rolls of floor coverings available for immediate delivery for clients across the North-East, North Yorkshire and Scotland. The expansion will assist in the growing success of the company and its plans to become one of the leading players in the UK floor covering distribution sector.

The extension to the storage facilities at the Whessoe Road site has also included investment in new equipment, such as the latest forklift vehicles, which has led to the introduction of new training programmes.

Maguires, which was launched in 1996, has seen massive growth in the past 18 months as the demand for flooring grows across the UK.

Jason Maguire, managing director, said: "Our commercial business has seen unprecedented growth over the last couple of years and we have made this substantial investment to meet demand.

"The floor covering market is continually expanding and we are determined to be at the forefront of this industry in the North and Scotland, which will eventually lead to moving further into the UK market."