2Touch needs more workers

FAST-growing Sunderland-based call centre and marketing services company 2Touch is creating up to 50 telesales and customer service jobs after securing an additional contract with Virgin Energy. 2Touch is recruiting further call centre staff to work on behalf of Virgin Energy, which will increase its existing workforce on the account to 150, bringing the total number of employees at 2Touch to more than 700. Informal interviews are available on a recruitment day tomorrow, from 11am to 7.30pm, at the Sunderland Health and Racquets Club, Camberwell Way, Doxford Park, Sunderland.

PROFITS BUILT: Housing and property group Taylor Woodrow said the successful acquisitionion of Bryant Homes helped a sharp rise in annual profits. Turnover exceeded £2bn for the first time and underlying operating profits rose 35 per cent to £224.2m following the takeover. Woodrow said Bryant - acquired last March - was now fully merged with its housebuilding operation, saving the firm £15m.

JOBS GO: Energy company ScottishPower has revealed plans to cut up to 500 jobs. The firm said that the losses, most of them in Scotland, were a necessary efficiency measure after a business review. A spokesman for the supplier said it was hoped the cuts would be achieved on a voluntary basis.

EIDOS HIT: Computer games group Eidos said the delayed release of four products planned for this month would leave its mark on full-year figures. Eidos warned that games, including Championship Manager soccer for Microsoft Xbox, would not hit shops in time for the end of its financial year. That is likely to mean that revenues for the year will be £15m short of the £135m forecast in December, Eidos said.

CASH RETURN: Property company Grantchester is to return £60m to shareholders, dependent on its sale of four retail parks for £121.4m to investment group Henderson Global Investors. It announced that deal earlier this month.

BRAND SALE: Healthcare group SSL International, which employs about 250 staff at an operation in Peterlee, has sold 21 over-the-counter pharmaceutical brands to UK rival Thornton & Ross for £13.5m.