Cable firm's 90 office jobs

CABLE company ntl has created nearly 90 jobs at its Teesside offices, after wielding the axe at other sites. The jobs have come as a result of the closure of ntl's other UK operations, with work being transferred to the Stockton offices at Preston Farm. The Hampshire business announced 4,000 job losses at the end of last year in a bid to resolve a growing debt of £12bn. The Kirklees Call centre in Huddersfield was closed in December with calls being routed through to Stockton, while the network maintenance centre and dispatch operations have switched from Nottingham to Teesside. A decentralisation of roles such as marketing has also led to expansion on Teesside.

NEW OFFICES: St James Security has opened an office in Watford and relocated its Scottish office to larger premises. The moves will help the Gateshead security specialist meet its current and future expansion requirements and improve services to customers in key markets.

HOT DEAL: Myson Radiators has been chosen to provide the NHS with radiators in three deals worth £100,000. The Gateshead company has received orders from hospitals on Teesside, and in the Midlands and the Isle of Man.

CHINA WIN: Solar Solve Marine, the South Shields, manufacturer of anti-glare screens for ships, has returned from China with new orders after visiting the country as part of a Trade Partners UK delegation. The family business was one of 12 UK companies to visit the Marintec exhibition, in Shanghai. Chinese business now accounts for ten per cent of turnover at the firm.

SKILLS BOOST: Greylin Engineering in Hartlepool has expanded its team of apprentices at Tofts Farm Industrial Estate. The precision machining company has taken on two additional apprentices to join its placement scheme, which takes the number of apprentices to four and total number of employees to 16.

GOOD START: Fashion chain French Connection has reported a jump in profits for the last year, and said 2002 had started well with its World Cup T-shirts selling strongly. The group said pre-tax profits for the year to January 31 rose to £22.6m from £19.1m the previous year.