MORE than 100 jobs are in the pipeline as North-East companies take advantage of regional selective assistance (RSA) grants totalling £500,000.

About 50 jobs will be created at food firm International Cuisine in Consett, which is expanding its 65,000sq ft premises by 25 per cent.

The firm is investing £1.8m in the project and has wonsupport from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through a £200,000 RSA grant.

The company, on the Hownsgill estate in the town, has a workforce of about 430, manufacturing more than 26 million ready meals a year, under its own brand and supermarkets' own labels.

Managing director Bill Connolly said: "This is very positive news for us in Consett and we would like to thank the DTI for its continued support."

Work on the extension is due to start in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, about 30 jobs will be created at TYK in Ferryhill, thanks to £150,000 of RSA funding.

The company, which manufactures ceramic refractory bricks used in the steel-making process, is doubling the size of its premises and its production capacity.

The £1.6m investment project, due to begin next year, will create 30 jobs, taking staff numbers at the site to 80.

Plant director Hisatake Okumura, said: "This grant will allow us to be of long-standing benefit to the Ferryhill community by continuing to supply quality products to our customers."

HMH Sheet Metal Fabrications, of Tanfield Lea, has embarked on a £1m investment programme, boosted by £150,000 of RSA funding.

The company, which specialises in sub-contract manufacture of sheet metalwork, has just broken through the £5m turnover barrier, and should add 30 new employees in the next two years as a result, taking staff numbers beyond 125.

Mick Wright, managing director at HMH, said: "The new equipment will give us the capacity to meet complex fabrication and assembly requirements and we are grateful for the support of the DTI.

"The new plant will help us build on our reputation as an added value engineering operation, boosting business and job prospects."

Alan Johnson, Minster for Employment Relations and the Regions, said: "These are exactly the kind of projects RSA was set up to support."