MORE than 100 jobs could be transferred to the region when leading kitchen firm Magnet moves its head office services to Darlington.

Magnet is to close its base in Keighley, West Yorkshire, as part of a national efficiency drive.

The closure will result in 140 jobs being switched to sites at Darlington and Crossflatts, near Bingley, West Yorkshire, by the start of next year.

Magnet, which has operated from Keighley since 1918, will offer all the staff affected the chance to move, or take alternative positions.

The majority of them are expected to come to the North-East.

A company spokeswoman said: "It is good news for Darlington.

"If there are those who don't want to be relocated there will be new jobs created in the town and the very fact that head office functions are here will increase the opportunity for jobs."

Magnet's finance and IT operations will be moved to Crossflatts, while the marketing, design and human resources departments will be transferred to Darlington, which already employs more than 450 workers.

Magnet was recently sold to a Swedish company in a multi-million pound deal.

Nobia, Europe's largest manufacturing group, paid a reported £134m for the firm from Magnet's parent company Enodis.

Magnet plans to create two new operating divisions, one to supply the kitchen, home office and bedroom market and the other to concentrate on supplying joinery and timber products.

Managing director Gary Favell said he expected job losses to be minimal.

He said: "Colleagues working at head office will be given the opportunity to relocate or offered alternative roles within the group.

"We are investing significantly in the future of the business, and these moves are the latest element in our development plan."

He said that none of the group's factories would be affected by the reorganisation.

The Darlington Magnet factory was involved in one of Britain's longest-running industrial disputes when the company sacked 320 workers in 1996.

They were dismissed during a strike over pay and conditions, which led to a bitter battle 19-month dispute.

It ended in 1998 when the workers accepted a settlement.