Northumbrian Water has won a major deal in the brewing industry.

It has signed a partnering agreement with Bairds Malt, the UK's major supplier of malt to the whisky, and brewing industries.

This will see the company providing water and wastewater services at all five of Baird's sites - Witham in Essex, Grantham in Lincolnshire, and Inverness, Arbroath and Pencaitland, in Scotland.

The Baird deal follows a series of major deals for Northumbrian Water in the past year, including two other drinks partnerships, with Scottish Courage Brewing and Princes Soft Drinks.

Agreements have also been signed with British Energy and Phillips Petroleum.

The malt firm hopes Northumbrian Water's expertise will optimise the costs of these services at the five plants.

As part of the deal, the water firm will also be exploring the potential alternative water source and identify and implement cost-reducing projects at the plants.

At its five sites, Bairds produces malt for use in both the food and drink industry across the UK and around the world.

It is hoped that over the five years of the deal, substantial savings can be made by Baird.

Steve Haydon, chief executive of Bairds Malt, said: "Bairds Malt is committed to reducing production costs and to ensure it remains competitive within the UK malting industry. We believe that partnership with Northumbrian Water will help us to make significant progress in achieving this objective."

Northumbrian Water's commercial director, Steve Hull, said: "We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Bairds."

He said the firm was building a national reputation in the growing industrial water and wastewater services market.

"Last year, we signed similar partnering agreements with Scottish Courage Brewing, British Energy, Phillips Petroleum and Princes Soft drinks, and we expect to be able to announce further major contracts shortly.