AN engineering firm in the region has opened an office in Singapore after seeing export sales increase by 300 per cent in the past four years.

Pipeline Engineering, in Richmond, North Yorkshire, now has four offices worldwide and is due to move into £3m headquarters at Gatherley Road Industrial Estate, Catterick Bridge, in May.

The firm, which provides engineered solutions to the pipeline flow assurance industry, including pipeline pigging, isolation and testing equipment, will more than triple the size of its floorspace with the move.

Marketing manager Andrew Cargill said: "Pipeline Engineering has major plans for expansion in the next five years. The new head offices will enable us to grow in terms of turnover and support services, which will inevitably mean taking on additional staff in some areas."

Pipeline Engineering has seen its turnover grow from £3.5m to £12m in the past nine years, with the percentage of export sales now representing 75 per cent of turnover, up from 50 per cent in 1997.

In the past few years the company has increased its workforce from 80 staff to 120.