A growing Hartlepool firm at the cutting edge of bio-medical science has opened international links and potential new markets thanks to a regional export programme.

Medical equipment manufacturer , based at Queens Meadow business park, has secured 50 new sales leads and employed one new member of staff on the back of support from the Tees Valley Export Fund.

Founded by the late Alby Pattison MBE, Hart Biologicals has been a leading UK manufacturer and global supplier of specialized chemicals to treat bleeding, and related testing, for more than two decades.

The company, which is currently expanding its premises, was looking to new markets after creating a new device.

Hart Biologicals MD Alexander Ebinger with some of the technology being used at the Hartlepool-based firm.

placeholder image — Hart Biologicals MD Alexander Ebinger with some of the technology being used at the Hartlepool-based firm.

It was awarded £30,000 from the Export Fund which is designed to help more firms in the region export more widely.

Hart Biologicals managing director Alexander Ebinger said: “With the new project and the device, we want to sell directly to hospitals, and directly to end users to capture that whole market.

“This means we need more contact in foreign countries through more congress attendances – just to try and get direct contact with more doctors, instead of just other businesses.

“The export fund has really helped with that.”

They used the funding to attend a medical congress in Germany where they made valuable new contacts.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “This is exactly what our Export Fund is here to do – help local firms break into international markets, create jobs and bring more money into our region.”

Grants of between £3,000 and £10,000 are available from the fund which is currently worth around £190,000.

To find out more, go online at teesvalley-ca.gov.uk/business