Hartlepool '˜leading area' on creating jobs, finds report

The latest economic briefing produced by Tees Valley Unlimited shows the town is stepping up to the mark for employment boosts.

During February, jobs were created by town firm Utility Alliance, while Seymour Civil Engineering wants to add 80 people in the next five years.

PD Ports, which owns Hartlepool’s dockland, completed phase 2 of a multi-million pound quay reconstruction project, while Hartlepool-based Camerons Brewery is set to buy 40 new pubs after landing a £30 million funding package from HSBC, said the survey.

The package will support the brewery’s investment plans and help develop its bottling plant. The growing company will create six new jobs over the next 12 months, according to the TVU report.

A spokesman for TVU, which is headed by managing director Stephen Catchpole, said: “February was a busy month for private sector job announcements across the Tees Valley. The energy, engineering and offshore sector in particular saw a number of announcements including 50 new jobs at Hartlepool’s energy consultancy firm Utility Alliance.

“February saw a continuation in the slight pick-up in positive private sector job announcements across the Tees Valley.”

Utility Alliance is creating 50 jobs to help keep pace with industry demand.

The Hartlepool-based company, which helps businesses to reduce water and heating bills, expect 25 workers to join the firm in March.

Its offices on Queens Meadow Business Park are being developed to cater for its larger workforce.

Seymour Civil Engineering has moved into new headquarters at Hartlepool Marina.

Fifty staff will be based in the new building, Seymour House, with the remainder of the 170 workforce located on project sites.

The growing firm has recently posted record turnover figures and is looking to expand further and take job numbers to more than 300 within five years.