EVIDENCE that North East exporters are on a roll is being experienced by a packing company which says it has had its busiest quarter for 20 years.

Stadium Packing at Swalwell has opened an additional 10,000sq ft of manufacturing space and has plans for a further expansion of its existing 45,000sq ft base.

The company, part of Newcastle- based British Engines group, designs and manufactures timber and plywood crates for customers from a number of sectors – precision and heavy engineering, aerospace, military, petrochemical and pharmaceutical – who require their products to be export-packed and shipped around the world.

General manager Brian Smith said: “We’ve been flat out, having to cope with an exceptionally busy time as well as the December weather.

“It’s a credit to the team we have here that they managed to keep pace with our customers’ requirements.”

“We have had a very good run, but will never be complacent. I know there is a lot of pessimism about the health of the North East economy, but if we are busy it means that our customers are exporting.

“We are sending products made in the region to all corners of the globe and the additional space will improve the flexibility and service we offer.”