COUNTY Durham-based Business & Enterprise Group has been appointed by Merchant Place Developments and Hitachi to help them find potential suppliers for specialist production equipment relating to the Intercity Express manufacture programme.

This follows recent confirmation by the Department of Transport that Hitachi will build a new generation of Intercity trains at Merchant Place Developments' Amazon Park site in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

Business & Enterprise Group is already working closely with the procurement teams from Merchant Place Developments and Hitachi to identify and target suppliers with expertise in the field of specialist equipment.

They are now actively gathering expressions of interest from companies that can provide a wide range of services and equipment support.

This covers everything from assembly and storage through to lifting and weighing equipment.

Business Durham chief executive Stewart Watkins said: “This initiative builds on the work of the Business Durham team ensuring opportunities from the Hitachi investment are open to small and medium-sized businesses throughout the North East.”

Any interested business should confirm their details on the project capability portal which can be found at
www.business-enterprise.net/hitachisupplychain