Chancellor of the exchequer Alistair Darling has praised the Thorn site at Spennymoor, County Durham, the largest single manufacturing project in the North East in the last decade.
He described the modern purpose-built lighting factory as a shinning example of how to combine traditional engineering skills with knowledge to lead new industries.
After touring the production plant and Academy of Light on 18 February, Darling said: "This is an example of that. It has been here [in Spennymoor] since 1952, but at the leading edge of new technology and has a good future in front of it. The North East has the skills, inventiveness and reputation as a place with hard working people willing to do the best they can – that is what will get them investment."
He added: "Zumtobel [Thorn's parent company] thought long and hard about East Europe and chose to be here not out of sentiment, but because it was the best deal for the group."
Darling was taken round the factory by Thorn operations director Terry Carmichael, who said: "It does morale good to see the chancellor here, as it acknowledges the investment made and our team's sustained efforts, which won us Best Factory of the Year in 2009. Mr Darling was hugely impressed with our people, our processes and our products."
The chancellor was accompanied on his visit by Helen Goodman, MP for Bishop Auckland and Ian Thompson, corporate director, regeneration and economic development with Durham County Council.
The company employs 550 people and makes mainly fluorescent luminaires for the professional lighting market.
Pictured: Alistair Darling talks with factory worker Lesley Sterry as he visits Thorn Spennymoor
