Helen opened the new £24 million Thorn Lighting factory at Green Lane, Spennymoor, which will safeguard 600 high-quality manufacturing jobs.
Thorn opened their first factory in Spennymoor in 1952, and the new 40,000 square metre site will help maintain their status as the UK market leader in indoor and outdoor lighting. Thorn have also shown their long-term commitment to Spennymoor by establishing an on-site Academy of Light training facility.
After opening the new factory, Helen said:
“Thorn are a modern, progressive company with extremely high standards, and the opening of this factory is fantastic news for Spennymoor and the local area.
Thorn have been in Spennymoor for over 50 years, they are a valued local employer, and this kind of investment shows that even in the current economic climate, innovative companies like Thorn still have real confidence in the future of the local economy.
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson also welcomed the opening of the new factory, saying:
“This new plant will undoubtedly benefit not just the local community but the region as a whole.
The government is committed to ensuring the manufacturing industry has a strong future in the UK and development of skills is a key part of this.
The Zumbotel Group’s investment in the Academy of Light training facility will do just this, helping to advance the skills training available to the local community, creating a durable legacy for the region”.
Thorn also recently embarked on a £3.3 million project with NetPark: the region’s leading science park – and DBERR to develop greener, next generation lighting technology. The TOPLESS (Thin Organic Polymeric Light Emitting Semi-conducting Surfaces) project is based at the new Printable Electronics Technology Centre (PETeC), in Sedgefield, and seeks to develop technology with an estimated global market of $30 billion in the next 5 years.
