Spanish utility firm plans to create 200 North East jobs with £50m investment

A Spanish utility firm has announced that it is investing £50m in a North East broadband project and tripling its North East workforce.

IQA Elecnor Group has started work on a £50m broadband project and wants to “engage with companies” to improve the North East’s internet connectivity.

The business, which employs 100 staff in the borough, plans to ramp up investment within South Tyneside by making its Monkton Business Park premises, in Hebburn, its regional headquarters.

It plans to achieve this by tripling the site’s headcount from 100 to a minimum of 300 over the next five years.

Craig Roberts, business development director at IQA, said: “We are keen to talk to local companies to build a robust and diverse regional supply chain to deliver the installation of full-fibre to across the North East.

“South Tyneside is now our fifth UK site and a focus for investment in the future as we have a number of projects across the region.

“We’ll be looking to further develop our Hebburn base as we look to work over a number of sectors in the market driving our growth.”