Aycliffe Today Business | Page 4

4 | Aycliffe Today Business BUSINESS BRIEFS ‘THIS PRODUCT WILL SELL’ The visionary behind Ebac’s ambitious plans to bring washing machine manufacturing back to the UK insists their product will sell – despite initial problems trying to convince retailers. Full production of Ebac’s range of washing machines will come later than originally planned, with the first machines expected to roll off the production line early this year. But the firm’s chairman John Elliott told Aycliffe Today: “We’ve still got to get this washing machine in the market place, but we’ve got no doubt at all that it’s reliable. We’ve tested this probably more than other companies do, that’s why it’s taken so long. “We’ve got to spend a year getting it out there. Then we want the big boys to come and talk to us, because our product is going to sell.” More on this is in the business section on www.aycliffetoday.co.uk HITACHI PRODUCTION STARTS Hitachi Rail Europe’s newly-installed production team has started work on the first two train carriages at the Japanese firm’s new £82m factory in Newton Aycliffe. The first body shells arrived at the Rail Vehicle Manufacturing Facility on Aycliffe Business Park from Hitachi’s Kasado Works in Japan in October. Hitachi’s state-of-the-art site is where the Government’s new InterCity Express Programme (IEP) trains for the East Coast Main Line and Great Western Main Line, and AT200 commuter trains for Scotland, will be manufactured. Hitachi is expected to employ more than 700 workers when the factory is fully operational later this year. BALTIC WINS DEVELOPER AWARD Newton Aycliffe-based Baltic Training Services has won the Skills Developer Award at the prestigious Dynamites 15 Awards, which celebrates the NorthEast’s IT and technology talent and growth. Held at Newcastle’s Civic Centre Banqueting Hall last week, over 300 guests represented the best of the North East’s IT and technology business