A HIGH-TECH company with a growing blue-chip client base is set for significant expansion after re-locating to Teesside and attracting support from two of the region’s leading investors.

Micropore Technologies plans a £270,000 expansion with the help of £110,000 investment from UK Steel Enterprise and £100,000 from the North East Angel Fund managed by Rivers Capital Partners.

The company's patented membrane emulsification and encapsulation process is in growing demand across the pharmaceutical, food, agro-chemicals, aerospace and research sectors.

Micropore is a spin out from Loughborough University’s formulation research group. After working with a wide range of industries on trials and feasibility studies, it has successfully scaled up its process to industrial production level and is growing its staff and customer base.

The company has re-located from the East Midlands to the Wilton Centre in Redcar, because of the area's knowledge base, supply chain, skilled workforce, calibre of investors and quality of premises.

Micropore’s process uses a sieve-type membrane to engineer droplets and particles to a uniform size using a process known as membrane emulsification.

The company’s expertise, patented equipment and services are sought by manufacturers of foods, medicines, cosmetics and even rocket fuel looking to innovate and produce a high-quality, cost-effective product with less material wastage.

Dai Hayward, chief executive, said: "We have strong working relationships with a portfolio of exciting and exacting clients and work confidentially with them on their novel, leading-edge formulation developments across a wide range of markets.

"We are leading the field in a market with huge potential and expect to more than double our five-strong team of highly skilled scientists and engineers.

"The UK market alone has room for considerable growth but we also have a sales office in the USA that accounts for 20 to 25 per cent of the company’s business. A recent trade mission to India has led to some new and exciting growth opportunities and we are looking to increase overseas interest."

He said the investments from UK Steel Enterprise and Rivers Capital had come at a vital time.

"Over the past year, we have made a significant breakthrough in scaling up the technology and growing our order book. This expansion project reflects the growing blue-chip client base that we are attracting."

Sarah Thorpe, of UKSE, said: "This project demonstrates what can be done when investors, advisers and businesses work in close partnership."

Dr Michael Dickens, Rivers Capital Partners fund manager, said: "The North East Angel Fund provides specialist early-stage funding for innovative small businesses so Micropore is an ideal fit. The company is ripe for expansion with a wealth of knowledge.

"We are happy to be working alongside UK Steel Enterprise as, despite a number of different investors and advisers being involved, it has been a smooth and successful process."