A helping hand for businesses hit by the rising cost of their fuel.

Hard-pressed North-East companies struggling to cope with rising fuel bills are being given a double dose of expert help to cut costs.

The North East Carbon Management Energy Efficiency Programme is currently working with 15 large, high-energy consuming businesses to assess the risks posed by unprecedented changes in energy markets, which threaten profitability and competitiveness.

Experts from One NorthEast and the Government's Carbon Trust are carrying out a comprehensive analysis of company energy supply and demand.

The interventions are designed to identify cost savings and investment opportunities in the short to medium term tailored to the individual needs of the company.

This programme forms one part of a powerful double package of assistance to regional firms. The North East Productivity Alliance (NEPA) has had 100 smaller firms express an interest in signing up for its new pounds 5m Energy Management Excellence programme due to be launched early next year.

A team of specialist engineers will be seconded to the project, working closely with small and medium-sized manufacturers to develop an energy action plan, analysing current energy usage and highlighting innovative means to cut bills.

Together, the two programmes are a swift response from the public sector to escalating fuel bills ( cited as the most pressing financial problem by many regional and national businesses.

As well as the direct economic benefits to business, the smarter and more efficient use of energy promoted by the schemes will bring environmental advantages too. Andrew Williamson, One NorthEast Renewable Energy Specialist who is heading the carbon efficiency programme, said: "The recent Stern Report on the economics of climate change reinforces the decision of One NorthEast and its partners to launch The North East Carbon Management Energy Efficiency Programme.

"One NorthEast and the Carbon Trust are assisting the most energy intensive manufacturing businesses in the region to reduce risk in the medium term against unprecedented price rises and emerging emissions related regulation.

"Many of the companies are multi-site operators and are under pressure to remain competitive with other plants worldwide.

"As the UK is not seen as a low cost option for energy, the future for many North East plants is in question.

"We currently have 15 major clients engaged with the programme who have benefited from interventions to examine specific parts of their business, identifying opportunities to cut costs and also to invest in new infrastructure."

Programme successes include Arizona Chemical, which operates plants in Bedlington and Chester-le-Street.

Arizona Chemical UK plant manager Graeme Wilson said: "The scheme offered by One NorthEast and the Carbon Trust has provided us with real energy conservation expertise.

"We're already seeing very practical implementable solutions which are bringing operational benefits as well as energy reduction."

Other programme successes to date include:

* A world-class manufacturer of steel products was keen to benchmark its process plant performance against industry best practice standards. The assessment resulted in measures being taken to improve operational efficiency and overall performance standards.

* An international pharmaceutical company was helped to establish the economics and technical feasibility for the generation of on-site wind energy. The project will offset its current power requirements.

The pounds 300,000 programme is bespoke and has a two-thirds contribution from One NorthEast and the Carbon Trust, with the client funding the remaining third. A typical intervention costs about pounds 20,000.

NEPA was originally set up three years ago to work with companies to adopt the latest lean manufacturing techniques into their businesses and raise productivity.

NEPA head Colin Herron said: "We decided to expand the remit of NEPA into energy management as our engineers were constantly being told of the heavy impact rising fuel costs were having on business.

"The level of interest we have had from manufacturers to our excellence programme justifies the decision of One NorthEast to invest pounds 4.2m in the NEPA Energy Management Excellence project.

"There is a comprehensive offer of publicly-backed energy efficiency programmes across the region and the NEPA and carbon management schemes are important elements of this offer."

David Allison, One NorthEast Director of Business and Industry, said: "One NorthEast has identified tackling rising energy costs as a priority, recognising that sustained high energy costs will be detrimental to the future of the regional economy."

CBI North East regional director Sarah Green said: "Over the past two years, energy prices have soared and placed growing pressures on business, moving the issue of energy supply from newspaper science pages to the front page.

"One NorthEast's funding and intervention is welcome and to be applauded, cutting to the heart of the issue and bringing hands-on help to companies at the sharp end of this escalating problem."