Celebrations as first birthday approaches.

Ge Money, one of the world's leading personal finance providers, is celebrating its first birthday on Tyneside. The company, which is the financial arm of GE Consumer Finance, arrived in the region last summer, when it opened a contact centre at North Tyneside's impressive new Cobalt Business Park.

A year on and GE Money's arrival has been a major boost for the park and the local workforce, with the centre creating about 500 jobs.

Indeed, the dedication and skill of the workforce, together with the infrastructure and business support available in the area, were among the reasons the company chose Tyne and Wear as a key UK centre.

Like many businesses investing here, it has been assisted in this process by Tyne and Wear Development Company, the major facilitator of inward and indigenous investment in Tyne and Wear for the past two decades.

Jennifer Waller, a spokeswoman for GE Money, explains: "The call centre is dealing with more business coming our way and Tyne and Wear seemed a great place to concentrate on setting up.

"We are very pleased with the way things are progressing.

"Cobalt is a great place to be. The business park is 15 minutes from Newcastle city centre and we're based in a brand new building. It's a good mix ( near the city but with a local community."

GE Money is typical of the many investors Tyne and Wear Development Company has helped in recent years.

Set up in 1986, the agency is still going strong as it celebrates its 20th birthday and continues to support the growth plans of hundreds of international, national and local businesses. As the commercial landscape of Tyne and Wear has changed, the agency has worked closely with the myriad of high- profile investors arriving in the region ( from Nike in the early 1990s to New Logic more recently.

New Logic moved to the region from Milton Keynes, where the founding directors were based, in June 2004.

With the support of Tyne and Wear Development Company, it invested pounds 3m in a 55,000sq ft facility on Boldon Business Park and hasn't looked back.

Following a highly successful first couple of years in Tyne and Wear, which included major account wins, it has increased its workforce to 300.

Neil Shotton, chief operating officer, says: "As well as a conscientious workforce that is good at dealing with customers, we needed to find suitable premises at the right price and there's good, cost-effective supply here in the North-East.

"Business is going better than forecast.

"We have picked up a number of major blue-chip contracts that means we have been able to accelerate our growth and recruitment plans.

"We have been enormously impressed by the quality of staff. We would not have enjoyed the success without the efforts of our staff and the assistance of local business support agencies."

But it's not just big-name firms arriving in the region that have benefited from this support. The agency also remains the first port of call for home-grown companies looking to expand.

They include businesses like South Shields manufacturer Solar Solve Marine and fast-growing audiovisual company ZeroPlus, which is run by Nick Bell, one of the region's leading young entrepreneurs.

Solar Solve Marine, already one of the world's leading manufacturers of anti-glare sunscreens for the marine industry, has invested pounds 1.1m with Tyne and Wear Development Company's support in a new factory three times the size of its original premises.

The move will help to meet a growing order book and assist the firm with its plan to break into new markets.

ZeroPlus UK is also expanding. Set up three years ago by Nick, 22, and his business partner Olly Henderson, ZeroPlus has grown rapidly. It has moved to Gateshead as it looks to drive turnover up from pounds 1.5m to pounds 5m a year by 2008 following a series of major contract wins.

Nick explains: "Our growth so far has been very much organic, but we're now in a position to really start pushing ourselves forward and firmly establishing ourselves as a leader in our field.

"We've been looking to move to a new facility for some time and Tyne and Wear Development Company have played a big part in this. Our new home is ideal, providing space for growth and excellent facilities close to the city centre."

Paul Buie, manager of Tyne and Wear Development Company, says: "We've helped a wide range of businesses over the past 20 years ( from small, home-grown companies looking to expand right up to major global names keen to relocate to the region.

"One of the reasons we've been able to do this is Tyne and Wear itself.

"The region is an attractive place to do business ( with excellent facilities, a top infrastructure and a skilled and dedicated workforce.

"It also boasts a strong pro-business environment with so many different support organisations prepared to work closely together to achieve success."

With an eye towards the success of the region, efforts are also being made to support the growth of new and emerging sectors, particularly IT and digital companies.

A marketing campaign has been launched ( supported by Tyne and Wear Development Company and Newcastle University ( to help firms in the area develop closer links with counterparts in the South-East.

Nick Kemp, business development officer at Tyne Wear Development Company, explains: "The region's IT sector is developing all the time. We have a strong infrastructure and excellent raw materials, thanks to the students graduating from local universities.

"This campaign is about providing more opportunities for this talent, so that we continue to develop world class companies like Eutechnyx and Sage."

Launched last year, it is already bearing fruit, with several leads generated for local businesses, including Newcastle University, which has worked with the Ministry of Defence on collaborative contract bids.

As it has been for 20 years, Tyne and Wear Development Company is strongly supported by the region's five local authorities ( Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

It provides a dedicated, free service to help companies on all subjects relating to potential investment.

This includes searching for premises and advice on matters such as financial assistance, labour, training and the sourcing of professional services.

For more information about investment opportunities in Tyne and Wear, please contact Tyne and Wear Development Company on [phone] or visit www.tyne-wear.co.uk.