Engineering firm sells va va voom to Renault.

Byline: By Guy Anderson 

Patented technology developed by a County Durham engineering group has been supplied to a car maker in a three-year pounds 6m deal.

GT Precision Product is preparing to create 20 jobs after the deal to provide exhaust pressure modulators ( an advanced engine braking system ( to Renault.

The contract will help the company in Peterlee, County Durham, to push sales up by 20pc to pounds 12m next year, having more than doubled turnover since 2002.

GT Group chairman Geoff Turnbull said: "Research and development is the lifeblood of our company and the key to our success in competing in world markets.

"As the current market leader and with such a heavy R&D investment programme, the future looks very rosy."

The patented EPM unit ( a valve which slows the engine by restricting exhaust pressure ( is already fitted to all trucks made by Swedish group Scania. The precision engineering company also provided components to diesel-engine group Cummings in the United States.

Talks are also taking place with Nissan and another Japanese company.

GT Precision Products secured the intellectual and manufacturing rights to the EPM braking system from American company Wabco Automotive in 2002.

The device is expected to be worth pounds 100m to GTPP over the next decade.

About 115 people are employed by GTPP at the Peterlee factory. The group has a payroll of 350 and factories in Consett, Aycliffe, Peterlee and Sunderland.

Sales throughout the group reached pounds 22m last year.

GT's research and development department is currently working on an exhaust-gas recirculating system which will reduce emissions from vehicles by burning off harmful hydrocarbons before they reach the atmosphere.

Mr Turnbull said: "We expect to have a breakthrough in the next 12 weeks.

"This is a very exciting development for the company."