According to new data analysis, the North East is the UK’s top region outside London, in terms of creating new jobs from foreign investment (relative to population size).

In the last financial year, the North East Combined Authority (NECA) (www.northeastca.gov.uk) area created nearly twice as many new overseas investment jobs per person as the UK average.

Its particular strengths lie in the digital, advanced manufacturing and energy sectors, plus financial and professional services.

This helped the NECA area to secure 3,160 jobs per million people of working age from foreign direct investment in 2016-17, compared with the UK average of 1,600.

Exceptional skills availability, cost competitive locations and a solid support infrastructure are attracting overseas investors such as Belgian-owned Smulders, which is due to create 300 new jobs in the energy sector in North Tyneside.

Meanwhile, Robert Forsyth, commercial director of Metec UK (www.metek.co.uk), has overseen a £1 million investment by the firm’s Italian parent company in its South Shields plant.

Now employing 35 people, the company manufactures aluminium and zinc anodes, which are attached to structures in the oil and gas and offshore renewable-energy industries.

Mr Forsyth said: “The investment in the North East by Metec shows the strength, stability and skill set that our region offers. Our first year is forecast to almost double our parent company’s expectations on turnover.

"We are bidding for record-size contracts that will further secure the future of our company, providing new local jobs and supply-chain opportunities for the foreseeable future.”