A Co Antrim company has secured a £13 million sterling contract to supply manhole covers and frames to British Telecom. The four-year deal between BT and Salmor Industries in Ballymoney is a renewal of a three-year agreement worth £11 million, which was signed in 1994.

Salmor was set up 15 years ago specifically to manufacture frames and covers for BT in Northern Ireland, and has since succeeded in winning contracts to supply the BT's requirements in England and Scotland.

However, over the past two years, the company has been trying to reduce its dependence on BT contracts.

"We have been developing a parallel market in cable television in the UK," said general manager Mr Michael Wightman. "This sector now accounts for 20 per cent of our turnover."

Mr Wightman said the renewal of the contract with BT and the growth of the cable business had enabled Salmor to increase its workforce by around 20 per cent, and would also mean additional jobs by the end of the year.

"We are hopeful for new contracts in the coming year," he said.

Meanwhile, another Co Antrim company has announced an investment of almost £660,000 to develop its product range for increased export sales in the UK and the Asia-Pacific region.

Ballyclare Special Products, which employs 119 people in the manufacture of flameretardant clothing for the emergency services, expects the investment will create 13 jobs.