A FAMILY-RUN electrical wholesale business is growing its workforce across all its North-East branches as it plans to increase its trade and domestic customer base.

Bondgate Electrical Distribution Ltd, which has its head office in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, is taking on extra staff to bolster operations across three large trade counters in the region.

The expansion plans coincide with the relaunch of the company’s Bondgate.com website to sell directly to domestic customers nationwide.

Company director Richard Stanley, 35, said there is renewed optimism in the sector and an upturn in business has led to the creation of both management and sales roles at its branches in Bishop Auckland, Stockton and North Shields.

Bondgate supplies electrical products, including cable, LED lighting and safety equipment, to customers across the region.

It provides goods to house builders including Barrett’s, Charles Church, and Wimpey Homes, as well as a range of goods to local authorities.

“The sector is definitely more buoyant, especially with growth in the new build housing market again,” said Mr Stanley.

“There is more confidence going forward and as a result we are looking to grow the sales team in each of our branches to ensure we can continue to look after the customers we have and attract new ones.”

Bondgate recently employed Northumbria University graduate Darren McCallum, from Darlington, in an IT and Sales capacity to grow the company’s operations on the internet.

The company has fully revamped its website to include an online shop in order to expand its reach and supply directly to domestic and new trade customers nationwide.

“It was time for the company to have a proper presence online,” said Mr Stanley.

“We hope the shop will provide a new line to the business and grow and develop over time. We have in mind to build it up to include a click and collect service and get a Bondgate app.

“We are also on Twitter and really trying to embrace new ways of getting our name known.”

Bondgate was established in Bishop Auckland in 1993 by Mr Stanley’s father Paul Stanley. It has grown to employ a workforce of 16 at sites on Fore Bondgate, Bishop Auckland, Black Path Tilery, off Portrak Lane, Stockton and the Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate, North Shields.