TWO brand new firms dedicated to environmentally-friendly processes have opened in North Yorkshire, generating more than 34 jobs.

Finishing touches are now being put to a £1 million investment in Flexible Vision, a food packaging company on the Sherburn Industrial estate which is expected to create 34 local jobs over the next three years.

A special training programme will be put in place for skilled local employees to learn how to handle the organisation's brand new equipment which uses environmentally-friendly water-based inks, as well as new ink transfer technology.

And EnergieKontor, the leading German project developer in the wind power sector, has opened a new UK subsidiary at the Innovation Centre, Conyngham Hall, Knaresborough.

The company employs more than 50 engineers and technicians at its head office in Bremen and at subsidiaries in Spain and Portugal to design, co-ordinate and supervise the construction of wind farms.

At first, one person will be employed at its new North Yorkshire office to identify potential UK sites to add to its existing 24 European wind farms. Once found, these wind farms will be designed and developed from Knaresborough, which will mean taking on engineers and technicians.

Both organisations were given help by the inward investment team of Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency. In the case of Flexible Vision, the team steered managing director Steve Jones towards a new site, advised on financial assistance and offered an unnamed sum from the DTI regional selective assistance fund.

Mike Tough, general manager of EnergieKontor UK Ltd said: "Our project was made significantly less painful as a result of the assistance we received from Yorkshire Forward and Harrogate Borough Council."