A Stoke machinery specialist has landed a deal to help a Canadian shipping giant repel pirate attacks after moving to purpose fitted premises with help from Advantage West Midalnds.

Trentham-based Mirage Ltd is supplying remote controls for Expedo Shipping Corporation, which will be used on its New Century tanker to operate powerful water canons designed to fight off raiders.

Directors at Mirage, which specialises in hi-tech equipment for vehicle production lines, are hoping the deal can help them branch out into the potentially lucrative shipping market.

Managing director Nick Mountford said: "This is a relatively new market for us, but we're trying to diversify our products. We predominantly focus on the automotive sector at the moment, but we're venturing out into other forms of lean manufacturing systems.

"Anti-piracy solutions for shipping firms is a growth area and we're hoping in the future to be able to buy the canons in so we're able to do a turnkey solution for other clients."

Mirage, which employs nine people, was originally run from a garage in Stockton Brook. The firm won a £70,000 grant from Advantage West Midlands last year which enabled it to move to a base at Trentham Trade Park, which incorporates specialist design software, IT systems, plant and equipment and a new van for improved customer service and delivery.

Mr Mountford added: "We have been delighted by the support from Advantage West Midlands, which has enabled us to make rapid growth and exploit the real potential for continued and growing business from a major new customer and now a new market. Crucially, the grant also created the opportunity for us to move at a time when obtaining finance can be a challenge.

"Our new premises are a huge leap forward, and have helped us to demonstrate our consistent expertise and ability to meet tight deadlines, by having the facility to build and test our equipment before installation on site, which is particularly important to our customers.

"By proving our worth and flexibility to a major vehicle manufacturer we have been able to generate much more business, including becoming involved in a major collaborative project between three large vehicle manufacturers and now by winning  a new contract for the canon remote controls.

"This continues to be an exciting time and we have high hopes for the future."

Stuart Parkes, grants case officer at AWM, said: "It is fantastic to see the firm continuing to succeed and grow since receiving support from Advantage West Midlands.

"This is exactly the type of project we are here to support, where a regional business is helped to grow and jobs are created for local people.

"From a West Midlands perspective, it is great to see a company focusing on higher technology products and to see the region's traditional automotive expertise helping a business to innovate and succeed."