THE economy of Abertillery is being boosted with forty jobs at a new 4million battery component manufacturer.

Atraverda is refitting a factory on the Roseheyworth Industrial Estate just north of the town.

Part of the space will be devoted to a laboratory for research and development.

The firm is relocating from Mansfield in Nottinghamshire with a few key employees and is hiring the rest of its workforce locally.

Production will start sometime between April and June.

The firm has designed a range of ceramic battery plates from a conductive material it has patented known as Ebonex.

It claims to offer weight, performance and environmental improvements over the traditional lead plates in lead-acid batteries. Last year Atraverda was chosen as one of the 25 most promising technology companies in England.

Atraverda chief executive Dr Andrew Loyns said: "We've moved to South Wales for two principal reasons: to be close to potential customers and to receive a regional selective assistance grant from the Assembly plus other help from the WDA. Both organisations have been extremely helpful."

The Assembly's grant amounted to 900,000.

The WDA helped Dr Loyns in his search for a suitable manufacturing site.

Economic development minister Andrew Davies said: "Atraverda has outstanding potential and I'm delighted it has chosen Wales for its manufacturing base."