His Grandfather and father helped make trains that went all over the 'New World' and now North East businessman Dennis Yates is looking to the world stage to develop his own business.

Dennis, 48 does not deal with locomotives but the very latest protection, security and storage for IT equipment, which roll out of his unit on the Nestfield Industrial Estate, Albert Hill, Darlington.

In business for 13 years Dennis, who runs Dymatec, recently secured a deal with US firm Northrop Grumman, who work on equipment for the American military, including the stealth jet. "You could say that stealth nets Dymatec an export order," jokes Dennis, as the order came through the Internet via an increasingly busy website.

Keeping his eye on the global picture Dennis is also busy building up the Australian market. He says, "If we can build the Sydney Harbour Bridge we can deliver them Comcovers and cases.

And that is the core of the Dymatec business. Dennis, who is married with two teenagers, supplies the Comcover cabinet which protects IT equipment in harsh conditions, such as a factory floor. The tough unit will house the PC base unit, monitor, keyboard, mouse and other equipment. The Comcase which protects equipment from theft, tampering and deliberate damage, and special 19 inch racks.

Over the years he has provided IT protection for public libraries, a city firm in London, countless factory floors all over the North-East and more recently for Richard Branson's Virgin company.

Always keen to develop and expand, Dennis is busy working on a new product - Dymaflight - a transit box which offers full protection for delicate IT equipment while on the move.

One product he is determined to secure a market for is the Ocean Mail unit, which keeps IT equipment firmly in place on the rolling seas. "It will house a unit for the crew to e-mail home and such like during the long days at sea. I developed it for Great Nordic, but it could be of real interest to say the Royal Navy and other shipping companies, "says Dennis.