A MALVERN firm has secured a deal to represent a massive American company as it expands into new markets in Egypt.

Wordsworth International, based on Christchurch Road, will help International Fiber Systems (IFS), which specialises in high-speed communications and security applications, to take advantage of growing demand for such services in the African country.

IFS, which has offices in North America, Europe, Latin America, the Pacific Rim and Australia, makes systems for transmitting transportation, CCTV, access control, fire and alarm signals and numbers NASA, Singapore Telecom and Universal Studios among its clients.

"Egypt is developing fast," said Nagi Bay, director of Wordsworth International.

"Government and businsses cannot afford to stand back and wait but at the same time this is new and expensive technology.

"We have to reassure them that they're going to get the right systems at the right price."

Mr Bay, who was born in Egypt, said that the relationships between the USA, UK and Egypt are vital culturally, politically and commercially in view of current tensions in the Middle East.

"It's so important that we keep up dialogue between the Middle East and 'the West' in these fraught times," he said. "The more links we can build, the better.

"In a society where personal contact and mutual understanding is as vital in business as in personal relationships, I see this type of activity as a bridgehead towards greater understanding and trust between the regions."

As part of the three-year deal, Wordsworth has this week been involved in organising a seminar in Cairo aimed at introducing IFS products to powerful figures in Egyptian business and politics, including government ministers responsible for infrastructure development.