One of Gloucestershire's highest profile engineering firm's saw a near seven per cent rise in its share price after it revealed an exciting new partnership.

The business has not named the Japanese firm it has secured orders with, but has disclosed the company operates in the automotive industry and trades in 40 countries.

Versarien, experts in all things graphene - best described as a super material with potential in seemingly endless sectors - said the deal had come through its North American division.

Shares in the Cheltenham-based Aim-listed firm were trading 6.8 per cent higher (at 106.75 pence each) following the disclosure.

"We are very pleased to have secured this order, our first from a Japanese headquartered company," said Neill Ricketts (picture right), Versarien's founder and chief executive

"We look forward to working with this customer to help them maximise the benefits the addition of our graphene can bring to a number of their products."

According to Versarien, its newest client has placed development orders for one kilogramme of Versarien's Nanene and graphene nano platelets.

According to reports the Japanese business is involved in 'leading-edge automotive materials and process development" and "the development of next-generation information and communications technology for vehicles".

Read more: Okay, but what will graphene ever do for us?