A DARWEN-based electronic cigarette firm has continued its growth by taking on 13 new staff.

The appointments take Liberty Flights – which had just three people on the books when it was set up five years ago – to 113 staff.

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And by the middle of this year, bosses said the firm will also have 21 stores nationwide.

Matthew Moden, managing director, said: “It is really pleasing for us to be able to take on more staff.

“This is something I take great pride in.

“We are in this for the long haul so we see this growth continuing.

“We are seen as a big brand in the vaping community as we are not just a supplier but a manufacturer, so we are looking for longevity.

“We have a three-year plan in place so we are rising to the challenges and ready for the continued growth thereafter.”

The Grimshaw Street firm is one of the biggest producers of e-liquid and retailers of ‘vaping’ supplies in the UK and this has been bolstered by the appointment of 12 new field sales staff.

The appointments also include Monica Vialpando, PhD, an internationally peer-reviewed published scientist who has spent years focusing on inhalation and oral dosage form development.

Mrs Vialpando, 34, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico in the US, has joined the firm as chief scientific officer.

She received her PhD in Belgium and moved to the UK in August after her husband landed a role at the University of Manchester.

Monica’s previous work has seen her employed by huge pharmaceutical companies like Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Genentech and Nektar Therapeutics.

Mr Moden said: “Monica’s CV is hugely impressive so we feel it is a real coup to welcome her to Liberty Flights.

“Her science background and research in oral dosage forms, formulation development and the effects of inhalation on the human body means she is the perfect fit for us.”

Mrs Vialpando said: “I am delighted to have joined Liberty Flights.

“This is an industry still very much in its infancy and, as such, it is exciting times for everyone involved.

“The science of vaping, what it is and what it does to our bodies, is critical to the future of how it moves forward.

“So to join a company that already has unrivalled standards in quality and safety, wants the very best for its product and its customers and is consistently trying to push the boundaries, it is a dream move for someone with my background.”