BLACKBURN technology firm Promethean has revealed a hi-tech new whiteboard for schools in one of the biggest launches in history.

The Lower Philips Road firm, famous for its interactive whiteboards which are used across the world, unveiled its latest generation of board at an event in London, on Wednesday.

The firm hopes the new product will bring in extra revenue to its factories and offices based as far afield as France, America, Germany and China.

The new Activboard+2 could also create new jobs.

A spokesman for Promethean said: "We are very proud of our innovation and this is our next innovative step to provide something for the education market which we feel nobody else is supplying.

"As a result it does bring business to the area and also creates jobs around the world as well."

Promethean launched its original whiteboard in 1999 with sales of just 500 to schools in the UK. Today the company is a world leader with sales of millions of pounds, and supplies more than 70 countries.

The new whiteboard includes a projector, which has been designed specifically for use with Promethean's boards by Asian electronics giant Sanyo, and took two years of design work.

Along with the projector, the unit also features a flexible, adjustable stand, computer software, speakers and an amplifier. Promethean believe the product is unique.

John Boyle, Sanyo UK group sales and marketing director, praised the work Promethean had done. He said: "We are delighted to have worked exclusively with Promethean in the development of this product and believe the Activboard+2 is the most compelling interactive whiteboard system on the market."

Stephen Jury, CEO of the firm, said: "Having listened to feedback from teachers and schools it became clear that we could improve the usability of our technology through integration, and partnering with Sanyo to achieve this seemed a natural fit.

"The Activboard+2 offers much more flexibility within the classroom and will allow teachers to ensure even more pupils are engaged and motivated when learning."