Foreign firms have created 1,137 jobs in Noord-Brabant province over the first six months of 2013, according to new figures from provincial development board BOM.

This is an increase of 127% on the year-earlier period. BOM expects foreign firms to have created 2,000 jobs in the region by the end of the year.

The most recent foreign firm to set up in the province is US online retail group FAB.com which has opted to base its European distribution centre in Eindhoven, with the creation of 450 jobs.

The new foreign jobs have helped stabilise the province’s unemployment rate following a 27% rise in the Noord-Brabant jobless total.