ONLINE retailer dabs.com scored a hat-trick of successes at an awards ceremony. The IT and technology products company, based on the Wingates Industrial Estate at Westhoughton, has now won nine different titles this year.

The Big Chip Awards are run by the Manchester Digital organisation to reward businesses across the North-west for excellence in digital and new media activities.

The North-west region is thought to employ 35,000 people within the digital economy, making it the second largest centre for technology companies in Europe.

Dabs.com entered three categories and won in all of them -- Best Use of e-Business, Best Use of eCommerce and the BT Award for Best Use of Broadband.

The company was founded by entrepreneur David Atherton 12 years ago as a discount mail order computer operation in Manchester.

It now employs 210 people and offers more than 36,000 lines from leading manufacturers to more than 700,000 registered online customers across the UK. Mr Atherton, the managing director, said: "I especially enjoy the Big Chip awards because it gives us an opportunity to celebrate the wealth of digital ability our region boasts.

"As an employer in the North-west whose own business has benefited greatly from the skills and experience of such locally-grown talent, it is particularly pleasing."

The BT Award for the Best Use of Broadband related to dabs' video streaming site -- www.dabs.tv -- which allows would-be purchasers to view pre-recorded clips of products in action.

Mr Jonathan Wall, dabs' Sales and Marketing Director, said: "Although dabs.tv was only launched in June, it has already had a positive impact on sales."

Other awards this year have included three reader-voted titles organised by magazines. Dabs.com was the Bolton and Bury Company of the Year in 2000.

WINNERS: Mr Atherton, centre, is pictured with Steve Cooper of EOS Media (the company used for dabs.tv) collecting the Broadband award from Stephen Gelling-Fisher of BT (left).