REPRESENTATIVES of about 130 companies crammed into a Bolton restaurant for the official launch of an exciting new business initiative.

Business Advantage -- a new division of Bolton and Bury Chamber of Commerce -- aims to pump £5 million a year into the local economy.

Chamber president Andrew Dickson and commercial director Kathryn Czaja outlined the scheme yesterday lunchtime in the Sizzling Palate, Bradshawgate.

Business Advantage aims to act as a sophisticated "dating agency", linking companies which want to sell with those which want to buy.

It was all about increasing sales, reducing cost and reducing risks, Kathryn said at the launch.

The aim was to encourage inter-trading between Chamber members and there were success stories already.

"One customer was having something made in France which he could have had made two doors away," she said.

Mr Dickson, who runs St Andrews Travel, said Business Advantage was going to address members' needs and make membership of the Chamber real value for money. "Everyone will hopefully benefit," he said. Mr Dickson has well-known views about the "money-go-round" -- a system he seeks to encourage which involves businesses in the area dealing with with each other as much as possible.

"Business Advantage is the big brother of the Bolton and Bury money-go-round," he said. The Business Advantage team can be contacted on 0845 1773599 or by e-mail -- hotline@businessadvantage.info

Full details will be on the internet from December 1: www.businessadvantage.info