A MODERN Bolton company believes it is poised for commercial success in the fast-evolving world of the Internet.

Multi Media Machine Ltd of Bridgeman Place, Bolton is making a £250,000 investment in equipment and personnel to establish itself as a leading Internet Service Provider.

The owners are convinced there is a growing demand from businesses prepared to pay for professionally-designed access to the world-wide computer network.

There are thought to be about 100 UK providers currently - a handful of them in the North-west.

Multi Media Machine Ltd and its sister company Music Machine Marketing Ltd (founded on the karaoke boom) are the main components of the MMM Group run by John and Christine Blackburn and their son John.

Mr Blackburn senior, or JayBee as he likes to be called, is managing director of a growing group which now employs 14 people.

Multi Media Machine Ltd has recently gone public on its activities after spending 18 months on research and development. "We are a small ISP at the moment but we hope to graduate very quickly to be a force to be reckoned with in the North-west," Mr Blackburn said.

"We believe we are in at the start of something big."

So far there are two main contracts - Thomas Cook Holidays and Greater Manchester Police.

Other clients include Bolton Institute and Brolit Welding.

Mr Blackburn said they were now in the process of selling their services to North-west companies, starting in Bolton.

They charged a basic fee to start companies on the Internet and there were further charges for more ambitious projects.

As "electronic publishers" they were providing a service to companies and organisations wishing to build-up sales nationally and internationally - not individuals "surfing the net" from home computers.

Thomas Cook Holidays are exploring the potential of the Internet for the travel business.

MMM have used technical and graphic design skills to produce electronic versions of the company's Egyptian and Caribbean brochures and an on-line booking facility could follow shortly. "The business community is waking up to the possibilities," Mr Blackburn said.

" We feel we have the right foundations and we can deliver anything people want."

Mr Blackburn is convinced interest in the Internet will take off dramatically over the next few years with the general introduction of "set top boxes" - devices which will allow "surfers" to operate through the television screen.

The company's Internet address is:

http://www.mmm.co.uk

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