THIS week saw the launch of a major initiative, designed to pump £5million a year into the local economy.

Business Advantage, a new division of Bolton and Bury Chamber of Commerce, intends to act as a sophisticated "dating agency", linking companies that want to sell with those that want to buy.

Orders worth £1million are already up for grabs. The Bury Times, Bolton Evening News, and the monthly Bolton Bury Business magazine are fully behind these bold moves to bring in business worth £100,000 each week.

Regular lists will be published which will alert companies to current opportunities.

The project is being led by the Chamber's new Commercial Director, Kathryn Czaja.

Kathryn, whose energy has already made an impact on the local business scene, worked previously for the Chamber of Commerce in East Lancashire and was in charge of a team which helped local companies generate £160 million in additional business. Her record prompted Chamber chief executive Andrew Ratcliff to embark on a "poaching" mission, with a view to achieving similar success in Bolton and Bury.

Speaking at Wednesday's (Nov 14) launch, Kathryn said: "This is not a flash in the pan project, but an ongoing service designed to make Bury and Bolton companies more competitive and profitable."

Details relating to the scheme will be on a new website, www.businessadvantage.info, operational on December 1.

Cash support from Government North West has helped get the scheme off the ground and there is a hope that European funding will be obtained from January next year.

Kathryn's Business Advantage team, based at Commerce House in Bridgeman Place, Bolton, consists of Alan McColgan, David Yardley, Andrew Alderson, Liz Stanford and Teresa Jelley.

The chamber currently has about 1,300 members and expects to recruit many more who want to be able to use the Business Advantage scheme.

The chamber might take a small commission, and benefit from various other services.

Steve Hughes, editor in chief of the Bolton Evening News and Bury Times, said: "We are delighted to be supporting this imaginative initiative.

"The business community needs all the assistance it can get in today's challenging environment and we hope Business Advantage will help firms create the wealth which is necessary for a healthy economy."

The Business Advantage team can be contacted on 0845 1773599, or by e-mail hotline@ businessadvantage.info.