A LOCAL company has been awarded a grant of £115,800 from the Department of Trade and Industry.

CIM Strategic Research Ltd received the cash under the DTI's SPUR scheme.

It will be used towards the development of an integrated suite of software tools for manufacturing engineering.

If the project is successful it will provide a set of software modules which will help UK companies to achieve world class manufacturing status and reduce new product introduction costs and timescales.

The estimated market potential for the software tool is in excess of £100m in the UK and £500m in Europe.

CIM Strategic Research, which is based in one of the serviced office units at the Bolton Business Centre, was formed in 1996.

Mr Graham Bennett, the Principal Consultant and Director, has more than 22 years' experience with British Aerospace as a computer integrated manufacturing technologist. He is an Industrial Fellow at the University of Nottingham.

The company, which moved into Bolton Business Centre in October last year, was assisted with its SPUR application by Mr Charles Meek, a business counsellor with BBV Ltd. It was part of the package of business support services offered through Business Link Bolton and Bury.

Mr Mark Allanson, the Business Link General Manager, said: "This is an excellent example of partnership in action where together we have provided very tangible support for growing business in the high tech field which will undoubtedly lead to substantial commercial opportunities in the future."

There are four employees at present and there will shortly be two more.

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