A Bradford businessman has launched a state-of-the-art product which he believes could help revolutionise the way firms in the city use barcodes.

Nasir Qureshi, 33, director of software development firm Dimension Business Solutions Ltd (DBS), has created his own barcode technology and point-of-sale software which can be modified for use by all types of retailers.

Mr Qureshi now aims to roll the software, which uses its own commercial database, out to businesses throughout the city.

He founded DBS six years ago to create business software but spotted a gap in the point-of-sale (POS) market after visiting firms in Bradford.

He said: "When I went into companies I noticed their POS databases were not quite right. I found myself delving into the information they had and looking at how they could use the information provided by the POS scanner properly."

A barcode is a unique tag which produces its own information. The information it provides can be used to look at business demographics and sales techniques.

Mr Qureshi believes a lot of businesses would benefit from a "tailor-made barcode strategy".

Mr Qureshi has been working on the software - which has not yet been named - for about a year.

Despite only launching the product at the start of January, two Bradford-based firms are already putting it to good use - a cash-and-carry and a manufacturer of Asian goods.

Mr Qureshi is now seeking advice from West Yorkshire Business Link on how to market the product.

In the coming weeks he hopes to employ an experienced sales person to market the product. DBS currently employs software development executives on a freelance basis.

Mr Qureshi, also a director of bmedi@, believes Bradford is very much a city on the up.

"We are based in Little Germany which is dominated at the moment by the renovation of Eastbrook Hall.

"There is so much happening in Bradford. There is a buzz around the place, despite, as JB Priestley said, Bradfordians being a pessimistic lot.

"I travel nationwide and am always encouraging people to come and have a look at what is going on here."

Fledgling Bradford businesses seeking marketing advice can contact Business Link on 0871 220 5000 or at www.blwy.co.uk