BAR code firm Briarsoft is moving into new premises after expanding its business.

A labelling system for products ranging from meals to paint, and a radio frequency scanning system for stock control, are two rapidly developing fields for the Consett firm, allowing it to quadruple its space and move into new premises on Consett's Number One Industrial Estate.

The move has also enabled the firm to take on three more staff, taking the total employed at the firm to ten.

A new contract with chilled meal manufacturer International Cuisine, to label bags for takeaway meals sold by leading supermarkets, had led Briarsoft to investigate the potential market for providing a labelling service for other industries.

Bar coding is still the core business for the company. Its latest systems operate with a radio frequency scanner which enables stock to be scanned through the factory providing "real time" information.

Managing director Malcolm Marsh said: "It is more expensive, but it repays business with a high level of accuracy and speed. Stock control can be a major headache for companies, and increasingly they are finding this investment worthwhile."

Other possibilities for expansion include working with manufacturers of kitchens on a system to scan shopping as it is put away to create domestic shopping lists.

Briarsoft was established by chairman Keith Manning when he was faced with unemployment. At 57, he chose to establish his own business rather than go for early retirement, helped by Derwentside Industrial Development Agency (Dida).

Keith Butterfield, Dida's business enterprise coordinator, said: "Briarsoft is one of our business start-up successes and we were confident right from the beginning that the company would do well."

Briarsoft holds open days tomorrow and Thursday. For details, ring the firm on (01207) 583562.