THE new owner of a parcel carrier company believes the growing trend for ordering products over the internet will be good for business.

Toby Lewis has already created four new jobs since taking over Interlink Express, in Shipston Close, Warndon, two months ago, and plans to add further to the 20-strong team as he expands the business.

The management consultant bought the 14-van franchise from former owner Chris Franey because he thought it was a sound business proposition and admits the fact it was based in Worcester was a "bonus".

"I had been working as a management consultant in Houston, Texas, USA, for five years but I wanted to come back to England and set up my own business," said Mr Lewis, aged 35, who lives in Abberley with his wife and two daughters.

"I spoke to Interlink and they had this particular location, so I came down and had a look. It's such a well-established business - it's been here 19 years under the same owner and he's clearly built up a good business and a good team - and I thought it was a really good business to take on.

"The fact it was in Worcester - which is such a lovely city with great road and rail links - was a bonus!"

Mr Lewis believes Interlink's dual offering of technological backup and customer service sets it apart, with the firm spending more than £20m on "very sophisticated" IT systems in the past three years.

"For example, we have hand-held devices which can send confirmation of a receipt signature up to the central server in real time, so we know immediately when a parcel has been received."

Mr Lewis's franchise covers a wide rural area in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire and while he is mindful of the increased costs associated with rural deliveries, which are more spread out, he thinks the growing number of people running internet-based businesses from home are a prime target market.

"There is a great market opportunity for people to use the web and sell products from different locations you wouldn't have seen before.

"There are a lot of people who work from home in rural areas - why spend the money being in a city location when you can be more rural?

"And if you have a good courier service, there is no reason why you shouldn't do this."