***

Kelly's new website, which describes itself as "the nationwide search engine for the manufacturing industry", is a basic-looking affair - no rotating Kelly's logo, "click here" buttons changing colour when your mouse passes over them. Only the banner on the top of the page moves.

Don't be fooled by appearances, though. The hard-copy Kelly's, published by Reed Business Information, is a business directory of suppliers that has now migrated on to the web. What it lacks in flashing lights it makes up for in detailed listings for most products and services you can think of.

A good test with this sort of search engine is to put in something really general and see what it stirs up. Under products and services, "bolts" yields an impressive 278 matches, "nuts" 438 (everything from adhesives, industrial to wrenches, nut locking, square bezels), "telecommunications" 96, "employment agencies" 56. Through this option, you can get to all the companies listed in the Kelly's database providing a particular service in one region. You can also search by company name, town, street, postcode or trade name.

The entries come complete with street maps showing the company's location (which with the net being the net, don't always work) and links straight to the business's website. These are necessary, as some of the sites offer the ability to buy online, but Kellysearch is a directory service rather than a trading exchange. You can also, through Kelly's, e-mail the suppliers with queries.

If your business wants to sell, rather than buy, there is a promising link on the side of the page that offers free entry.

A test with all such sites is how easy they are to use, and on this, the spartan-looking Kellysearch comes up trumps. It's clear, concise, and with the occasional exception of a bad link to a website, does what it is supposed to. The search hints section, however, does not look like it has been finished yet. The "how to search by category" section is there, but the FAQs and site map are notable by their absence.

Gareth Mytton