A POCKLINGTON computer systems company which has developed software tailor-made for estate agents has merged with a similar firm in the South with the possibility of creating dozens more local jobs.

The marriage between Solex Computer Systems Ltd, on the Pocklington Industrial Estate, and Craft Computer Systems Ltd, of St Albans, is a prelude to flotation later this year - an act which could see Solex doubling its workforce from 24 to 48.

Both organisations, advised by Arthur Andersen and Garretts, the English member firm of Andersen Legal, will continue to operate under the umbrella name of The Vebra Group.

Colin Quickmire, who with York man Blythe Nicholson started Solex in 1993, will be joint chief executive of the Vebra Group and managing director of Solex.

Mr Quickmire launched his Home View software application into the UK in 1995.

It offers a high quality front office presentation tool - calling up virtual tours of properties on estate agents' books for customers - as well as offering back end administration, collating into property categories and values and monitoring the progress of house sales.

By June, Solex had licensed 1,900 applications of its software to 550 estate agents, many of them in York and including Hunters, Stephensons and Langley Friends.

Craft Computer Systems, founded in 1981 produced its own software for estate agents in 1983. Called EstateCraft it offers a complete business solution for residential and commercial estate agents, letting and business transfer agents.

Mr Quickmire said: "The two companies complement each other geographically and in their development plans and a merger made sense in a market place which is moving rapidly. Rather than be rivals we have joined to become the largest software team in the estate agents' market. One of the things we are now looking at is flotation later this year and this merger prepares the way."