finding .coms in a given area

Hi guys,

I'm trying to create a website that revolves around business listings. What I'm trying to do is find all the companies that have offices in given city/state. What would be the most effective way to find companies?

So say for example I wanted to know all the companies in Phoenix AZ that developed software. Now I would also like to take into account companies that are global. Like IBM, GE, Intel ect. So if IBM had an office in Phoenix AZ I'd like have that branch pop up in the search. After I get the listing I'd like to have them all put into one file so I can update the website.

I did think about using phone books, searches through like switchboard.com but those return companies like Radio Shack or other companies that have stores there but they're not developing software. So it doesn't really work that well.

I was thinking of a web crawler maybe but I haven't found one that I liked. Any ideas?

I know of CD sets that you can purchase that are basically phone and address books for businesses. Though these disks have a myriad of features, the one you would be most interested in is called a SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes. With a SIC code, you can query business types.

So, for instance, you could set your search based on "New York City," plus a SIC code of "4210," and the search would find only "Trucking & Courier Services" in that area. The code of "5412" would show you all "Retail-Convenience Stores" in that area.

Look for software that deals with SIC codes or NAICS codes, and make sure you are allowed publish the results on your website. I bought a set of these disks in the 1990's for about $150 US. These days, you might be able to subscribe to a service on-line for your searches.

Good luck!