A SPECIALIST waste management company has seen greater efficiency and growth with the introduction of a software system.

While an increased order book was welcomed by Waters Waste Services of Little Ayton, North Yorkshire, it also brought problems.

Tom Waters, operations director, and his team found doing everything by hand meant they were having to work longer days to keep up with demand.

"We were spending a lot of time moving recurring jobs onwards and re-writing them which meant it was easy to miss jobs," he said.

"As we got busier and the business expanded we knew we couldn't continue in the same vein, a new system had to be found."

They initially looked for a bespoke system. "We're not the same as general haulage companies - we have collections rather than deliveries," said Mr Waters.

They discovered Manpack3 from Cramlington-based Mandata, which has designed transport and logistics software for 40 years.

Neal Waters, managing director, estimates the system is saving the company 20 per cent a year in administration time alone and making life easier for customers as well as staff.

Invoices which were manually typed and sent out are now issued daily by the new system which has reduced payment time from 60 to 90 days to 40 days.

The system has meant the company has been able to cope with expansion and has already opened further depots in Doncaster, Newcastle and Milton Keynes.

It has also added four new tankers to its fleet with more expected soon.

Tom Waters said: "Our company believes in offering a good customer service based on traditional family values and our new systems are enabling us to provide a better and consistently professional service."