A business management software firm, based in Hampshire, has been advising Isle of Man Creameries on streamlining its business and bringing in efficiencies.

The software company is Solarsoft and one system being employed is called TROPOS.

Solarsoft says: 'Farmers and dairy producers have experienced spiralling costs due to more expensive animal feeds, yet Isle of Man Creameries has managed to grow the company without expanding its workforce. Solarsoft’s TROPOS ERP has made this easier within the doorstep delivery system, and will help to move the business forward even further.'

A media release continues: 'Expanding customer base demands a flexible and unified IT platform. As the Creamery has grown, the management team has recognised an urgent need to review the company's IT systems. These were predominantly spreadsheet-based and very fragmented, which caused a lot of administrative inefficiencies. The same information was being inputted by three or even four people, leading to discrepancies and errors.'

One area where help can be given is in reducing product waste by pinpointing exactly where milk is being lost, either through tankers or pipes. Around one per cent of the milk purchased by Isle of Man Creameries from farmers disappears, which equates to a loss of up to 350,000 litres, and around ?80,000 every year. The TROPOS system is designed to ensure managers can identify not only where the losses are taking place, but how much is disappearing from each area.