WHEN this York wonder man isn't surfing off Sydney's beaches, he's working to generate record levels of interest in Mitrefinch's employee management systems in Australia.

Paul Douglass, the firm's operations manager for Australasia and Asia, has worked for the high-tech Clifton Moor firm for more than 20 years.

Now he and his team are surfing all the way as they celebrate both their 100th customer and the opening of a second office in Melbourne to support customers in Western Australia.

And with the firm's time and attendance software systems spreading from York through Ireland, Canada and Europe, it is no surprise that Mitrefinch is pitching for the International Trade title in The Press Business Awards 2007.

Mitrefinch's core product, TMS time and attendance systems, now operate at more than 2,500 sites worldwide, and the nifty new PDA technology was expected to add about £3 million to revenues.

Winning the International Trade title would add to an amazing track record for the company, which was a finalist in the Large Business Of The Year category in last year's Press Business Awards and outright winner in the Best Use Of New Technology titles in both the 2004 and 2005 awards.

This year it scooped the title for Best Payroll Support Technology at the National Pay Awards, and last July was a finalist in the Orange Business Awards.

The expansion of Mitrefinch's operations comes as its home base in Green Lane, Clifton Moor, has expanded this year with a £250,000 investment to accommodate a growing team, including new software-testing staff, a net development specialist and a hardware development manager. So far, there are 105 staff and counting.