The boss of Suffolk technology company Smart421 says it is well set for a further year of growth, with the help of a strengthening relationship with the web services division of online giant Amazon.

Annual results from Smart421’s parent company, KCOM, last week revealed that the Ipswich-based firm saw order book growth of 17% in the year to March 31.

And Neil Miles, managing director of Smart421, which is based at the Felaw Maltings complex, close to the town’s main Waterfront area, says that the prospects for the current year are also bright.

Smart421 specialises in systems integration and optimisation, helping clients to make the most of the information and communications technology they already have, and of new technology with the potential to improve their operations further.

A key element within its approach is its status as an Advanced Consulting Partner in the UK with Amazon Web Services (AWS), giving its customers the highest level of access to Amazon’s design, architecture, integration and managed services.

Last autumn, for example, Smart421 won a five-year contract to create and manage a self-service ticket collection system for rail passengers, using AWS as the “cloud” computing platform to eliver support for functions such as deferred ticket delivery.

The system is set to cut costs and increase productivity by helping train operating companies to support fluctuations in ticket demand during peak periods, and also providing a foundation for other channels for delivering tickets such as mobiles and smartcards.

“I am very pleased with the progress we have been making, particularly in the Cloud work we have been doing, such as in the rail industry,” said Mr Miles.

“Our relationship with AWS has helped us win a number of new customers in the past 12 months are we a looking forward to more of the same this year.