Contract wins help software firm regain Edge

Edge Testing turned a 1,000 pre-tax loss in 2009 into a 132,000 profit last year after winning a series of high-profile contracts.

Sales more than doubled during 2010 - from 513,000 to 1.2 million - and the firm expects to do the same again this year, taking revenues through to 2.5m.

Edge Testing, which was launched in 2007, recently signed a three-year deal with the Scottish Government, making the company one of its suppliers for computer applications and web development services.

Co-founder Brian Ferrie said: "This has been an exceptionally good year for us and we are delighted to be in a position where we can really drive the business forward in 2011.

"We did exactly what we said we would do six months ago and hit our year-end target of 1.2m on the nail. We are hugely excited about the future and the next 12 months will see us introduce a number of products."

Other clients include Baillie Gifford, Kwik-Fit Insurance and Robert Wiseman Dairies, as well as public sector bodies such as Business Stream, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) and the Student Loans Company.

Edge Testing recently moved to the Maxim business park in Lanarkshire.

The latest financial figures build on a turnaround for the company that began in the second half of 2009.

After posting a loss of 50,000 in the first half of 2009 on the back of 107,000 of sales, the firm went on to record a pre-tax profit of 49,000 in the final six months of the year, with second-half turnover jumping to 406,000.

News of Edge Testing's profits came as 20 Scottish technology companies head out to Barcelona for the World Mobile Congress, which begins today.

A record number of Scots firms are aiming to grab a share of the growing smartphone market. Scottish Development International - working with Interactive Scotland and the Enterprise Europe Network - has set up meetings with groups including Vodafone, Blackberry-maker RIM, Orange and O2.