Accesso Technology (ACSO) spent 2016 ploughing cash into wearable technology, as well as scaling up its existing ticketing platform for major new client Merlin Entertainments (MERL). This meant its research and development expenditure increased to almost 18 per cent of revenue, compared with 13 per cent the previous year. However, the rewards were a 25 per cent increase in underlying operating profit to $15.7m (£12.6m).
The group's Accesso Passport ticketing platform increased sales volumes by 30 per cent, as it was extended across more Merlin attractions. It also won new clients, including the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan. Concentrating on this higher-margin ticketing work lifted gross profit margins to 53.9 per cent, from 49.4 per cent a year earlier.