SMA Solutions, a provider of IT automation and business analysistools for data centers, announced some key 2014 milestones and anaggressive 2015 growth target.

Michael Taylor, the company's founder/CEO, said, “2014represented an important step forward in what we do at SMA, whichis offering real business solutions to customers in a wide range ofverticals around the world.”

A major role in this effort was the introduction of thecompany's first new product in 20 years, SMA Ascern, abusiness-intelligence tool that performs real-time monitoring,trending, forecasting and analytics.

Originally launched to U.S. financial institutions, Taylor saidSMA Solutions' 2015 emphasis is the introduction of Ascern acrossthe Kingwood, Texas-based company's entire customer base.

In addition, SMA Solutions saw significant success in 2014 with OpCon, itsflagship enterprise automation solution. According to Taylor, forthe fourth consecutive year, the company added more than 60 newOpCon customers and grew in excess of 12%.

Some 200 entities in the credit union space license OpCon. Ahandful of clients are CUSOs including Synergent, a subsidiary ofthe Maine Credit Union League, which runs a Symitar Episys servicebureau that uses OpCon in its data center.

SMA Solutions also hopes to repeat its success in 2014 in theEuropean IBM market, especially in the insurance, investment, andfashion industries, in the U.S.

“Our target for 2015 is 15% growth,” Taylor said. “I'm confidentthat our U.S. market presence will remain strong, and [we]anticipate important contributions from our Milan and Netherlandsoffices, as well as emerging business in Australia and NewZealand.”

However, SMA Solutions does not want to sacrifice service toachieve growth.

“We do offer the best service in the industry. I intend to keepit that way,” Taylor said.