The IT recruiter Spring insists it is going for growth – even though figures released this week predict another gloomy year in the computer contractor market.

The prediction from the IT recruitment market analyst, Ovum Holway, claims that the market will continue to decline for the fifth consecutive year.

But Simon Church, sales and marketing director of Spring Technology Staffing Services, was unfazed by the announcement.

“What they are saying is that there is no major catalyst for change that will make people go out and spend money,” he said.

Church believes Spring is now geared towards exploiting the lacklustre market conditions by stealing market-share from its rivals.

Details of the contract it has just announced with mobile phone group Orange to provide a managed recruitment service are shrouded in secrecy. The deal was agreed in May but was only revealed this month.

Spring will not comment on how much money it is worth but sources suggest this is one of the biggest deals of its kind.

The IT company will provide an on-site recruitment service for Orange’s technical operations, which currently employ 2,000 people.

Spring will recruit both permanent and contract staff and will also work in partnership to build Orange’s employer brand.