Insider Media Limited

Nottingham-based recruitment company Staffline is set to continue its powerful acquisition strategy over the coming years. Speaking to Insider, chief executive Andy Hogarth said the company, which has made more than ten purchases in the last two years, had pinpointed Scotland and the South East as growth targets.

Hogarth said it was not Stock Exchange-listed Staffline's policy to approach potential acquisition targets, but let interested parties approach it.

"If you target a company, you can spend an awful lot of time with them deciding whether they want to be part of the company or not – I think it's better for them to approach us, then we can discuss the options open to us," he said.

Hogarth said that when the process to acquire a company begins, Staffline ensures it is completed within a three-week timeframe.

He said that although the company's strategy had been a success so far, he was not looking to grow Staffline overseas.

"We have a relatively small share of the UK market," he said. "It's probably about 5 per cent – we'd really like to see that grow before any overseas plans are considered."

He said that Staffline – which has operations across the UK – would consider many locations in which to grow organically and by acquisition but said the South East was a target for expansion, as is Scotland, in which the company currently has a limited number of sites.

Since June 2010, the company has bought in entirety or assets of EOS; A La Carte; House of Logistics; Peter Rowley; Arnashade; Kelburn Industrial; Ethos Recruitment; FourstaR; Taskforce; Qubic and DKM recruitment companies.

The company has more than 130 branches across the UK. In the six months to 30 June, it reported a 45 per cent rise in turnover to £120m.

Hogarth praised the company's acquisition strategy, stating: "The group continues to trade well, broadly driven by a combination of bolt-on acquisitions and our OnSite model generating strong organic revenue opportunities."