Pertemps targets overseas growth
Pertemps, the Meriden-based recruitment giant, has told Insider it is targeting overseas growth and further acquisitions in the UK. Carmen Watson, managing director, said: "Watch this space – we’ve got lots of offers on the table, and where our target is an ethical business and a quality operation, we’ll be looking to buy them."
Earlier this month, the company was named in the Sunday Times Top Track 250, which ranks Britain’s leading mid-market private companies with the biggest sales.
Pertemps, which celebrates its 50th birthday this year, was listed at number 106.
Watson said that Pertemps was now looking overseas for expansion opportunities, citing the international characteristics of some of its clients as the main driver.
"Our headquarters will always probably be in the Midlands, but we definitely don’t rule out moving into overseas markets," she said.
"We’re UK-based, but who’s to say we won’t look abroad? We already do pockets of overseas work for some of our clients, and there are plans to establish ourselves overseas. That could come through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions."
Pertemps has embarked on an aggressive acquisition trail this year. In August the company bought Middlesex-based Nurture People followed by Bristol-based Ashton Consulting (UK) and Fishtank Recruitment Solutions.
"We’re certainly on the acquisition trail and we get plenty of approaches from owner-managers who are looking for an exit from their recruitment business," she revealed. "But any acquisition has to be the right fit and the right culture for Pertemps."
Watson also said the introduction of the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) which came into force on 1 October would continue to drive growth within the company.
The new rules will allow flexible workers becoming entitled to the same pay and treatment as the permanent staff they are working alongside once they have been in the role for 12 weeks.
Watson said that the legislation had brought about "fundamental changes" for the recruitment industry. In addition to regulatory changes, companies have had to pay out on new resources for their systems, procedures and IT capabilities.
She revealed that Pertemps spent £500,000 upgrading to comply with the new law.
"Some companies are really struggling with this change – they don’t have the appetite for it. But others will continue to flourish – we'll just have to wait and see how big an effect it will have," she said.
