SPS to smash £100m turnover barrier
SPECIALIST PEOPLE SERVICES, the group which owns Driver Hire, is set to smash the £100m turnover barrier for the first time.
The Bradford-based company, which is backed by private equity investor LDC, said in a third trading update that it expects total turnover for the year to the end of March 2015 to be at least £110m (2014: £88m), boosted by rapid growth across all areas of the group.
Specialist People Services comprises Driver Hire Nationwide, the specialist transport and logistics recruiter, rail support services supplier ISS Labour, Driver CPC training provider Driver Hire Training, its eServices division, which offers online people management services such as dh Licence Check, and international arm Driver Hire Australia.
Chris Chidley, CEO of SPS, said he was ‘confident’ about future prospects, underpinned by a consistent appetite for reliable temporary drivers, rail services work handled by ISS Labour, ongoing demand for Driver CPC training, further growth at Driver Hire Australia and the provision of software-based compliance and training services, such as dh Licence Check.
He said: “The broad range of specialist services offered by the SPS Group provides us with a platform to reach an increasing number of businesses. Companies want access to great people and services to maximise the productivity of their workforce in an increasingly service-oriented economy. These firms need a stable of reliable, specialist and niche recruitment businesses that operate in ‘hard-to-serve’ marketplaces. We are meeting that need.
“As a business we’re capitalising on a flight to quality. The companies we serve expect a reliable supply of high-quality temporary labour. This is especially vital in the sectors that we serve. In addition, an increasing number of firms are coming to us for our wider range of services, such as driver training and online licence checking.”
He added: “Looking ahead, we are confident in our position. We are actively pursuing acquisition opportunities in Australia and working to identify a further specialist business to join our UK portfolio. Our customers’ appetite for our services is increasing, along with the growth prospects of the UK economy and our overseas markets. All of this underpins our expectation of a strong end to our financial year.”
