LDC-backed recruitment business gears up for fifth Australian office launch
RECRUITMENT group Specialist People Services (SPS), based in Bradford, has announced it will open a fifth office for Driver Hire Australia, its specialist transport and logistics recruitment business.
The Adelaide site is due to open in March 2017, the group’s fifth year of operating in the country. It complements Driver Hire Australia’s existing offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
This expansion follows the significant growth of the Australian arm of the business, which continues to experience record trading and is consistently securing sales of AUS$1m a month.
Since its launch in 2012 the business has experienced rapid year-on-year growth and for 2015/16, Driver Hire Australia recorded sales of more than £4.9m. SPS has this year also been recognised as one of the UK’s fastest-growing businesses based on international sales.
Chris Chidley, CEO of SPS, said: “We’ve remained committed to expanding our presence in Australia since we first launched the Perth office in 2012 and the business has gone from strength to strength – an indication of the market demand for transport and logistics professionals.
“Launching an office in Adelaide is the natural step for us to take next. We’ve established a reputation for providing high-quality labour, value and reliability in cities stretching from Melbourne to Brisbane, and this move now gives us a footing in South Australia, allowing us to serve a wider range of clients.”
“Our international operation is an area we will continue to invest in, looking to launch in other Australian cities, and also considering acquisitions to consolidate our strong position. The Australian market shares many common attributes with the UK, but it also continues to experience strong economic growth. This year the country celebrated 25 years without a recession and GDP growth is forecast at 2.7% for 2017,” he added.
“Beyond Australia, we are also actively looking at opportunities closer to home, in those territories that have familiar regulatory environments. There are certainly plenty of overseas opportunities for us to consider.”
Earlier this year, SPS, which is backed by private equity investor LDC, announced that group revenue in the year to March 2016 reached £129.4m, an increase of 11% compared with the 2014/15 financial year. All areas of the business experienced growth.
Alongside Driver Hire Australia, the SPS Group comprises UK-based Driver Hire Nationwide, rail support services supplier ISS Labour, Driver Hire Training, and eServices, which offers online people management services.
