Bradford recruitment group SPS hits £150m turnover mark for very firs time

Specialist People Services (SPS), the recruitment group which owns Driver Hire, has hit a £150m turnover for the very first time.

The Bradford-based company recorded revenues of £150m for the financial year ending March 2018, reporting a 10% increase year-on-year (2017: £134m)

The group achieved growth across all of its business units.

This included a strong performance from Driver Hire Nationwide, which saw an 8% increase from 2016/17, bolstered by increased demand for temporary drivers and new contract wins with national, blue chip clients.

Driver Hire Australia also reported record sales of £12m, up £5m from last year.

In addition, SPS has continued to benefit from the integration of rail services business ISS Labour, which posted a turnover of £28m, a 20% increase year-on-year.

This has been driven by continued investment in rail infrastructure across the country as part of Network Rail’s £38bn upgrade plan.

Chris Chidley, chief executive of SPS, said: “This is the first time the group has passed the £150m mark and it represents a real show of strength from our teams.

“In times of uncertainty, it’s encouraging to see that businesses are still prepared to invest in high-quality recruitment services that allow them to retain a flexible workforce.

“Temporary labour will always be of value and this growth proves the importance of our role and our people to the heart of the UK economy.”

Chris added: “During such political and economic uncertainty, we’re capitalising on a flight-to-quality to ensure we provide our clients, who often work in niche, regulated sectors, with a reliable supply of specialist support to maximise their workforce.

“Looking ahead, we are confident that this growth will continue. Our business is well-positioned with a strong client base who trust us to deliver, a talented management team, supportive shareholders and highly-skilled, motivated employees. With these foundations in place, we have all we need to continue this upward trajectory.”

SPS comprises Driver Hire Nationwide, the UK 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.