About Prime Time Recruitment

Prime Time Recruitment was launched in February 1992 with six branches – Northampton, St.Albans, Reading, Croydon, Birmingham and Manchester. This was reported as the largest launch of an independent employment agency, and we have since established a national network of branches (100 branches – 60 locations). Initially, the company focussed on permanent sales recruitment, closely followed by the development of the industrial temporary recruitment division, which together gave it the foundation required to grow the company year on year.

The company has experienced exceptionally high levels of growth since its inception, which can be largely credited to the dedication and commitment shown by all the employees over the years.

In addition to the perm sales and industrial temp division, a permanent technical division was launched in 1994, an office personnel division in 1997, dedicated to both temporary and permanent recruitment for office based staff, and in 1999 a health care division.

These successful divisions have been built on a genuine commitment to providing a professional service of the highest quality to clients and applicants alike, a commitment which is corroborated in bi-annual quality service audits of clients, applicants, and temporary workers across the whole company.

In October 1998 Prime Time Recruitment entered into its next stage of growth having fulfilled all the expectations from the first phase strategy. A new five year plan was launched with the announcement of a management buy out involving a team of twenty directors and managers. The MBO was backed by the investment company "3i Plc" and Credit Agricole Indosuez, the world’s third largest bank.

Prime Time’s ability to attract such high quality investors demonstrates the level of confidence held in the future of the company, and the management buy out ensures continuity amongst the management team as they continue the drive to meet ambitious new plans for growth.

Part of the company's new five year plan was to look at strategic acquisitions, and exactly a year after the MBO the first of these was completed, a three branch office staffing agency in Yorkshire called Recruit Direct. The next acquisition, a ten branch agency called ORS Recruitment Services was completed in July 2000. Based in the North West and with a heavy bias to office staffing it is an ideal fit for our strategic acquisition profile. Supported by The Bank of Scotland, who replaced Credit Agricole Indosuez due to the additional services they could offer the business, further opportunities were realised over the next six months with Tudor Employment Agency, Judy Fisher Associates and PSB Placements Services Bureau Limited joining the Group. Tudor, a three branch business in Essex and PSB, a two branch business in the North West continues the drive to build our presence in the office personnel sector whilst bringing additional good industrial business. Judy Fisher is a specialist agency based in Central London supplying staff into the media sector. Finally, in February 2001, we purchased Stilton Staff, a small office personnel business in Peterborough, increasing our presence in the East of England and providing the space to develop an industrial branch.

September 2001, saw the launch of an education division with overseas offices in Australia and South Africa. However, the company decided to withdraw from this sector on a national level due to the market opportunities.

The company has had an in house training school since 1994. All employees undergo comprehensive and continuous training programmes and Prime Time is very proud to have been accredited with the nationally recognised Investors in People award in May 1996 and re-accredited in June 1999. We were particularly warmed by the comments made independently by the Assessor for the Northampton Chamber of Commerce/Training and Enterprise Council:

“Throughout my on-site assessment of your company, and without exception, I met with 100 percent positivity, concerning the company in general, the training and development carried out within the company, and the opportunities open to everyone… All of the 24 Performance Indicators of the national standard of Investors in People were met – again and again. The training and development which has been carried out and is planned for the future is quite frankly, second to none… you are, without a doubt, one of the best companies I have ever worked in.”

The company continues to be committed to sustaining growth across all divisions by offering all staff the opportunity to build careers in line with business needs. This is evidenced by the fact that over 85% of the management team has been ‘home-grown’ and developed internally to their current levels of success.

Prime Time has made no secret of its phenomenal growth. Starting in 1997 when Plimsoll named Prime Time Recruitment as the recruitment industry's number one rising star based on an independent financial analysis of average sales growth over three years, it has since achieved two consecutive annual entries in the "Virgin Fastrack" league for private companies, and been ranked 2nd in a survey of middle market companies carried out by Price Waterhouse / Sunday Independent.

Most recently in 2002, we gained entry to the “Virgin Profit Track 100” league table for the UK’s fastest growing, unquoted companies based on profit growth.

These accolades serve as a testament to the company's progressive and dynamic philosophy, which operates from the most senior managers through all levels of employee, and has earned it an enviable reputation for inviting all staff to be an integral part of its future successes.