Sold. Recruitment/executive Search Consultancy For The Paper, Packaging And Printing Sector

Recruitment/Executive Search Consultancy
For the paper, packaging and printing sector

Ref.CE142
Location Manchester relocatable
Asking Price £ 250,000

The business was originally formed by a merger in the mid 1980s. The Company provided executive search, primarily for the printing industry, but also for the paper and printing industries. In 2002 the Company was acquired by a privately owned business. The business has grown since then through its reputation for providing a professional, discreet, and personal service to the industries that it serves, mainly in the UK, but increasingly in other parts of Europe. The Company is mainly engaged in executive search (headhunting), and to a lesser extent in interim management and supplying candidates from the database. Virtually all assignments start with a “blank sheet”, agreeing a full brief for a position, and extensive research to identify suitable candidates. Candidates are then assessed, and a short list agreed. Psychometric tests are carried out as part of the service. Virtually all assignments operate on a “retained basis”. This means that normally fees are invoiced in three stages. The first stage is when the assignment commences. The second stage is when the report is presented to the client; and the third stage when the selected candidate formally agrees to an offer. In nearly all cases all expenses are reimbursable, invoiced with fee stages. Business is gained mainly through recommendations and referrals. Marketing costs therefore are minimised. The Company has a website, publishes articles in the trade press, and appears in a number of websites and publications. The business is operated primarily by its owners and by a small team of “franchisees” recently recruited.

Expansion Potential
The Company has achieved excellent growth over the past 18 months, by winning further new clients and multiple recruitment projects. This trend is continuing in the new financial year. However, the present owner is close to saturation, and is unable to find the time necessary to effectively prospect and market. A small number of part time “franchisees” have recently been recruited to ease the load but, as yet, this has been only partially effective. Outside the paper industry, the print industry - and to a lesser extent - the paper based packaging industry, has been neglected. Virtually no prospecting at all has taken place in the non paper based packaging industry, such as glass, metal and plastics. Despite possessing probably the only interim candidate database specific to the industry, and considerable expertise, hardly any progress has been made in penetrating this market, due to lack of time and resource. Outside of salaries paid to the owner, and his family; approximately one third of costs are associated with outsourced researchers and profiling, and office costs. A larger recruitment business will almost certainly have the resources to obviate these costs within their existing structure.