The recruitment division of Cordant Group plc has re-launched under a new brand identity and undergone a radical re-structure in a bid to win significant market share from other “national” recruitment firms.
Cordant Recruitment, as it is now known, aims to become the number one specialist recruiter across all major industries. It plans to make significant headway in the permanent and international markets as well as reinforce its strong position in temporary labour. The new company is now the second-largest privately owned recruitment company in the UK and expects to turn over £530 million this year.
The changes are being masterminded by CEO, Steven Kirkpatrick, previously Managing Director at Adecco, who joined the company in January 2014. The structural changes see a number of previously separate brands being re-badged under the Cordant banner - although some specialist brands will retain their identities and build on their position as experts in their sectors.
The company has also launched new specialist consultancies - Cordant Technical & Engineering, Cordant Occupational Health and Cordant Medical Sales - as part of its plans to expand into new territories. In January of this year the business acquired The Sugarman Group with a view to enhancing its services in the medical, educational and social care sectors in UK and Australia. Next year Cordant Recruitment plans to unveil further brands which will take the company into even more new sectors.
The re-structure has so far attracted a further 250 consultants to its team, who are experts in their specific market sector. This takes its total staff numbers to 1,210.
The company is now structured into several distinct operating areas:
- Cordant People - this will deal with general staffing recruitment such as industrial call centre, warehouse work, catering jobs and office support roles across a range of sectors including construction, engineering, industrial and logistics. Based from a nationwide network of over 50 high street branches (with plans to expand to 70), it has a new Managing Director, Kelly Kendall, who joined from Adecco in August. Five previously separate brands - Prime Time Recruitment (with the exception of managed services), Abacus, Premiere People, Match Employment, and CSS are being re-badged with the new brand. However, Premiere People is keeping its name in Northern Ireland, owing to its number one status in the province.
- Cordant Technical & Engineering - encompasses recruitment for engineers and skilled technical professionals in industries such as manufacturing, oil & gas, renewables and nuclear. Cordant will be opening new centres in key cities both in the UK and abroad, and bringing in high quality specialists in their field. The division is headed up by Managing Director, Shaun Simmons.
- Managed Services – PMP Recruitment has absorbed the managed services division of Prime Time to become one of the largest labour solutions providers in the UK within the industrial and managed services sector. PMP Recruitment is headed up by Derek Skelton, Managing Director.
- Cordant Medical and Wellbeing –will act as an umbrella for a number of new specialist brands in areas such as health, medical and education. These include Cordant Medical Sales, Cordant Care, Cordant Occupational Health Services and The Sugarman Group. Each brand will be headed up by a Managing Director. The division intends to expand its geographical footprint with new offices or centres of excellence in certain markets.
Steven Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive of Cordant Recruitment (picture attached), comments, “We intend to transform the way that recruitment services are delivered by offering customers a unique and superior service using the very best recruitment consultants. I want to make this the recruitment consultancy that everyone wants to work for – where talented leaders are given the opportunity to succeed and change their lives.”
In addition to the main operating areas, Cordant will continue to operate a number of niche recruitment businesses such as Cordant Contact Centre and Cordant Sales and Marketing.