FPR Group

Established provider of temporary and permanent workforce solutions

FPR Group was founded as First People Recruitment in 1991 following the acquisition of a Brighton-based recruitment firm, and later opened further offices in Sussex.

Specialising in providing temporary and permanent workforce solutions across the manufacturing, food, engineering and healthcare sectors, mostly throughout Sussex and Hampshire, FPR works with more than 80 clients.

The company has a workforce of over 1,000 on its books and gained industry recognition in consecutive years as being as one of the top 40 fastest-growing UK recruitment businesses.

“We work hard to find and get over the line acquisitions that match not only our care values, but also our passion and aspirations as a group. FPR Group’s team immediately impressed our M&A team and we now welcome them to Kingdom Group.

“Together and united, we are positioned to deliver even greater value and innovative recruitment solutions.”

Terry Barton, CEO, Kingdom Group

Shareholder exit to facilitate retirement and secure a strategic trade partner

Our clients, shareholders Mark Foster and Paul Simpson, undertook a management buy-out in 2015 and, as a result, FPR Group experienced considerable, sustained financial growth.

They partnered with us to facilitate their retirement and secure a trade buyer for the business that could provide guidance to the remaining staff and growth opportunities.

“After 20 incredible years of building and leading FPR Group, the time has come for me to take a step back from the business.

“It’s been a privilege to work alongside such a talented and dedicated team and I’m immensely grateful to every member of staff, past and present, for their hard work, passion and commitment to excellence. Together, we’ve created a business that has made a real difference, providing high-quality recruitment and staffing solutions.

“I now hand over to Kingdom Group, the perfect partner to take FPR into its next chapter. Their vision, values and expertise align perfectly with what we’ve built, and I’m excited to see the opportunities this new partnership will bring for our colleagues and customers.

“Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey.”

Mark Foster, CEO, FPR Group

Driving competitive tension to identify the right strategic buyer

A bidding process was instigated in which five offers were presented for our clients to consider. A further round with these parties then ensued to secure their best and final offers.

Kingdom Group – a Lancashire-based facilities management provider which supports businesses across the UK with security, cleaning, recruitment, training, healthcare and local authority support – stood out from the beginning of the process.

Sale to national group following competitive process and pragmatic negotiation

At the culmination of a relatively smooth process led by Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, FPR Group was sold to Kingdom Group.

Backed by the strength of a group with over 11,500 colleagues and a turnover of £300m, Kingdom People saw the opportunity to offer an enhanced proposition in the South of England by leveraging combined expertise, operational synergies and tailored recruitment solutions.

Hiccups and complications occurred during the process as they generally do, but the deal was approached with a pragmatic view which negated any necessity to adopt an adversarial stance. The outcome aligned well for both sides.

The biggest value driver we contributed was putting in place the bidding process, and subsequently we have received referrals from parties related to FPR, highlighting the positive final outcome.

“We’re very pleased with the service we received. From start to finish, the process was thorough and well-managed. The team demonstrated strong knowledge and experience in business sales, which gave us confidence throughout what can be a complex and lengthy process.

“We were very keen to find a buyer that was a good match for our business – a company who understood the recruitment sector and would continue to build on our success. KBS really listened to what mattered to us and provided a selection of prospective buyers who aligned well with our goals and values.

“The deal took around 12 months to complete and during that time, the support we received was consistent and professional. Our KBS representative, Fabio, was particularly impressive – calm, patient, knowledgeable and always approachable. He made what could have been a stressful experience much easier to navigate.

“We would happily recommend KBS to anyone considering selling their business.”

Mark Foster on KBS Corporate service