Blue Arrow

Blue Arrow is a United Kingdom-based recruitment and employment agency. Its business places individual jobseekers into temporary and permanent roles, with activity spanning catering, driving, industrial work, office functions, hospitality, manufacturing, public services, retail, support services and transport. The brand is therefore positioned as a specialist staffing intermediary rather than as a consumer-facing product manufacturer: its principal offering is the matching of employers with workers and the administration of contingent and permanent employment placements. The business originated as The Barnet Agency Ltd, incorporated on 10 November 1959 and founded by Sheila Birch. It adopted the name Blue Arrow Personnel Services Ltd in October 1982 and eventually became Blue Arrow Ltd in June 2000. The changes reflected the development of a broader staffing identity and the consolidation of the Blue Arrow name as the principal commercial brand. Blue Arrow entered the securities market in 1984, when it became listed on the Unlisted Securities Market. Its most consequential expansion came in June 1987, when it acquired Manpower Inc., then described as the world's largest temporary employment agency, for $1.3 billion. The transaction placed Blue Arrow at the centre of a major financing and governance controversy. Employees of County NatWest, the investment arm of National Westminster Bank, were alleged to have concealed the failure of an £873 million new-share issue intended to help finance the Manpower acquisition. Blue Arrow was cleared of wrongdoing, although the episode became one of the defining events in the company's corporate history. Chief executive Tony Berry left the role in 1989. The company subsequently changed ownership and group affiliation. On 17 April 1996 it was acquired by The Corporate Services Group plc. In May 2008, The Corporate Services Group merged with Carlisle Group Limited, creating Impellam Group, described in the reference material as one of the United Kingdom's largest recruitment groups. Blue Arrow operated within the Impellam structure for many years and remained associated with regional specialist staffing and healthcare activities. In January 2023, Impellam announced the proposed sale of its Regional Specialist Staffing and Healthcare Staffing businesses, including Blue Arrow Group, Medacs Global Group, Tate, Chadwick Nott and Career Teachers, to Twenty 20 Capital. The disposal completed on 3 March 2023, after which RSS Global Ltd was formed. Blue Arrow is now part of RSS Global, an international staffing business with operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The supplied sources identify the brand's current head office as being in Soho Square, London. Blue Arrow's institutional profile is also reflected in its reported professional memberships. These include the Institute of Hospitality, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, the Gangmasters Licensing Authority, the Association of Labour Providers and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. Such affiliations align with its role in regulated labour supply and recruitment across hospitality, logistics, transport, industrial and support-service markets.

Blue Arrow traces its origins to The Barnet Agency Ltd, incorporated on 10 November 1959 under the founding leadership of Sheila Birch. The agency developed into a staffing and recruitment business serving employers and jobseekers in operational and professional support roles. On 12 October 1982, its legal name changed to Blue Arrow Personnel Services Ltd. The company later shortened this to Blue Arrow Ltd on 28 June 2000, formalising the name under which the recruitment business became widely known. The company became listed on the Unlisted Securities Market in 1984. Its most dramatic period of expansion followed in June 1987, when it bought Manpower Inc. for $1.3 billion. Manpower was described in the source material as the world's largest temporary employment agency. The scale of the transaction made Blue Arrow a prominent participant in the international staffing industry, but the acquisition was accompanied by a serious financing controversy. County NatWest, the investment arm of National Westminster Bank, was associated with the concealment of a failed £873 million new-stock issue intended to finance the takeover. Blue Arrow itself was cleared of wrongdoing. The controversy nevertheless shaped the company's reputation and corporate history, and Tony Berry stepped down as chief executive in 1989. On 17 April 1996, Blue Arrow was acquired by The Corporate Services Group plc. A later corporate combination occurred on 7 May 2008, when The Corporate Services Group merged with Carlisle Group Limited to create Impellam. Blue Arrow subsequently operated as part of the Impellam group, continuing to supply temporary and permanent recruitment services in sectors including hospitality, catering, driving, industrial work, office administration, manufacturing, public services, retail, support services and transport. Impellam announced on 30 January 2023 that it would sell a collection of regional specialist staffing and healthcare businesses to Twenty 20 Capital. The assets named in the transaction included Medacs Global Group, Blue Arrow Group, Tate, Chadwick Nott and Career Teachers. Completion took place on 3 March 2023, when RSS Global Ltd was formed. Blue Arrow is now part of RSS Global, an international staffing group with operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The brand's head office is identified as Soho Square in London. Blue Arrow's professional affiliations include the Institute of Hospitality, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, the Gangmasters Licensing Authority, the Association of Labour Providers and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. These memberships are consistent with the brand's involvement in labour supply, recruitment standards, hospitality, logistics and regulated employment services.

• 2023

  Transfer to RSS Global

  [1]Blue Arrowen.wikipedia.org

  The disposal of Blue Arrow Group and related businesses to Twenty 20 Capital completed on 3 March, followed by the formation of RSS Global Ltd.

• 2008

  Impellam is created

  [1]Blue Arrowen.wikipedia.org

  The Corporate Services Group merged with Carlisle Group Limited on 7 May, creating Impellam Group.

• 2000

  Company name becomes Blue Arrow Ltd

  [1]Blue Arrowen.wikipedia.org

  The company adopted its current legal name, Blue Arrow Ltd, on 28 June.

• 1996

  Acquired by The Corporate Services Group

  [1]Blue Arrowen.wikipedia.org

  The Corporate Services Group plc acquired Blue Arrow on 17 April.

• 1987

  Manpower acquisition

  [1]Blue Arrowen.wikipedia.org

  Blue Arrow acquired Manpower Inc. for $1.3 billion.

• 1984

  Listed on the Unlisted Securities Market

  [1]Blue Arrowen.wikipedia.org

  Blue Arrow became listed on the Unlisted Securities Market.

• 1982

  Name changed to Blue Arrow Personnel Services Ltd

  [1]Blue Arrowen.wikipedia.org

  The company adopted the Blue Arrow name on 12 October 1982.

• 1959

  The Barnet Agency Ltd is incorporated

  [1]Blue Arrowen.wikipedia.org

  The company that would become Blue Arrow was incorporated on 10 November 1959 and was founded by Sheila Birch.

A sector-focused UK staffing and recruitment brand connecting employers with temporary and permanent workers, particularly in operational, frontline and support functions.

• Recruitment service

  Temporary staffing

  Blue Arrow places workers into temporary assignments for employers requiring flexible labour. The service is associated with operational and frontline sectors such as catering, hospitality, driving, industrial work, manufacturing, retail, support services and transport.

• Recruitment service

  Permanent recruitment

  The brand also matches jobseekers with permanent employment opportunities. Its recruitment coverage includes office roles and positions across hospitality, manufacturing, public services, retail, support services, transport and related operating environments.

• Recruitment service

  Sector-specialist staffing

  Blue Arrow's sector-focused offering covers catering and hospitality, driving, industrial and manufacturing work, office staffing, public-service roles, retail, support services and transport. The model combines employer recruitment with placement of individual jobseekers.

• 1987

  County NatWest financing controversy

  During the financing of Blue Arrow's acquisition of Manpower, employees of County NatWest were reported to have covered up the failure of an £873 million new-stock issue. Blue Arrow was cleared of wrongdoing, but the affair became a major corporate scandal associated with the company.

  Source

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• 2023

  Transfer Blue Arrow Group to Twenty 20 CapitalM&A

  Background

  Impellam reviewed its regional specialist staffing and healthcare businesses as part of a wider portfolio transaction.

  Action taken

  Impellam announced the sale of Blue Arrow Group and associated businesses to Twenty 20 Capital; completion took place on 3 March 2023.

  Aftermath

  RSS Global Ltd was formed, and Blue Arrow became part of the new international staffing group.

  Source

• 1987

  Acquire Manpower Inc.M&A

  Background

  Blue Arrow sought major expansion in temporary employment services through the purchase of Manpower, then described as the world's largest temporary employment agency.

  Action taken

  Blue Arrow completed the acquisition for $1.3 billion.

  Aftermath

  The deal expanded Blue Arrow's scale but was followed by a financing controversy involving County NatWest. Blue Arrow was cleared of wrongdoing.

  Acquisition price. $1.3 billion (1987)

  Source

1. 1Blue Arrowen.wikipedia.org