Heathcare is the real #1 vehicle

In a recent trading statement at Healthcare Locum‘s, Alan Walker, chairman of HCL, announced the following figures.

• Revenue up 23% to £166.4m.
• 44% rise in adjusted operating profit to £21.2m.
• 45% growth rate in gross margin in the second half of 2008 compared to the second half of 2007.

Alan Walker says: “We are delighted to report an excellent performance.  We have continued to grow and have further consolidated our market leading position. Our strategic objectives for the year have been: to deliver strong organic growth, to maintain or improve our net margin, to increase our marketshare and to develop our international placement division. These results were driven by significant increases in demand in each of our divisions in the UK, and internationally. We have started 2009 with strong trading in all of our divisions and we expect this trend to continue throughout this year and beyond. Current annualised run rate turnover is over £189m (£185m in February) and annualised run rate gross margin is £61m (£56m in February). We look forward with confidence to another successful year in the development and growth of HCL and the delivery of long-term returns to shareholders.”

Across the sector; thoughout the industry, growth continues. This example of course is a PLC but demonstrates what everyone throughout the sector including SMEs are experiencing.

The business plan of the HCL group consists of a wide range of areas that include:

• Flexible staffing solutions (locums, contractors, temporary staff)
• Interim workforce services
• Permanent recruitment
• International sourcing
• Managed recruitment programmes
• Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO)
• UK and global workforce solutions
• Workforce planning and consultancy
• Innovative recruitment and retention strategies

If you are looking for a franchise to make that “out of the recession choice”; at 20% growth in 20 weeks, check this SME contender in the sector http://247phc.co.uk and ask yourself where you want to be in the UK