What Stafforce does

Stafforce is a UK-based recruitment agency operating as a private subsidiary of the Nicholas Associates Group, founded in 1977 and headquartered at Sheffield Business Park. It supplies temporary, flexible, and permanent staff to over 500 private and public sector employers, with a particular focus on industrial and manufacturing sites (food production, logistics, general manufacturing) and a dedicated Stafforce Ports division serving the UK's major port regions (Humber, Mersey, Thames, Solent, Medway, Tees & Tyne). Named enterprise clients include Morrisons, Lidl, McCain, GXO, Quorn, Aunt Bessies, Karro Foods, Tayto, Youngs Seafood, ABP, P&O Ferries, DFDS, PD Ports and Peel Ports London Medway, with some partnerships exceeding 20 years in tenure.

The operating model is hybrid: a physical network of 18 regional Stafforce Hubs across the UK provides local, face-to-face employer engagement and candidate matching, while a self-service candidates portal (candidates.stafforce.co.uk) supports job search, registration and alerts. Underlying technology assets include the NAvigate+ Reward and Well-being Portal app (discounts, GP access, payslips, pension) and a Labour Market Experts advisory line using Six Sigma and PRINCE2 continuous-improvement methodology to deliver Business Scans and labour-market reports. Compliance infrastructure is extensive: REC membership, GLA Labour Providers licence, Cyber Essentials, ISO 14001, Sedex, Stronger2gether, IOSH training provider, Disability Confident, Armed Forces Covenant.

Revenue is generated through transaction fees — margin on hourly rates for temporary/flexible placements and percentage-of-salary or fixed fees for permanent placements — with no public pricing disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led through regional hubs supplemented by content marketing (ONS Labour Market Overviews, regional trends, the 2026 Employment & Skills Outlook) and social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram). Leadership is anchored by founder and Executive Chairman Nick Cragg.

Name

Stafforce

Legal name

Stafforce

Website

https://stafforce.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stafforce is a UK-based recruitment agency (founded 1977, part of Nicholas Associates Group) supplying temporary, flexible and permanent staff to over 500 industrial, food-manufacturing and port-sector employers through an 18-hub branch network and a specialist Stafforce Ports division.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotherham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Temporary/Flexible Staffing: Revenue generated by placing temporary workers with clients, charging margin on hourly rates or fixed fees per placement.
2. Permanent Placement: Fee-based permanent recruitment services placing candidates in long-term positions, typically structured as percentage of annual salary or fixed fee.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Stafforce is a UK recruitment agency that places temporary, flexible, and permanent staff across industrial, commercial, and port settings for over 500 employers. The company operates a network of 18 regional hubs and a specialist Stafforce Ports division covering major UK maritime hubs, charging margin on hourly rates for temporary placements and fees for permanent placements. Supporting offerings include the NAvigate+ employee benefits platform and Labour Market Experts advisory services.

Product overview

Stafforce is a UK-based recruitment agency operating as part of Nicholas Associates Group, offering temporary, flexible, and permanent staffing solutions across industrial, commercial, and port settings. The company's core offering consists of specialist recruitment services supported by the Stafforce Ports division for maritime and logistics roles, a network of Stafforce Hubs for local job matching, and the NAvigate+ employee benefits platform. Additional services include Client Partnerships for tailored employer connections, Labour Market Experts advisory with business consulting and market reporting, and the annual 2026 Employment & Skills Outlook research publication. The digital infrastructure is anchored by the candidates.stafforce.co.uk portal for job search and registration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Permanent Recruitment Fee-based permanent recruitment services placing candidates into long-term industrial, commercial, or port positions for UK employers, typically structured as a percentage of annual salary or fixed fee.
• Flexible Temporary Staffing Temporary and flexible ongoing staffing services placing workers in industrial, commercial, and port roles, with Stafforce charging margin on hourly rates or fixed fees per placement.
• Stafforce Ports Specialist port and logistics recruitment division connecting candidates with port jobs across UK maritime hubs including Humber, Mersey, Thames, Solent, Medway, and Tees & Tyne, partnering with major port operators like ABP, P&O Ferries, DFDS, and PD Ports.
• Stafforce Hubs Network of 18 physical recruitment hubs across the UK connecting local people with local employment opportunities in industrial, commercial, and port settings through face-to-face recruitment services and local labour market knowledge.
• Stafforce Client Partnerships Flexible, ongoing and permanent recruitment opportunities with trusted employer partners tailored to candidate skill sets, offering tailored connections between candidates and vetted employers.
• NAvigate+ Reward and Well-being Portal offered to candidates and employees, providing shopping discounts, discounted gym membership, 24/7 GP service, health and wellbeing support, and online access to payslips and pension information via mobile app.
• Labour Market Experts Consultancy service offering Business Scans with Six Sigma and PRINCE2 continuous improvement specialists to identify change opportunities and develop implementation plans, supported by Labour Market Reports providing regional trends and economic updates.
• Candidates Portal Online job search and registration platform at candidates.stafforce.co.uk enabling candidates to search vacancies, filter by location and sector, and register for job alerts across temporary, contract, and permanent positions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Some client partnerships maintained for over 20 years

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Associated British Ports (ABP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStafforce Ports works with ABP across multiple UK port locations including Humber (Immingham, Grimsby, Hull), Southampton, and Plymouth. Provides comprehensive port operations staffing including cargo handling, logistics, and industrial roles.
• PD PortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for bulk cargo, logistics, and industrial port operations across the Humber region, particularly at Tees & Tyne operations.
• P&O FerriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecruitment partnership providing staffing for P&O Ferries operations at Liverpool and Tilbury ports, including ferry and passenger operations.
• DFDScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for ferry and freight logistics recruitment supporting port connectivity and cargo movement operations.
• Peel Ports London MedwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStafforce Ports provides recruitment services for Peel Ports operations at London Medway, covering regional hub for bulk cargo and construction logistics.
• CWT Commodity LogisticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for commodity logistics staffing solutions.
• Bulk Powder TerminalsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialist staffing for bulk powder terminal operations.
• New Holland DockminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDock operations staffing partnership.
• Henry BathminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipping and commodities logistics staffing.
• Jenkins ShippingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipping logistics staffing solutions.
• Ports Skills & SafetyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry body partnership for port skills development and safety training standards.
• ErangominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth and safety training partner with over 100 years combined experience. Innovative and engaging content for delegate training.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Stafforcerecruitment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stafforce
• Instagraminstagram.com/Stafforcerecruitment
• Xx.com/StafforceJobs

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stafforce