Total Quality Recruitment
TQR is a UK-based, privately held recruitment agency founded in 1996, operating from Plymouth, Exeter, and Taunton. It places permanent, temporary, and contract candidates across commercial, engineering, industrial, hospitality, IT, and professional-services sectors for regional and national employers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersPlymouth, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Total Quality Recruitment does
Total Quality Recruitment (TQR) is a privately held UK recruitment agency founded in 1996 and headquartered at 9 The Crescent, Plymouth, with additional offices in Exeter (Clyst Honiton) and Taunton (Langport). The firm provides permanent, temporary, and contract placement services across a horizontal set of sectors: Commercial, Catering & Hospitality, Engineering, Events, Industrial & Manufacturing, Professional Services, Self-build Solutions, and IT. Its primary customer segments are regional and national employers seeking to fill vacancies and job seekers across the South West of England, with some listing reach into London and the East of England. TQR generates revenue through placement fees charged to employers for successful candidate matches (transaction-fee model). It does not publicly disclose pricing, and the company markets primarily through its website job portal, SEO, direct email outreach, and a strong Google review profile (284 reviews, 5.0 rating).
The company's technology stack consists of standard recruitment industry tooling — a website job portal, CRM, and applicant tracking systems — with no proprietary platform, AI/ML capabilities, or mobile applications disclosed. Operating geographies centre on Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, with selective listings beyond. TQR holds no patents, has no subsidiaries, no funding history, no acquisitions or divestitures, and no public ownership or institutional backing; ownership is undisclosed but presumed founder/management-owned. It is a member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and works with standard back-office service providers (Corient Business Solutions for data processing, Umbrella Plus for payroll of temporary workers, AS Accountancy, Access UK for IT).
The go-to-market motion is sales-led and traditional: sector-specialist account managers source candidates, match them to employer requirements, and coordinate interviews and ongoing placement support. The company also participates in distribution through Indeed-syndicated job listings (visible on its site) and a 'Join TQR' recruitment page indicating it recruits its own consultants. Distribution is anchored by the three physical offices for in-person service plus a self-serve digital layer for job seekers and clients outside the region.
Total Quality Recruitment firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Total Quality Recruitment
- Legal name
- TQR
- Website
- https://tqr.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- TQR is a UK-based, privately held recruitment agency founded in 1996, operating from Plymouth, Exeter, and Taunton. It places permanent, temporary, and contract candidates across commercial, engineering, industrial, hospitality, IT, and professional-services sectors for regional and national employers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Total Quality Recruitment industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recruitment and Staffing Services
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Services (5613)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry) (BPACAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services (BPACAGAB)
Keywords
Where Total Quality Recruitment is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Plymouth
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Total Quality Recruitment business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Recruitment Placement Services: TQR generates revenue by placing candidates with client businesses. The agency charges employers for finding and placing skilled workers across various sectors including permanent, temporary, and contract positions. They serve both candidates seeking employment and businesses looking to fill vacancies.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Total Quality Recruitment product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Total Quality Recruitment (TQR) is a UK recruitment agency placing candidates into permanent, temporary, and contract roles for client businesses. It operates across the Commercial, Catering & Hospitality, Engineering, Events, Industrial & Manufacturing, Professional Services, and Self-build Solutions sectors, sourcing candidates, coordinating interviews, and supporting placement from offices in Plymouth (HQ), Exeter, and Taunton.
Product overview
Total Quality Recruitment (TQR) is a traditional recruitment agency providing staffing and workforce solutions across multiple sectors. They offer permanent, temporary, and contract recruitment services specializing in Catering & Hospitality, Commercial, Engineering, Events, Industrial & Manufacturing, Professional Services, and Self-build Solutions sectors. Operating from offices in Plymouth, Exeter, and Taunton, TQR functions as a generalist recruitment firm with particular expertise in engineering and technical recruitment. Their services include candidate sourcing, job matching, interview coordination, and ongoing placement support for both employers and job seekers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Permanent Recruitment Services Recruitment of permanent employees for client businesses across commercial, catering and hospitality, engineering, events, industrial and manufacturing, professional services, and self-build solutions sectors.
- Temporary Recruitment Services Placement of temporary workers for client businesses across multiple sectors, including payroll support for placed workers via partner Umbrella Plus.
- Contract Recruitment Services Placement of candidates on contract engagements for client businesses across sectors served by TQR, including commercial, engineering, and industrial placements.
- Engineering and Technical Recruitment Specialist recruitment focused on engineering and technical roles, led by sector-specialist consultants at the Plymouth office, covering permanent, temporary, and contract engagements.
Companies that use Total Quality Recruitment
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Total Quality Recruitment technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Total Quality Recruitment partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Recruitment and Employment ConfederationminorTQR is associated with the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), a professional body for the recruitment industry in the UK. REC membership indicates adherence to industry standards and codes of conduct.
- Corient Business Solutions LtdminorData processing partner for business solutions services. Processes personal data as part of TQR's recruitment operations.
- Crest Plus Operations Limited T/A Umbrella PlusminorProvides payroll services for temporary workers placed by TQR. Handles payroll processing, holiday pay, and pensions auto-enrolment.
- AS Accountancy Services LimitedminorAccountancy services partner handling financial processing related to recruitment operations.
- Shorterm LtdminorPartner company in the recruitment ecosystem, receiving candidate data as appropriate for work-finding services.
- DWP (Department for Work and Pensions)minorGovernment partner for employment services. TQR shares candidate data with DWP as part of compliance with employment regulations.
- Access UK LtdminorIT and technology services provider supporting TQR's business operations.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Total Quality Recruitment competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Blue Arrow: UK recruitment agency focused on industrial, driving, hospitality, and commercial sectors. Comparable generalist multi-sector recruiter with regional UK branch presence.
- Brook Street (UK): UK recruitment agency covering office support, industrial, and commercial sectors. Comparable generalist recruiter with regional UK branch network and multi-sector coverage.
- Acorn Recruitment: UK-based recruitment agency with strong regional presence and multi-sector coverage including industrial, commercial, engineering. Comparable as a regional-to-national UK generalist recruiter.
- Office Angels: UK recruitment agency specializing in office support, secretarial, and administrative roles with broader commercial coverage. Overlapping in commercial and professional services verticals.
- Meridian Business Support: UK recruitment and workforce solutions provider covering industrial, commercial, professional, and driving sectors. Directly comparable multi-sector UK staffing agency with regional branch presence.
- Pertemps: One of the UK's largest independent recruitment agencies offering permanent, temporary, and contract staffing across multiple sectors. Directly comparable as a UK generalist multi-sector recruiter with regional branch networks.
Broad incumbents
- Reed: Major UK recruitment agency with national branch network and broad sector coverage including commercial, industrial, professional services. Larger scale incumbent with overlapping multi-sector generalist positioning.
- Hays: Global recruitment firm with significant UK presence specializing in professional and skilled trades recruitment. Overlapping in professional services and engineering verticals.
- Randstad UK: Global staffing and recruitment company with substantial UK operations across industrial, commercial, and professional services. Overlapping multi-sector coverage with significantly larger scale.
- Michael Page: Global recruitment agency with strong UK professional services and commercial placement business. Larger incumbent operating in overlapping sectors including commercial and professional services.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Total Quality Recruitment social profiles
Digital presenceTotal Quality Recruitment financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Total Quality Recruitment leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Total Quality Recruitment funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Total Quality Recruitment M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Total Quality Recruitment
What does Total Quality Recruitment do?
Total Quality Recruitment (TQR) is a UK recruitment agency placing candidates into permanent, temporary, and contract roles for client businesses. It operates across the Commercial, Catering & Hospitality, Engineering, Events, Industrial & Manufacturing, Professional Services, and Self-build Solutions sectors, sourcing candidates, coordinating interviews, and supporting placement from offices in Plymouth (HQ), Exeter, and Taunton.
Is Total Quality Recruitment a public or private company?
Total Quality Recruitment is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Total Quality Recruitment founded?
Total Quality Recruitment was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Total Quality Recruitment based?
Total Quality Recruitment is headquartered in Plymouth, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Total Quality Recruitment make money?
One revenue line is on record: recruitment Placement Services.
Who are Total Quality Recruitment's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Blue Arrow, Brook Street (UK), Acorn Recruitment, Office Angels, Meridian Business Support and Pertemps. Broad incumbents are Reed, Hays, Randstad UK and Michael Page.
Does Total Quality Recruitment have an API?
No public API is recorded for Total Quality Recruitment.
What industry is Total Quality Recruitment in?
Total Quality Recruitment's product category is Recruitment and Staffing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAFAA, General Permanent Placement (Multi-Industry), with a secondary code of BPACAGAB, Agent of Record (AOR) / Contractor Engagement Services. Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.