FEL
FEL GmbH is a German Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) provider based in Kiel that acts as the external recruitment department for enterprises, public-sector clients, and SMBs, delivering end-to-end hiring through specialized expert departments under transaction-based, per-placement pricing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersKiel, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What FEL does
FEL GmbH is a Kiel, Germany-based Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) provider that operates as the external recruitment department for its clients. Founded around 2000 and led by CEO Dirk Lonnemann, the company runs an 'orchestra' delivery model in which the recruitment lifecycle is decomposed into specialized expert departments (HR marketing, job advertising, active sourcing, diagnostics, project management, onboarding, contract management), each headed by a domain specialist who maintains a dedicated 'laboratory' of tools. The platform architecture combines an application management system with a three-stage independent virus protection chain that converts all inbound application attachments to PDF before they reach client systems, alongside GDPR-compliant Art. 28 (DS-GVO) order processing. The product portfolio is anchored by the Managed Process iRPO service and extended through modular offerings (Recruitment Modules, Recruitment Packages, Application Management, Active Sourcing, KPI/PowerBI analytics) targeted at companies facing skills shortages, insufficient internal recruiting capacity, or peak hiring demand.
FEL's commercial model is transaction-based, charging per successful placement at an average of €2,096-€3,182 depending on role level, with volume discounts kicking in above 100 placements per year. Pricing is tied to recruitment effort rather than position salary, allowing the firm to serve roles ranging from top management down to hourly positions such as forklift drivers or bakery staff. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales, initiated via a proprietary 'Recruitment-Check' diagnostic that benchmarks client recruitment effectiveness, supplemented by an HR-Partner referral network. The customer base spans IT/technology enterprises, multi-site retail/F&B operators, and public-sector buyers such as police and government agencies, with documented outcomes including 46 hires in 90 days for a 50-location bakery chain and a 70% cost reduction for an IT client.
FEL is a privately held German GmbH with no disclosed external institutional investment. It has been validated by HR-Tech Outlook as a Top 10 RPO firm in Europe (2020) and by Manage HR for superior RPO services in the European market (2022). The company maintains 11-50 employees and operates primarily from its Kiel headquarters, with no disclosed international offices despite its European positioning.
FEL firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FEL
- Legal name
- FEL GmbH
- Website
- https://fel.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FEL GmbH is a German Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) provider based in Kiel that acts as the external recruitment department for enterprises, public-sector clients, and SMBs, delivering end-to-end hiring through specialized expert departments under transaction-based, per-placement pricing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FEL industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enterprise RPO (End-to-End Program Management) (BPACABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Onsite / Embedded RPO (In-House Recruiter Teams) (BPACABAD), Hybrid / Selective RPO (Partial Outsourcing) (BPACABAC), Recruiting Administration Outsourcing (Recruitment Support, Scheduling, Onboarding Ops) (BPACAKAG)
Keywords
Where FEL is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kiel
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
FEL business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- RPO Recruitment Services: FEL charges per successful placement/hire. The pricing model is tied to the actual effort of recruiting rather than the annual salary of the position, making it cost-effective across all levels including lower-salary roles like forklift drivers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Per transaction | Top-Management positions |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Per transaction | Engineers |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Per transaction | Specialists and Technicians |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Per transaction | IT-Experts and Consultants |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Per transaction | Leaders |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Per transaction | Employees, Clerks and similar |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
FEL product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FEL GmbH provides Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) services, acting as the external recruitment department for client companies. The service covers the entire recruitment lifecycle — job advertising, active sourcing, application management with virus protection, candidate screening, diagnostics, onboarding, and KPI reporting — organized into specialized expert departments, each led by a department head with their own tool laboratory. Pricing is tied to actual recruitment effort per successful placement rather than position salary.
Product overview
FEL operates as an RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) provider offering a modular service architecture centered around its core managed recruitment process. The company functions as the external recruitment department for clients, providing end-to-end recruitment services. The portfolio consists of the core Managed Process iRPO service, supported by modular components including Recruitment Module Services (job advertising, active sourcing, events, diagnostics), Application Management System, Active Sourcing escalation, and Recruitment Analytics/KPI Reporting. The company also offers bundled Recruitment Packages for clients seeking predefined service combinations. All services emphasize transparency, GDPR compliance, and cost optimization with pricing tied to actual recruiting effort rather than position salary.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) - Core Service End-to-end RPO service where FEL acts as the external recruitment department for client companies, covering the entire recruitment lifecycle including job advertising, active sourcing, application management, candidate screening, and onboarding support.
- Managed Process iRPO Full-service managed recruitment process handled by FEL under data processing agreements compliant with Art. 28 GDPR, covering all recruiting tasks as a managed outsourced service.
- Recruitment Module Services Modular recruitment services including job advertising, online marketing, active sourcing, event management, correspondence, diagnostics, assessment centers, statistics, and project management — offered as standalone or combinable modules.
- Active Sourcing Services Proactive candidate outreach and engagement service for positions that do not generate sufficient response through passive recruiting methods like job advertising.
- Recruitment Analytics and KPI Reporting Comprehensive reporting service using MS PowerBI to monitor recruiting costs, KPIs, and performance metrics with real-time dashboards and trend analysis, fed via API from the application management system and financial accounting.
- Recruitment Packages Bundled service packages combining multiple recruitment functions tailored to client needs, including SEO-optimized job advertisements and multi-channel distribution.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced hiring costs to 30% and doubled staff hired for an IT client in 2016
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use FEL
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
FEL technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
FEL partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- HR-Partner NetworkminorFEL leverages an HR-Partner network to target additional needs of customers with partner companies that are top-notch in their specific fields. This extends FEL's service offering beyond core RPO to provide comprehensive recruitment solutions.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
FEL competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cielo: Global RPO pure-play providing end-to-end recruitment outsourcing for enterprise clients; directly comparable to FEL's Managed Process iRPO offering but at significantly larger scale.
- KellyOCG: RPO and talent management arm of Kelly Services focused on end-to-end recruitment process design and execution; comparable in service scope and target buyer to FEL's enterprise RPO offering.
- Hays Talent Solutions: RPO division of Hays plc providing end-to-end recruitment outsourcing; directly competes with FEL in European mid-market and enterprise RPO, including in German-speaking markets.
- Pontoon Solutions: RPO and MSP provider within Adecco group delivering managed recruitment programs; comparable to FEL in offering full process outsourcing with modular recruitment analytics and reporting.
- Alexander Mann Solutions (AMS): UK-based RPO and talent acquisition specialist serving large enterprise clients globally; comparable to FEL in offering modular, end-to-end RPO programs and competing for similar mid-to-large client mandates.
Regional players
- PageGroup: UK-listed recruitment group with significant German operations (Michael Page, Page Personnel) providing permanent and contract placement; competes with FEL for similar German mid-market hiring mandates.
- DIS AG: Major German staffing and recruitment services firm providing permanent placement and RPO-adjacent services; the most direct domestic competitor to FEL in the German mid-market.
Broad incumbents
- ManpowerGroup Talent Solutions: Global staffing giant with dedicated RPO capability under Talent Solutions; competes with FEL in enterprise and government recruitment outsourcing but offers broader workforce solutions.
- LHH (Lee Hecht Harrison): Talent solutions arm of Adecco offering RPO and recruitment process consulting; broad incumbent competitor with deeper pockets and global delivery infrastructure than FEL.
- Randstad Sourceright: RPO and talent solutions arm of Randstad, one of the largest global staffing groups; overlaps with FEL in enterprise RPO but operates at vastly greater scale with multi-country delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FEL social profiles
Digital presenceFEL financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FEL leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
FEL funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FEL 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 FEL
What does FEL do?
FEL GmbH provides Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) services, acting as the external recruitment department for client companies. The service covers the entire recruitment lifecycle — job advertising, active sourcing, application management with virus protection, candidate screening, diagnostics, onboarding, and KPI reporting — organized into specialized expert departments, each led by a department head with their own tool laboratory. Pricing is tied to actual recruitment effort per successful placement rather than position salary.
Is FEL a public or private company?
FEL is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FEL founded?
FEL was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FEL based?
FEL is headquartered in Kiel, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does FEL make money?
One revenue line is on record: RPO Recruitment Services.
Who are FEL's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cielo, KellyOCG, Hays Talent Solutions, Pontoon Solutions and Alexander Mann Solutions (AMS). Regional players are PageGroup and DIS AG. Broad incumbents are ManpowerGroup Talent Solutions, LHH (Lee Hecht Harrison) and Randstad Sourceright.
Does FEL have an API?
No public API is recorded for FEL.
What industry is FEL in?
FEL's product category is Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO). Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACABAA, Enterprise RPO (End-to-End Program Management), with a secondary code of BPACABAD, Onsite / Embedded RPO (In-House Recruiter Teams). Its NAICS code is 56131 and its SIC code is 7361.