The Guild

What The Guild does

The Guild (legal entity: De Gilde Groep B.V.) is a Dutch specialized staffing provider headquartered in Meppel, Netherlands, focused on placing skilled craftsmen across the construction, prefab, and electrotechnical sectors. It operates through four business units—Elektrotechniek, Prefab, Bouw, and Global Services—deploying more than 500 craftsmen daily with roughly 30 office staff supporting operations. The Prefab unit alone accounts for approximately 300 craftsmen and is the largest by headcount. The company ranks #75 in the 2026 FlexNieuws Top 100, up from #80 in 2025.

The core offering is a sector-specialized temporary-labor deployment model, underpinned by the proprietary "Gilde-Model" methodology and a credentialed compliance stack that includes SCL Trede 3 (scoring 99%), ISO 9001, VCU, NBBU, SNF, SNA, and Ecovadis certifications. In January 2026 the firm launched "Gill," a WhatsApp-based AI recruiter that automates candidate engagement at the top of the recruitment funnel; an IT landscape modernization is also underway in 2026 to upgrade the underlying technology stack.

Revenue is generated through standard flex-staffing markups over wage cost, with entry-level 1e monteur E&I salaries disclosed at EUR 3,800-4,100/month implying client billing rates above that band. The company serves enterprise clients including Van Wijnen, Alewijnse (a six-year relationship), Voton, Appel Beton Opmeer, Vlassak, Equans, Hotraco Agri, RWG, and VONK, with end-market exposure spanning housing manufacturing, maritime electrical systems, precast concrete, and industrial automation. Leadership rests with founders Eric Visser and Erwin Altena, joined by Dennis Ender as co-owner in February 2026. Revenue grew approximately 30% in 2024 and 25.8% in 2025, well ahead of the contracting Dutch flex market.

Name

The Guild

Legal name

De Gilde Groep B.V.

Website

https://degildegroep.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Guild (De Gilde Groep B.V.) is a Dutch specialized staffing firm headquartered in Meppel, deploying 500+ craftsmen daily across construction, prefab, electrotechnical, and international business units. It serves enterprise clients such as Van Wijnen, Alewijnse, Equans, and Voton with certified labor deployment and an AI-driven recruiter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Staffing Services

NAICS

Professional Employer Organizations (561330), Professional Employer Organizations (56133)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Employer Organization (PEO) / Co-Employment Services (BPACAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Contractor of Record (COR) / Global Contractor Management (BPACAHAE), Onboarding, Offboarding & Employee Lifecycle Administration (BPACAHAL)

Keywords

• Construction staffing
• Electrical engineering recruitment
• Prefabrication workforce
• Skilled trades staffing
• Dutch recruitment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Meppel

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. HR Services - Staffing & Recruitment: Core staffing and recruitment services placing skilled craftsmen (electricians, prefab workers, construction workers) at client project sites. Services include mediation, recruitment and selection, temporary staffing, payroll, secondment, salary administration, and personnel management. Revenue is generated through mark-ups on worker wages charged to client companies.
2. Complete Project Teams & Supervision: De Gilde Groep provides not only individual skilled workers but also complete teams and foremen with expertise to elevate client projects. This full-service approach includes ongoing guidance of both workers and client projects, representing a higher-value revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

De Gilde Groep is a Dutch staffing and recruitment agency that places skilled construction, electrical engineering, and prefabrication craftsmen with companies across the Netherlands and internationally. Operating from Meppel, the firm dispatches 500+ craftsmen daily across four specialized business units (Elektrotechniek, Prefab, Bouw, and Global Services) and supports clients with end-to-end project teams, including on-site supervision, via a structured six-step placement model.

Product overview

De Gilde Groep operates as a specialized staffing and recruitment agency with three core business units: Elektrotechniek (Electrical Engineering), Prefab (Prefabrication), and Bouw (Construction), plus Global Services for international expansion. The company provides a comprehensive HR services portfolio including mediation, recruitment and selection, temporary staffing, payroll, secondment, salary administration, and personnel management. The offering is supported by the proprietary Gilde-Model, a 6-step project management methodology, and enhanced by AI Recruiter Gill, a digital chatbot for candidate screening via WhatsApp. The company places over 500 skilled workers daily across Dutch construction, prefabrication, and electrical engineering projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Elektrotechniek Staffing
• Prefab Staffing
• Bouw Staffing

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% score on Safety Culture Ladder Step 3 certification audit
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Inka HousingcoreOthersInka Housing, a 25-year-old organization, provides housing for De Gilde Groep's foreign workers throughout the Netherlands. Founded originally at Schiphol for housing foreign engineers, Inka Housing now manages accommodations across the country. Both companies share norms and values around quality housing, going beyond SNF standards with premium amenities such as boxspring beds. The collaboration is described as a partnership based on trust, open communication, and a shared goal.
• HubbscoreOthersHubbs, based in Ridderkerk, manages nearly 500 properties in western Netherlands and specializes in housing for international skilled workers in construction, engineering, and shipbuilding sectors. De Gilde Groep is a preferred tenant. Hubbs values De Gilde Groep's focus on quality housing and its critical approach to housing inspections. The partnership is described as a long-term relationship based on shared quality focus and mutual growth.
• MKB LeaseminorOthersMKB Lease supplies lease vehicles to De Gilde Groep for distribution to craftsmen for safe travel to and from project sites. Five new lease cars were delivered in October 2024. MKB Lease supports the company's commitment to employee well-being and safety.
• Van WijnencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVan Wijnen operates the largest housing factory in Europe in Heerenveen. De Gilde Groep craftsmen (including Eugen and Robert Cirjan) work at this facility. Van Wijnen conducted a joint Safety Culture Ladder audit with De Gilde Groep on-site. Van Wijnen is described as one of the most important collaborations, with craftsmen stating 'this is by far the best staffing agency we have ever worked for.'
• NormeccoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNormec conducted the Safety Culture Ladder certification audit for De Gilde Groep, auditing on-site at two client locations (Van Wijnen and Appel Beton Opmeer bv) as part of the certification process.
• NBBUcoreOthersDe Gilde Groep is a member of the Nederlandse Bond van Bemiddelings- en Uitzendondernemingen (NBBU), the Dutch staffing association. Membership subjects the company to NBBU CAO compliance and regular audits. The company holds an NBBU CAO Control certificate confirming positive compliance.
• Bouwend NederlandminorOthersDe Gilde Groep is a member of Bouwend Nederland, the largest trade association for the Dutch construction sector, providing industry representation and networking.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Tempo-Team: Major Dutch general staffing brand owned by Randstad. Overlaps in the same Dutch flex market and competes for the same skilled-trade placements, but operates at much larger scale with broader sector coverage beyond construction and E&I.
• ManpowerGroup: Major global staffing firm with significant Dutch operations across industrial, technical, and construction verticals. Competes for the same enterprise clients but operates at much larger scale with broader service portfolio.
• Hays: Global specialist staffing firm with Dutch operations focused on technical and professional placements. Comparable in serving Dutch E&I and construction-related technical clients but tends toward higher-skilled and permanent placement rather than craftsmen flex.
• Adecco: Global staffing leader with significant Dutch operations across multiple sectors including technical and industrial staffing. Competes for the same enterprise clients in skilled trades but at materially larger scale.
• Brunel: Dutch-origin international specialist in technical and engineering staffing. Comparable in technical and industrial customer base but operates at broader scale and often focuses on higher-skilled engineering placements.
• Randstad: Largest staffing company in the Netherlands with broad sector coverage including technical, construction, and industrial staffing. Overlaps directly in skilled-trades staffing but competes across the entire flex market, not just specialized trades.

Direct peers

• OTTO Work Force: Dutch-headquartered international staffing firm specializing in placing Eastern European workers at employers across Europe. Directly comparable in foreign worker recruitment pipeline and international project staffing, though larger and broader in scope.
• Vakwerkt: Dutch staffing specialist focused on technical skilled trades, placing craftsmen at construction and industrial clients. Directly comparable in vertical specialization, customer base, and skilled-worker placement model, competing head-to-head in the same Dutch flex segment.
• Maintec: Dutch technical staffing specialist placing technicians and skilled industrial workers. Comparable in technical vertical focus and target customer base of Dutch industrial and construction clients.
• Bouwselect: Dutch construction-focused staffing and recruitment firm placing skilled construction workers at contractors and prefab manufacturers. Closely comparable in serving the same Betonbouw and prefab customer base with similar project-based staffing model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInnl.linkedin.com/company/de-gilde-groep
• Instagraminstagram.com/degildegroep

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 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 The Guild