FlexFirst
FlexFirst B.V. is a privately held Dutch staffing and recruitment franchise that connects Dutch employers with job seekers through temporary staffing, detachment, permanent placement, and EU recruitment across more than ten regional offices in the Netherlands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersBest, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What FlexFirst does
FlexFirst B.V. is a privately held Dutch staffing and personnel-mediation company founded in 2009, headquartered in Best, Netherlands, and operating as a franchise organization under the parent FlexFirst Holding BV. The company connects Dutch employers with job seekers across temporary staffing (uitzenden), project-based detachment (detacheren), permanent recruitment and selection (werving & selectie), and specialized EU recruitment — primarily sourcing Polish and other EU workers to address Dutch labor shortages. A dedicated multilingual (Dutch/Polish) EU recruitment team, led by Dominika Hajda, supports both the franchisor and the franchise network. Independent franchisees run regional offices in Best, Bolsward, Barendrecht, Duiven, and Kennemerland, each acting as an entrepreneur under the FlexFirst brand with the support of a central back office.
The company's core technology is essentially a multilingual web platform for job listings, candidate registration, and franchise management, layered on standard HR processes — payroll administration, NBBU CAO compliance, social contribution handling, and training coordination via the Loopbaan Intermediair project. There is no proprietary matching algorithm, no API offering, and no mobile application. FlexFirst generates revenue primarily through transaction fees on placements (hourly bill rates set per the NBBU CAO, with worker rates ranging from €10.80 to €15.00 per hour), supplemented by franchise fees from independent operators, permanent placement fees, and fees from coordinated training programs. The company holds NBBU membership, SNA certification, and VCU certification, which are baseline credentials in the Dutch temporary staffing sector.
FlexFirst serves three primary customer segments on a horizontal basis: Dutch employer clients (predominantly in manufacturing, logistics, food production, electronics, construction, and industrial automation), job seekers and flex workers (including EU nationals and Dutch workers), and prospective franchisees evaluating the EASY Franchise opportunity. The book of business is highly diversified — at least 13 named enterprise and mid-market clients across 11+ industries, with no single customer appearing to dominate. Reported quantifiable outcomes include an 8.7/10 customer rating on Klantenvertellen, over 50% of flex workers transitioning to permanent roles via FlexFirst, and over 80% of vacancies offering longer-term or permanent prospects. The company is led by founder and General Manager Bart Withagen, with operational leadership distributed across regional managers and franchisees.
FlexFirst firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FlexFirst
- Legal name
- FlexFirst B.V.
- Website
- https://flexfirst.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FlexFirst B.V. is a privately held Dutch staffing and recruitment franchise that connects Dutch employers with job seekers through temporary staffing, detachment, permanent placement, and EU recruitment across more than ten regional offices in the Netherlands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FlexFirst industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Staffing Services
- NAICS
- Temporary Help Services (561320), Employment Services (5613)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Clerical & Customer Support Temp Staffing (BPACACAC)
Keywords
Where FlexFirst is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Best
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
FlexFirst business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Staffing / Temporary Placement Fees: FlexFirst places temporary workers (uitzendkrachten) with client companies. The company acts as the formal employer, handling payroll, social contributions, and administration. Employers pay a fee for each hour worked by a placed flexworker. This is the primary revenue stream.
- Detachment / Deployment Fees: FlexSecond places workers on a project basis for clients, with agreed-upon duration and terms. Similar to staffing but with more predictability on both sides. Employers pay for the duration of the detachment.
- Recruitment & Selection (Werving & Selectie): FlexFirst recruits permanent staff for client companies. The company earns a placement fee when a candidate is successfully placed in a permanent role with the employer.
- EU Recruitment Services: Specialized recruitment service targeting EU workers for Dutch employers. Dedicated EU recruiters (such as Natalia Kornas and Dominika Hajda) source candidates from Poland and other EU countries. Revenue is generated through placement fees for EU workers.
- Training and Education Services: FlexFirst offers training and education programs for flexworkers and client staff through partner training centers. The company coordinates and facilitates vocational training (Loopbaan Intermediair project), potentially generating fees for course coordination.
- Franchise Fees: FlexFirst operates as a franchise franchisor, with entrepreneurs (franchisenemers) paying franchise fees to use the FlexFirst brand, systems, and back-office support. This provides a recurring revenue stream from the franchise network.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level positions (e.g., orderpicker, general production) are typically paid at or near the NBBU CAO minimum, ranging from approximately €10.80/h to €12/h |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Experienced/specialized positions command higher NBBU CAO rates, ranging from approximately €13/h to €15/h+ |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
FlexFirst product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FlexFirst B.V. is a Dutch staffing and personnel mediation franchise organization. It connects employers with job seekers across the Netherlands through temporary staffing (uitzenden), detachment/contracting (detacheren), permanent recruitment and selection (werving & selectie), specialized EU recruitment, and training/education services. FlexFirst operates as the employer of record for flexworkers, handling payroll, social contributions, and NBBU CAO compliance.
Product overview
FlexFirst is a Dutch staffing and personnel mediation agency operating as a franchise organization. The company offers a comprehensive suite of employment services including temporary staffing (uitzenden), detachment/contracting (detacheren), recruitment and selection (werving & selectie) for permanent placements, EU-recruitment for international candidates, and training/education programs. The core offering centers on connecting job seekers with employers across sectors including administration, automotive, construction, logistics & transport, production & industry, technology, and facilities. FlexFirst operates through a franchise model with independent entrepreneurs running local offices under the brand, supported by a central back office. The company also offers the EASY Franchise program for entrepreneurs wanting to start their own staffing bureau. Additional services include the Loopbaan Intermediair career development project providing training and reskilling opportunities for flex workers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FlexFirst Recruitment EU: European recruitment brand focusing on recruitment of personnel from the European Union.
Products and services
- FlexFirst Uitzenden (Temporary Staffing)
Quantifiable outcome
- More than 50% of FlexFirst flexworkers find a permanent job via FlexFirst
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use FlexFirst
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
FlexFirst technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
FlexFirst partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Nederlandse Bond van Bemiddelings- en Uitzendondernemingen (NBBU)coreFlexFirst is a member of the NBBU, the Dutch Association of Staffing and Recruitment Agencies. NBBU membership requires adherence to the NBBU CAO for temporary workers, providing a framework for fair employment conditions. The partnership also gives FlexFirst access to industry standards, training resources, and the NBBU CAO app for flexworkers.
- HollandZorgminorFlexFirst collaborates with HollandZorg to offer health insurance to flexworkers. Insurance costs are deducted from the worker's salary. This partnership provides workers with guaranteed access to healthcare, addressing a key concern for EU/international workers who may not otherwise have Dutch health coverage.
- AtradiusminorFlexFirst works with Atradius, a credit insurance provider. This protects FlexFirst against non-payment by client companies (inleners), mitigating credit risk in the staffing business.
- Training Centers across the NetherlandscoreFlexFirst partners with training centers throughout the Netherlands to deliver the Loopbaan Intermediair (Career Intermediary) project, offering flexworkers courses, training, and reskilling opportunities. This enables workers to remain employable, transition between sectors, or obtain certifications (e.g., traffic controller, truck driver) and qualifications.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
FlexFirst competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ManpowerGroup Netherlands: Global staffing brand with established Dutch operations offering temporary staffing, permanent placement and workforce solutions. Comparable in service portfolio to FlexFirst but operating at much greater scale and brand recognition.
- Randstad N.V. Global staffing leader with major Dutch operations. Directly comparable as a generalist staffing agency serving Dutch employers with temp, permanent and EU recruitment services, but at vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach than FlexFirst.
- Tempo-Team: Major Dutch staffing agency under Randstad, offering uitzenden, detacheren and werving & selectie across sectors — the same service mix as FlexFirst, but with national branch density and corporate backing FlexFirst lacks.
- Adecco Netherlands: One of the largest Dutch staffing agencies, providing generalist uitzend and recruitment services across industrial, logistics and administrative roles — directly overlapping with FlexFirst's core offering but with national coverage and corporate resources.
Direct peers
- Unique Nederland: Dutch staffing specialist covering office, industrial and professional segments. Direct comparable in service portfolio, particularly in uitzenden and werving & selectie for SME and mid-market Dutch employers similar to FlexFirst's client base.
- ASA Talent: Dutch generalist staffing franchise organization with multiple regional offices offering uitzenden, detacheren and recruitment. Closely comparable to FlexFirst in its franchise model, SME client focus and full-service staffing portfolio.
- Olympia Uitzendbureau: Large Dutch generalist staffing agency offering uitzenden, detacheren and werving & selectie. Closely comparable to FlexFirst in service mix and Dutch focus; Olympia is a primary direct competitor for the same employer and flexworker base.
- T&S Group (Timing & Steffers): Mid-sized Dutch staffing group operating multiple regional brands across uitzenden, detacheren and werving & selectie. Comparable to FlexFirst in scale, regional franchise-like structure and sector mix (production, logistics, technical).
- Covebo Uitzendgroep: Dutch staffing agency focused on industrial, technical and logistics placements with EU recruitment capabilities. Direct peer of FlexFirst, operating in similar sectors with a comparable model of regional branches and EU worker sourcing.
Emerging players
- OTTO Work Force: Specialized EU labor migration and recruitment agency focused on placing Eastern European workers in Western European employers — directly comparable to FlexFirst's EU Recruitment service line and competing for the same Polish worker pipeline into the Netherlands.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FlexFirst social profiles
Digital presenceFlexFirst compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
FlexFirst financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FlexFirst leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
FlexFirst funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FlexFirst 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 FlexFirst
What does FlexFirst do?
FlexFirst B.V. is a Dutch staffing and personnel mediation franchise organization. It connects employers with job seekers across the Netherlands through temporary staffing (uitzenden), detachment/contracting (detacheren), permanent recruitment and selection (werving & selectie), specialized EU recruitment, and training/education services. FlexFirst operates as the employer of record for flexworkers, handling payroll, social contributions, and NBBU CAO compliance.
Is FlexFirst a public or private company?
FlexFirst is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was FlexFirst founded?
FlexFirst was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is FlexFirst based?
FlexFirst is headquartered in Best, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does FlexFirst make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Staffing / Temporary Placement Fees are the primary driver. The others are detachment / Deployment Fees, recruitment & Selection (Werving & Selectie), EU Recruitment Services, training and Education Services and franchise Fees.
Who are FlexFirst's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ManpowerGroup Netherlands, Randstad N.V., Tempo-Team and Adecco Netherlands. Direct peers are Unique Nederland, ASA Talent, Olympia Uitzendbureau, T&S Group (Timing & Steffers) and Covebo Uitzendgroep. OTTO Work Force is listed as an emerging player.
Does FlexFirst have an API?
No public API is recorded for FlexFirst.
What industry is FlexFirst in?
FlexFirst's product category is Staffing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACACAC, Clerical & Customer Support Temp Staffing. Its NAICS code is 561320 and its SIC code is 7361.