Blue Arrow
Encyclopedia
Blue Arrow Limited is a United Kingdom
based employment
and recruitment agency that places individual jobseekers in employment and provides businesses with temporary and/or permanent staff in the industrial sector, catering sector, driving sector, logistics sector and office sector.
The head office is in Luton
, Bedfordshire
. Blue Arrow used to be a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index
but is now part of the Impellam Group
plc
, an international staffing business traded on the Alternative Investment Market
with operations in the UK
, Ireland
, Europe
, USA, Australia
and New Zealand
.
On 10th November 1959, Blue Arrow (then named 'The Barnet Agency Ltd') was incorporated. On 12th October 1982 the company name was changed to 'Blue Arrow Personnel Services Ltd', and then finally to 'Blue Arrow Ltd' in June 2000.
The company was founded by Sheila Birch and Tony Berry
. Sheila, the initiator of the business and former president, was dropped from the board after the company became listed on the Unlisted Securities Market
in 1984. In June 1987 Blue Arrow was successful in acquiring Manpower Inc.
, which was then the World's largest temporary employment agency, for the price of $1.3bn.
In 1987, Blue Arrow was at the centre of a financial scandal when employees of National Westminster Bank
's investment arm, County NatWest, covered up a failed issue of £873m of new stock (intended to finance the takeover of Manpower Inc.
). Blue Arrow itself was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Tony Berry stood down as CEO in 1989.
In 1994 the Company was acquired by Corporate Services Group for £47.8m.
With Lord Ashcroft having built up a share holding of over 25% in CSG, Blue Arrow merged with his recruitment process outsourcing
firm Carlisle Group on 7th May 2008, to form Impellam.
However, now the brand Blue Arrow Group comprises Blue Arrow High Street, Blue Arrow Managed Services and Blue Arrow Driving.
Blue Arrow is a member of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and is Investors in People
accredited.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
based employment
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
and recruitment agency that places individual jobseekers in employment and provides businesses with temporary and/or permanent staff in the industrial sector, catering sector, driving sector, logistics sector and office sector.
The head office is in Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
. Blue Arrow used to be a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index
FTSE 100 Index
The FTSE 100 Index, also called FTSE 100, FTSE, or, informally, the footsie , is a share index of the 100 most highly capitalised UK companies listed on the London Stock Exchange....
but is now part of the Impellam Group
Impellam Group
Impellam Group plc was formed in May 2008 through the merger of The Corporate Services Group plc and Carlisle Group Limited.Impellam operates globally, with more than 20 specialist brands across a broad range of staffing sectors, which are complemented by businesses in the outsourced support...
plc
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
, an international staffing business traded on the Alternative Investment Market
Alternative Investment Market
AIM is a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange, allowing smaller companies to float shares with a more flexible regulatory system than is applicable to the main market....
with operations in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, USA, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
History
The company was founded by Sheila Birch and Tony Berry
Tony Berry
-Career:Brought up in Tottenham and educated at Latimer Upper Grammar School, Berry played cricket for Middlesex Young Amateurs and became an apprentice football professional for Tottenham Hotspur....
. Sheila, the initiator of the business and former president, was dropped from the board after the company became listed on the Unlisted Securities Market
Unlisted Securities Market
The Unlisted Securities Market , which ran from 1980 to 1996, was a stock exchange set up by the London Stock Exchange to cater for companies too small to qualify for a full listing....
in 1984. In June 1987 Blue Arrow was successful in acquiring Manpower Inc.
Manpower Inc.
ManpowerGroup is a workforce solutions and services provider company headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was established by Elmer Winter and Aaron Scheinfeld in 1948. It was acquired by Blue Arrow of Britain in 1987, but became independent again in 1991.The directors include...
, which was then the World's largest temporary employment agency, for the price of $1.3bn.
In 1987, Blue Arrow was at the centre of a financial scandal when employees of National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank
National Westminster Bank Plc, commonly known as NatWest, is the largest retail and commercial bank in the United Kingdom and has been part of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc since 2000. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is ranked as the second largest bank in the world by assets...
's investment arm, County NatWest, covered up a failed issue of £873m of new stock (intended to finance the takeover of Manpower Inc.
Manpower Inc.
ManpowerGroup is a workforce solutions and services provider company headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was established by Elmer Winter and Aaron Scheinfeld in 1948. It was acquired by Blue Arrow of Britain in 1987, but became independent again in 1991.The directors include...
). Blue Arrow itself was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Tony Berry stood down as CEO in 1989.
In 1994 the Company was acquired by Corporate Services Group for £47.8m.
With Lord Ashcroft having built up a share holding of over 25% in CSG, Blue Arrow merged with his recruitment process outsourcing
Recruitment Process Outsourcing
Recruitment Process Outsourcing is a form of business process outsourcing where an employer outsources or transfers all or part of its recruitment activities to an external service provider....
firm Carlisle Group on 7th May 2008, to form Impellam.
Operations
Blue Arrow used to be divided into the following groups: Blue Arrow High Street, Blue Arrow Managed Services, Blue Arrow Driving, Blue Arrow Catering, ABC Contract Services, Blend and Austin Benn.However, now the brand Blue Arrow Group comprises Blue Arrow High Street, Blue Arrow Managed Services and Blue Arrow Driving.
Blue Arrow is a member of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) and is Investors in People
Investors in People
Launched in 1991 Investors in People is a business improvement tool administered by UK Commission for Employment and Skills and supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills ....
accredited.