CRT Brings Harley West into its Recruitment Fold

Recruitment giant CRT has made its second acquisition in two months, buying Harley West Associates for nearly #8 million.

The purchase brings CRT?s combined IT services turnover to over #100 million ? the projected turnover of the whole group is expected to hit #200 million by April 1998. CRT employs 550 people in 21 locations.

Harley West, which employs 128 staff, specialises in applications training for Lotus, Novell, Netscape, Hewlett Packard, Compaq, Symantec and Cheyenne products. Its projected turnover for the year ended 31 March is #6.3 million.

In March, Harley West bought recruitment company Inline KPG for #23.8 million. Inline will now be merged with Software Personnel, CRT?s existing IT recruitment firm.

CRT has spent about #45 million on three acquisitions in the past six months and has set aside #70 million for more purchases.

Karl Chapman, CEO of CRT, said Harley West would improve the group?s corporate training offering. ?It moves us up the value chain. Our existing training is user-oriented. Harley West brings us much more professional training for enterprise-level computing.?

He said Harley West?s management team will be maintained, and it will continue to operate from its three London bases.