RGF Staffing

The company in its current form was founded from the 1997 merger between the Benelux staffing firm Unique International B.V. and the publicly traded Goudsmit N.V., a holding company involved in various sectors including recruitment. The enlarged group changed its name to United Services Group N.V. in 2001.

In 2002 United Services Group acquired a controlling stake in the job agency Start Holding, which had been privatised by the Dutch government six years earlier. This was later expanded to full control. The deal gave USG an increased presence in countries such as Spain and Italy.

The company acquired smaller Belgian peer Solvus Resource Group for around €585 million in August 2005, after which it again changed its name to USG People N.V.

In late 2008 the company adopted a "poison pill" defence against potential acquisitors by issuing preference shares to a company foundation.

The company operates around 1,350 branches across 10 European countries. The Dutch market remains the largest for the company, contributing nearly 40% of all revenues. Belgium and Luxembourg, France, Germany and Spain are the next largest regional divisions of the firm.

By far the company's largest business segment is general temporary work agencies, which operate under the unified Start People brand across all countries. USG also owns several specialist staffing agencies, recruiting into professions such as administration, finance, secretarial work and health care. Its professional division covers the recruitment and secondment of staff in skilled fields including engineering, telecommunications and IT, while the company also provides various other services in the field of customer services.