TWO of Worcestershire’s leading recruitment firms have merged in a deal that will see them expand.

Workforce Recruitment, which has nine branches across the West Midlands, has announced the merger with Worcester-based Peach Recruitment – a jobs specialist in the public and professional service sectors.

The deal will see Peach Recruitment’s employees relocating from their Pierpoint Street offices to Workforce’s new recruitment centre in the city’s Foregate Street.

Peach’s managing director Sarah Mayo-Evans, who founded the firm in 2002, will remain with the company. Mayo-Evans is credited with building Peach into a leading provider of non-medical and non-clinical staff for the NHS over the past 15 years.

Paul Alekna, Workforce Recruitment’s CEO, said: “Sarah has developed a widely respected and trusted business.

"Firms across the professional services and medical industries rely on them time and time again to provide the best quality people.

“What made the merger really exciting for us is that both businesses share the same vision and values - putting clients at the centre of everything we do.

"We have ambitious growth plans over the next few years and the merger allows us to create more opportunities and add further value to clients with the contacts and expertise Peach bring.

“A thriving recruitment industry is vital in supporting Worcestershire’s economy so we are delighted to join with Sarah and her team at Peach. It is another milestone in the history of Workforce and all the signs point to a long and successful future.”

Ms Mayo-Evans added: “Workforce is a large and well-connected company and the merger will provide a bigger and better team for our clients."