ProGroup Recruitment celebrates five years with praise from Quelfire

ProGroup Recruitment, the specialist recruiter to the UK’s fire protection industry, is marking five years in business with record growth, new service offerings, and a continued commitment to raising standards in the sector.

Since celebrating its fourth anniversary last year, the Southampton-based agency has grown its team from seven to ten consultants, launched a dedicated Active Fire division to complement its established Passive Fire expertise, and strengthened its executive appointments service for senior-level hires. The business has achieved 15% year-on-year growth, with a 108% increase in white-collar permanent placements and a doubling of management-level hires compared to the previous trading year.

“I’m incredibly proud of where the business stands today compared to where we started five years ago,” said Toby Mackay, Director of ProGroup Recruitment. “I’m grateful to all our employees who have helped us grow and to every client and candidate who has entrusted us with supporting their recruitment. We will continue to strive to offer the very best service.”

Jack McArthur, Director, added: “We’ve entered a fast-moving market as a new business and have grown significantly year on year, establishing ourselves as a leading recruitment partner for fire protection businesses across the UK. We’re excited to see where the next five years will take us and how we can strengthen our partnerships even further.”

ProGroup’s internal team has seen significant development in the past 12 months with promotions and the expansion of its white-collar division which has now doubled over the last three months. The company has continued its commitment to specialist training and professional memberships, including customer service workshops, CPD sessions from manufacturers such as Quelfire, and its charter-compliant membership with Fire Aware, the UK initiative promoting ethical and transparent recruitment in fire safety. This reinforces ProGroup’s commitment to moral integrity and ethical hiring practices in the sector.

Jack McArthur further commented: “Continual learning through CPD sessions with product manufacturers like Quelfire has been instrumental in deepening the team’s technical understanding of fire protection products and installation standards, ensuring consultants can better advise both candidates and clients in a competitive and rapidly evolving sector.”

Acknowledging ProGroup Recruitment’s commitment to continual learning, Hayley Clay, Marketing Manager at Quelfire, said: “Quelfire sees real value in delivering CPD sessions that not only give attendees the practical knowledge and confidence to make the right decisions on their projects, but also contribute to raising standards across the industry. By educating professionals on how to do firestopping the right way, we ultimately help create safer buildings that protect people and property. We are proud to support ProGroup Recruitment’s commitment to driving this mission forward and congratulate them on their fifth anniversary.”

The UK fire protection market continues to evolve, with new contractors and recruiters entering the space and a growing demand for skilled professionals. Candidates often hold multiple offers simultaneously and rising salary expectations – fuelled by cost-of-living pressures and talent shortages – have made hiring increasingly competitive.

ProGroup’s approach has been to act as an advisor to clients, helping them navigate these challenges by moving quickly on top candidates, refining their offer packages, and understanding the culture and benefits that attract long-term talent. Around 10% of placements now come from referrals within ProGroup’s network, a reflection of the trust the company has built with industry professionals.

The company’s focus for the coming year is to fully establish its Active Fire division, continuing to offer deep specialism in a niche sector where expertise is critical. ProGroup remains committed to evolving its processes, listening to client and candidate feedback, and investing in training and development to deliver a market-leading service.

Image:

Top row (left to right): Toby Mackay (Director), John Hamill, Nathan Brown, Thomas Vangreveninge, Jack McArthur (Director), and Joanna Kennedy.

Bottom row (left to right): Sophia Cheshire, Jenna Seawrd, James Lancaster, Lily Thiselton.

FIRE Magazine

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