Gattaca subsidiary Matchtech Group is to take an initial 70% of shares from RS founder and CEO Richard Lawrance and RS investor Alysoun Stewart, with the option of purchasing the remaining 30% within 12 months of completion of the acquisition.

Lawrance continues as CEO, while RS’s existing management will also remain in place following the deal.

RS operates from offices in Reading, Uxbridge and Derby.

The group also released a trading update for the six months to 31 January 2017, revealing a marginal drop in year-on-year net fee income of 2% from £35.9m to £35.1m.

In constant currency terms, NFI was down 5%, with contract down 4% and permanent down 6% year-on-year. The group reported that NFI growth in its IT, engineering technology (one division made of engineering and technology) and aerospace divisions were offset by a drop in NFI in its engineering, technology and telco divisions.

Commenting on the update and acquisition, Gattaca CEO Brian Wilkinson pointed to a “solid” set of results, achieved during a period of economic uncertainty in both the UK and the US.

“We are pleased that demand in the UK for skilled engineers remains robust and vacancy flow is increasing. However, uncertainty has led to elongated hiring decisions.

"We continue to strengthen the group… and we are pleased to have completed the acquisition of Resourcing Solutions, broadening our capability in the UK's rail, power and built environment markets where we are seeing continued investment."

Gattaca anticipates announcing interim results for the six months to 31 January 2017 on 20 April.

• See also March’s Recruiter for an indepth interview with both Gattaca’s Wilkinson and Airswift’s CEO Peter Searle, out 17 February.