Best Connection Employment Group, which specialises in supplying temporary labour to industrial, driving and warehouse markets and has its head office in the West Midlands, has acquired Crawley-based SMS Agencies in West Sussex.

The acquisition of SMS Agencies, which has an annual turnover of £24m and employs 130 staff across 32 UK branches, will give The Best Connection added presence in the South West of England and an even stronger position in the transport and logistics sector.

SMS, which underwent a management buy-in/buy-out 16 months ago, will add more than 2,500 registered drivers to The Best Connection customer base.

Since it was founded in 1991, The Best Connection has expanded rapidly. The company has 53 branches across the UK, deals with almost 8,500 clients, and has increased its turnover by 37% to £125m over the past two years.

“The addition of SMS will further strengthen our position within the transport and logistics sector. It will also give the company greater presence in exisiting regions and open new opportunities in new locations, particularly the South West,” said The Best Connection’s chief executive Andrew Sweeney.