Recruitment firm is 50 not out

WARRINGTON-based specialist recruitment company DATS is celebrating 50 years in business.
The company, in Springfield Street, was founded by Trevor Nickson when he decided to “go it alone” in engineering design after completing a five year apprenticeship with ICI.
It was when he advertised for staff and was inundated with applicants that he realised the direction in which the business was heading and the 45 people interviewed that morning became the bedrock of the first DATS database.
Many were still working for the company 20 or 30 years later.
The original focus was to meet industry’s need for a flexible but specialist design resource. Five decades on this is still a key part of the business as DATS has continued to match people and skills through diverse and specialist industry knowledge. Over the years DATS has responded to changes in client requirements and market trends by introducing new industry divisions and disciplines to their portfolio of skills. Still operating out of the North West of England, DATS partner many industries throughout the UK and overseas in providing innovative and flexible solutions.
Last year Dixon Stewart Associates became a specialist division of DATS, resourcing management roles within distribution, supply chain and logistics. While Dixon Stewart continues to resource executive level positions, DATS now utilise their expertise to develop the Supply Chain and Logistics Division which will embrace a broader spectrum of roles within the sector.
DATS remains a privately-owned company. Stephen Nickson, Trevor’s son, is managing director and brothers-in-law Simon Hancock and John McMullan are directors. Although Trevor retired a number of years ago, he still has a keen interest in the business and remains on the board of directors.
Stephen Nickson said: “DATS are proud of the reputation we have earned for providing an excellent service. Many of our clients are long standing and have been with us in excess of 10 years. Locations, company names and fashions may have changed over the past 50 yeas but our core philosophy of building client relationships and providing a focussed, quality recruitment service remains the same.”