The number of staffing industry mergers and acquisitions in North America last year reached their highest level since 2007, just before the start of the recession, according to data from Staffing Industry Analysts. Publicly announced deals total 112 last year; in comparison, the number was 126 in 2007. Acquirers proved partial to professional staffing firms, which represented a large percentage of the deals. Transactions involving healthcare and IT staffing firms represented 39% of deals alone in 2018.

SIA President Barry Asin is set to discuss M&A and other topics in his keynote speech at 8:30 a.m. next Tuesday at the Staffing Industry Executive Forum North America in Austin, Texas. Those other topics will include the near-term outlook for the staffing market, the US economic expansion, skills and training, the human cloud, technology, and other issues.

For more information on the Executive Form North America, click here. The event runs from Monday through March 1 at the JW Marriott Austin in Texas.

SIA corporate members can also get information on M&A activity in a new report, “Staffing Mergers & Acquisitions: 2019 Update.”