Onex Corp. (TSX: ONEX), a Toronto-based investment firm, announced Feb. 5 that it made a majority investment in Morson Group, the sixth-largest staffing firm in the UK.

Morson is based in Manchester, UK, and focuses on engineering, IT and technical staffing as well as RPO. It has a history spanning 55 years and employs more than 1,500 people in more than 60 locations. It operates in the UK, US, Italy, Canada and Australia.

“Morson’s ability to deploy unique sector knowledge and innovative solutions to its clients in highly resilient sectors of the economy is unique,” Nigel Wright, co-head of Onex Partners, said in a press release. “We are attracted by its growth profile, corporate culture and multiple opportunities for value creation going forward.”

Terms of the transaction were not announced. However, the investment was made alongside the founding family CEO Ged Mason and members of the management. Mason, who appeared on SIA’s European Staffing 100, will continue as CEO of Morson Group.

“We have found a true partner in Onex and a team whose values are aligned with ours. Onex shares our vision,” Mason said. “It has an impressive track record of helping companies to grow, and we are confident about the contribution our new partner will make to achieving our goals.”

This announcement comes just after Morson Group closed its acquisition of InterQuest Group UK Ltd., a technology recruitment business, along with InterQuest’s sister company Astraeus Consulting Ltd.

Onex’s also has Acacium Group in its portfolio. Acacium is a healthcare recruitment firm based in London; in 2022, it acquired Favorite Healthcare Staffing, the 10th-largest US healthcare staffing firm. Onex’s Wright serves on the board of Acacium.

Wright and Adrien Faure are Onex’s leads on the Morson Group investment. Faure is on Acacium’s board as well.

“Morson is an excellent business and a leader with pedigree in its core markets,” Faure said. “The investment aligns with our theme of investing in businesses that help to solve the need for technical and specialist skills alongside the best management teams. It builds on our track record in the broader human capital management sector.”