ManpowerGroup Inc. (NYSE: MAN) subsidiary Proservica acquired the French IT help desk business of Global IT services company ATOS. ManpowerGroup also acquired a 70% stake in Dutch IT company PEAK-IT.

The acquisition of the ATOS business was made despite strong opposition from the company’s trade unions, reports lemagit.fr.

As part of the acquisition, Proservia has agreed to retain the company’s more than 800 employees for a period of at least three years. It also signed a commercial partnership agreement that will ensure the continuation of local support and services for a minimum of five years.

According to Proservia, the acquisition of ATOS' French help desk business is a major step in ManpowerGroup’s goal to diversify 10% of its French activities over the next two years. No financial details of the acquisition were disclosed.

In the PEAK-IT acquisition, ManpowerGroup hopes to further expand its position in the information and communications technology staffing market. In May 2014, Experis also acquired a majority stake in Dutch staffing company iSense, which specializes in the placement of permanent and contract ICT staff. 

PEAK-IT will continue to operate independently and the company’s management will remain in place.

Jilko Andringa, CEO of ManpowerGroup Netherlands, commented: “We’re very keen on a forming a partnership and we believe in the ability of PEAK-IT, as an independent organization, to achieve its growth ambitions. By joining forces we are expanding the range of services we can offer to mutual customers and we will be able to provide even broader career options to IT professionals and internal colleagues.”

Financial details of the acquisition were not released.