French giant buys out Yorkshire call centre

HEROtsc, which employs more than 750 staff in its Manvers centre in South Yorkshire’s Dearne Valley, has been bought by Paris-based Webhelp Group.

Webhelp Group operates 24 contact centres in Europe and North Africa, has annual revenues of E220m and employs 10,500 people.

It is backed by Charterhouse Capital Partners, which acquired a majority stake in the business in 2011. HEROtsc, which will changes its name to Webhelp TSC following the acquisition, gives the Webhelp Group a major presence in the UK for the first time.

The combined group will be one of the largest independently-owned “customer experience” companies in the world, with revenues of more than E350m 33 centres serving 25 clients and 16,500 employees globally.

The Dearne Valley site became part of the HEROtsc network in 2004 and has expanded steadily. Webhelp TSC will retain its corporate headquarters in Falkirk, Scotland and continue to be run by its existing long-standing management team, led by chief executive David Turner.

Mr Turner said: “This acquisition is excellent news for our people and customers.”