Bed and mattress manufacturer Dreams has ramped up production and distribution across its four Black Country sites thanks to its partnership with one of the West Midlands’ leading recruitment agencies.

MET Recruitment has overcome the national shortage of staff to recruit more than 100 employees for the UK’s leading bed specialist in the last few months, with another 50 of them recently progressing to become permanent workers.

It’s a fitting way to bring up a near 10-year partnership that has seen both companies work together to find general production operatives, fork-lift truck drivers, warehouse staff, seamstresses, tape edges and drivers’ mates.

Since the start of 2021, 110 individuals have so far progressed into permanent positions once they have completed a twelve-week trial where they can learn the role and see if they fit into the culture of the business.

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(l-r) John Botfield, Stefano Ferrandino (both Dreams), Adam Wheeler, Kate Silk (both MET Recruitment) and Sima Tuzinaite (Dreams). Image courtesy of Dreams.

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“MET Recruitment really get what we do and, over the last decade, have built a strong partnership with us,” explained John Botfield, Production Manager at Dreams.

“At any one stage we could need up to 100 temporary workers across different areas of the business and we know they have the candidate pool and understanding of our roles to find the right people. Importantly, they also put their own consultant on site at the start of shifts, so that is one thing less for us to think about.”

He continued: “We have been very busy since lockdown and will shortly be embarking on another recruitment drive.”

MET Recruitment, which provides industrial and commercial staff to companies across the UK, started working with Dreams in 2012, providing extra labour support in the despatch department after an existing supplier was struggling to find workers.

The relationship has developed rapidly and now stretches across production and distribution at the firm’s sites in Oldbury, Smethwick, Tividale and Wednesbury, with up to 100 temps recruited and supplied during peak times.

Three experienced consultants work on the account and have built a clear understanding of the type of individuals Dreams require and have a bespoke vetting process in place that means a high percentage of temporary workers become permanent staff.

They are also present on site twice a day – at 6am and 3pm – to ensure the right number of people arrive and all new starters are briefed on job roles and health and safety guidelines.

Matthew Hunter, Industrial Director at MET Recruitment, went on to add: “We have almost become an extension of the HR team, and this has delivered some fantastic staffing results during what has been an extremely difficult environment.

“In addition to our core advertising, face-to-face interviews and job matching services, we also complete induction, site walk arounds and dual advertising to try to raise as much interest as possible. This has been critical in ensuring levels of supply do not drop, even when there are a lot less candidates out there.”

MET Recruitment, which is on course to hit £9m this year, was originally set up to supply staff to the mechanical and electrical trades and has gone from three people in a small office on the Pensnett Trading Estate to an 18-strong agency operating from a dedicated head office on Wolverhampton Street in Dudley.

The company’s growth has been led by MD Robin Tong and assisted by two key appointments, with Matthew Hunter joining in 2011 to head up the industrial division and Nella Share arriving three years later to create the commercial recruitment arm of the business.

Investment in its 360 degrees recruitment solution for clients and an industry-best support infrastructure for candidates has helped it secure a strong client base across engineering, manufacturing, professional services and the services sector.