COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 56132

Temporary Help Services

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

25companies1902–1998founding years25still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedGoodwill Industries International, Inc.
1902
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedSerco Group plc
1929
FoundedCOMFORCE Corporation
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedKelly Services, Inc.
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedManpower, Inc.
1948
FoundedC. H. Heist Corporation
1949
FoundedWatsco Inc.
1956
FoundedVolt Information Sciences Inc.
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedNorrell Corporation
1961
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedRemedyTemp, Inc.
1965
FoundedAnalysts International Corporation
1966
FoundedRCM Technologies, Inc.
1971
FoundedSOS Staffing Services
1973
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedAHL Services, Inc.FoundedCompHealth Inc.
1979
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedLabor Ready, Inc.
1985
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedSpherion Corporation
1992
FoundedHall, Kinion & Associates, Inc.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Goodwill Industries International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1902
Goodwill Industries International, Inc.
Serco Group plc →
Active · founded 1929 · United Kingdom
Serco Group plc provides facilities management and other engineering services for a variety of governmental and…
COMFORCE Corporation →
Active · founded 1939
COMFORCE Corporation is a leading provider of specialty staffing, consulting, and outsourcing solutions focused on the…
Vebego International BV →
Active · founded 1943 · The Netherlands
Vebego International BV is a private, family-owned holding company specializing in the services industry.
Kelly Services, Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
Kelly Services, Inc.
Manpower, Inc. →
Active · founded 1948
The second largest employment services company in the world, Manpower, Inc.
C. H. Heist Corporation →
Active · founded 1949
C.
Westaff Inc. →
Active · founded 1954
Westaff Inc., based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is the oldest temporary employment company on the West Coast.
Watsco Inc. →
Active · founded 1956
Watsco Inc.
Volt Information Sciences Inc. →
Active · founded 1957
Volt Information Sciences Inc.
Randstad Holding n.v. →
Active · founded 1960 · The Netherlands
Randstad Holding n.v.
Norrell Corporation →
Active · founded 1961
Though it is best known as a temporary agency, Norrell Corporation offers a wide variety of services.
RemedyTemp, Inc. →
Active · founded 1965
RemedyTemp, Inc.
Analysts International Corporation →
Active · founded 1966
Analysts International Corporation (AiC) describes itself as 'a premier information technology services company serving…
ATC Healthcare Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
ATC Healthcare Inc.
RCM Technologies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
RCM Technologies, Inc.
SOS Staffing Services →
Active · founded 1973
SOS Staffing Services is one of the nation's largest firms providing temporary employees for clerical, light…
PHP Healthcare Corporation →
Active · founded 1975
PHP Healthcare Corporation and its subsidiaries develop, consolidate, and manage the delivery of healthcare and related…
AHL Services, Inc. →
Active · founded 1979
AHL Services, Inc.
CompHealth Inc. →
Active · founded 1979
CompHealth was the nation's first and is the nation's largest firm providing temporary staffing of medical doctors and…
Labor Ready, Inc. →
Active · founded 1985
The fastest growing temporary staffing company in the world, Labor Ready, Inc.
On Assignment, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
On Assignment, Inc.
Spherion Corporation →
Active · founded 1992
Spherion Corporation, formerly Interim Services Inc., is a temporary staffing and consulting firm serving more than…
Hall, Kinion & Associates, Inc. →
Active · founded 1993
Hall, Kinion & Associates, Inc.
Kforce Inc. →
Active · founded 1998
Kforce Inc.
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