Astorium, an IT, finance, and HRM staffing agency, is being acquired by Outtask. Outtask is a well-established player in the staffing industry, focused on the large SME and enterprise segments. This acquisition is a significant step in Outtask’s growth strategy, expanding its offering as a full-service IT partner with specialized services in Finance and HRM. Hogenhouck M&A advised Astorium on this transaction.
Looking forward to a bright future under the Outtask umbrella
Astorium, with operations in the Netherlands and France, is a leader in the placement of interim professionals in IT, Finance, and HRM. Astorium has established a leading position, particularly within the nonprofit sector, with more than a quarter-century of experience in recruitment, an impressive network of over 70,000 professionals, and cutting-edge big data search and selection tools.
Bart Jan van Trommel, CEO of Astorium, reflects on the acquisition: “Astorium’s philosophy of making conscious choices and delivering intensive, intelligent work aligns perfectly with Outtask’s vision. The acquisition expands our capacity to serve our clients even better, supported by Outtask’s solid infrastructure and extensive network. We have complete confidence in Outtask’s management to carry on our mission and believe that Astorium has a bright future ahead under the Outtask umbrella.”
A Turning Point in Outtask's Expansion
Outtask—best known for providing technical specialists in software development, DevOps, quality assurance, IT infrastructure, and engineering—underscores its ambition to offer a broad spectrum of services with this acquisition. This move follows earlier expansions within the IT infrastructure sector and reaffirms Outtask’s role as a comprehensive IT partner.
Mike Dawud, CEO of Outtask, emphasizes the added value of this strategic move: “The integration of Astorium into the Outtask family marks a pivotal moment in our expansion. Astorium’s in-depth expertise in Finance and HRM complements our existing IT services perfectly. The advanced technological approach—particularly the use of big data recruitment and selection technologies—takes our service offerings to the next level. This combination of technological and industry expertise positions Outtask as a market leader and significantly strengthens our competitive advantage.”
Natural evolution
The official announcement of the acquisition on February 6, 2024, represents a natural evolution for both companies, which share a common corporate culture that emphasizes a results-oriented approach, combined with a sense of humor and a positive work environment. This synergy is the driving force behind the acquisition and forms the foundation for future growth and innovation.
With the integration of 80 specialized professionals from Astorium, Outtask is expanding its reach to serve an even broader market segment. Astorium will initially operate under its own brand name as part of the Outtask portfolio: Astorium by Outtask. This strategy ensures continuity for clients and employees, while simultaneously working toward seamless integration and leveraging synergies.
A team that understands our company and our business
Hogenhouck M&A advised Astorium through Mark van Beusekom, Cedric Baerts, and Bernard Bruggeman.
Bart Jan van Trommel reflects on the collaboration with Hogenhouck M&A: “We’ve been in discussions with Hogenhouck for years about the development of our company. At Hogenhouck, we’ve found a team that understands how our company and our business work, and what the key business drivers are.”
Mark van Beusekom on this partnership: “We explored the strategic options for Astorium with Bart Jan and Petra at an early stage. The merger with Outtask enables Astorium to strengthen its market position as a provider of interim professionals in IT, Finance, and HRM and to broaden the range of services it offers to clients. In addition, the merger offers significant synergy benefits that will accelerate the future growth of both companies. We at Hogenhouck are delighted to have shaped Astorium’s next step together with Bart Jan and Petra.”
