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Wednesday January 9 2002
United Services Group sells KPD Groep
United Services Group N.V. of Almere, The Netherlands, announces the justified expectation, within the foreseeable future, of agreement on the sale of the software development specialist business, KPD Groep to Telematica Groep of Weert, The Netherlands. The core activities of KPD Groep now match less well with the activities of United Services Group which focuses on services in and around the labour market.

Friday December 14 2001
New acquisitions puts United Services Group now in top ten
United Services Group N.V. is to acquire the Spanish temporary employment group Ecatemp thus earning top-ten status in the Spanish temporary employment market. The acquisition of the shares will be realised, in full, in cash. Ecatemp is expected to contribute to earnings per share as from 2002. Ecatemp is a well organised, fast-growing and profitable temporary employment group with 19 branches, of which 16 in and around Barcelona/Catalonia.

Monday October 22 2001
United Services Group: continuing growth in turnover and profit
During the first nine months of 2001 the operating result of United Services Group N.V. rose by 19.5% from Euro 42.9 million (2000) to Euro 51.3 million. Turnover rose from Euro 376.2 million to Euro 437.9 million. This represents an increase of 16.4% on the previous year. Hence, the operating result rose from 11.4% in 2000 to 11.7% of turnover.

Tuesday October 16 2001
United Services Group acquires provider Fa-med
United Services Group N.V. (previously Unique International N.V.) is in negotiation with Fa-med B.V. of Leusden for a full takeover. It is reasonable to expect that the acquisition will be completed within the foreseeable future. The acquisition of Fa-med will be completed in cash and will directly contribute to the earnings per share of United Services Group. In the current financial year Fa-med is expected to realise turnover of some EUR 10 mln with positive growth expectations.

Tuesday October 9 2001
United Services Group reinforces position in call center market
United Services Group N.V. is engaged in talks with Call-IT International B.V. concerning a full takeover. It is reasonable to expect that the acquisition will be realised within the foreseeable future. The acquisition of Call-IT International, which will be partly effected in cash and partly in due course in shares, will contribute directly to the earnings per share of United Services Group.

Monday August 13 2001
United Services Group acquires InterCollege
Luzac Holding, part of United Services Group N.V., has acquired InterCollege (college equivalent) of The Hague from Creyf's N.V. InterCollege will continue its activities under the same name. The acquisition will have no effect on either students or personnel. Furthermore, recognition of the official Dutch HBO (school of higher vocational training) status will remain intact.

Thursday March 8 2001
Group formerly known as Unique grows in shrinking market
United Services Group (USG), the Dutch temping group formerly known as Unique International, saw turnover rise by 15% in the Netherlands last year, while the Dutch temping market shrank by 4%. In Belgium, turnover rose by 24%, while the entire Belgian temping market grew by 15%. USG generates 90% of turnover in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Tuesday November 14 2000
Unique changes name
Unique International is changing its name to United Services Group on December 31. The move is an attempt to change the company's image from a temporary employment agency to a company offering specialist services such as supplying personnel for call centres.

Friday October 20 2000
Unique sees FY profit up 20%
Unique said on Friday net profit before goodwill had risen 24% to EUR 26.6 mln in the first nine months year-on-year. Total net profit stood at EUR 24.9 mln while turnover rose 17.5% to EUR 376.2 mln. The company, while will change its official name to United Services Group at the end of this year, reiterated an earlier forecast that full-year net earnings per share before goodwill are expected to rise by at least 20%.

Monday September 4 2000
Unique books 255 profit
Unique said on Monday first-halfnet profit had risen 25% year-on-year to EUR 16.6 mln. Turnover rose almost 20% to EUR 245,4 mln. The company said it planned to enter the German and other European markets through both takeovers and start-ups.

Wednesday April 19 2000
Unique upgrades its profit
Unique upgraded its profit growth forecast for this year to 20% from an earlier figure of 15% following good first quarter results. Net profit in the first quarter rose 28% to EUR 7.9 mln compared with the same period in 1999. Turnover was up 21% to EUR 99.4 mln. Just over half of the growth was autonomous. Unique has plans to move into the German market.

Unique Int Q1 net profit up 21%
Unique Int reported on Friday net profit for the first-quarter of 2000 increased 21% to EUR 7.4 mln, compared with net profit of EUR 6.1 mln the company booked in the comparible period of 1999. Turnover increased 21% from EUR 99.4 mln to EUR 120.4 mln. Operating income increased 37% from EUR 9.3 mln to EUR 12.7 mln. Earnings per share for the first-quarter of 2000 increased 28% to EUR 0.41, compared with earnings per share of EUR 0.32 for the first-quarter of 1999.

Tuesday March 7 2000
Unique net profit up 30%
Unique International reported on Tuesday net profit for 1999 increased 30% to EUR 31.4 mln, compared with net profit of EUR 24.1 mln the company booked in the comparible period of 1998. Turnover increased 22% from EUR 367.6 mln to EUR 446.8 mln. Operating income increased 26% from EUR 37.2 mln to EUR 47.0 mln. Unique said it is positive about profit growth this year. Unique said it has set new records in the number of filled vacancies.

Tuesday November 9 1999
Unique nine months turnover up 22%
Unique announced on Tuesday that net profit before amortisation of goodwill for the first nine months of 1999 increased 29% to EUR 21.4 mln. turnover for the first nine months of 1999 increased with 22% to EUR 320 mln. Ten percent of the turnover growth was organic. Operating profit was 32% higher at EUR 33 mln. Earnings per share increased with 17% to EUR 1.11. Unique said it was maintaining its forecast that full-year earnings per share would rise by about 20%.

Monday November 1 1999
Merger failure hits Brunel shares
The price of shares in secondment agency Brunel plummeted 19% on Monday following the collapse of its planned merger with Unique. In heavy trading, Brunel shares closed at EUR 13.55, recovering from a 25% price drop soon after the Amsterdam stock exchange opened. Unique, however, benefited slightly from the news, closing up 2% at EUR 24.50.

Friday October 29 1999
Brunel and Unique break off merger
The earlier announced merger between temporary employment agency Unique and outsourcing agency Brunel was unexpectedly scrapped on Friday. A curt press release stated that the two companies had failed to agree on the future strategy of the combine. Brand policy and internationalisation were both major stumbling blocks between the engaged couple, a Unique spokesman said.

Thursday September 2 1999
Unique H1 net profit up 26%
Unique reported on Thursday net profit after amortisation of goodwill for the first-half of 1999 increased 26% to EUR 13.0 mln, compared with net profit of EUR 10.3 mln the company booked in the comparible period of 1998. Turnover increased 24% from EUR 165.5 mln to EUR 204.9 mln. Operating income increased 31% from EUR 15.4 mln to EUR 20.1 mln.

Thursday July 8 1999
Unique to acquire Job-In
Unique International said on Thursday that it is in talks with temps- and secondment agency Job-In on the takeover of the agency. Unique said the take over will be paid for in cash and will contribute to its earnings per share immediately. Job-In is specialised in native speakers office staff to international companies and secondment of employees. It booked 1998 turnover of some NLG 14 mln. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

Thursday June 24 1999
Unique acquires two temps agencies
Unique International is to acquire Topmen Group of the Netherlands and Lemmens Consulting of Belgium from Unec Engineering for un undisclosed sum in cash. Unique said that both acquisitions will contribute to its earnings per share for 1999. Topmen Group employs 150 people and booked 1998 turnover of NLG 15 mln, while Lemmens Consulging booked 1998 turnover of NLG 14 mln.

Monday June 14 1999
Unique acquires technical temps agency
Unique is taking over technical temps agency Advies Bureau Intermediair Projectondersteuning (AIP) for an undisclosed sum. AIP has annual turnover of NLG 33 mln and has 400 employees.

Wednesday April 28 1999
Unique Q1 net profit up 23%
Unique International reported on Wednesday net profit for the first-quarter of 1999 increased 23% to NLG 13.5 mln, compared with net profit of NLG 11.0 mln the company booked in the comparible period of 1998. Turnover increased 26% from NLG 174.3 mln to NLG 219.0 mln. Operating income increased 26% from NLG 16.3 mln to NLG 20.6 mln.

Wednesday April 21 1999
Unique acquires Telecom Direct Almere
Unique International said on Wednesday that it is to acquire Telecom Direct Almere. Telecom Direct is a telemarketing company which was founded in 1986. The company employs about 180 people, mainly on part-time basis, and has annual turnover of some NLG 11 mln. Unique said its new acquisition would boost earnings per share this year. The acquisition will be paid for in cash. The takeover sum was not disclosed.

Tuesday March 16 1999
Unique net profit up 30%
Unique Intirnational reported on Tuesday net profit for 1998 increased 30% to NLG 53.1 mln, compared with net profit of NLG 40.7 mln the company booked in the comparible period of 1997. Turnover increased 29% from NLG 626.1 mln to NLG 810.0 mln. Operating income increased 41% from NLG 57.9 mln to NLG 81.9 mln. Earnings per share for 1998 increased 28% to NLG 3.00, compared with earnings per share of NLG 2.35 for 1997.

Friday January 15 1999
Unique books strong growth
In the preliminary figures, Unique International announced on Friday net profit for 1998 increased 30% to NLG 53 mln, compared with NLG 40.7 mln for 1997. Turnover rose by 28% from NLG 626 mln to NLG 800 mln. The strong growth is partly due to sex acquisitions in 1998. Unique said it was interested in making further acquisitions. The company has 239 offices of which 196 are in the Netherlands and 43 in Belgium. Definitive 1998 figures will be published on March 16.

Tuesday November 10 1998
Unique nine-months net up 30%
Unique International reported on Tuesday net profit for the first three quarters of 1998 increased 30% to NLG 36.4 mln, compared with net profit of NLG 28.0 mln the company booked in the comparible period of 1997. Turnover increased 26% from NLG 457.4 mln to NLG 576.2 mln. Operating income increased 37% from NLG 40.6 mln to NLG 55.5 mln.

Tuesday November 3 1998
Unique floats a million new shares
Temporary employment agency Unique floated one million new shares on Tuesday at a price of NLG 50.75 per share. The buyers were domestic and international institutional investors. The issue has resulted in an expansion of the number of shares outstanding by 5.7%. This will dilute the earnings per share for current shareholders.

Tuesday October 13 1998
Unique cancels takeovers
Unique International has cancelled its planned acquisitions of rivals Europe Personnel Services and Security Partners Nederland due to differences in corporate cultures, Unique said on Tuesday. Nevertheless, Unique has set up joint venture deals with both companies.

Friday September 25 1998
Unique to acquire KPD Groep
Unique International said on Friday that it is aiming to acquire KPD Group. KPD Group employs around 220 people and is active in the development, ditribution and implementation of standard software for architects, engineers, construction and installation companies. KPD expects to turnover NLG 35 mln in 1998.

Thursday September 3 1998
Unique H1 net profit up 30%
Unique International reported on Thursday net profit for the first-half of 1998 increased 30% to NLG 22.6 mln, compared with net profit of NLG 17.4 mln the company booked in the comparible period of 1997. Turnover increased 22% from NLG 298.9 mln to NLG 364.7 mln. Operating income increased 31% from NLG 25.8 mln to NLG 33.9 mln. Earnings per share for the first-half of 1998 increased 29% to NLG 1.30, compared with earnings per share of NLG 1.01 for the first-half of 1997.

Tuesday August 4 1998
Unique is taking over EPS
Unique International is taking over two specialised temps agencies, Europe Personnel Services (EPS) and Security Partners Nederland (SPN). Unique said that the two companies are growing rapidly, and booked combined 1997 turnover of NLG 24 mln. Unique said its turnover for 1998 will increase by at least 40% from the acquisitions. EPS specialises in transport of passangers and road haulage. SPN specialises in security staffing.

Tuesday June 30 1998
Unique aims for takeover Capacity
Unique International is aiming to take over executive secondment agency Capacity. Capacity has annual turnover of NLG 30 mln and would contribute immediately to Unique's earnings per share.

Friday May 29 1998
Unique to take over Ad rem of Almere
Unique is taking over Ad rem of Almere. The transaction will be paid for in cash. Ad rem will continue operating under its own name and management. Ad rem is expected to contribute to earnings per share immediately. Ad rem specialises in temporary work for secretaries. In 1997, the company booked turnover of some NLG 25 mln. The company has 11 branches around the country.

Thursday May 7 1998
Unique reports Q1 net profit up 29%
Unique reports net profit for the first quarter of 1998 increased with 29% to NLG 11.0 mln, compared with NLG 8.5 mln the company booked for the first quarter of 1997. Turnover increased with 23% from NLG 141.8 mln to NLG 174.3 mln. Most of the revenue growth was derived from acquisitions. The company generates 75% of turnover in the Netherlands and the rest in Belgium.

Monday March 23 1998
Unique reports net profit up 33%
Unique reports net profit for 1997 increased with 33% from NLG 30.6 mln (pro forma) to NLG 40.7 mln. Turnover rose with 27% to NLG 626 mln, compared with NLG 494.7 mln for the previous year. Operating result increased with 36% from NLG 42.5 mln to NLG 57.9 mln. Earnings per share rose with 31% from NLG 1.80 to NLG 2.35.

Thursday February 12 1998
Unique to acquire Inter-Groep
Unique is to acquire Inter-Groep. The temps agency, that is primarily active in the UK and the Netherlands, is active under the name Inter-Services (specialised in technical project staff), and Inter-Cedent (specialised in technical temps workers). Inter-Groep has annual turnover of NLG 50 mln. The planned takeover fits in with Unique's international explansion plans.

Monday January 26 1998
Unique finished acquisition of IT Business Group
Unigie International has finalised the procedures concerning the take over of IT Business Group (The Hague). IT Business Group specialises in the recruitment of information technology specialists. The company is operating under the names ConnectSystems and OpenIntegrators. For 1997 a turnover of over NLG 15 mln is expected with further strong growth over the next years.

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