Atlantic International Corporation, listed on NASDAQ under the ticker ATLN, has taken a significant step to extend its staffing operations across international borders. On Friday, the company announced it has executed an all-stock acquisition of Circle8 Group, a prominent European firm specializing in technology recruitment. This transaction underpins Atlantic’s aim to solidify a transatlantic staffing platform that encompasses both industrial and information technology personnel across North America and Europe.
Although the financial specifics of the deal were withheld, the combined entity is reportedly valued on the basis of an unaudited annual revenue figure of approximately $1.2 billion. Atlantic International is augmenting its traditional industrial staffing base in North America by integrating Circle8’s European IT recruiting business, thus diversifying its service mix towards sectors exhibiting higher growth potential and typically more robust profit margins.
Circle8 Group, operating under several brand names throughout Europe, managed roughly $780 million in unaudited revenue for the year 2025. The group is on a trajectory toward hitting $1 billion in organic revenue in 2026, as per Atlantic’s disclosures. Beyond revenues, Circle8 brings to the table a highly skilled workforce consisting of over 12,000 technology professionals. This addition substantially enhances Atlantic’s footprint in the European market and provides expanded access to multinational clients seeking workforce solutions encompassing varied talent categories and geographies.
Leadership continuity is a key element of the deal, with Circle8’s founder and CEO, Guus Franke, set to maintain his role in managing the business post-acquisition. Furthermore, Franke will assume a position on Atlantic’s board of directors as executive chairman. This leadership structure aims to facilitate operational momentum while aligning incentives beneficial to both companies in the combined enterprise.
Jeffrey Jagid, CEO of Atlantic International, described the acquisition as a catalytic step in accelerating the company’s ambitions to scale globally. The expanded platform resulting from the integration of Circle8 is intended to offer clients broader geographic coverage and a more diversified range of staffing expertise. This, according to Jagid and Franke, is expected to foster resilience within the workforce platform, better equipping it to meet the complex talent demands of global enterprises.
Despite the strategic rationale underpinning the move, shares of Atlantic International exhibited downward pressure following the announcement, declining over 15 percent to close at approximately $3.18 on the day of the news. Market reaction underscores investor sensitivity to integration risks or uncertainties associated with such a sizable cross-border transaction.
Atlantic’s acquisition strategy reflects a broader industry trend where staffing firms seek to evolve from localized, industry-specific operations toward multi-regional, multisector workforce platforms. By combining light-industrial staffing strengths in North America with burgeoning European IT and technology recruitment capacities, Atlantic aims to navigate shifts in labor market demands while enhancing its revenue stability and profit margins.
The integration will require careful alignment of corporate cultures, operational processes, and client engagement models across continents. Success in this endeavor will determine Atlantic’s ability to capitalize on the combined revenue potential and improve its competitive positioning in an increasingly global human capital market.
Overall, Atlantic International’s acquisition of Circle8 marks a pivotal expansion phase, leveraging complementary strengths in industrial and technology staffing across major economic regions. How this expanded platform performs amid evolving market conditions and integration challenges remains a focal point for stakeholders assessing the company’s future trajectory.