Booming CPP hopes to recruit up to 250 more staff by September, taking its total workforce in York to 1,000.

But it says the recruitment drive will only succeed if it can find sufficient suitable candidates in the York labour market.

CPP has also revealed two major deals in its continuing drive to expand and diversify from its original basic credit card insurance business.

The company, based at Holgate Park, has entered into an agreement with American company debt management Associates to purchase its UK debt management operations, offering counselling services to people in financial difficulties. It is also planning to purchase a mobile phone insurance business called Homecare, with the deal now subject to the agreement of the Financial Services Authority.

Cathy McCaul, managing director for CPP's assistance business, said the company's telemarketing business had mainly been part-time evening work up to now, with many posts filled by students.

But it now wished to increase its daytime marketing operation, and would need full-time employees to fill these posts.

She stressed that CPP was more than satisfied with the quality of existing staff it had recruited in York. "We are thrilled with the quality," she said. The only question was over whether the quantity was available to meet future needs.

Updated: 11:09 Wednesday, April 25, 2001