Creative, marketing and communications recruitment specialist Aquent has acquired its key rival in the Melbourne market, the fifth acquisition in Australia in the last three years for the global company.

It’s acquired Dux Creative Consultants and is in the process of merging the two businesses with the new company to be carry the Aquent name.

The move in Melbourne , where Aquent first opened in Australia ten years, ago follows recent acquisition of recruitment companies also specialising in the area, in Adelaide and Perth . It already had established offices in Sydney and Brisbane.

Aquent Asia Pacific chief executive officer, Greg Savage, said the moves were part of Aquent’s growth plans in Australia .

He said that the company was open to further acquisitions but said that it was not looking for “bolt-ons” just to add revenue.

“Any acquisitions we make are for strategic reasons,” Savage said.

Savage said the creative, marketing and communications recruitment market was the strongest he had seen in five years.