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Regent Cleaning enters security services market
Regent has diversified into the security services market with the acquisition of Midlands service provider, Premier Security Services. £3.5 million turnover Leicester-based Premier specialises in tailored security services for commercial and retail environments spanning guarding, patrols, keyholding and systems. Its consultancy and advisory service additionally devises security programmes tailored to individual client requirements, mixing new technologies with traditional, established methodologies.
Coventry-based Regent’s entry to the security market draws both on the successful service model established within its cleaning business and from the security market expertise inherent within its parent company, Samic Group. Security is just one of a range of services offered by the €1 billion turnover company, France’s second largest cleaning contractor.
The operating structure of Premier Security Services will be unchanged by the Regent acquisition and the company continues to be managed by directors Andrew Hallam and Gary Sheffield.
"We are very pleased to have Premier Security Services joining us under the stewardship of Andrew and Gary and look forward to progressing our mutual aims for business development in an exciting and challenging marketplace," said Regent joint managing director Jonathan King.
The UK market for security is expected to increase by 1% in nominal terms this year to around £3.3 billion, partly offsetting the 3% decline recorded in 2009, according to the UK manned security market research report from MBD. Slightly stronger annual growth of between 3% and 5% was reported in the years 2006 to 2008, reaching a peak in market value of around £3.34 billion in the latter year. In 2015, the value of the market is forecast to reach circa £3.75 billion (at 2010 prices), equivalent to an overall growth of 14% in real terms.
"Security is a natural service development for Regent," continued Jonathan King. "We are already proven in successful skills management within a wide range of commercial and public sector environments, an increasing number of whose owners are realising new benefit in sourcing services with complementary needs such as security from a key existing partner."
www.regentcleaning.com
The UK cleaning services industry - a review of 2010
As we approach the end of a turbulent 2010 for the UK cleaning services industry, Plimsoll has taken a look back at the highs and lows of the last 12 months and looked forward to the threats and opportunities facing the market in 2011.
247 companies in the market are finishing the year in financial difficulty. David Pattison, author of the new study of the top 1000 companies in the UK cleaning services industry, said: "Having clung on through the bad times many of these struggling companies are running out of time and will fail unless a sustained recovery takes hold. Sadly, some of them are just too weak to carry on and there will be a spike of failures in the new year. On the flipside, their demise will bring a welcome reduction in competitive pressure for those left."
There are, however, still some good stories in the market. Pattison said: "We have picked 508 strong companies that prove success can still be achieved in the cleaning services industry despite difficult trading conditions. They also prove that bad companies fail in a recession; good companies simply do not. These companies will lead the industry out of recession with some smart acquisitions to help maintain their recent success."
Pattison is also convinced the market is due further consolidation with the number of companies in trouble leading to heightened takeover activity. He said: "With too many companies chasing weakened demand it is inevitable that there are likely to be a number of high profile mergers and takeovers. Further consolidation is needed to sort out the remaining dead wood. We have named 95 companies as the best acquisition prospects in the market."
He also reserves special mention for those reckless companies that continue to chase sales despite mounting losses. He said: "There are a group of 137 serial loss makers still operating in the market. For the 2nd and even 3rd year running these companies have made a loss. While the rest have taken painful but necessary decisions to refocus on the bottom line, these reckless companies have continued to chase sale regardless. These companies have to cut their cloth accordingly or face the consequences."
Summing up, the new edition of the Plimsoll Analysis shows a buffeted market emerging from recession with a third of companies making a loss and 1 in 4 companies in financial difficulty. Pattison concluded: "If you are going to make a success of 2011, you need to learn the lesson of the last 12 months. There are going to be big changes in the UK cleaning services industry with lots of takeovers, a number of high profile failures and even the odd surprise or two along the way."
The 2011 edition of the Plimsoll Industry Analysis, individually assessing every company in the UK cleaning services industry, is available now. Readers of Cleaning and Maintenance will get a £50 discount if they call 01642 626400 and quote reference PR/AA10.
www.plimsoll.co.uk
Small firms urged to prepare for £3.2 billion pensions ‘bouncer’
A law firm is urging small businesses to start planning now to protect themselves from a pensions ‘bouncer’. Mace & Jones head of employment law, Martin Edwards, issued his warning to bosses after the pensions minister Steve Webb confirmed all companies will have to abide by the new auto-enrolment rules, despite speculation smaller firms would be excluded.
Edwards said under the reforms all employers will be compelled to enrol their new recruits and existing employees automatically into a pension scheme. Auto-enrolment will be phased in from 2012. The government will phase in employer contributions from 1% of salary in 2014 for smaller firms to 3% from the employer and 4% from employees by 2017 plus 1% tax relief. The plan will mean more than eight million more people saving for their retirement. The government expects firms to face a £3.2 billion a year extra cost by 2017.
"These are clearly fundamental changes affecting all small businesses," said Edwards. "We urge businesses to start planning now for these changes. They will carry significant costs and firms will need to factor this cost into financial planning. There will also be additional and time consuming red tape to comply with. Existing pension schemes may be suitable for auto-enrolment, but their rules will may to be changed."
Edwards urged firms to not sweep the pensions reform under the carpet:
"All firms need the time to prepare themselves and their employees and put financial planning and HR planning in place. The more firms prepare the less costly and disruptive these plans will be. It is important to take professional advice and ensure you are aware exactly how these reforms will affect your business. It is also important that owner managers can explain the changes to employees so they are aware of what the reforms mean for them and how they can best plan for their futures."
www.maceandjones.co.uk
ABCD ‘netshop day’
The Association of Building Cleaning Direct Service Providers’ (ABCD) annual Netshop Training Day was held at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke recently. Attended by front line managers and supervisors employed by local authorities and the public sector, the Netshop endeavoured to provide members with information on modern, versatile management techniques in the age of austerity. ABCD recognises that as local authority managers face yet more challenges, the association can assist by helping members to sharpen their management and leadership skills.
After a welcome and introduction from Ken Baxter, ABCD chairman, Jan Kennedy of the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) kicked off the day with a session on leadership and perceptions of professionalism. She then opened the floor to delegates to ask them what they felt were the key issues currently affecting cleaning service providers. This was followed by an update on revised cleaning standards for supervisors by Pat Wherton, and a triumvirate of segments led again by Jan Kennedy: customer service, performance management and the components of modern cleaning.
Bill Lakin offered his thoughts on ‘fire response’ for facilities managers, outlining practical tips for cleaning carpets and floors.
Jan Kennedy hosted the afternoon sessions on supervisory tips, including dealing with change, better responses to learning and job appraisals for staff.
Sponsors present on the day included Denis Rawlins, Numatic, Activeion, Sebo, and Diversey.
£26,000 for HAI research
More funding is required to effectively fight the war against healthcare associated infections, and support is needed by the Centre for Healthcare Associated Infections (CHAI), whose research is taking that fight to the genetic level. This has been acknowledged by infection control specialists Tristel plc. Tristel, with its disinfection products, currently helps hospitals worldwide to fight HAIs on the front line. Tristel recently sponsored a fundraising gala dinner and charity auction for CHAI.
Tristel made a considerable donation towards the total funds raised of £26,500, helping to make the evening a great success. The event was organised by CHAI supporter Graziella Kontkowski, whose grandmother contracted C.diff and died after initially having been admitted to hospital for a urinary tract infection.
Further donations can be made to CHAI at www.hcai.nottingham.ac.uk.
Professor Richard James, director of CHAI, said: "The support of fundraising events such as this is vital in providing us with a cash lifeline to underpin research, at a time when the future of funding from central government is uncertain. Unlike other medical causes such as cancer, there is currently no national charity dedicated to raising money to fund research into these deadly bacteria."
The charity auctioneer for the night was ITN’s Alastair Stewart OBE who sold many of the exclusive lots to the Tristel team. These included a tour of the BBC and the chance to see the national TV news air live. In his speech, Alastair Stewart said: "This is an enemy that does not stand still and does not rest on its laurels, with a death toll of 37,000 in the last 10 years."
CHAI is aiming to raise £1.4 million to fund research into the clinical strains that cause serious infections such as MRSA, Clostridium difficile and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a gram-negative bacterium which is particularly dangerous to those with weak immune systems, such as babies and young children.
Professor James continued: "This important research will examine the genetic differences between different strains of superbug, which will give us a greater insight into the mechanisms they use to multiply and attack the human body. It will be instrumental in helping us to develop rapid diagnostic tests for the detection of these evolving pathogens."
www.tristel.com
CSR promises increased investment in apprenticeships
Asset Skills has welcomed the announcement in the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review of an increase in funding for adult apprenticeships of up to £250 million by 2014-5. The Sector Skills Council for cleaning, facilities management, property and housing acknowledged the ending of the Train to Gain programme for supporting the costs of training for employers and welcomed the new small to medium enterprise focused training programme, although details are not yet clear.
It also welcomed the continuing support for basic skills provision so that those who did not succeed in these areas in school can continue to develop basic literacy and numeracy skills.
Chief executive of Asset Skills, Richard Beamish, said: "We view the ending of the Train to Gain programme with mixed feelings. We have worked hard alongside the Skills Funding Agency to ensure employers in the industries we cover receive the best possible support in terms of ensuring the skills bases vital to productivity and effectiveness. We also acknowledge that resources are finite and that some employers have found the system difficult to manage. We hope the increased focus on apprenticeships and on SMEs will enable support for skills where they are most needed, and within a simple, easy to understand, and effective system. Asset Skills will continue with its comprehensive programme of working directly with employers, simplifying the skills system for them, and ensuring their training needs are met. We achieve this through our Virtual Skills Academy and through our programme of meeting with employers whenever and wherever resources allow. The devil will be in the detail, of course, but we look forward to working closely with the Skills Funding Agency and Government departments to ensure we make the best possible use of the resources available."
www.assetskills.org
