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THINK TANK
WE ASKED 100 FMs…
A good thing (20%) Not a good thing (32%)
Do you believe foreign ownership of UK FM providers is a good thing? Almost half of FMs in the latest FM World Think Tank Poll are sitting on the fence regarding foreign ownership of UK facilities providers. If, as one respondent said, UK FM providers seek global contracts, be they through mergers and acquisitions or setting up foreign divisions, then the UK market must be equally open to offshore companies. “Compass, for example, has a global reach, although still predominately in catering,” he said. “Thus, we cannot exclude foreign companies if we expect to win business abroad.”
Even so, he said, there should be a level playing field: “I am not sure that some foreign countries are very open to overseas investment, so we need to monitor the balance of indigenous and overseas FM companies here.” The ownership issue is a moot point, according to Julian Fris, founder of FM consultancy Neller Davies and former head of catering at the BBC. “We already have a number of foreign FM companies successfully trading in UK, including Johnson Controls, Sodexo, ISS, ETDE and Hochtieff,” said Fris,writing in the FM World Think Tank LinkedIn
Not sure (48%)
group. “Ironically, in the motor industry, we never produced as many vehicles as we now do under foreign ownership. For most things, it’s a globalised market”. Does ownership really matter, asked another respondent: “The nationality of the owner is not an issue for me. However, the quality and intentions of the owner, wherever they are from, are important.”
Whatever your opinion, one FM was resigned to more foreign ownership of UK FM companies. “Get used to it,” he said. “When the Chinese learn more about service culture, they won’t want to miss out on the business opportunities here in the UK.” Read this article in full at www.fm-world.co.uk
HSG Zander buys Rollright FM
Skanska UK appoints facilities director
HSG Zander, the FM division of German-listed engineering firm Bilfinger Berger, has bought Rollright Facilities for an undisclosed amount. The deal, which was sealed on 17 August, is a 100 per cent acquisition and no redundancies are planned, Charlie Sinton, Rollright’s commercial director, told FM World. All senior management is staying in place and the business will embark on an “aggressive” expansion, especially within the public sector, and a big boost in turnover, he said. Rollright has around 250 employees and a turnover of around £10 million (to last March). “Within three years, this could be £100 million,” Sinton said. No name change is planned in the short-term. “We have ambitious growth plans for the UK and the leadership team within Rollright is ideally placed to oversee the exciting times ahead,” said Ramon Knollmann, managing director of HSG Zander.
Construction and support services business Skanska has appointed Katy Dowding as managing director of its FM division. Dowding, the first female head of Skanska’s FM business, started as a trainee quantity surveyor at Skanska nine years ago. “I believe the FM industry has a lot of opportunities to offer women who want to develop their careers, ranging from apprentices to management roles,” Dowding said. “I look forward to raising awareness of the career opportunities available to women.” Based at Skanska’s head office in Hertfordshire, Dowding has been promoted within various commercial and operational roles, including senior management work on prestigious projects in the defence and healthcare sectors. As a project manager, she has also been key in the delivery of the company’s 2015 business plan,
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Charlie Sinton is Rollright’s commercial director
Bilfinger Berger posted a 9 per cent boost in orders received in the first half 2012 to £3.3 billion. Earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation was up 44 per cent to nearly £194 million. However, net profit at the half-year mark was down 39 per cent on the same period last year, to £127 million.
Katy Dowding managing director in Skanska’s FM division
according to a Skanska statement. The UK FM division, which has more than 400 of the group’s 4,000 UK employees, operates mostly in the defence, healthcare, education and commercial sectors. In April 2012, Skanska won a £12 million, 23-year contract to deliver total FM to Woodlands school in Basildon. www.fm-world.co.uk
30/08/2012 16:23