OCS Group agrees £3.1bn takeover of Mitie in UK outsourcing consolidation

The deal adds to a wave of foreign acquisitions targeting UK-listed firms, following recent moves by ABB and the collapse of the Getty-Shutterstock merger.

By Handelsavisen Newsroom · Automated 2026-07-21 06:25 UTC · 1 min read

OCS Group has agreed to acquire rival facilities management firm Mitie in a transaction valued at £3.1 billion.

The agreement marks a significant consolidation move within the UK outsourcing sector, as larger players seek to aggregate scale and service capabilities.

7 billion acquisition of Shutterstock following intervention by the UK Competition and Markets Authority.

The deal comes amid a broader trend of foreign investment and takeover activity targeting UK-listed companies.

Recent weeks have seen heightened M&A interest in the mid-cap segment, underscored by Swiss industrial giant ABB’s £4.1 billion bid for FTSE 250 engineering firm Rotork.

Conversely, regulatory hurdles continue to pose risks, as evidenced by Getty Images terminating its proposed $3.7 billion acquisition of Shutterstock following intervention by the UK Competition and Markets Authority.

For investors, the OCS-Mitie combination signals continued appetite for UK service-sector assets, despite the mixed regulatory environment.