UK facilities management trade associations announce plans to merge

We’ll react to this later but here is the press release announcing the proposed merger of all of the UK’s major facilities management and support services trade associations: “The British Institute of Facilities Management, Asset Skills, the Facilities Management Association and the Cleaning and Support Services Association have agreed to the concept of forming one single and united body to represent facilities management and support services. As the facilities management and support services profession and industry have matured and evolved, so too must the bodies representing and leading them. This proposed merger recognises the growing demand for a stronger, unified and collective voice that represents and promotes what is a fundamental component of our economy and day to day businesses.

A steering group has been established to progress the proposed merger which brings together:

• The British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM), the professional body for facilities management
• Asset Skills, the skills body representing facilities management, property, housing, cleaning and parking
• The Facilities Management Association (FMA), the trade association for the facilities management sector
• The Cleaning and Support Services Association (CSSA), the trade association for the cleaning and support services industry.

The group will address how these and other organisations could come together into this single body to meet the needs of the industry and the professionals that work within it. It will bring together the resources, expertise and services of the constituent parties to deliver what will be a strengthened and enhanced offering with greater representative influence and increased prestige for individuals within the industry. This proposal will be put forward to each constituent party’s membership for agreement and ratification.

Gareth Tancred, Chief Executive Officer of BIFM, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for BIFM and its members. In the last year we have seen a marked rise in global demand for our services. We recognise that merger and acquisition activity is a way to achieve our strategic development objectives to ensure we meet the needs of our individual and corporate members. The intention of these discussions is to form an organisation that is more influential and with increased delivery capability, to reflect the growing scope of facilities management and support services.”

Sarah Bentley, Chief Executive Officer of Asset Skills, said: “Asset Skills is delighted to be part of what will become the leading representative body for the facilities management and cleaning industries in a move that builds on our current relationship with the CSSA and will also provide a strong base for our skills development work with the housing, property and parking sectors.”

Chris Hoar, Chief Executive Officer of the FMA, said: “The UK FM industry is the most mature in the world, and the FMA acts on behalf of members’ interests to develop the policies and plans that will shape the future of FM.  Given this market maturity, it’s an obvious next step to consider consolidation. The FMA is therefore looking forward to working collaboratively with the BIFM, Asset Skills and the CSSA to arrive at a common goal that will benefit the industry and the individual and corporate members of each representative body.”

Peter Goodliffe, Chair of the CSSA, said: “CSSA welcomes the opportunity to explore closer working relationships with BIFM and FMA and sees this development as a logical step forward in coordinating the activities of membership bodies across the sector which builds on our recent decision to explore the potential for merger with Asset Skills.”