Mitie has agreed to a £3.1bn takeover offer by rival outsourcer OCS Group, with the board recommending shareholders accept a cash offer of 221.6p a share, a 44.7% premium to Monday’s closing price. Shares rose 39% to 210.4p in early trading. The merger would create one of the UK’s largest private‑sector employers, with more than 120,000 staff.

Mitie reported revenues of £1.4bn for the three months to end‑June, up 10% year‑on‑year. Founded in 1987, it employs 84,000 staff in cleaning, building maintenance and security on an average annual wage of £27,000. Its business splits between “hard” facilities management and “soft” services such as hygiene and security. Chief executive Phil Bentley said he will leave in March 2027 after over ten years and expects to receive about £50m from the deal.

Both firms have expanded abroad, though the UK remains their largest market. OCS Group chief executive Rob Legge called the deal an important milestone that will build a British facilities management group better placed to support organisations keeping the country running. Mitie chair Chris Rogers said the combination offers a stronger platform for growth through scale, complementary capabilities and enhanced investment capacity. The transaction is subject to shareholder approval and is expected to complete in Q1 2027, joining a flurry of London‑listed takeovers this year.