Mitie concludes £19.1 million acquisition deal for R H Irving Industrials Ltd

Posted to News on Thursday, May 4, 2023 Share:

MITIE GROUP plc has acquired R H Irving Industrials Ltd, the specialist in security services, for a fee of £19.1 million. The deal follows hot on the heels of the acquisition of the Linx International Group for £1.2 million and builds on Mitie’s position as the UK’s “leading provider” of intelligence and technology-led security solutions.

R H Irving Industrials Ltd boasts circa 25 years’ experience in delivering a broad range of “complex and sophisticated” security services, including the design, installation and maintenance of electronic security systems, perimeter security fencing, gate automation, hostile vehicle mitigation, cyber protection, civil engineering and also earthing services.

The company harbours a strong reputation in highly regulated sectors, such as Critical National Infrastructure and the utilities, and has been expanding its earthing capabilities into high-growth areas – among them 5G and electrical vehicle charging infrastructure – wherein Mitie has also been expanding.

This acquisition further strengthens Mitie’s existing fire and security systems capabilities in its Business Services division, while R H Irving Industrials Ltd’s earthing services complement Mitie’s own Projects and Technical Services business operations.

The acquisition is being funded from Mitie’s existing facilities.

For the year ended 28 February 2023, R H Irving Industrials Ltd reported revenues of £17.4 million and EBITDA of £2.4 million.

Commenting on the acquisition, Jason Towse (managing director of Mitie Business Services) explained: “R H Irving Industrials Ltd is our second security-related acquisition in recent months, duly reflecting the Mitie Group’s strategy of investment in high-growth, high-margin companies in the key sectors of security technology, decarbonisation and telecoms.”

Towse added: “R H Irving Industrials Ltd complements and enhances Mitie’s existing capabilities and customer base. We are delighted to welcome the R H Irving Industrials Ltd team to Mitie.”

RoSPA Gold accolades

Mitie has won four Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold awards for its high standards of Health and Safety performance during 2022 across its security, cleaning, waste management and landscaping businesses.

The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is the largest occupational Health and Safety-centred awards programme in the UK and recognises organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill-health at work, looking at entrants’ overarching Health and Safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

Now into their 67th year, the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards command almost 2,000 entries every year covering circa 50 countries.

Mitie has also been bestowed with the RoSPA’s President’s Award for its Health and Safety performance on the Cumbria Consortium contract at the Sellafield nuclear site, where it delivers integrated facilities management services. The President’s Award is given to organisations who have achieved a Gold award for ten consecutive years and highlights Mitie’s long-standing commitment to quality, health, safety and the environment (QHSE), which is even more important at highly regulated sites, such as those in the Critical National Infrastructure domain.

Mitie’s security business has received a prestigious RoSPA Gold award for five years running.

Peter Dickinson, chief of staff and general counsel for Mitie, said: “As a leading British employer, the safety and well-being of our colleagues is our top priority. We are devoted to ensuring a safe and positive work environment for all our people. This latest recognition from RoSPA is testament to our commitment to embed QHSE into the fabric of our business.”