OCS Boosts UK Security Workforce by 600 With City Group Security Acquisition

OCS has bought City Group Security, adding roughly 600 staff to its UK security arm.

The deal expands OCS’s footprint in London and the South East while bringing canine security in-house.

OCS is an integrated facilities management firm that provides cleaning, catering, security and support services across sectors. City Group Security, founded in 1993 and based in south‑east London, offers static guarding, canine security, mobile patrols, keyholding and alarm response. It ranks among the UK’s thirty largest security businesses.

The acquisition gives OCS about 600 additional employees for its UK security division. Daniel Dickson, chief executive for UK and Ireland at OCS, said City Group Security’s customer relationships and sector experience would complement OCS’s wider integrated facilities management offering.

Simon Giles, chief executive of City Group Security, said customer contacts, operational teams and escalation procedures would remain unchanged after the deal closes. The transaction value was not disclosed.

OCS said the deal strengthens its operational density in London and the South East and broadens its security services capability.

Bringing canine security in‑house allows OCS to control training standards and response times directly. It also simplifies billing for clients who previously managed separate contracts for guarding and dog teams. This integration could reduce overhead and improve service consistency.

By bringing City Group Security’s self‑delivered canine team in‑house, OCS no longer relies on third‑party providers for that service.

The added expertise in logistics, local government, education and utilities expands OCS’s sector coverage, especially for clients needing site protection in critical infrastructure environments.

The move reflects ongoing consolidation in the UK facilities management and security market, as firms seek specialist capabilities and regional reach through purchases.

Analysts will watch how OCS integrates the new teams, whether it pursues further bolt‑on deals, and how competitors respond to the enlarged offering.

Market observers will also monitor pricing pressure and contract renewals in the coming quarters.