Grapevine

23rd January 2026

Welcome to this week’s Grapevine, the place to get your bitesize FM updates in one place, in a handy five-minute read.

Have a story for us? Please send news stories & press releases to: newsdesk@twinfm.com

Thank you for joining us, we’ll jump right in....

Knight Frank announced the appointments of Ross Powell and Abi Labbett to its Property & Asset Management (PAM) team, enhancing the team’s full-service, tech-led asset management offering to investor and landlord clients.

Following a successful 2025 marked by the award-winning Modular Highline 275 fan coil range and HVR ‘Air Conditioning Product of the Year’ honours, Diffusion has appointed Matthew Cooper as Sales Director.

Matthew brings over 20 years of building services experience and will oversee continued expansion, including the launch of a new fan coil concept this Spring.

Natalie Cross has joined The Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) as talent lead to drive key hires as the business announces plans to expand in its 65th anniversary year.

BCIS has more than doubled in size since it became independent from RICS in 2022 and intends to scale further, with accelerated product development and enhanced insights in the pipeline.

Equans has secured a contract to provide infrastructure support services for the Yorkshire GREEN project, part of National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade. Supporting partner Murphy on the design and construction of two 400/275kV substations near Leeds and York, Equans will provide expertise in ecology, archaeology, BREEAM, and arboriculture.

To ensure environmental compliance during construction, Equans is utilizing digital monitoring for noise, vibration, and air quality. This partnership has already expanded to National Grid’s North London Bundles and 4ZB North Wales programmes, as well as SSEN’s Kintore to Hurlie project in Scotland. Work on the Yorkshire GREEN project is expected to span three years.

The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, passed in December 2025, includes provisions to extend the right to work regime to "non-standard" employment scenarios. These scenarios broadly cover:

- Sub-contractors: Defined as individuals who agree to carry out operations for a contractor personally, or through their own employees or sub-contractors (specifically targeting the construction sector).

- Workers: Including those on zero-hours contracts (as opposed to employees or apprentices).

- Gig-economy scenarios: Such as online matching platforms.

As detailed in the now-closed public consultation, this extension ensures that those engaging casual or temporary workers, individual sub-contractors, and online matching services are required to perform right to work checks. Civil and criminal sanctions for non-compliance will apply to these circumstances.

The Government has stated it will publish a response, which is expected this year, to outline the final Code of Practice and associated guidance documents.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has ordered Aramark to unwind its January 2025 acquisition of Entier. An in-depth investigation concluded the merger of these two major suppliers substantially lessened competition for offshore catering and facilities management in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), potentially leading to higher prices and reduced quality.

The CMA’s independent panel determined that only a full sale of Entier to an approved buyer would restore necessary competition. Aramark has 12 weeks to comply through Final Undertakings or a Final Order.

Northumberland County Council is expanding its partnership with Totalmobile by deploying the Field First platform across front-line teams over the next three years. This initiative aims to digitise work management, coordination, and resident communication to improve operational efficiency.

By connecting staff and partners in real time, the Council expects to reduce delays and allow personnel to focus on complex cases and service improvements.

Maybe an opportunity here for Penguin FM?......British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is now accepting applications for various roles at its Antarctic research stations, including carpenters, chefs, plumbers, boat handlers, scuba divers, and plant operators.

As a world-leading polar research centre, BAS offers the opportunity to contribute to vital climate science while working in a self-sufficient community. Current staff, including operational managers and field assistants, highlight the unique teamwork and career progression available in these remote locations.

ThisWeekinFM is proud to be the media partner for an upcoming industry event hosted by Maintenance Supply Company Ltd (MSC) on Friday, 6 February 2026, in Central London.

The event will bring together customers, manufacturers, and partners for a day focused on sustainability, collaboration, and innovation. Guests will have the opportunity to meet leading manufacturers from MSC’s supply network, learn about the company’s commitment to responsible sourcing and sustainable supply practices, and celebrate the launch of MSC’s new customer support platform.

If you would like to join us you can book your place here.

HMRC is tightening industry compliance with the Construction Industry Scheme, effective April 6, 2026. New measures will target businesses that knowingly engage with tax-evading entities.

Non-compliant businesses may face the following consequences:

- Cancellation of gross payment status, with the reapplication time limit extended from one to five years.

- Liability for lost tax revenue.

- A penalty of 30% of the lost tax applied to the business, its directors, and other connected persons.

Cardo Group has completed the asset purchase of Gunfire, a specialist provider of passive fire protection services with over 25 years of experience. Headquartered in Cambridgeshire, Gunfire’s national operations and large field-based compliance team will strengthen Cardo’s fire protection and compliance capabilities across the residential, commercial, and public sectors.

Amey has secured a contract to provide facilities management and workplace maintenance across the Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) estate, marking its formal entry into the nuclear sector.

Amey will deliver hard and soft FM services—including asset maintenance, catering, cleaning, and waste management—across 17 sites and several regional offices. As NRS decommissions the UK’s first-generation civil nuclear facilities,

Heathrow has approved new investment to begin work on the planning application for its third runway. The airport indicates that this expansion will drive billions of pounds in private investment across the UK, boosting competition and strengthening global trading links.

While the project remains complex, the government aims to secure planning permission by 2029, with the runway becoming operational within a decade. Heathrow’s shareholders remain supportive, though the project’s progression depends on regulatory and policy frameworks expected throughout 2026.

Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye noted that the Board's decision to start the planning application keeps the project on track and reflects a renewed commitment to UK economic growth. He emphasised that meeting 2026 milestones is essential for the next phase of delivery.

The Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA) has published a fact sheet to assist members in making evidence-based decisions regarding sustainable products, packaging, and operations.

As part of the CHSA’s Roadmap to Sustainability, this resource addresses common misconceptions by highlighting that green claims often lack technical meaning. The fact sheet encourages users to prioritise full life-cycle assessments and multiple environmental indicators over marketing claims, challenging assumptions about recycled materials and local sourcing.

CHSA Chair Lorcan Mekitarian notes that the goal is to help buyers move beyond assumptions to prioritise genuine sustainability.

Compass Group UK & Ireland has named Emma Nott, Deputy Cleaning Manager at ESS Government Services, as its 2025 Be A Star ‘Legend’. Out of 2,500 nominations, Emma was selected for the overall £10,000 prize due to her exceptional dedication to her team at the DVLA site in Swansea.

Emma’s manager, Susan Robinson, nominated her for providing extraordinary emotional, financial, and practical support to a colleague whose husband entered long-term care. CEO Robin Mills presented the award personally, praising Emma’s selfless commitment as an inspiring example for the entire company.

Our popular Facilities Industry Annual Summer River Boat Party is celebrating its 10th Anniversary on Thursday, July 9th, 2026, and is set to be our biggest yet. We expect 400 industry professionals to join us for an unforgettable evening of quality networking and hospitality on the River Thames. Will you be joining us?

16th January 2026

Welcome to this week’s Grapevine, the place to get your bitesize FM updates in one place, in a handy five-minute read.

Got a story for us? Please send news stories & press releases to: newsdesk@twinfm.com

Thank you for joining us, we’ll jump right in....

British Land announced Simon Carter is to step down as chief executive.

SINGU, a European provider of cloud-based software for facility, maintenance, ESG, and building management, announced the appointment of Dominic Gallello as Chairman of the Board.

According to the press release, Dominic is a distinguished technology leader with extensive experience in engineering and enterprise software. He has a proven track record of developing award-winning products, fostering customer-centric cultures, and scaling global brands.

Fire safety and maintenance specialist, Trail Group, has appointed David Humphrey as Operations Director. In this senior role, David will hold operational responsibility for the Group’s Passive Fire Safety division.

Former cabinet minister Lord Peter Hain has been appointed Business Advisor to The Kingdom Group.

Stuart Wells has joined Jaguar Building Services as their Commercial Manager.

We hear through the grapevine, a well-known figure is planning to return to the facilities management sector as the Chairperson of an established FM business. Further details will be shared as they become available.

The directors of W12 Facility Solutions Limited have officially announced that they are placing the company into Creditors' Voluntary Liquidation.

Integrated Estate Management (IEM), a UK-based facilities management services provider, has completed the initial deployment of Facilio’s Connected CMMS platform to streamline operations, align statutory compliance with SFG20 standards and centralise vendor and client collaboration across its client’s estates.

One Leadenhall is now 100% let, following strong demand for its 420,000 sq. ft. of flexible office space. Designed by Make Architects, the 36-storey landmark tower in the City’s Eastern Cluster has set new benchmark rents and features landscaped terraces alongside a public viewing area. The development is now home to global law firm Latham & Watkins, Ripple Labs, and The Work Project.

Leeds United shared an update on the planning application submitted last July for the enhancement of Elland Road.

The proposal includes a detailed plan for the West Stand and an outline for the North Stand, increasing total capacity to approximately 53,000. These improvements to general admission and hospitality facilities aim to address the high demand for tickets, as 26,000 supporters remain on the season ticket waiting list.

BGIS has secured a two-year extension to its hard services contract at 22 Bishopsgate. Having partnered on the project since its 2019 completion, BGIS continues to support the resilient, high-performing operation of this 1.275 million sq ft smart building, focusing on building performance, wellbeing, and occupier experience.

Great Portland Estates plc (GPE) has acquired a new 155 year long leasehold interest in 10 South Crescent, WC1 for £51 million from the City of London Corporation. The 72,605 sq ft building will be repositioned to create a best-in-class, decarbonised HQ office and retail building, with premium amenities and enlarged roof terraces.

Zip World UK has partnered with Clarity PFM to manage the ArcelorMittal Orbit at Stratford Olympic Park. The company will deliver a full scope of hard and soft facilities management services for this iconic structure.

Good to hear the new company, BBGG LLP, is already off to such a strong start. It is impressive to see that since establishing the firm late last year, they have already secured a number of contracts for lift, escalator, and property asset management consultancy services. Paul Gisby, Mike Green, Stan Blatch and Gary Butler are the four directors of the business.

Optech, a Barrow-in-Furness specialist in electrical and data network design has been acquired by 24-7 Group.

Established in 1993, Optech has evolved from a niche telecommunications provider into a multi-disciplinary engineering contractor. This acquisition supports 24-7 Group’s UK expansion and strengthens its multi-disciplinary capabilities; however, Optech will continue to operate under its existing brand for the foreseeable future.

Dalkia UK has secured a three-year facilities management partnership with Fujitsu. Following an eight-month competitive tender, Dalkia UK will deliver M&E maintenance, building fabric services, and energy solutions across five data centres and 15 offices in the UK and Ireland. This unified agreement leverages Dalkia's expertise as part of the EDF Group to standardise performance and drive efficiencies across the portfolio.

Countrywide Grounds Maintenance Derbyshire were recently shortlisted for two major accolades at the VINCI Facilities Supply Chain Awards, recognising suppliers who demonstrate excellence in service delivery, sustainability, and community impact.

Out of a supply chain of more than 1,700 businesses, Countrywide Grounds Maintenance Derbyshire was named among just 50 finalists, was shortlisted in both the Environmental Impact Award and Social Impact Award categories.

WPS Facilities Management has been awarded a three-year contract renewal with Mott MacDonald, extending a partnership that began in 2017. This agreement includes extension options and covers hard FM and M&E services across 30 UK locations, including sites in Aberdeen, Inverness, Plymouth, Brighton, Belfast, and Norwich.

Edinburgh-based Earth Tech LPS Ltd has been acquired by Premier Technical Services Group (PTSG) , strengthening its Scottish presence and Electrical Services division. With over 25 years of expertise, Earth Tech LPS provides lightning protection services to public sector, infrastructure, and commercial clients.

The business will integrate into PTSG’s lightning protection team under Director Craig Finney. To ensure continuity, the former owners will remain during the transition. This acquisition supports PTSG’s strategy to expand its position in regulation-driven, safety-critical services.

The UK’s first fully robotic barista was launched by Lexington, supported by Elior Vending, at BT’s Snowhill office in Birmingham. This deployment utilizes a robotic arm and professional machinery to deliver specialty hot and iced drinks with human-level precision.

Operating 24/7 to reduce peak queues and provide out-of-hours service, the unit produces up to 450 cups daily within a 5m² footprint, averaging 98 seconds per delivery. The system features cloud-based management for remote updates and requires only one hour of non-specialist maintenance per day.

Our popular Facilities Industry Annual Summer River Boat Party is celebrating its 10th Anniversary on Thursday, July 9th, 2026 and is set to be our biggest yet. We expect 400 industry professionals to join us for an unforgettable evening of quality networking and hospitality on the River Thames. Will you be joining us?

9th January 2026

Welcome to this week’s Grapevine, the place to get your bitesize FM updates in one place, in a handy five-minute read.

Got a story for us? Please send news stories & press releases to: newsdesk@twinfm.com

Thank you for joining us, we’ll jump right in....

The FCA has fined 2 former finance directors for their part in misleading statements being issued by Carillion plc.

Richard Adam and Zafar Khan were both aware of serious financial troubles in Carillion’s UK construction business but failed to reflect this in company announcements or alert the Board and audit committee, leading to poor oversight.

Mr Adam and Mr Khan have been fined £232,800 and £138,900, respectively. The fines were imposed after Mr Adam and Mr Khan withdrew their challenges to the FCA’s decision.

As finance directors, the pair had responsibility for Carillion’s procedures, systems and controls relating to financial reporting. These were not sufficient to ensure that contract accounting judgments made in its UK construction business were made, recorded and reported appropriately.

The FCA found both acted recklessly and were knowingly concerned in breaches by Carillion of the Market Abuse Regulation and the Listing Rules.

Malaysian engineering, infrastructure and property group, Gamuda Berhad and London-based real estate investor, Castleforge have signed a main construction contract valued at over £250 million with global construction leader Multiplex for the redevelopment of 75 London Wall in the City of London.

Visa is leasing 300,000 sq ft on a 15-year term at the iconic One Canada Square. Visa is relocating its European headquarters from Paddington to Canary Wharf from the summer of 2028, in a new space dedicated to driving the future of digital payments across the region.

This latest transaction adds to the strong leasing momentum at Canary Wharf with more than 750,000 sq ft of office transactions announced this year. 2026 will be CWG’s best office leasing year in more than a decade.

Grade One Cleaning and Support Services received a Gold Green Apple Award at the 2025 International Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice. The family-owned business was awarded Gold, the highest level of recognition, in the Environmental Improvement – Mixed Use Sites category for its project “Small Business with a Big Impact”.

Operating within London’s highly competitive commercial cleaning sector, Grade One’s Gold Green Apple Award demonstrates how a family-owned SME can compete directly with large facilities management providers on environmental performance.

J.P. Morgan is currently the likely tenant for the 10 Stratton Street office in Mayfair, which is expected to be a new location for its private banking operations. This follows the general trend of private wealth managers shifting from the City to the affluent West End to better serve their client base. J.P. Morgan Private Bank previously moved its London Wall office to One Knightsbridge in the West End in 2011.

Great Portland Estates plc (GPE) has acquired a new 155 year long leasehold interest in 10 South Crescent, WC1 for £51 million from the City of London Corporation.

The 72,605 sq ft building will be repositioned to create a best-in-class, decarbonised HQ office and retail building, with premium amenities and enlarged roof terraces.

University of Cambridge has appointed GSH to deliver its new Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) contract for the University’s residential and mixed-use estate portfolio, including the landmark Eddington development.

Working alongside the University, GSH will deliver a fully integrated FM solution spanning Hard FM, Cleaning, Grounds, Helpdesk, and resident-facing services.

Envirotech Facilities Management Ltd (EFM) has joined a small handful of UK-wide Facilities Management companies that hold B Corp certification. This certification recognises the company’s commitment to integrating responsible, ethical, and sustainable practices across hard and soft facilities management services. stewardship, workforce wellbeing, community impact, and transparent governance.

On January 1st 2026, Nick Maclean OBE RD FRICS became the 144th President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). As President, Nick will bring 30 years’ experience at CBRE including being Chair of CBRE Middle East and North Africa Region and seven years as a Scottish Trade Envoy. He has also been an active member of RICS for over 20 years serving on Governing Council and is a former Chair.

He will assume the position of President having held the role of Acting President since March 2025.

Atlas Workplace Services reported a strong year of organic growth, securing more than £28m in new contract wins during 2025, alongside measurable progress on ESG outcomes that are making a real difference to clients.

New business secured during the year totalled more than £28m in total contract value. This included a £7.5m national total facilities management contract, a £2.5m win with a global insurance firm, £9m of engineering and compliance services across two London universities, and a £9m TFM contract at a UK technology, research and development campus.

The business also successfully renewed key partnerships with clients in the corporate sector and completed the integration of Sovereign FM.

Dalkia UK announced the growth of its partnership with Birmingham City University, having been awarded a contract extension for the full estate. This extension has been agreed following a long-standing collaborative relationship and rewards Dalkia UK for delivering a consistent, high-quality service over the past seven years.

This partnership with Birmingham City University was formed in 2018, with Dalkia UK being originally awarded four buildings. Over time, the team’s strong performance has led to additional responsibilities and an expansion of Dalkia UK’s remit across the estate.

The Building Controls Industry Association is urging individuals and organisations from across the industry to ensure nominations are submitted for BCIA Awards 2026, by the closing deadline Thursday 22nd January,

Celebrating the innovators, individuals and teams shaping the future of the industry, this year’s awards will feature 11 different categories; Building Controls and BEMS Company of the Year, Engineer of the Year, Young Engineer of the Year, Apprentice of the Year, Energy Innovation and Impact Award, Best Service and Maintenance Provider, Technical Innovation of the Year – Products, Technical Innovation of the Year – Projects, Contribution to Training, Outstanding Contribution of the Year and Sustainability Strategy Champion.

Entries for all categories are free to enter and can be completed and submitted using the online entry system, which allows candidates to start, edit, view and download entries before submitting them. There will be no extension, so nominations must be completed by the 22nd January deadline.