- Mr.Prashant Sule,Mr.Sheldon Simons,Mr. Chris Cracknell, Heather Suksem, Mr.Pradeep P Menon,Ramesh Pimple
The UK-based OCS Group, which has been making significant investments in India over the last few years, has announced a major business integration initiative to offer ‘Total Facility Management’ services in India. Following the recent acquisition of multiple service providers – Absotherm Facility Management Pvt Ltd (MEP services); Radiant Hospitality Service Pvt Ltd (soft services); Cannon Hygiene India Pvt Ltd (hygiene & sanitation services) and Central Investigation & Security Services Ltd (security) – OCS will deliver end-to-end facility management solutions without appointing sub-contractors.
OCS India, an `200 crore- investment with 22,000 employees aims to double the size of business and people employed over the next five years. Speaking to Clean India Journal, Chris Cracknell, CEO, OCS Group, said, “By offering professional training and providing gainful work, we will be creating sustainable solutions for Indian businesses. We have already started introducing international best practices to improve service standards.”
Heather Suksem, CEO, South, Southeast Asia & Middle East, said, “India will soon be a major contributor to our global turnover. We will also be sourcing talent from India for our operation in the Middle East. In fact, in the process of extending best practices principles across all operations, a team from Radiant Hospitality is already supporting the Doha team operating in the retail segment. It is very exciting to see best practices from here being shared abroad, as we bring our best practices into India.”
Commenting on advantages of this partnership, Pradip Menon, MD-Absotherm, said, “This partnership will be technology driven rather than manpower driven. With the implementation of the OCS international standards and technology like CAFAM, we will be able to provide quality facility services. Under the new partnership, we are already providing services at Mahindra, Aegis and other places. Given the Indian adaptability and acceptability, the implementation of technology based facility services is likely to be slow but with dwindling manpower resources, technology and quality standards services will be a big success in time.
“Today India has more real estate companies providing services and just a few providing total facility management services. Thus, OCS India has an edge over the others, as we are working with our customers on a partnership basis rather than on a contractor basis.”
On the security end, Ramesh Pimple, MD-CISF, said, “At present we are providing man guarding and fire safety backed by a few technological devices. We are in this field for about 26 years serving 950 sites across India and it is more a manpower driven service. OCS has two security companies in Thailand and in the UK. With OCS offering single window solution, security services will be offered to clients in house.”
There are several training centres that have been established with Government support in rural areas, where the manpower for housekeeping and security is presently being trained before being absorbed in various sites.
“OCS comes with its family ethos and standards which are in tune with Radiant’s work equation,” says Sheldon Simons, MD-Radiant Hospitality Services. “Radiant has lived up to the standards and quality set and will continue doing so. Some of the systems and processes that are being followed internationally by OCS, especially those at Heathrow airport, are very good. There are IT related backup support systems with their operations which we want to bring in India. It is excellent to manage a property when it is a TFM product. It simplifies operations, for example, if a client has an issue, I would be able to get on to the system and look into it from anywhere in the world.”
OCS India, which has taken off on a positive note and a firm footing with leading players in its fold, has set the target to double its operations in the next five years.
