Rentokil Initial
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- "Rentokil" redirects here. For the Austrian band, see Rentokill.
Rentokil Initial is a major business services group which was, until September 2006, a long term member of the FTSE 100 list of the 100 largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange by market capitalisation. Formerly known as just Rentokil, the company became Rentokil Initial following the hostile takeover of its competitor BET (British Electric Traction) in 1996. BET owned a diverse range of service companies, ranging from transport, conference centres, catering, heavy plant hire and the 'Initial' brand of cleaning and washroom services companies. The acquisition brought on board catering (BET Catering), transport (United Transport), electronic security (Shorrock), conferencing (Style) and numerous other service related companies.
Following the takeover, the company's divisions were each renamed under either the Rentokil or Initial brand.
The divisions are in four main areas, each with several sub-divisions as follows:
- Hygiene
- Initial Healthcare Services (Healthcare and Washrooms Solutions)
- Initial Textile Services
- Rentokil Hygiene Services
- Initial Medical Services
- Rentokil Pest Control
- including the JC Ehrlich pest control company in the US acquired in early 2006
- Security
- Facilities Management
- Initial Catering Services
- Initial Hospital Services
- Initial Building Services
- Rentokil IT Hygiene
- Rentokil Property Care
- Rentokil Wiper Services
- Rentokil Initial Management Services
- Rentokil Initial UK Cleaning
- Rentokil Consumer & Industrial Products
- Rentokil Environmental Health Products
- Rentokil Fire Protection Products
- Rentokil Initial Supplies
- Parcel Delivery
During the 1980s and 1990s Rentokil Initial achieved 20% growth every year for 14 years in a row under the leadership of then CEO, Sir Clive Thompson. During this period Rentokil Initial was voted "Britain's most admired" company.
The company is now headed by Doug Flynn, former CEO of Aegis plc. Rentokil Initial's long spell in the FTSE 100 index came to an end in September 2006 when it was relegated to the FTSE 250.
