Serco Group
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Serco Group plc | |
 |
|
| Type | Public (LSE: SRP) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1929 |
| Headquarters | Richmond, UK |
| Key people | Kevin Beeston, Executive Chairman, |
| Industry | Business Services |
| Revenue | £2,548.2 million (2006) |
| Operating income | £112.2 million (2006) |
| Net income | £79.5 million (2006) |
| Employees | 37,000 (2005) |
| Website | www.serco.com |
Serco Group plc (LSE: SRP) is a Business Services company based in the London suburb of Richmond. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
Serco was founded in 1929 as a United Kingdom division of the Radio Corporation of America and initially provided services to the cinema industry. It changed its name to Serco in 1987 and has been a stock exchange listed company since 1988. Serco's company motto is Bringing Service to Life.
The Guardian has called Serco 'probably the biggest company you've never heard of'. It has grown in recent years thanks to the ongoing privatisation of public services and outsourcing of government services in the UK.
Serco operates in various sectors:
- Transport: Serco manages the Manchester Metrolink, the Docklands Light Railway in London and the Copenhagen Metro in Denmark. Serco also has a joint venture with NedRailways, the international arm of Dutch national rail operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen which has a 25 year concession for Merseyrail in Liverpool and operates Northern Rail services in the north of England. Serco also operates speed camera systems throughout the UK.
- Science: Serco manage facilities for the National Physical Laboratory and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
- Detention: Serco supplies electronic tagging devices for offenders and asylum seekers. Serco also run four prisons, a Young Offenders Institution and an Immigration Removal Centre.
- Defence: Serco holds defence contracts worldwide including the UK Government’s first outsourced contract for the operation and maintenance of the UK Ballistic Missile Early Warning System at RAF Fylingdales; contracts are also held for the operation and maintenance of RAF Brize Norton, RAF Halton and RAF Northholt. Serco also provides support services to garrisons in Australia and Germany. Since 2004 Serco have also managed airports in Iraq.
- Aviation: Serco manage air traffic control systems. It also operates the civilian part of Newquay Cornwall International Airport, an airport shared with the RAF.
- Health: Serco provide facilities management services at Norfolk & Norwich Hospital.
- Education: Serco holds a 10 year contract with Bradford City Council for the provision of education support services to the City's schools. Serco is also the provider of a Student information system, Facility CMIS, used in many schools and colleges thoughout the UK.
- Leisure: Serco operate a number of leisure centres across the UK including the Manchester Aquatics Centre which was the aquatic venue for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
Serco operates in Continental Europe, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific region and North America, but the majority of its turnover still comes from the UK.
