In an economic environment characterised by insolvencies, investment restraint and structural uncertainty, the KÖTTER Group is sending a clear signal. The facility services provider increased its turnover in the 2025 financial year by 6.6 per cent to €770 million, almost exclusively through organic growth. At the same time, the number of employees grew by 2.5 per cent to 16,400.
For the family-owned company, which is one of the ten largest facility services providers in Germany and is considered the largest family-owned company in the security industry, this is more than just stable development. It is a sign of resilience in a phase that is often described as the deepest economic crisis in the history of the Federal Republic.
Security business as a growth driver
The security division is at the heart of the expansion. New mandates and contract extensions – particularly in the area of critical infrastructure (KRITIS), such as airports, data centres and IT service providers – provided additional momentum. The growth was accompanied by the integration of a North German security technology specialist.
Strategically, the company focuses on integrated 360-degree security concepts: consulting, personnel security services, security technology, cyber security, control centre technology and specialised services are all interlinked. This integration is becoming increasingly important, especially in the face of hybrid threats.
A striking performance indicator: in 2025, the company’s own control centre exceeded the mark of 100 million processed messages from alarm and building automation systems for the first time – around 99 per cent of which were automated. This underlines the high degree of digitalisation and scalability of the systems.
Cleaning: focus on industry and logistics
The cleaning division also held its own in a challenging market environment. High-quality new orders and expanded existing mandates strengthened its position as a provider of industry-specific hygiene concepts.
Industrial customers in particular benefit from integrated service packages – from hall and machine cleaning to the maintenance of complex conveyor systems and fluid management solutions. In logistics, special services such as durable floor coatings complement the portfolio. The aim is always to combine value retention, process optimisation and cost efficiency.
Personnel services under pressure – with a stable market position
The temporary employment market is under considerable pressure due to the economic situation. Nevertheless, the personnel division was able to maintain its position as a comprehensive provider. New orders in retail and logistics partially offset the overall economic pressures.
A symbolic key figure illustrates the operational dimension: in 2025, almost 15,000 truck and articulated lorry movements were managed in terms of personnel. In addition to traditional temporary staffing, work and service contract models and in-house outsourcing projects play a central role.
Smart Service Solutions: Technology as a lever
For the coming years, the group of companies is focusing on the further expansion of its ‘Smart Service Solutions’. Digitalisation, AI-supported applications and high-tech tools are intended to make back-office processes more efficient and enable new service modules.
In the security segment, the prospects range from expanded drone applications to innovative defence concepts; in the cleaning sector, automated systems and robotics are gaining in importance. Technological integration remains a means to an end: higher quality, faster response times and resilient value chains.
Investment in training
Operational excellence is based on skilled workers. Accordingly, the Group is intensifying its training and further education activities. In 2025, the training volume totalled over 550,000 hours – for both its own employees and customers. In addition, 250 junior staff were trained in ten occupational profiles.
With more than 100 branches nationwide, the company is thus focusing on sustainable personnel development as a strategic stability factor.
Political framework conditions as a risk factor
Despite positive business figures, the outlook remains cautious. The economic environment continues to be tense, and structural reforms are slow in coming. The company’s management is particularly critical of the increasing tax and social security burden. Social security contributions, which now exceed 43 per cent, represent a considerable burden for labour-intensive service providers.
At the same time, the results for the 2025 financial year underline the systemic importance of integrated facility services. Safety, hygiene and flexible personnel concepts are the cornerstones of stable infrastructures – especially in times of economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
