An extraordinary tale of vision, commitment and sheer hard work, the OCS story starts way back in 1900 with the formation of The New Century Window and General Cleaning Company, a small independent window cleaning enterprise. Since then, we have grown from one man with a ladder, pail and pushcart to an international business providing a range of essential services in facilities owned by our clients, with more than 87,000 colleagues worldwide.
Built on family foundations
Frederick William Goodliffe set up The New Century Window and General Cleaning Company as a sole trader, however it was his sons who eventually provided the drive for growth and a bright future. At the age of just 14, Frederick’s first son, Gilbert, joined the business as a junior clerk and in 1920, as the company prospered following the war, he recruited his second son, Tom. George was the third son to join the business as a collector in 1928, aged 16. Frederick’s sons were pivotal in the significant step of forming a new company, Office Cleaning Services, in 1930. Frederick eventually handed the business to all three of them, and their shared leadership pushed the business into a new era of expansion and diversification.
Five generations of business growth
After their father’s death in 1947, the Goodliffe boys, together with support from the wider family, expanded the business that Frederick had founded on a national scale. The business moved into bigger premises, and they gradually set up a branch network across the UK. Strategic acquisitions followed, and the business grew from strength to strength as it diversified into new industries throughout the 1950s and ‘60s. As the third and fourth generations of Goodliffes joined the leadership team, the speed of growth showed no sign of slowing. The business started to emerge as a major player outside of the UK as it expanded into international markets. Today, the fifth generation of the family are helping to ensure the family ethos and values permeate the entire global organisation.
Values as relevant now as when we started
Our business has passed through five generations of the same family, experiencing huge growth and development along the way, but our family values and ethos have remained consistent throughout. These values are embraced by everyone who works at OCS. Today, the OCS family extends to over 87,000 colleagues worldwide, a large number of family shareholders and thousands of retired colleagues.
A 21st century business
OCS prides itself on being a responsible business. It’s an approach that is embedded in the company’s values and history. Our commitments go much further than striving to provide value for our clients and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our staff and the public, they also extend to all our stakeholders. Our maxim ‘Here Today, Here Tomorrow’ reflects our determination to deliver facilities management solutions that are sustainable in financial, human, community and environmental terms. We continually identify and launch initiatives that reduce our environmental impact, and deliver social and environmental benefits to help improve the lives of thousands of people across the world.
A history of OCS on film
From the smallest of beginnings, OCS is now an extended family that reaches around the world. A lot has changed since 1900, but our purpose remains the same: to care for our colleagues, our local communities and the environment, and to deliver outstanding service for our customers. This is the OCS way.