1.0Market Snapshot
- 3,363
- Units in caretaker services and facility management in 2024 (BFS STATENT, NOGA 81.10 combined facility support activities). Building cleaning (NOGA 81.2) is counted separately, as are technical building services in the construction classes.
- 28,076
- Employees in caretaker services and facility management in 2024 (BFS STATENT), 17,730 full-time equivalents: many caretakers work part-time, and 54.6% of the employees are women.
- +11.6%
- Growth in employees from 2020 (25,151) to 2024 (28,076), BFS STATENT NOGA 81.10. Units rose 21% to 3,363 over the same period. Employment dipped 3.0% from 2023 (28,946) to 2024.
According to Val Index analysis of Swiss commercial-register and federal data (2026), Switzerland counts 3,363 integrated facility management (ifm) companies — Units in caretaker services and facility management in 2024 (BFS STATENT, NOGA 81.10 combined facility support activities). Building cleaning (NOGA 81.2) is counted separately, as are technical building services in the construction classes..
2.0Industry Overview
Integrated facility management (IFM) bundles the services that keep buildings running — caretaking, technical maintenance, cleaning, security, reception, catering and energy management — under one contract. BFS counted 3,363 units with 28,076 employees in caretaker services and facility management in 2024 (STATENT, NOGA 81.10), up 11.6% in employment since 2020; building cleaning, with about 80,000 employees, and technical building services are counted in other classes. The FM class itself is fragmented: on average a unit employs 8.3 people, and many are small caretaking firms.
3.0Industry Health Check (SWOT)
- Long-term contracts with recurring revenue
- Labour-intensive with thin margins→ §5.0
- Energy optimisation and decarbonisation of buildings
- Shortage of technical staff and rising wages
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Integrated Facility Management (IFM) business valuation in Switzerland
- Statutory Multiple (EBITDA)
- 3.5 - 5.5×
- Deal Multiple (EBITDA)
- 5.5 - 8.5×
- Market Trend
- Rising
Indicative ranges based on market research. Actual multiples vary by company size, growth, and market conditions.
8.0Regional Clusters
Zurich
831 caretaker and FM units with 6,496 employees in 2024 (BFS STATENT), the most of any region; ISS, Vebego and Hälg FM are registered in Zurich.
Western Switzerland
657 units with 3,180 employees, the smallest on average (4.8 per unit); Honegger expanded in Geneva in 2026.
Eastern Switzerland
491 units with 4,223 employees; Apleona Schweiz is registered in Schaffhausen and the Hälg group is based in St. Gallen.
Northwestern Switzerland
473 units with 3,992 employees.
Central Switzerland
380 units with 5,149 employees, the largest on average (13.6 per unit); Equans Switzerland Facility Management is registered in Zug.
Bern and Solothurn
377 units with 4,110 employees; Honegger is based in Köniz.
Ticino
154 units with 926 employees.
Sources
9.0Frequently Asked Questions
▶How much is a facility management company worth in Switzerland?
ValIndex's multiples table puts Swiss integrated facility management at 5.5–8.5× EBITDA in transactions and 3.5–5.5× EBITDA on statutory valuations. Firms with long multi-service contracts and technical know-how sit at the upper end; small caretaking firms dependent on a few clients or on the owner sit lower.
▶What drives the value of a Swiss facility management firm?
Buyers price: (1) contract length and renewal history; (2) client quality, such as property owners, hospitals and public bodies; (3) technical skills and certified staff; (4) staff stability; (5) regional density of sites; (6) succession and dependence on the owner.
▶How big is Swiss facility management?
BFS counted 3,363 units with 28,076 employees in caretaker services and facility management in 2024 (NOGA 81.10), up 11.6% in employment since 2020. Building cleaning and technical building services are counted separately. No official figure for market revenue exists; ISS Schweiz alone reported CHF 914 million for 2025.
▶Who are the main facility management providers in Switzerland?
ISS Schweiz (Zurich, Danish ISS group), Equans Switzerland (Bouygues group, about 6,500 employees), Vebego (Zurich, family-owned), Apleona Schweiz (Schaffhausen, Bain Capital), Hälg Facility Management (Hälg group, St. Gallen) and Honegger (Köniz). Thousands of small caretaking firms serve local property owners.
▶What are the key trends in Swiss facility management?
Five trends: (1) Bain Capital's purchase of Apleona, completed in 2025; (2) Equans uniting its Swiss brands in 2024; (3) regional consolidation, as with Honegger in Geneva; (4) more units and employees from 2020 to 2024, with a dip in 2024; (5) steady growth at ISS.
▶What are the main risks when buying a Swiss facility management company?
The main risks are: (1) loss of a large contract at tender; (2) staff shortages and wage increases; (3) thin margins; (4) client concentration; (5) owner-dependent relationships. Due diligence should check contract terms and renewal dates, staff turnover and the margin by contract.
▶Who is buying facility management companies in Switzerland?
International groups (ISS, Equans, Apleona) have grown by buying Swiss companies, family-owned consolidators such as Hälg and Honegger buy regional firms, and private equity is active at group level, as Bain Capital's purchase of Apleona in 2025 shows.
▶Where are Swiss facility management companies located?
Using BFS figures for 2024: Zurich has the most units (831, with 6,496 employees), followed by Western Switzerland (657; 3,180), Eastern Switzerland (491; 4,223), Northwestern Switzerland (473; 3,992), Central Switzerland (380; 5,149), Bern and Solothurn (377; 4,110) and Ticino (154; 926).