Janitorial Companies Pondering Merger?

Spokane property owners say the city’s two largest janitorial companies may merge, but company officials aren’t talking.

Owner Dave Watkins of Allied Janitorial, Spokane’s largest cleaning service, is rumored to be negotiating to sell the company to American Building Maintenance, the nation’s largest janitorial chain.

The merger would create a local company with about $10 million in sales and 500 employees.

An operation of that size would dwarf all other competitors, worrying property owners and managers.

“Our concern is what happens to price,” said Linda Cobbs, property manager for Kiemle & Hagood. “Competition is good for price, good for consumers.”

Watkins did not return repeated telephone calls. General counsel Harry Kahn of San Francisco-based ABM said the company had no comment.

ABM employs 42,000 people nationwide and generates annual revenue exceeding $1 billion.

, DataTimes