Buildings maintenance supplier Mitie bucked the recessionary trend today with figures showing the first quarter of its financial year had kicked off well as customers outsourced more operations to save money.

"Economic conditions have created momentum for further efficiencies in both the public and private sectors," said the group, which cleans the Tower of London and supplies art gallery attendants to Tate Britain.

Analysts suggest that the trend will only continue going in favour of Mitie and its rivals in the outsourcing world as Government departments feel the need to cut back in order to reduce the country's vast budget deficit.

Mitie said that since it last reported in May, it had retained and expanded several of its existing contracts while also securing new work across all areas of its business.

New wins included a three-year facilities management contract with Santander, the Spanish owner of Abbey, Alliance & Leicester and Bradford & Bingley.

This contract includes facilities management of Santander's entire UK head office buildings across 33 sites in the UK.