Staff from the West Midlands-based security firm MAN Commercial Protection are at work at this Sunday’s London Marathon. There for a tenth successive year, they’re providing safety stewards, security response, supervisors, control room staff and specialists in crowd management.
The company will be responsible for several strategic crossing points on the last half mile of the marathon and the Sportive Finish. There some 56,000 runners leave the track after the finish line, making it one of the most congested points of the race.
Iain McCallister, CEO of MAN Commercial Protection, said: “The London Marathon is one of the world’s biggest races and a fantastic opportunity for people to raise money for charities … it’s a real privilege to be part of it. It will be our tenth year ensuring the safety of runners, supporters and all the race staff that are so crucial to making it happen. There is a lot of customer service involved in this assignment and a visible security presence acts as a welcome reassurance to athletes and spectators alike.
“Over 200 staff will be on hand at various stages of the race, with our events manager Scott Broadway celebrating seven years of overseeing our operation in the capital. That is some achievement in its own right.”
About the firm
MAN Commercial Protection, which was founded by CEO Iain McCallister and his father Sam, is a member of the ACS Pacesetters group of highest-scoring SIA-approved contractors. It’s seen revenues rise by 22 per cent over the last 12 months to £67m. It has been the Solihull-based firm’s busiest period for work, covering the record-breaking Taylor Swift concerts in Britain in summer 2024 and picking up several corporate contracts in the automotive, banking, finance, property and oil sectors. Meanwhile assignments in the sporting world continue to be a key sector; such as RIDE London, the World Snooker Championships, MACD Gymnastics; and the Riyadh ‘boxing’ season for Queensberry Promotions in Saudi Arabia which has included fights between Fury and Usyk and the acclaimed bouts between Beterbiev and Bivol.
Iain added: “We have significant experience looking after some of the biggest sporting events in the world and ‘track record’ is so important in this sector. Promoters, athletes and entertainers don’t want to have to think about security, they just want to focus on delivering the best possible performance. This is where we come in…we provide the risk assessment, we identify the best strategy and we then slip into the background.
“The same applies to this Sunday’s event. Success for us will mean none of the TV viewers ever knowing of any incidents that might occur thanks to the smooth security and crowd management.”
The firm reports that it’s planning further expansion through organic growth, new contract wins and acquisition, focusing on security guarding and systems companies. Visit www.mancommercialprotection.co.uk.
