THE company that provides security for the Tower of London and cleans the Palace of Westminster celebrated its 18th consecutive year of profits growth yesterday.

Outsourcing specialist Mitie reported a 16.3 per cent increase in pre-tax profits to £46.9m during the year to March 31 after a strategic overhaul.

The profits improvement was in line with expectations and Mitie, which also has a £20m contract with Nissan in Sunderland, said it had orders that represented 70 per cent of revenues budgeted for next year.

Key customers continued to renew contracts and recent acquisitions are performing better than hoped, the company said. Mitie bought Eagle Pest Control and Trident Safeguards in the summer of 2003.