Uniform and facility services giant Cintas has reached an agreement to acquire competitor UniFirst in a transaction valued at approximately $5.5 billion, bringing together two of North America’s largest workplace apparel and facility services providers.

Announced March 11, the deal will see Cintas acquire UniFirst for $310 per share through a combination of cash and stock — $155 in cash plus 0.7720 shares of Cintas for each UniFirst share. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, subject to UniFirst shareholder approval and customary regulatory conditions.

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The acquisition caps a multi-year pursuit by Cintas, which first expressed interest in acquiring UniFirst in 2022 and later made multiple proposals, including a $5.2 billion offer in late 2025.

Cintas said the transaction will enhance its ability to deliver workplace services and improve operational scale. The combined company is expected to serve roughly 1.5 million customers across North America and generate significant operational efficiencies, including an estimated $375 million in cost synergies within four years.

Both companies operate route-based service models that provide uniforms, workwear, and workplace services through recurring rental and delivery programs — an operational model where greater route density and processing scale can drive meaningful margin improvement.

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Cintas at a Glance

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas is the largest uniform rental and workplace services provider in North America. The company supplies corporate uniforms along with related business services including facility services, first aid and safety products and fire protection solutions.

Cintas generated about $10.3 billion in fiscal 2025 revenue and operates hundreds of facilities across North America while serving more than one million customers across a wide range of industries including manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality and logistics.

The company’s scale and route density have helped it deliver steady growth and strong operating margins in the fragmented uniform and facility services market.

UniFirst at a Glance

Wilmington, MA-based UniFirst is one of the largest competitors to Cintas in the uniform rental industry.

Founded in 1936 and still influenced by the Croatti family that established the business, UniFirst provides uniform rental and leasing programs, protective workwear and facility service products to businesses throughout North America.

The company operates roughly 260 facilities and employs more than 14,000 workers while serving more than 300,000 customer locations across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

UniFirst generates roughly $2.4 billion in annual revenue, making it one of the largest independent players in the approximately $19 billion uniform and textile services industry.

Combined Snapshot

Upon completion, the combined organization will significantly expand Cintas’ already dominant position in the uniform and workplace services market.

Together, the companies will represent more than $12 billion in combined annual revenue and serve approximately 1.5 million customer locations across North America. The expanded network of facilities and delivery routes is expected to improve service density, strengthen operational efficiency and broaden product and service offerings across uniforms, workplace safety, facility services and related solutions.