Falck (Denmark)
Encyclopedia
Falck A/S is a Nordic-based organisation with activities in most areas of Europe and representation on three continents. The four business areas: Healthcare, Assistance, Training
and Emergency
together make up Falck’s business. All of Falck’s activities are directed at preventing accidents and disease, at providing assistance in situations of emergency, accidents or need, and at helping people move on with their lives after illnesses or accidents.
, Norway
, Sweden
, Poland
and Estonia
. The international operation also includes activities in Belgium
, Brazil
, Finland
, Lithuania
, The Netherlands, Poland
, Slovakia
, Spain
, Malaysia, Trinidad & Tobago and United Kingdom
.
Falck Training is a world leader in rescue and safety courses, especially for staff in the offshore sector and the maritime sector. Also the chemical industry, fire services, the aviation industry and military defence units use Falck's competences and training centres for safety training for their staff.
In addition, Falck is the largest private ambulance company in Europe. Falck provides ambulance services to the general public in seven countries in close collaboration with the authorities. Falck also provides other services for the public sector such as patient transport, rehabilitation of patients from the public hospital sector, operation of assistive equipment centres and a number of services for the police
and the road authorities.
. By the year 1956 Falck was a nation-wide operator with 100 rescue stations in Denmark, and the company expanded further seven years later by acquiring the shares of the Zonen rescue service, their main Danish road assistance competitor.
In 1988 The Falck family sold Falck to Baltica, a Danish-based insurer. Falck purchased the security
service division ISS Securitas from ISS in 1993, the first in a series of mergers
, which later included both Group 4 Securicor
and Wackenhut
.
The company later mergered its activities in the security field with Securicor Plc. That new company was named Group4Securicor. In connection with the merger, Falck was separated from Group 4 Falck and listed independently on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. Danish media described the separation as “Falck returns to its roots”. In February 2005 Falck was delisted from the Copenhagen Stock Exchange because Nordic Capital
had bought the shares of Falck. Falck has now re-entered the security field.
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
and Emergency
Emergency
An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or environment. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening of the situation, although in some situations, mitigation may not be possible and agencies may only be able to offer palliative...
together make up Falck’s business. All of Falck’s activities are directed at preventing accidents and disease, at providing assistance in situations of emergency, accidents or need, and at helping people move on with their lives after illnesses or accidents.
Overview
Falck A/S provides a wide range of services within health, safety, road assistance and other assistance to corporate customers and private households in DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
. The international operation also includes activities in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, The Netherlands, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Malaysia, Trinidad & Tobago and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Falck Training is a world leader in rescue and safety courses, especially for staff in the offshore sector and the maritime sector. Also the chemical industry, fire services, the aviation industry and military defence units use Falck's competences and training centres for safety training for their staff.
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and the road authorities.
History
Falck A/S was founded in 1906 by Sophus FalckSophus Falck
Sophus August Falck was a Danish pioneer in the area of fire fighting and rescue services....
. By the year 1956 Falck was a nation-wide operator with 100 rescue stations in Denmark, and the company expanded further seven years later by acquiring the shares of the Zonen rescue service, their main Danish road assistance competitor.
In 1988 The Falck family sold Falck to Baltica, a Danish-based insurer. Falck purchased the security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
service division ISS Securitas from ISS in 1993, the first in a series of mergers
Mergers and acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions refers to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities that can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector or location of origin, or a new field or...
, which later included both Group 4 Securicor
Group 4 Securicor
G4S plc is a global security services company headquartered in Crawley, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest security company measured by revenues and has operations in more than 125 countries...
and Wackenhut
Wackenhut
G4S Secure Solutions is a private security company. It was founded as The Wackenhut Corporation in 1954, in Coral Gables, Florida, by George Wackenhut and three partners ....
.
The company later mergered its activities in the security field with Securicor Plc. That new company was named Group4Securicor. In connection with the merger, Falck was separated from Group 4 Falck and listed independently on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. Danish media described the separation as “Falck returns to its roots”. In February 2005 Falck was delisted from the Copenhagen Stock Exchange because Nordic Capital
Nordic Capital
Nordic Capital is a private equity investment firm focusing on leveraged buyout transactions primarily in the Nordic region . Nordic invests across a broad array of industries and will invest in turnaround and growth capital transactions.Nordic is based in Stockholm, Sweden and was founded in 1989...
had bought the shares of Falck. Falck has now re-entered the security field.
Role in the privatization of Danish emergency services
In Denmark, Falck is currently in charge of 65 percent of munipacility fire brigades and 85 percent of ambulance services. Already in 1926, the Danish government allowed municipal governments to contract with private companies to provide emergency services.See also
- Corporate website
- Danish website
- Nudansk leksikon (entry "Falck") Politikens Forlag, 2002