FL jubilæumsbog EN 101123 web - Flipbook - Side 13
Supermarked’s central warehouse, he could
offer storage space in Vien and distribute the
goods to the stores from there. With that, the
storage facility had become a reality.
Frode Laursen
DOWNSLIDE
When Frode Laursen celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1973, the company had become a public
limited company with 81 employees, 55 trucks
and 30 trailers. The energy crisis and economic
downturn characterised the 70s, and despite
growth, Frode Laursen also began to feel the
hard times. To accommodate its many customers, growing fleet and limited, but nevertheless
increasing number of employees in administration, new buildings were built in Vien. Using
borrowed funds, it turned out. At the same time,
there was a downslide in earnings.
In the midst of this serious crisis his life’s
work was now in, Frode Laursen died on New
Year’s Day 1980. His son Niels Laursen took over
the company’s helm. He could not break the
downward spiral, which reached a low point in
1987 when a historically poor financial statement
showed a loss of DKK 12 million and negative
equity. It was time to get new energy on board.
THREE MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT
32-year-old Thorkil Andersen had previously
worked for Frode Laursen A/S. He was asked
if he wanted to come back. Thorkil bought 50
per cent of the company in 1988 and became
director together with Niels Laursen. One year
later, he took over the entire share capital and
full responsibility as CEO.
Thorkil describes the state of the company
he took over as follows: “It was three minutes to
midnight.”
FRoM LocAL HAULIeR to InteRnAtIonAL LoGIstIcs coMPAnY
Niels Laursen
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