The history of HedeDanmark

HedeDanmark a/s was founded as an independent limited company on 1 January 2004, first as Hedeselskabet Skov og Landskab A/S but changed its name to HedeDanmark a/s on 1 May 2006.

Despite its short life as an independent company, HedeDanmark has more than 150 years of experience in the care and development of the Danish countryside. The company continues the activities which fertilised the countryside of Jutland in the second half of the 19th century under the leadership of Enrico Mylius Dalgas and led to the foundation of Det danske Hedeselskab in 1866.

2020

  • November: With a new 2025 strategy, HedeDanmark, as part of the 150-year-old Hedeselskabet, sets a number of specific goals and initiatives, which, among other things, will reduce the company's climate impact and provide nature with better conditions.
  • May: Annual accounts for 2019: HedeDanmark came out of 2019 with a turnover of DKK 1,660 million and an operating profit of DKK 28 million.
  • April: HedeDanmark's landscaping business gets a branch on the island of Funen. With former successful openings of local landscaping departments, the latest addition to the HedeDanmark's landscaping activity is located in Odense. The goal is to be the preferred partner when solving landscaping tasks on the island of Funen.

2019

  • October: Green Landscaping Group acquires HedeDanmark's Swedish green care company. On 1 October, the Swedish Green Landscaping Group has, through its subsidiary company, Svensk Markservice, entered into agreement with HedeDanmark on the acquisition of HD LandScape's green care activities in Skåne.
  • June: HedeDanmark joins the fight against rats and other pests and offers gentle pest control to companies all over the country.
  • June: HedeDanmark strengthens its position in the sensor market with the acquisition of Countmonitor, which has so far supplied IoT solutions and sensors to a number of Danish municipalities.
  • May: The landscaping and green care companies, Enterprise and OFS, merged and changed its name to Landscaping and Outdoor Facility Service (By- og Landskabsdivisionen).
  • May: The annual accounts for 2018: HedeDanmark came out of 2018 with a record high turnover of DKK 1,791 million and an operating profit before depreciation (EBITDA) of DKK 73.3 million.

2018

  • November: HedeDanmark launches the new digital business area HD Digital, which – with a network of sensors – offers HedeDanmark's customers valuable knowledge about nature. 
  • June: HedeDanmark's Nursery closes after several years' effort to improve profitability after increasing competition from foreign nurseries.
  • May: HedeDanmark's key figures for 2017 shows a record-keeping revenue despite high price competition, large amounts of rain and implementation of a new IT platform.
  • April: Heidegesellschaft: Forstprodukte und -geräte GmbH changes its market name to HD Silva.
  • February: HedeDanmark establishes HD Jordpark and a new environmental centre (Miljøcenter) in Stoholm west of Viborg. The facilities should strengthen the potentials for recycling waste into valuable resources.
  • Januar: The department Skælskør Anlægsgartnere changes its name to HedeDanmark Anlægsgartnere. 

2017

  • December: The Swedish department for recycling of wasteproducts changes its name from BioRec to HD BioRec.
  • November: The Swedish department for outdoor facility service changes its name from Väla Mark & Trädgård to HD LandScape.
  • September: HedeDanmark focuses on its core business areas by selling the real estate agency Silva Estate.
  • August: The acquisition of Din Lokale Anlægsgartner marks yet another expansion within outdoor facility service and landscaping.
  • May: HedeDanmark's department for export of Christmas trees changes its name from NORDICTREES to HD NordicTrees.
  • April: The publication of the annual financial report of 2016 reveals a turnover of almost DKK 1,7 billion and solid earnings before interest and tax.
  • March: HedeDanmark expands with the acquisition of outdoor facility customers from Anlægsgartneren Arne Skyum ApS.

2016

  • September: HedeDanmark strengthens its activities in the trade of Christmas trees with the acquisition of the Christmas tree wholesaler NORDICTREES.
  • July: HedeDanmark expands its activities in green care and winter service with the acquisition of Southern Jutland's largest landscaping company Frank Sørensen Anlægsgartner.
  • April: HedeDanmark publishes the annual accounts for 2015 with a turnover of DKK 1.56 billion. Once again a record profit before tax of DKK 55 million.

2015

  • December: HedeDanmark takes over green care in Ballerup Municipality.
  • October: HedeDanmark takes over green care and winter service in Hillerød Municipality.
  • June: Frederiksberg selects HedeDanmark for a number of services within green care and maintenance.
  • April: HedeDanmark delivers the best result to date with a turnover of DKK 1.62 billion and a profit of DKK 54 million before tax.

2014

  • January: HedeDanmark’s landscaping company (SKAG) with focus on activities on the island of Zealand entered the Jutlandic market on 1 January 2014 carrying out green landscaping projects for public and private customers in Jutland.

2013

  • November: Two new divisions are established under the names of Entreprise and Outdoor Facility Service. The objective of the new divisions is to generate improved customer focus and ensure optimal utilization of skills.
  • September: On 1 October Harboe Brewery and HedeDanmark entered a working relationship to ensure that residues from the brewing of beer and soft drinks are recycled as feed, biogas and fertilizer. The agreement strengthens HedeDanmark’s position within handling of residues from the food business.
  • June: Skælskør Anlægsgartnere, part of HedeDenmark, wins one of the biggest projects until now for the landscaping department. The project contains planting and paving tasks at the new headquarters of Novo Nordisk.
  • May: Activities within sale of equipment for the Christmas tree business and forestry moves into new premises and implements a change of name from Skovudstyr to HD2412.
  • April: Publication of accounts for 2012 with record revenue of approx. DKK 1.7 billion and a profit before tax of DKK 31 million.
  • January: Official opening of Købmagergade on Friday the 25 January, following two years of intensive work to finalize one of the largest paving tasks in Copenhagen in recent times. The project consisted (among others) of the establishment of pavement on Købmagergade, a playground area at Hauser Plads and a new large fountain at Kultorvet.

2012

  • November: Acquisition of the activities of the Baltic forest management company Fest Forest in Estonia and Latvia. With this acquisition, HedeDanmark is the largest independent forest manager in the Baltic countries. The company’s name changes to HD FestForest and will have activities in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
  • Oktober: Acquisition of the activities of Jysk Miljø Depot which focuses on the grounds care and maintenance in the south of Jutland.
  • Oktober: HedeDanmark expands its business in Sweden by acquiring several activities from BioRec Sweden KB, a Swedish environmental company. This agreement adds more business activities in the handling of organic fertiliser and creates a platform for environmental development in Sweden.
  • September: Acquisition of Wad & Kortegård, a landscaping company, strengthens HedeDanmark's position in and around Fredericia.
  • June: HedeDanmark enters into the largest agreement so far concerning handling and reuse of residual products from the production company CP Kelco.
  • April: Publication of accounts with a new revenue record of DKK 1.3 billion in 2011 and a profit before tax of approx. DKK 35 million.
  • March: With the acquisition of the landscaping company of Väla Mark & Trädgård just outside Helsingborg HedeDanmark establishes a bridgehead on the Swedish market.

2011

  • December: Acquisition of Denmark’s largest landscaping company, Skælskør Anlægsgartnere. With the acquisition of the company and its some 300 employees, HedeDanmark strengthens its position in new landscaping projects and in grounds care and maintenance.
  • November: HedeDanmark wins the contract for the maintenance of roads and green areas for Favrskov Municipality. The contract starts on 1 April 2012 and ensures millions (DKK) in savings for the municipality.
  • November: Acquisition of Esmann Entreprise, a landscaping company. The company is based on Funen and specialises in grounds care.
  • Oktober: Acquisition of Per Hansen A/S, a landscaping company which is one of the largest of its kind on Lolland-Falster and the south of Zealand.
  • March: For the seventh year running, HedeDanmark publishes a record result before tax of DKK 39 million based on a revenue of DKK 1,238 million.
  • February: Agreement with LEO Pharma A/S regarding the handling of all organic fertiliser from the international drugs group. This agreement is the largest for HedeDanmark so far in the handling of organic fertiliser from companies.
  • January: Acquisition of gardener and winter service activities from Davidsen & Partnere which has mainly focused on the area around Fredericia, Vejle, Kolding and Middelfart.

2010

  • November: HedeDanmark’s department Skovudstyr, supplying equipment for the production of Christmas trees and greenery, launches a new website which enables online shopping.
  • June: HedeDanmark enters into an agreement with Danfoss concerning cleaning and care of the Group’s grounds. This agreement strengthens HedeDanmark’s position as a leading supplier of outdoor facility services to companies, municipalities and public authorities.
  • March: For the sixth year running, HedeDanmark publishes a record result before tax of DKK 30.9 million based on revenue of DKK 1,076 million.

2009

  • December: HedeDanmark wins a contract for the cleaning of roads and public open spaces in Amager.
  • September: Agreement with the Danish Road Directorate for the cleaning of national roads and care for plantation along the national roads in the Copenhagen area.
  • June: Establishment of a 31 hectare seed orchard in Tophøj near Viborg.
  • March: HedeDanmark publishes revenue of DKK 1.2 billion and a record profit before tax of DKK 28.7 million in 2008.  

2008

  • December: HedeDanmark acquires CB Richard Ellis’ share holding of the estate agency CB Richard Ellis HedeDanmark A/S and now owns 100 %. The company's name changes to Silva Estate a/s and its focus changes to counselling and estate agency services specialising in forest and nature estate and country houses. 
  • April: HedeDanmark a/s expands in Abu Dhabi with its take-over of management in the company Emirates Landscape LLC. At the same time, HedeDanmark acquires 49 % of the shares in Emirates Landscape. 

2007

  • HedeDanmark had an impressive result with a profit before tax of DKK 27.1 million and revenue of DKK 1,173 million.

2006

  • May: Hedeselskabet Skov og Landskab A/S changes its name to HedeDanmark a/s to mark an increase in its field of activities and independence from Det danske Hedeselskab.
  • April: Hedeselskabet Skov og Landskab A/S publishes accounts for 2005 and revenue in excess of DKK 1 billion for the first time. The profit for the year of DKK 17 million is also a record.

2005

  • April: After its first year as an independent limited company, Hedeselskabet Skov og Landskab A/S publishes revenue of DKK 859 million and a profit for the year before tax of DKK 14 million for 2004.

2004

  • January: Hedeselskabet Skov og Landskab is separated from Det danske Hedeselskab and converted into a limited company.

1997

  • Hedeselskabet gathers its forest activities in a new division called Forest and Landscape.

1866

 

  • 28. march: The association Det danske Hedeselskab is founded at the Hotel Royal in Aarhus. Its first supervisory board consisted of three Danish pioneers: Enrico Mylius Dalgas (manager), Ferdinand Mourier-Petersen, (chairman of the board and landowner), Georg Morville (attorney at the Danish High Court of Justice).

Enrico Mylius Dalgas - co-founder of Hedeselskabet.