Securitas AB Annual Report 2005

Security services at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
in New Jersey are provided by Central Station Operator Dean
Melachrinos and his colleagues, who guard the company’s
premises and entrances around USA from an advanced,
high-tech communications center.
An important recent trend, which favors the Securitas
security concept, is that companies are increasingly looking
for more specialized services within such vertical
markets as energy, seaports, fi nance industry, shopping
centers, high-rise buildings, and petrochemical plants.
Approximately 30 percent of the division’s branch offi ces
are currently delivering services to vertical markets,
small customers, specialized areas and mobile services.
Intensive efforts are being made to further adapt the
organization to suit the demands within these vertical
markets.
Objectives and strategies
Security Services USA’s main objective is to strengthen
its position as the leading U.S. provider of security
solutions by further adapting its services to customer
needs and by developing the skills of its employees.
Outlook
Security Services USA and the U.S.
security services industry as a whole
are at the crossroads of a major challenge.
The industry must shift its development
from delivering traditional,
standardized security services to
offering more qualifi ed, up-scale services.
Raising the status of the security
industy by making improvements
in areas such as wages, training and
Anita Sanchez is one of the Securitas receptionists
who welcomes employees and visitors to Novartis
every day.
This long-term objective is supported by a number
of fundamental strengths:
■ Long experience
■ Focus on security
■ Local branches with high expertise
■ Corporate culture based on strong values
■ High ambitions for future development
The division’s fi nancial objectives are:
■ Annual organic sales growth in line with the market
■ Gradually increasing operating margin
To achieve these objectives the division is following
three strategies for the medium term:
■ Further training and development of employees and in
particular for branch managers
■ Continued segmentation of the organization to meet
the demand from specifi c vertical customer segments
■ Further specialization of the service offering
services, goes hand in hand with this
transformation.
As market leader, Security Services
USA aims to play a major role in driving
the entire market toward increased
professionalism and more qualifi ed
services, thereby more effectively meeting
the needs of the U.S. society. Securitas
cannot accomplish this on its own;
the entire industry must do its part.
In the next few years, the division’s most
important challenges are:
■ To grow in line with the market while, at
the same time, improving profi tability
■ To continue decentralizing the organization
by entrusting responsibility and
authority to its branch offi ces
Security Services USA
At the Merrill Lynch reception desk at the World Financial
Center in New York, receptionist Daniel Cantos makes
sure that visitors are photographed and receive visitor
badges upon entering the premises.
SECURITAS 2005 47