Falck has acquired a majority interest in the Alford Group, a leading US provider of a range of training and safety services to the offshore oil and gas\r\nindustry. Falck's training division, Falck Nutec, is a world leader in rescue and safety courses, especially for the offshore and maritime sector.\r\nThe acquisition provides Falck with a solid platform to pursue further business activities in the USA and the region.\r\nWe are pleased to join Barry Alford and his team to form the base for Falck to expand into the oil and gas safety market in the region. Over time we plan to use this as a platform for our other activities, such as fire fighting and ambulance services to the US market, says Falck CEO Allan Sogaard Larsen.\r\nAlford is the leading Gulf of Mexico provider of safety training, safety personnel, safety services and related services, including a patented safe enclosure for hazardous welding. Founded in 1996, the business has grown considerably and offers a wide range of safety training courses, for example water survival, marine\r\ntraining, confined space training, fire fighting and first aid courses. Its safety personnel include firewatch, logistics, project consultants and paramedics.\r\nAmong Alford's safety services is the patented safe welding enclosure system, Hazardous Atmospheric Zone Telemetry (HAZTEC). This is an\r\nautomated monitoring and control system offering a safe enclosure where welding can be performed in hazardous locations. The process eliminates\r\nshut-in time for platforms offering oil majors the key benefit of no loss of production during repairs and maintenance.\r\nFalck and Alford foresee significant cross-selling opportunities and the addition of HAZTEC to the Falck Training portfolio adds an important\r\ndimension to Falck's position as a global safety services provider, says Allan Sogaard Larsen. In the future the business will be branded as Falck Alford.\r\nAlford's management team is excited to join the Falck family of companies. While Alford's growth has been consistent and exponential since its\r\ninception, we feel that this will open doors for even greater growth and potential in the United States and other countries. We are excited to begin\r\nour new venture together as Falck Alford, says Barry Alford, CEO and President of the Alford Group.\r\nThe management team of Alford will continue unchanged. The Alford Group consists of two companies, Alford Services Inc. and Alford\r\nSafety Services Inc. Together, the Alford Group expects a revenue of approximately 40 million dollars in 2008. Alford has almost 300 employees,\r\nof which approximately 100 are working offshore. Alford is based in Houma, Louisiana, west of New Orleans and operates training centres in Lafayette, New Orleans and Houma. In addition Alford is present in Angola and Trinidad & Tobago.\r\n