In 1998, Securiton AG celebrates 50 years of success in the security branch. The company, which is based in Zollikofen near Bern, decided to mark its anniversary with a huge celebration. On 3 June, customers, partners, the Executive Board and employees experienced an exhilarating day in the Kursaal in Bern.
“50 years have passed in a flash” would be a perfect motto for the event, with almost 800 guests enjoying a look back at the company history. Speeches, classical music, culinary delights, entertainment and casual conviviality met the taste of the audience, all of whom have a wide variety of relationships with the company. The day also provided an opportunity to present the modern-day Securiton in all its glory, resulting in a mixture of positive memories both new and old.
A proud history and future
The guest speakers brought the history of TON into the present day, showing highlights from the past and conveying the keen spirit of a dynamic and future-proof company.
Hans Winzenried, Delegate of the Board of Directors of Securiton AG, spoke in four languages about the founding ideas and the company’s history.
President of the Council of States Prof Dr Ulrich Zimmerli was pleased to speak at the celebration: “I see satisfied faces all around me, faces of people who strive for security and deserve their economic success. There is a tangible will here to still face every challenge, to keep products up to date, and even more, to always be one step ahead of potential perpetrators.”
Samuel Spreng, CEO of the Securitas Group, introduced his speech with a quote from HeImar Nahr, a German mathematician and economist: “Art is embellishment, technology is improvement. As technology advances, products become better and simpler. If technical development comes to a halt in a given field, the ongoing effort to change manifests itself in a flood of different variations, similar to the formation of foam on the surface of a river that is suddenly stopped in its course.” Samuel Spreng aptly ascribed Nahr’s quote to almost being a model for Securiton.
The CEO then thanked his mother, Ruth Spreng. Following the death of her husband Jakob Spreng in 1958, she was the main shareholder of Securitas AG and stood behind Securiton even in difficult times with her fortitude and visionary thinking. Heartfelt thanks were also due to his brother Manuel Spreng, who took over the function of CEO of Securitas AG at a young age in 1959 and was thus also responsible for the fortunes of Securiton AG. He emphasised the great dedication, enormous motivation and tireless perseverance his brother showed in ensuring the success of the company.
… on the world stage
Securiton used a simple but extremely entertaining form of presentation to refresh the memories of things that had long been forgotten or were new to the younger people in the room: The company’s history was presented in the context of events that have shaped the world and Switzerland. Exciting videos, dance sections with catchy tunes and a charmingly moderated history of the world made the Securiton story far more than just a classroom lesson.
Set to the beats of Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti”, a group picture of the workforce from the 1950s takes on new dimensions. The first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 perfectly symbolises the upward drive of the young Securiton. The fact that Securiton’s systems were growing when skirts were getting shorter provided an amusing contrast. With the simultaneous founding of the canton of Jura, historical milestones such as the introduction of electronics in safety technology are easier to capture chronologically. The half-hour show quickly reached the nineties and the show closed with applause as presenter Sandra Studer also used the occasion of the day as an event relevant to world history.
In his closing speech, Dr Jürg Pauli, Director of Securiton AG, admitted that this wonderful day was meant to express thanks and appreciation. However, compared to the goodwill of customers and the performance of all employees, it could of course only be a modest gesture. Jürg Pauli thanked Sandra Studer with a special baby alarm system – Securiton offers security in all life situations, after all. We would also like to wish the mother-to-be all the best!
Later in the afternoon, the party reached the present day and, in addition to the joy of an eventful celebration, a good feeling was felt among the guests: In a time of global political, social and economic turmoil, Securiton takes a professional approach to current dangers and brings the need for security closer to reality.