Accumulation of activities in new business units

1983 -

For a number of years DDH had received a fixed annual subsidy for 150 public servant positions. This fixed subsidy was removed in 1982, after which the phasing out of subsidies and grants began in earnest. Since the beginning of the 1990s DDH has been operating on free market terms.

IIn 1986 the subsidy for drainage was abolished and the Reclamation Department that existed at the time created the starting point for the company’s development of a number of new activities in the environmental and energy area, today organised within Orbicon A/S, Hedeselskabet Sp. z o.o. and Xergi A/S.

In terms of planting activities, DDH was at the forefront of development, and the development of new technology and equipment led to the desire to set up its own enterprise in the form of Silvatec Skovmaskiner.

Activities concerning forest and plantations have gradually been accumulated in DDH Forest and Landscape, which in recent years has carried out marked growth within the establishment and operation of green areas.

As part of the development of its business areas, 1999 saw the merging of DDH's Laboratory with MILJØ-KEMI, Danish Environmental Center A/S. In the spring of 2001 MILJØ-KEMI merged with Eurofins Scientific, and in conjunction with this merger DDH sold its shareholding in MILJØ-KEMI.

In parallel with the development of activities in Denmark, DDH has also focused on the internationalisation of its business areas – and in the year 2000 the company achieved vigorous growth on international markets, primarily in the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.