About Us
The Laulund Group is a portfolio of business and real estate funds, strategically directed by an Australian-based business angel firm. The primary activity of the Laulund Group is buying strong cash-flow businesses (private equity) and strong capital-growth real estate. The Laulund Group has clients and joint-venture partners throughout Australia, Asia, North America and Europe.
The core strength of the Laulund Group is successfully and ecologically managing multimillion dollar international corporations towards exponentially growing shareholder wealth through the application of the Laulund Group's proprietary business model.
The Laulund Group partners with private and institutional investors, with the exception of investments where The Laulund Group is the sole shareholder; these investors are the joint ventures' silent money partners, whereas the Laulund Group is the managing partner.
The core strength of the Laulund Group is successfully and ecologically managing multimillion dollar international corporations towards exponentially growing shareholder wealth through the application of the Laulund Group's proprietary business model.
The Laulund Group partners with private and institutional investors, with the exception of investments where The Laulund Group is the sole shareholder; these investors are the joint ventures' silent money partners, whereas the Laulund Group is the managing partner.
The Laulund Group's origins and culture are founded in the Danish traditions of minimal hierarchy, innovation by design, ethical conduct, efficient ecological resource utilisation, sustainable continuous wealth creation, process driven systems and proactive goal focus.
The Laulund Group's proprietary business model is based on Michael Laulund's (Managing Director & Principal of the Laulund Group) Doctorate Research into "how businesses make money", in which Michael developed a hybrid business model from the classical private equity firm model, the lend-lease real estate model and the Laulund Group's original business model.
The Laulund Group's original business model was establish in 1924 by Michael's grandfather, Carlos Laulund. The Laulund Group's original business model was the same model that Michael's father, Jan Laulund, used to exponentially grow Motorola Cellular (Australasia) in the late 1980s from a start-up entity into the mobile telephone manufacturer that dominated the Australian and New Zealand markets until the mid to late 1990s.
The Laulund Group's proprietary business model is based on Michael Laulund's (Managing Director & Principal of the Laulund Group) Doctorate Research into "how businesses make money", in which Michael developed a hybrid business model from the classical private equity firm model, the lend-lease real estate model and the Laulund Group's original business model.
The Laulund Group's original business model was establish in 1924 by Michael's grandfather, Carlos Laulund. The Laulund Group's original business model was the same model that Michael's father, Jan Laulund, used to exponentially grow Motorola Cellular (Australasia) in the late 1980s from a start-up entity into the mobile telephone manufacturer that dominated the Australian and New Zealand markets until the mid to late 1990s.
The Laulund Group History
Denmark: 1924 to 1980 - Old World, Changing Times
The engineering business evolves in to an investment business.
1924.
The Laulund Group traces its origins to Copenhagen, Denmark, now 90+ years ago. In partnership with the Düring family, the Laulund family established a third tier power contracting company, 'Laulund & Düring'. Laulund & Düring serviced large industrial companies and large scale building contractors. There were two electrical contracting firms: the first undertook work that was 'low power', and the second focused on 'high power'. Many years later, the Düring family were bought out.
1961.
A young Mr Jan (pronounced 'Yan') Laulund officially joined his father, Carlos Laulund, in Laulund & Düring, to learn the family business.
1975.
The Laulund Group, now with 75 employees, diversified into supplying computer hardware (mainly Hewlett-Package) and software packages, under Jan Laulund's general management. Laulund and Düring Data provided computer solutions to essentially time-related business problems. This company found a profitable niche in the financial services sector and soon employed some ten people.
1976.
Along with his brother, Jan became the Joint Managing Director of Laulund & Düring. Jan also became the Principal of The Laulund Group. Jan set The Laulund Group on a path of expansion, increasing profitability and proactive growth that would define the group's culture for the next 30 years.
1977.
The Laulund Group, further diversified into securities and investment consulting in a joint venture with Ludvig Kalckar, a Copenhagen-based stock brokering firm.
1980.
Through a Management-Buy-Out (MBO), the Laulund Group divested from the Laulund & Düring businesses, now with over 100 employees, to enable the family's move to Australia.
Australia: 1981 to 1995 - New Country, New Beginning
The small, lean and agile business continuously redefines itself by seeking best-practice from the corporate world.
1981.
The Laulund family arrive in Australia.
1982.
Developed new markets within Australia for a number of Middendorp companies. The Laulund Group was then approached by the Group Managing Director, Hugh Middendorp, to accept a Management-Buy-Out for the involved companies. The Laulund Group declined as Jan felt that that was not the time to assume such a financial responsibility.
1983.
Broke a rival company's porcelain insulator supply monopoly that had dominated the Australian market since 1965, for Nilsen Porcelains (Australia), by developing trade relations with Chinese manufacturers. Partnered with Monash University in a 15 month joint venture to develop a new type of insulator, based upon a particular market niche, which gave Nilsen Porcelains (Australia) a monopoly in a niche market segment.
1985.
Designed a new product concept for Hewlett-Packard Australia, which offered with hardware, produced sales revenue in excess of US$100 million some three months before its initial release.
1987.
Restructured Motorola Australia's marketing to turnaround 5 years of consecutive losses within 12 months to generate significant sustainable profits.
1988.
Jan launched Motorola Cellular (Australia) from a start-up, 18 months behind the competition, into a $100 Million company and achieved 40% market share dominance over Telecom's 20% market share, the nearest competitor. Jan was applying The Laulund Group's business model in the manner his father had taught him. With the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission issuing anti-trust concerns with the near monopoly position Motorola Cellular (Australia) had developed, and American Motorola majority shareholders demanding "Sales at all costs", news paper reporters referred to Jan's stellar business management conducive to "printing money".
1989.
A young Mr Michael Laulund officially joined his father, Jan, in The Laulund Group to learn the family business.
1991.
Restructured an Australian subsidiary of a Japanese printing firm that was losing millions of dollars each year and failing to penetrate the Australian market. Upon turning the business into a strong, profitable market leader, achieving a sustainable 20% return on assets, news paper reporters dubbed Jan as "the Company Fixer".
1991.
Bought out and expanded a distribution business focused on a retail niche market of children products. The business was divested a few years later, once the enterprise value potential had been achieved.
1992.
Started up an entertainment business which was bought out by its management staff a few years later.
1993.
Relaunched Laulund Engineering to focus on the computer technologies. The business serviced private customers, international organisations and Australian universities.
Global: 1996 to 2012 - Rebirth, Rationalisation, Scalability
The business evolves into a more competitive, socially and ecologically conscience, business angel organisation. The business also relaxes its policies to allow non-family investors to become partners in family businesses.
1996.
Jan established the corporate rebirth of The Laulund Group, with a management consulting firm specialising in managing Small-to-Medium-Enterprises (SME) turnarounds.
1997.
Laulund Engineering diversified into the building industry. The business now included trades and engineering capabilities.
1997.
In an effort to give back to the community, The Laulund Group launched its mentoring and coaching program in a joint venture with the Australian government's New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) program. It was not long before The Laulund Group developed a number of the NEIS teaching course modules and mentoring in excess of 80 new start-up business owners every quarter. Many of the client business owners were so moved by the support and mentoring provided that they attended Jan's funeral service years later.
2000.
Laulund Engineering launched a research and development program ('R&D') focused on designing practical solutions to global issues. The R&D included developing competitive renewable energy electricity generation technologies such as 'LENNY', for which Laulund Engineering built a pilot plant prior to rolling out the technology globally (the rollout is currently underway). Development of this technology started in the 1920s by Carlos Laulund, but it was not until key industry developments occurred in 1980s and 1990s that this generation technology became sufficiently productive.
2000.
Michael Laulund became the Managing Director and Principal of The Laulund Group. Michael set out to engineer The Laulund Group towards its next expansion phase by rationalising and restructuring the group for rapid scalability, the 2020 International Expansion Plan. This meant divestment of a number of businesses that do not fit the 2020 international expansion plan and developing strategic alliances towards acquiring of medium to large sized businesses. This strategic direction is bringing The Laulund Group back to its Danish origins of buying and building strong businesses and real estate.
2001.
Michael began his 4 year Doctorate research into 'How Businesses Make Money'. Michael followed a number of private equity firms and corporate turnarounds as they strive to create significant shareholder value. Some examples were awesome failures, most were ordinary, but a few were reality shattering successes. The intellectual property learnt through this research was integrated into The Laulund Group's business model as a hybrid of the traditional private equity and the lend-lease business models. Consideration was also given to the dynamics of fiscal and monetary policy decision making, and how private wealth must manage their actions relative to that, in order to protect and grow real purchasing power long-term.
Application of this updated business model created in excess of a quarter of a billion dollars in shareholder value within the first five years of its development. Failure to understand this business model was exposed in the 'dot com bubble' of 2001, Asian crisis and emerging market defaults of 2002, 'housing bubble' of 2006, global financial crisis of 2008, and currently occurring right now, the global national governments' insolvency crises, global currency wars, global bond bubbles, and global share market bubbles.
Application of this updated business model created in excess of a quarter of a billion dollars in shareholder value within the first five years of its development. Failure to understand this business model was exposed in the 'dot com bubble' of 2001, Asian crisis and emerging market defaults of 2002, 'housing bubble' of 2006, global financial crisis of 2008, and currently occurring right now, the global national governments' insolvency crises, global currency wars, global bond bubbles, and global share market bubbles.
2004.
In an open market tender, application of The Laulund Group's business model, won a $45 Million Holden (Australia) logistics contract for an international private equity firm where the incumbent service provider was the Australian logistics market leader, TOLL Logistics. The contract was profitable from day one, a first for the Australian logistics business.
2006.
The Laulund Group was restructured into four main arms: engineering services, corporate services, private funds, and real estate. The Laulund Group's corporate services arm, which includes various business management service firms, was re-branded as 'Business Riches'. Business Riches also included The Laulund Group's mentoring and coaching service, that had been launched almost a decade earlier, which now targeted intermediate to advanced investors of businesses, real estate and securities.
2007.
Rationalisation of The Laulund Group portfolio of businesses continues, predominantly with divestments of small sized businesses from the Business Riches portfolio, and the acquisitions of medium sized businesses to populate the Private Funds and Engineering Services portfolios.
2008.
A financial services business was acquired, creating the fifth main portfolio to The Laulund Group; although financial services had previously become part of the The Laulund Group in the late 1970s. The Financial Services portfolio has been quite dynamic over the years (e.g. 2009) and with the global banking insolvency crises presenting new means by which to mitigate business risks, by contrarian means, .
2009.
A rural Mortgage Choice franchise was acquired, expanding the scope of services available under The Laulund Group's financial arm. The Mortgage Choice franchise was a joint venture acquisition with a marketing group, that was bought out a few years later. Since then the business has been acquired by new owners and the staff are wished a prosperous future.
2010.
In Latin, Alimenta is defined as 'means of support', such as food, water, or shelter.
Laulund Alimenta was launched with a mission is to sustainably provide the funds, materials and services free of charge to environmental and conservation projects, humanitarian aid organisations and charities. Alimenta raises funds from businesses within The Laulund Group and then distributes those funds, and or the materials and services purchased by those funds, to qualified projects.
Distributions are determined by an Alimenta audit of each project's performance. If an organisation does more than expected with resources provided, that organisation will receive more in the next instalment, and vice verse.
Laulund Alimenta was launched with a mission is to sustainably provide the funds, materials and services free of charge to environmental and conservation projects, humanitarian aid organisations and charities. Alimenta raises funds from businesses within The Laulund Group and then distributes those funds, and or the materials and services purchased by those funds, to qualified projects.
Distributions are determined by an Alimenta audit of each project's performance. If an organisation does more than expected with resources provided, that organisation will receive more in the next instalment, and vice verse.
2011.
Having been active, as Principal Buyers and Sellers, in various commodity markets over the years, The Laulund Group developed key policies to avoid the typical dysfunctions of those markets. After several selling and buying groups had experienced our professionalism and productivity as their counter party, these groups approached either our Joint Venture Partner or The Laulund Group, for representative services. The dynamics of those business relationships, with high and ultra high net worth clients, soon required establishing the joint venture, Stella d'Oro (Commodity House).
2012.
A critical 2020 International Expansion Plan milestone was achieved, through a US Joint Venture Partner who specialised in contracting with national governments. A global contracting office in the USA was established, with Laulund Engineering personnel. There was a sudden uptick in national governments from around the world, via their Washington DC embassies, that invited Laulund Engineering for meetings via the US Joint Venture Partner. Commercial contract negotiations became dramatically more productive and bureaucratic goals were achieved in days as compared to months or years.
2017.
As part of The Laulund Group's effort within the Laulund Alimenta program, The Golden Phoenix Platform is formally launched midyear. An invitation only Economic Development solution for Nations that are considered Western Banking System 'friendly'. Programs/Projects are fully funded by a sovereign Foundation that has partnered with us. All diplomatic considerations with the National Government clients are managed by Tiburon Global Partners. Stella d'Oro and Laulund Engineering are responsible for implementation.