70th anniversary of Lek’s firefighters – 70 years of courage and a noble mission providing help and protection

  • The fire brigade, established to meet the needs of Lek, brings together more than 180 volunteer members, employed at Lek or other companies carrying out activities for Lek.
  • Both Lek and the Volunteer Industrial Fire Brigade Lek have developed over their 70 years of operation to become important members of the local environment.
  • Ensuring fire safety is one of the key components of Lek’s responsible business conduct.
19. 4. 2017

In the presence of Andreja Katič, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia, a ceremonial academy was held in Mengeš on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Volunteer Industrial Fire Brigade (PIGD) Lek. The fire service was established in 1947, under the former name Jugolek. In its rich history, the fire brigade has developed from its humble beginnings to become an important member of both Lek as well as the local environment in which it operates. Today, more than 180 volunteer members at three Lek sites in Mengeš, Ljubljana and Prevalje and more than 30 volunteer members at the Lendava site present one of the key elements in providing a safe work environment at Lek.

Vojmir Urlep, President of the Board of Management of Lek, stressed on this significant anniversary of PIGD Lek: »Lek founded its own fire service only one year after its inception. This demonstrates the level of significance and attention Lek attributed from its very beginnings to ensuring safety and caring for people and the environment. A constant presence of firefighters at our sites is of the utmost importance to ensure that we maintain the highest safety standards in our operation. Therefore, I am extremely proud of the work that our firefighters carry out. This year’s jubilee is a confirmation that they will remain important members of our family for a long time to come.«

In its 70 years of operation, PIGD Lek has evolved to become an important member of the local environment. They regularly work together with local fire brigades from the surrounding areas.

Andreja Katič, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia, emphasised on this occasion: »70 years is a long time, especially in the light of the fact that many changes took place in our country during this period. Lek and the Fire Brigade Lek have remained, steadily developing and continuously operating for the benefit of the community. This is certainly a great success, for which I sincerely congratulate the management of the company and the fire brigade! Undoubtedly, Lek is a good example for other businesses at the national level with regard to supporting the development and operation of the volunteer industrial fire brigade. Through cooperation with fire brigades in the local community, the volunteer industrial fire brigade Lek is an important element in providing effective protection from natural and other disasters throughout the region.« 

Volunteerism was the basis on which the fire brigade was founded from its inception and continues as the foundation still today. Along with their work obligations, Lek’s firefighters dedicate their free time to training and education and in addition take part in local fire brigades. They play an important role at Lek’s site. In addition to interventions in the event of accidents or fire they are involved in preventative activities. They have a good knowledge of Lek’s facilities, materials used for work and the specifics of the work processes. This enables them to act faster and more efficiently in emergency situations. At their work places, volunteer firefighters are also responsible for maintaining fire safety, thereby enhancing the safety culture at Lek’s sites and among Lek’s associates. A sense of belonging that has developed, is part of Lek’s culture. 

Aleksander Draksler, President of PIGD Lek, said on this significant anniversary: »70 years is a remarkable milestone, which reminds us of our long and proud history in the operation of our industrial fire brigade. I can say that our unit has been developing rapidly in recent years. We are grateful that Lek has been supporting us throughout our history and showed understanding of our role in ensuring the safety in the company. An exceptional encouragement and motivation is also the support of our parent company Novartis.«

* * *

Lek, a Sandoz company, is one of the key pillars of the second-largest generic pharmaceutical company globally. Its role within Sandoz is to act as: a leading global development center for technologically demanding products and technologies; a key global manufacturing center for active pharmaceutical ingredients and medicines; a competence center for the development of vertically integrated products; a Sandoz competence center in the field of development and manufacturing of biosimilar active ingredients and products; a supply center for the markets of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), South East Europe (SEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and is responsible for marketing and sales of Sandoz products on the Slovenian market. For further information, please visit www.lek.si.

Sandoz is a global leader in generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals. As a division of the Novartis Group, our purpose is to discover new ways to improve and extend people’s lives. We contribute to society’s ability to support growing healthcare needs by pioneering novel approaches to help people around the world access high-quality medicine. Our portfolio of approximately 1000 molecules, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2016 sales of USD 10.1 billion. In 2016, our products reached more than 500 million patients and we aspire to reach one billion. Sandoz is headquartered in Holzkirchen, in Germany’s Greater Munich area.
Sandoz is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Sandoz_global at http://twitter.com/Sandoz_Global (link is external).

For further details visit www.sandoz.com/makingaccesshappen

Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care and cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2016, the Group achieved net sales of USD 48.5 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9 billion (USD 8.4 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges). Novartis Group companies employ approximately 118,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are available in more than 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit www.novartis.com.

* * *

This press release contains statements and conclusions based on projections of Lek’s future business operations. These estimates are derived from the best information currently available. In case these forecasts prove unreliable, the actual results could prove different from those projected.

- end -

For additional information contact:
Katarina Klemenc
Corporate Communications 
Lek Pharmaceuticals d. d.
Phone: +386 1 580 22 43
Fax: +386 1 580 24 32
katarina.klemenc@sandoz.com