On 22 June, Dreieck Industrie Leasing and the leasing subsidiary belonging to the Fortis Group in Switzerland merged, leading to the creation of Fortis Lease Suisse.
Fortis Lease, which has had a presence in Switzerland since 2005 and is based in Zurich, strengthened its position in January 2006 with the acquisition of Dreieck Industrie Leasing, which is based in Lausanne.
The merger of the two Fortis units will create the third largest player on the Swiss leasing market, with a total leasing volume of EUR 600 million / CHF 930 million and 50 employees. Fortis Lease Suisse has elected to establish its headquarters in Lausanne, within the former headquarters of Dreieck Industrie Leasing and will have two other operational headquarters: one in Baden (AG) and the other in Agno (TI).
Fortis Lease Group (FLG) is a large integrated European player, following an ambitious growth strategy, and this merger forms a part of this rapid expansion. FLG is working in close cooperation with each of the different Fortis business units in order to pursue its policy of commercial expansion. Fortis Lease Group therefore has an operational presence in each of the European countries in which Fortis Bank has established its 118 Business Centres. This dynamism is also illustrated through the instigation of a pan-European concept for working in partnership with large machine and equipment manufacturers and distributors, known as an EVL (European Vendor Lease). From 2007, the European network will be supported by a unique IT platform for all business units.
The merger of Dreieck Industrie Leasing into Fortis Lease Suisse will have no impact on the company's management, its staff or its products.
Fortis Lease
Fortis Lease Group (FLG), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fortis, is a large European supplier of leasing services, and leads the field in the financial leasing of capital goods and fixed assets.
FLG, which is one of the few integrated European leasing groups, recorded a leasing volume amounting to nearly EUR 5 billion in 2005. Its total net assets currently amount to EUR 9 billion. FLG has approximately 630 employees and has an operational presence in 14 countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Portugal, the UK, Spain, Germany, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Switzerland and Hungary).
Fortis
Fortis is an international financial services provider engaged in banking and insurance. We offer our personal, business and institutional customers a comprehensive package of products and services through our own channels, in collaboration with intermediaries and through other distribution partners. With a market capitalisation of EUR 37 billion (31/05/2006), Fortis ranks among the twenty largest financial institutions in Europe. Our sound solvency position, our presence in 50 countries and our dedicated, professional workforce of 57,000 enable us to combine global strength with local flexibility and provide our clients with optimum support.
More information on Fortis, its financial statements and additional financial information is available on www.fortis.com.
Press contacts:
Fortis Lease Bruxelles:
Nancy Nackaerts
Tel: +32 2 506 01 79
E-mail: n.nackaerts@fortislease.com
