Leasing, banking, factoring: Spotlight on mid-sized companies

Leasing, banking, factoring: Spotlight on mid-sized companies

Visit us online: www.grenke-group.com

Wolfgang Grenke Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of GRENKELEASING AG Wolfgang Grenke Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of GRENKELEASING AG When I founded the company in 1978, I wanted to give small and mid-sized enterprises an opportunity to When lease office I founded equipment GRENKE at as affordable a sole proprietorship rates. This vision in 1978, grew my into objective an internationally was to also successful extend to venture. small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in Germany the opportunity to lease office communications equipment at optimal Over 30 costs. years of An experience internationally and the operating combination group of of expertise companies and providing knowledge a wide have range made of GRENKE financing a highly services has regarded emerged international from this vision. financing specialist. We have established a presence throughout Europe in smallticket IT leasing. Now, we intend to expand further afield. Our progress has shown us two things: First, we cannot afford to stand still but must instead constantly develop Our progress our services has shown on a us requirements-led two things: first, basis. we cannot Second, afford while to stand demonstrating still, but must the willingness instead constantly to change, it develop is important our services to remain on a true requirements-led to our values. basis. Our services Second, are while still demonstrating geared toward the SMEs. willingness We value to and change, foster personal it is important relationships to remain with true our to our customers, values. partners, and shareholders, despite the size of our company. We continue to base our approach on the values of transparency, fairness, and sincerity. Our services are still aimed at small and mid-sized enterprises. Past and future expansion does not change Over our lasting 30 years commitment of experience to personal and the relationships combination of with expertise our customers, and knowledge partners have and shareholders. made GRENKE Our a highly business will continue international to be financing built on transparency, specialist. We fairness have remained and sincerity. the market leader in small-ticket IT leasing regarded for many years. In line with this rising success, I also believe that we must assume greater social responsibility. I believe Social that with and cultural great success commitment comes great is an corporate integral part social of the responsibility. GRENKE Group s Against approach. this background, the GRENKE Group is passionate about supporting communities and contributing to cultural life. I would be delighted if you took the opportunity to find out more about us by reading this brochure. I would be delighted if you took this opportunity to learn more about us. Yours sincerely Sincerely, Wolfgang Grenke

A vision becomes business reality Entrepreneurs are visionaries. In 1978, Wolfgang Grenke realised that there was a market for leasing office communications equipment that was completely untapped. This prompted him to found the company as a sole proprietorship in Baden-Baden. It was the beginning of a success story with many exciting chapters to follow. The first branch opened in 1990, and the Group has been growing ever since. GRENKE passed another significant milestone in 1997, when it was converted into a public limited company before its initial public offering three years later. GRENKELEASING AG has been listed on the SDAX index since 2003. GRENKE has since introduced two new lines of business. In 2005, factoring was added to the service portfolio. The privately owned bank Hesse Newman was acquired in 2009 and renamed GRENKE BANK AG, further expanding the range of services. With over 30 years experience, GRENKE established a presence throughout Europe in small-ticket IT leasing. It has experienced consistent healthy growth as an international organisation. This is because GRENKE is a reliable partner who understands the special requirements of small and mid-sized enterprises in terms of financing. Therefore, we have developed tailored solutions that can only be found at GRENKE. Against this backdrop, GRENKE offers the following: :: Straightforward approach and rapid results :: Local and personal advice and assistance :: Pricing and products tailored to customer needs A regional presence and personal service for customers and partners remain key aspects of our business. We believe it is crucial that all transactions are mutually beneficial for all stakeholders. This provides the platform for successful and enduring partnerships.

Our headquarters in Baden-Baden, Germany

One-stop leasing, banking and factoring services The GRENKE Group s core business is leasing for office communications. Our key focus in this area is to efficiently process high volumes of small and even smaller contracts, combined with personal advice and support. This is the approach that has allowed us to take great strides forward in our competitive environment. We are constantly developing new products and new areas of business that effectively complement our portfolio and also incorporate the factors of our success in leasing namely bank and factoring services. Value-added leasing Not all leasing solutions are alike. Innovative financing concepts are required for long-term market success. Therefore, we have developed a series of innovative offerings that go well beyond the traditional leasing contract and also highlight our leading market position. We have specialised in not just supporting our specialist resellers with standard transactions, but also with offering them optimal solutions to the individual requirements of their customers. This allows us to strengthen our partnerships and ensures the long-term loyalty of specialist resellers to our company. At the same time, we safeguard the satisfaction of our common customers. As a long-term partner, we aim to offer both specialist resellers and customers with more than just cost benefits. Through expert advice, rapid, uncomplicated processing, and online-based support, we make the handling of leasing financing extremely easy, which allows our specialist resellers and customers to focus on their own core business. Structure of leasing portfolio in 2012 General office technology 4.3 % Other 0.1 % Security equipment 3.8 % Medical equipment 2.9 % IT equipment (not including notebooks) 33.5 % Machinery and office equipment 7.0 % Telecommunications equipment 11.5 % Notebooks 4.5 % Photocopying 32,4 % Share of IT products in portfolio (based on new business): 87 %

A bank for small and mid-sized businesses GRENKE BANK AG s services have enhanced the GRENKE Group s product range, allowing us to now meet the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises with even more tailored solutions. In collaboration with GREN- KELEASING AG, for example, we have succeeded in incorporating leasing services into the programmes of the German state development banks. For the fixed-term deposits of private and institutional investors, GRENKE Bank offers attractive interest rates. We also offer enhanced security customer deposits are protected as part of a guarantee backed by the Association of German Banks. We offer support to start-ups and young entrepreneurs. Via GRENKE Bank, these businesses can quickly and easily apply for subsidised loans from KfW Mittelstandsbank or L-BANK Baden-Württemberg. Factoring fast and easy liquidity More and more companies are realising that they can achieve major competitive advantages with factoring by securing liquidity at any time and without using credit lines from their bank. The assignment of outgoing claims to GRENKE and their immediate payment eliminate waiting times for invoice settlement as well as follow-up costs when payments are not made. Default risk is no longer a cause for concern as it is borne by GRENKE Factoring for all purchased receivables. By focusing on small-ticket factoring, we are also systematically implementing the GRENKE Group s strategy in this area of business: namely the provision of financial services for small-scale entrepreneurs and SMEs. There are good reasons for SMEs to choose factoring, particularly during periods of growth when funds are required for new projects and investment. While it is often difficult for these companies to access lines of credit, factoring can give instant liquidity, protection against insolvency, and provide the security needed in order to focus on new tasks and challenges.

Global operations, local service GRENKE s strong relationships with partners and customers are not the result of chance: they are built on our corporate philosophy and the driving force behind our international success. GRENKE offers a comprehensive, responsive service expert advice and assistance is never far away.

A billion euros in new business In fiscal 2012, the GRENKE Group and its franchisees generated one billion euros of new business for the first time. The volume of new business rose to 1,027.6 million euros, an increase of 20 per cent over the previous year, with leasing, factoring and start-up funding all contributing to the result. Looking ahead, we will not lose sight of our medium-term aim of 10 per cent annual growth. In 2013, we expect growth in new business of around 13 to 16 per cent. Our international presence is paying dividends, with around 66 per cent of new business last year coming from outside Germany. Now it is a case of expanding our market penetration into new territories and broadening our range of financial services. GRENKE Group s new business (in million euros), including franchisees* 1,050 1,000 950 900 850 800 750 700 650 600 550 500 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 * The total cost of newly acquired leased assets, factoring volumes and business start-up financing.

More about GRENKE: What our partners have to say Our retail partners and customers value different aspects of the GRENKE business model. We ensure they both receive what they require. So there is one thing our retail partners and customers agree on: with GRENKE, you get a complete solution. :: Arieh B. Bolyos, Head of Sales, DiTech GmbH, Austria, retail partner: The partnership between GRENKE and DiTech began over five years ago with a run-of-the-mill leasing inquiry for an IT project. DiTech was on the lookout for a leasing partner of similar quality. Our priority was and remains rapid responses to credit checks and excellent customer service. Based on this solid foundation, DiTech and GRENKE have won and processed hundreds of leasing contracts, with increased customer satisfaction. :: Richard Lipscombe, Sales Director, Channel Assist Ltd, Southampton, England, factoring client: Working with GRENKE has been a delight. Our business expansion required significant cash flow, which we were comfortable with, but the GRENKE solution enabled us to expand at an accelerated pace. The sales engagement and set-up is very simple. We met with the GRENKE :: Guido Meisenheimer, owner, True-Images Photographie, Brunswick, Deutschland, start-up funding: I enjoy working with GRENKE Bank because it is customer-centric, focused on success, rapid and reliable. team twice, filled in a few forms and it was all ready to go. It feels like our finance department grew by two full-time employees. We reviewed and met with all the major players in the market before selecting GRENKE, and it was the solution, the process and the personal relationship that made the GRENKE selection easy. :: Jim Hand, Director, Bryan S Ryan Ltd, Dublin, Ireland, retail partner: Bryan S Ryan have been dealing with GRENKE for over eight years. We view them as an essential part of our daily offering to our customers. They provide an efficient and comprehensive financial leasing service and one that enables us to develop positive lasting relationships with our clients. GRENKE understands the challenges of the evolving market place and have worked with us to create financial solutions to help us meet these challenges. We are very pleased with the level of support we receive from GRENKE locally, and we look forward to growing our business partnership with them into the future. :: Reinhard Kühn, CEO, IXISTEM GmbH, Oldenburg, Germany, retail partner: :: Joachim Pohl, Managing Partner, bluenetdata GmbH, Rheinbach, Deutschland, Leasing-Partner: GRENKE impressed us with its fast, efficient service from the credit check to payment. And equally important, if there is a problem, GRENKE is a very solution-centric company. Our long-term partnership with GRENKE originally came about because they offered by far the most attractive terms. Today, we not only value the outstanding terms on offer for our customers, but even more so the highly professional and straightforward way they respond to every customer project. What s more, GRENKE is proactive in terms of personal communication, which adds even more value.

Knowledge strengthens competitiveness and market position. We expect the very best from our employees. They strongly identify with their core tasks: recognising our customers needs and developing effective solutions. And they tackle every challenge with great enthusiasm. Their skills and dedication are our greatest asset, and have always formed the foundation of our success. Without their commitment and expertise, GRENKE would not be the highly competitive and growing enterprise it is today. GRENKE is committed to developing the skills of our employees and providing a variety of skills development opportunities. We are a certified partner to the German education system, providing opportunities ranging from apprenticeships to participation in cooperative education courses at university level. By training young people and offering them employment upon completion of their programmes, we ensure we have highly skilled staff. GRENKE Akademie, founded several years ago, helps employees of the GRENKE Group perform their day-today tasks more efficiently. Its portfolio of high-quality courses is tailored to the unique needs of the target group. The classes and seminars address changes in the way we work and do business, and familiarise participants with the latest legislation and regulations. The programme is clearly structured and is based on proven teaching methods. Courses are taught by GRENKE employees or third-party experts, and are always tailored to individual needs and areas of specialisation. All of these factors make GRENKE Akademie a highly effective up-skilling resource. To ensure knowledge transfer across multiple sites, we leverage e-learning software with great success. Regular evaluations ensure that our courses and workshops fulfil the same high expectations we have for the rest of our company, and support continuous improvement.

Good corporate citizenship All of those who live in or from a society should also make a contribution to its general good. GRENKE embraces this challenge and assumes social responsibility in many areas. We demonstrate our commitment within and outside of our company, in particular, to young people and their professional and cultural development. Chess GRENKE promotes a diverse range of chess activities. We have supported two local Baden-Baden chess clubs for over a decade. In 2013, GRENKE became the main sponsor of the world class GRENKE Chess Classic in Baden-Baden. The event attracts the chess elite this year, current world champion Vishwanathan Anand was in attendance. In France, GRENKE LOCATION SAS sponsors the Cercle d Echecs de Bischwiller chess club. School GRENKE collaborates with a number of schools within the scope of initiative launched by local chambers of commerce. The aim is to give pupils a better understanding of the business world. They receive information on our company and the job opportunities we offer in specific fields. This helps young people choose a suitable profession and teachers to provide better career counselling. Music GRENKE is a sponsor of the Columbus education programme at Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden, introducing schoolchildren to the world of classical music. In recent years, thanks to our support, more than 25,000 pupils have received discounted entrance to events. School classes discuss the concerts, share the concert evening experience and often have the opportunity to meet performers such as Hilary Hahn and Lang Lang in person.

Responsible for content and design: GRENKELEASING AG Neuer Markt 2 76532 Baden-Baden Germany Phone: +49 7221 5007-0 Fax: +49 7221 5007-222 E-mail: service@grenke.de Internet: www.grenke-group.com

EN 05/13