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THE BANK FOR CORPORATES
26
Corporates
Extended core
market
Regional focus
being expanded
Offices in Prague,
Warsaw and Frankfurt
Second-largest
ERP trust bank
As much as 38% of the financing transactions concluded in 2001 with a volume of EUR 720 m were
accounted for by corporates which have their domicile outside of Austria. In the previous year, the
figure was 20%. This analysis reflects the increasing internationalisation of the financing business.
Large-scale loans for corporates with their domicile in Central and Eastern European countries
are extended especially for real-estate projects.
The increasing importance of European financing transactions reflects the active internationalisation
strategy of Austrian corporates. Following this trend, Investkredit has also expanded its regional focus
and is currently active in the core markets of Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland
as well as in other Central European candidate countries. In addition to the regional expansion of
its core market, Investkredit also considers it part of its mission to support Austrian corporates in their
internationalisation activities.
EUROPEAN OFFICES. In April 2001, Investkredit opened a representative office in Prague. The
motivating factors for entering the Czech Republic were the favourable economic conditions on the
one hand, and the successful real-estate activities
of the Europolis Invest Group in Prague on the other
hand. The establishment of the Prague office will
not only ensure a better servicing of Austrian customers
in the Czech Republic but also promote
the bank’s direct business in the sphere of corporate
and real-estate financing. The target group for
corporate financing transactions include both Austrian
corporates with existing and/or projected local
offices or participating interests in companies
in the Czech Republic, and Czech corporates with
a good credit standing, an appropriate market share
and a convincing business policy. Currently preparations
are underway to open a representative
office in Warsaw in the second quarter of 2002.
“If you would
know the value
of money, go
and try to
borrow some.“
In January 2002, Investkredit opened a branch
office in Frankfurt, the “city of the euro“. The German
market has acquired special significance mainly
because of its size and because of the strong economic
links with Austria and Austrian corporates.
Among other things, the Frankfurt office supports
Investkredit’s Austrian customers in their activities
in Germany and offers the whole spectrum of BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Investkredit services to German medium-sized
corporates. Another focal element are syndicated
financing operations. The regional focus in the medium- to long-term lending business is primarily on
Baden-Württemberg and Hessen followed by Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen and Bavaria.
AID MANAGEMENT. Aid management from application to final settlement continues to be a special
task of the bank. Aid-related financing today mostly concentrates on ERP trust and guarantee loans.
In the year under review, Investkredit was the second-largest ERP trust bank in terms of ERP total
lendings, ranking only slightly behind the market leader. Great emphasis was also attached to the
financing of research projects, which are supported by the Austrian Industrial Research Fund (FFF). The
re-organisation of the Austrian aid system in the Structural Fund period up to 2006 is characterised