Persbericht 11 april 2007
Datum: woensdag 11 april 2007
Smart Concepts, an international supplier of payment and loyalty card solutions and a world leader in card value added transaction’s services, today announces it has signed a formal merger agreement with ICP/Wellcom, a German combination of full service provider for the processing of stationary, mobile and web-based payment systems for EC, credit, customer and fleet cards. The trading names of the companies will remain the same.
Smart Concepts and ICP/Wellcom have been focusing on building and providing the best advanced turn-key solution to their existing and potential clients, on a global basis. This business integration accelerated the realisation of the aims of both companies and is indented to create firm platforms for future business developments. Terms and conditions of the merger remain confidential.
The Directors believe the merger will:
* Have a transforming impact on the financial position of the new Group
* Provide entries into the global payment card markets
* Build profitably on the Group's extensive fuel card experience
* Provide cross-selling opportunities of related services into Smart Concepts' and ICP’s customer base
* Extend the Group's exposure to areas of the payments process that provide greater value and attract greater revenue streams
Johan Vaatstra, Managing Director of Smart Concepts Group, said:
"We are delighted to have completed this merger. It is a major milestone for Smart Concepts, which we believe will play an important element in our continuing to deliver strong levels of growth as we have seen in the past three years. It is a significant coup for us and is the result of a long search for a suitable business partner in the corporate card issuing and acquiring space. Smart Concepts is now a considerably larger business with an exciting opportunity to build on our fuel card success already achieved in the pan European market by developing our entry into other continents".
Reason for the merger
Smart Concepts already has an established and highly successful fuel and loyalty card operations in Europe. The merger with ICP/Wellcom will have a transforming impact on the financial position of the Group and enables Smart Concepts to continue to build the Group's profitability. The merger will also provide critical mass in a sector of the market that has high barriers to entry and can realistically only be accessed through merger and acquisition.
Smart Concepts’ Directors believe the Acquisition provides a good opportunity to expand Smart Concepts’ card issuing capability into new markets and regions and create significant value. Smart Concepts’ aim is to replicate its successful European model by combining its skills with the ICP/Wellcom ones, including placing greater focus on client retention and by extending the products and services offered.
Smart Concepts’ existing products and services have clear advantages for the card issuers, by helping them enhancing their offer and by developing their customer base.
ICP/Wellcom
Wellcom GmbH, founded over a quarter of a century ago, is together with the new established ICP Entwicklungsgeselschaft GmbH, is a leading full-service provider of bank-neutral stationary, mobile and Web-based cashless payment services in Germany, handling over 100 million high-security transactions each year. Key features in the products and services portfolio of the Hamburg/Munich-based company include hardware and software development and provisioning, full transaction-based database management at its authorisation and clearing centre, system integration and customising, as well as development of e-payment security systems for Web shops and call centres. ICP specialises in end-to-end electronic and cashless payment solutions and is a first mover in Germany’s POS business.
ICP/Wellcom has for the last 15 years used its core business – ec, credit and customer card-based payment processing and vertical market solutions – to target the banking, retail, hotel and hospitality sectors as well as the oil industry. It has successfully outstripped its competitors to take the lead in the filling station market. The Hamburg specialist is one of three providers who already offer an ec-cash-compliant payment solution for vending machines. ICP/Wellcom’s long list of customers and partners include Deutsche Bank, easycash, SEB Bank, Volkswagen Bank direct, CONOCO/Jet, DEA, TotalFinaElf, ORGA Kartensysteme, TeleCash, B&S Card Service, DVB Processing, Wincor Nixdorf, Autostadt Wolfsburg, Volkswagen’s Kundenclub, ComfortCard Services (RBS), Lufthansa Airplus and LSG Lufthansa Service
Mr W. Jerono, Managing Director of ICP/Wellcom said: “The merger with Smart Concepts is intended to take advantage of the expected continued growth in card payments and the associated demand for new services and innovative method of payment.”
Contacts:
Smart Concepts
Mrs Lia Weidema
Press and Public Relations
e-mail: publicrelations@smartconcepts.com
Website: www.smartconcepts.com
ICP GmbH
Mr Dr W. Jerono
Press and Public Relations
Mr Dr W. Jerono
Press and Public Relations
e-mail: jerono@icp-gmbh.de
Websites: www.icp-gmbh.de and www.wellcom.de
Smart Concepts, internationaal leverancier van betaal- en loyaltysystemen en card & transactie-management opent een nieuwe vestiging in Sophia Antipolis (bij Nice) – Frankrijk. Philippe Chautard wordt International Sales Director.
Philippe Chautard is verantwoordelijk voor de commerciële ontwikkeling van betaalprocessen en services voor de benzinebranche.
Philippe Chautard heeft meer dan 15 jaren ervaring op management niveau op de Europese fleet & tankkaart markt. Zijn ervaring in de benzinebranche omvat strategische, marketing-, IT- en zakelijke procesdisciplines, vanuit verschillende invalshoeken, in een multiculturele, internationale omgeving.
Johan Vaatstra, CEO en eigenaar van Smart Concepts: “We hebben een revolutionair “state-of-the-art” software platform ontwikkeld, welke terminal onafhankelijk is en de gebruikers in staat stelt te profiteren van de laatste technologie, tegen lage kosten en met hoge prestaties. Het uitbreiden van onze activiteiten past perfect in onze strategie. De aanstelling van Philippe Chautard zal onze huidige en toekomstige klanten in staat stellen te profiteren van onze deskundigheid en onze inspanningen in hun behoeften te voorzien”.
Over Smart Concepts:
Smart Concepts kan gezien worden als één van de marktleiders van benzinekaarten, loyalty management en service oplossingen voor grote benzinemaatschappijen en andere kaartuitgevende bedrijven sinds 1996. We leveren end-to-end card management aan de business-to-business sector met een compleet management van fleet cards en betaalkaarten.
Voor verdere informatie kunt u contact opnemen met Johan Vaatstra van Smart Concepts, e-mail publicrelations@smartconcepts.com.