Alba Leasing – a major financial leasing company – and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed a €95 million loan guaranteed by SACE for supporting new leasing schemes targeting SMEs.
These new financial resources will be used to develop Alba Leasing’s business – in line with the corporate funding objectives set out in the 2013-2016 industrial plan – and deployed on the credit market in support of small and medium-sized firms.
This operation reinforces Alba Leasing and the EIB’s already strong three-year relationship, which has seen the conclusion of financing operations worth a total of some €400 million.
At a time when businesses’ success depends increasingly on their ability to raise funds, this operation confirms the effectiveness of the strategic partnership between the EIB and SACE, which have been working together for some time to facilitate Italian SMEs’ access to credit on competitive terms.
Leasing is one of the principal sources of financing for SME investment: according to the latest survey carried out by the Italian leasing association (Assilea), 34.7% of firms regularly make use of this type of financial instrument.