Company Press Release
June 9, 2000
NORTH CASTLE, NY -- IBM today announced a strategic alliance between IBM Global Financing and Heller Financial,
Inc. (NYSE:HF - news) to introduce a Web-based leasing program for small businesses around the world. Under the
program, called SuccessLease, small businesses in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America can acquire complete
e-business solutions using simplified access to quick and convenient web-enabled financing.
Offered through IBM Business Partners, as well as directly from IBM via ShopIBM, SuccessLease has been available
in North America since early 1999. Through the global alliance with Heller, SuccessLease is now available in the
United Kingdom, France, Japan and Chile, in addition to the United States and Canada. Plans are also in place to
introduce SuccessLease in several other countries in Europe and Asia through the IBM/Heller alliance.
Under the global program, small businesses -- typically with up to 100 employees -- can finance up to $50,000 in
hardware, software and services in just minutes. Heller Global Vendor Finance will provide the financing and administration
of SuccessLease worldwide.
Linda Ryan, vice president of marketing for IBM Global Financing, commented on the benefit that SuccessLease provides
to small business customers. ``IT financing is a critical tool that enables small businesses to acquire the IT
solutions they need to remain competitive, to grow, and to implement new e-business applications, while preserving
their other sources of cash,'' said Ms. Ryan. ``IBM Global Financing recognizes that the traditional financing
application process can be lengthy for these smaller companies, and SuccessLease changes this by providing easier,
rapid credit approval over the Internet.''
``In my daily activities quick turnaround is important, so I was delighted when my software vendor introduced me
to SuccessLease,'' said Henry Satt, president and CEO, Seashore Food Distributors in Rio Grande, NJ. ``The whole
transaction and approval process literally took only a few minutes, and I was able to get back to the business
at hand.''
SuccessLease is available for IBM and non-IBM hardware, software, and services, allowing qualified customers to
benefit from one-stop shopping. Other features include attractive lease rates and quick credit decisions, usually
in minutes, which are executed online.
``This announcement is an important step in support of IBM Global Financing's strategy to align with other select
financial partners, and provide a broader array of offerings for our customers,'' said Joel Raven, vice president
of acquisitions and strategic alliances for IBM Global Financing. ``Teaming IBM Global Financing's strength in
IT financing with Heller's expertise in high-volume leasing programs gives us a small-ticket leasing capability
with tremendous worldwide growth potential.''
``We're delighted to enter into a strategic relationship with the world's largest IT financier,'' said Frederick
E. Wolfert, Heller's President and COO. ``Working together, Heller and IBM Global Financing are offering Business
Partners a simple, reliable financing solution for the small business customer. With SuccessLease, IBM customers
in key international markets will have quick, easy access through Heller to the lease financing they need to fund
their IT growth.''
As the largest IT financier in the world, IBM Global Financing offers customers in more than 40 countries leasing
and financing solutions for hardware, software and services acquired from IBM and other vendors. With more than
$44 billion in annual financing originations in 1999, IBM Global Financing also provides flexible commercial financing
for inventory, accounts receivable and acquisitions. In the U.S., financing is provided through IBM Credit Corporation.
Visit the IBM Global Financing home page at http://www.ibm.com/financing.
Heller Financial, Inc., is a worldwide commercial finance company providing a broad range of financing solutions
to middle-market and small business clients. With nearly $19 billion in total assets, Heller offers equipment financing
and leasing, sales finance programs, collateral- and cash flow-based financing, financing for healthcare companies
and financing for commercial real estate. The company also offers trade finance, factoring, asset-based lending,
leasing and vendor finance products and programs to clients in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Heller's common
stock is listed as ``HF'' on the New York and Chicago Stock Exchanges. Heller can be found on the World Wide Web
at http://www.hellerfinancial.com.
SuccessLease is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.
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Contact:
Carol J. Blaszczynski
IBM Global Financing
914-765-6647
or
Joe St Henry
Heller Financial, Inc.
248-680-4386
or
In UK: Ivor Coleman
IBM Global Financing
44-20-8818-5523
or
In Japan: Kazuhiko Suyama
IBM Global Financing
81-3-5563-4288