Milan, 24 July 2019 – UniCredit and Confindustria Lombardia have today signed the ‘Leasing4SME’ cooperation agreement with Confidi Systema! and UniCredit Leasing. Following the framework agreement signed on 4 March, this initiative focuses on promoting medium-to-long-term financial leasing to companies associated with Confindustria Lombardia through local associations, backed by a guarantee from Confidi Systema!. The renewable agreement is valid until 30 June 2020.

Leasing4SME, the result of a convention between UniCredit Leasing and Confidi Systema! promoted by UniCredit and Confindustria Lombardia, aims to support the growth of Lombardy’s small and medium-sized enterprises by facilitating access to credit and supporting investment plans for capital goods and heavy vehicles. The scheme will allow companies to secure medium-to-long-term leasing finance, supported by a Confidi Systema! guarantee and additional services offered by UniCredit Leasing. Depending on the type of investment, these include the Nuova Sabatini capital goods facility, hyper-depreciation (for high-tech and Industry 4.0 investments), super-depreciation, and the R&D tax credit. The agreement is part of a broader range of opportunities offered to companies to promote the development of the production system, with a specific focus on SMEs by providing a flexible measure tailored to their needs.

For the President of Confindustria Lombardia, Marco Bonometti, “the signing of this agreement with UniCredit adds another piece to the ‘Credito’ project launched by Confindustria Lombardia in 2018 to support local areas and Lombard SMEs. To increase competitiveness and meet global challenges, we need a strong system to accompany our companies on their path of investment and innovation. This is what we have put in place with UniCredit and Confidi Systema! for Leasing4SME, allowing Lombard SMEs to invest without compromising their financial future. If political responses are slow to arrive, businesses can no longer afford to stand by and watch,” concludes Bonometti.

“This agreement with key partners such as Confindustria Lombardia and Confidi Systema! demonstrates to the local production system that the Bank is committed to supporting the competitiveness of Lombard SMEs, facilitating their access to credit and providing the ideal conditions to keep pace with innovation and plant renewal,” states Giovanni Solaroli, Regional Manager for Lombardy at UniCredit. “Through this partnership,” concludes Enrico Verdoscia, CEO of UniCredit Leasing, “we can offer Lombard SMEs specialised services and leasing finance solutions to support investment, innovation, and business development.”

“Confidi Systema! is constantly at the forefront of facilitating access to credit for businesses, using a consultative approach and providing a solid, reliable guarantee to support every corporate need,” says the President of Confidi Systema!, Alessandro Spada.
“Today’s agreement opens up new potential, particularly for companies planning structural investments, and strengthens our partnership with the UniCredit Group, which has been tested throughout the Lombardy region. We are reaching out to a potential of over 54,000 member companies and all those businesses that invest capital and energy daily to improve their competitiveness and achieve new results. We are confident that, with Leasing4SME, Confidi Systema! will be able to attract new investment for the benefit of the real economy,” concludes Spada.

Attachments

• PR_UniCredit-Confindustria_Lombardia_bilateral_agreement_24July2019.pdf