An US$18.2mn US Ex-Im Bank long-term loan guarantee is supporting the export by Diebold Global Finance of 1,000 automated teller machines (ATMs) to JSC Alliance Bank in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The machines will be assembled by Diebold workers at Diebold’s Lexington, NC, facility.

“This agreement has helped us solidify our position with the customer as one of their preferred vendors, as we were able to match competitive financing offers from non-US providers,” says Bret Kushner, vice- president of international customer finance at Diebold Global Finance.

Alliance will use the ATMs in its point-of-sale network within Kazakhstan, in remote locations of the Kazakh national post office, in new outlets and branches in cities throughout the country to be completed this year, and in consumer retail locations such as gasoline stations, markets, and sports complexes.

“Diebold has been an active user of Ex-Im Bank’s medium-term financing, but this is the first time they have used the long-term programme,” says Bruce Drossman, director at Société Générale whose affiliate, Societe Generale Financial Corp, New York, is the guaranteed lender on the transaction. “The current financing permits a longer repayment schedule because of the size of the transaction, and this is highly favourable for Alliance.”

Alliance’s focus has been on upgrading its technology platform and supporting the small business market, which has been historically underserved by the banking sector.