Cardpoint expands into Europe with first German ATM

Germany has 50,500 ATMs in bank locations with 5,500 of these in remote or off-site locations (Source: Retail Banking Research February 2004). This makes the German market larger than the UK market and at present it remains relatively untapped by independent deployers of ATMs. The German market is a non-surcharge market where interchange fees generally range from 3.50 to 5.50 payable to the ATM owner or operator by most banks. Cardpoint already operates nearly 2,100 cash machines in the UK where it has developed a robust operating model. Its business model has been modified for the German market positioning Cardpoint for further strong controlled profitable growth. Cardpoint forecasts that it will have 30 cash machines deployed in Germany by the summer with 75 by the end of 2004. Cardpoints German business is supported by three key partners including Wincor Nixdorf for ATM and service provision, Transaction Network Services (TNS) for the communications infrastructure and a German sponsor bank, with the machines featuring the Cardpoint brand. These partners, with their own European presence, will help facilitate Cardpoints entry into other countries.