Finlease goes west
29-Dec-09
Leading business finance broker Finlease is expanding its network by opening up a branch in Perth. Finlease has teamed up with an established Western Australian business finance broker AGF Charter, with the new office officially opening on January 1, 2010
As Mark O’Donoghue, principal of Finlease highlighted, “The move to Perth will help us deliver considerable benefits for all our clients around Australia. By further expanding our client base gives us greater leverage with the leading financiers, allowing us to negotiate better outcomes for all our clients.”
Richard Harper, of AGF Charter is equally bullish about the new operation. “Becoming part of the Finlease group is an important step for us. It makes us more than a one state – one office operation, but will allow much greater scope for sharing expertise and maximising of opportunities.”
Finlease has extensive experience in providing finance solutions for small to medium sized businesses. In the same way, AGF Charter was founded on a similar platform and has an equally diligent service ethic. While originally an automotive financier providing hire purchase and leasing, the company grew to provide solutions for a broad range of industry types including mining, construction and earthmoving.
The new Finlease office will provide much needed support to small to medium businesses. Recent research has highlighted how far the banks have fallen in the eyes of small business operators. A survey in June this year indicated that attitudes toward banks by micro businesses (those with $1-5M turnover) are at an all time low. In another survey, virtually no one was prepared to recommend their bank to a colleague or associate.
As banks concern themselves with servicing the needs of the major corporations, smaller businesses appear to be of less importance. This is where the strengthening of the Finlease branch network can only be a good thing. The move into Western Australia helps make Finlease a broader reaching company with extended coverage for increased clout.
It is anticipated that the major resource projects including the recent LNG supply arrangements will have a ripple effect benefiting many smaller contractors and suppliers. So this new Finlease branch comes at an opportune time in helping them capitalise on the opportunities by accessing vital funding at reasonable cost, allowing their businesses to grow.
About Finlease: Finlease is a specialist finance specialists that has grown 20 times in 20 years and has nearly $1 billion worth of funds currently arranged and in place for its predominantly small to medium business clients. The company arranges financing for all manner of business & personal assets from charter boats to cranes, aircraft to fitouts and all types of property. Finlease has over 4,000 clients throughout Australia, and acts as finance advocates to ensure favorable outcomes for its clients.
About AGF Charter: AGF Charter Group Pty Ltd was previously known as hire purchase specialists Automotive and General Finance until 2003 when we merged with finance brokers Charter Finance. We have been looking after our client’s financial requirements since 1988.
With over 100 years of combined finance experience between the partners, the business has seen some solid growth over the past few years. Including the three partners, AGF Charter has a staff of ten to service our clients.
The business’s core financial products in its early years consisted mainly of Hire Purchase and Leasing and our business clients range from many and varied industries across Australia.