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Europe represents one of the fastest-growing parts of the world for ATMs, and a new trade association, ATMIA Europe, plans to serve as a powerful voice for the industry. Launched last fall, the new group was created by the three-year-old ATM Industry Association.
January 7, 2001
Those hoping to stake a claim in the rapidly expanding European ATM market have a new ally inATMIA Europe, a newly formed association launched by the three-year-oldATM Industry Association(ATMIA) in the United States.
ATMIA Europe launched last fall, with the hiring of Englishman Michael Lee as executive director. His charge is to oversee the association's formation and head up efforts to organize its first events. Based near London, Lee is working on establishing relationships with major industry players throughout Europe.
ATMIA Europe has identified 21 countries in which it would like to become active. Lee plans to speak to industry experts in these nations to understand the key issues they face in the ATM sector.
"I wanted to visit all 21 countries to meet the players and ask what the key issues are," said Lee, formerly research and development manager for SMi, a London-based business-to-business information provider. Lee's first stops, in September, were Belgium and Holland.
Lee expects it will take at least a year to get to every country, especially since he's been spending much of his time talking with industry leaders throughout Britain. He has made solid progress in forming an advisory board, and has seven commitments from a variety of ATM companies and groups, incluiding LINK and Secruricor. He expects to complete board appointments with about 15 members representing all facets of the industry.
Like its American parent, ATMIA Europe will provide members with news and information, services, insurance and serve as a voice for the industry. Already, it has planned two events: a one-day conference focused on security issues in June 2001 and its inaugural conference and exhibition, slated for Sept. 18-20. London will be the host city for both events.
A large playing field
While North America and the Asia-Pacific region currently have the most installations worldwide, Europe represents a major growth area for deployment of ATMs. According to a report issued last year by Retail Banking Research Limited, a United Kingdom-based research firm, ATM installations worldwide will grow by 45 percent from 1998 to 2004, up to more than 1,150,000.
Several of the leading countries for growth of ATMs mentioned in the Retail Banking report are in Europe, including Greece, Turkey, Belgium and Austria.
"We want to set up in all of Europe, and eventually into the Middle East," Lee said. "There are interesting things in Turkey, and other emerging markets like the Czech Republic."
European issues
Lyle Elias, president of ATMIA and a key supporter of the association's entry into Europe, compared the status of ATM deployment in Europe to conditions in the U.S. in 1997, when the ATMIA was launched.
"Timing is everything," Elias said. "The ATM industry in Europe is in the early stages before major growth occurs. We feel like it's a similar time window to take advantage of industry growth and grow with it."
Elias said that differences between the two membership groups would create differing opportunities for the organizations. For instance, he said that insurance coverage is one of the primary benefits for ATMIA members in America, while ATMIA Europe will be more focused on lobbying various political groups and governments on behalf of ATM-friendly regulation.
Lee agreed that lobbying will be an important function. He said ATMIA Europe, through a law firm in Brussels, is keeping an eye on issues impacting ATMs.
"If an issue is potentially disadvantageous to the industry, we can lobby on behalf of the industry," he said.
Elias sees a number of issues that will require immediate attention, and a watchful eye, for the European trade association.
"The ISO market is starting to heat up, and the surcharge is getting traction," Elias said. "Off-premise manufacturers are expanding and investing in the European market."
ATMIA Europe expansion
Elias said developing ATMIA Europe requires a different approach to attract members. ATMIA, which currently has more than 400 members, gained a quarter of those members when it held its first national conference in February 2000 in Orlando, Fla.
"In the U.S. we started with smaller member companies and grew it from there," he said. "In Europe the ISO market is underdeveloped and the industry is not as fragmented, because much of it is controlled by large banks."
ATMIA Europe traces its roots to mid-1998, when Lee invited Tom Harper, cofounder of ATMIA, to help lead an ATM conference in 1999. Lee was producing the event for SMi, which launched the conference as a new industry venture.
"We were approached by the European ATM people to start a chapter there," Harper said. "The industry pulled us in that direction."
Lee was a natural choice to lead the new group. Born in Britain, he spent much of his life in South Africa, first as an English instructor and then as manager of research and development for one of the world's largest insurance firms, Old Mutual Insurance. He moved to London in 1997, and later took an R&D position with SMi.
"Mike's experience in creating and launching an ATM conference in London was really impressive," Harper said. "The shows I attended were well organized, and he obviously knew how to start something new. I'm confident he'll excel in establishing ATMIA Europe as a powerful voice for the industry."
Included In This Story
ATM Industry Association (ATMIA)
The ATM Industry Association, founded in 1997, is a global non-profit trade association with over 10,500 members in 65 countries. The membership base covers the full range of this worldwide industry comprising over 2.2 million installed ATMs.
