Helsinki, Finland & Nanterre, France

November 4, 2019

BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions and 3StepIT announce that their joint venture, BNP Paribas 3 Step IT, started trading in October.

BNP Paribas 3 Step It launches Circular Economy based European sales offer for technology equipment

BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions’ existing branches in France and Italy now operate under the new joint venture name, with nine more countries will follow by mid-20201.

This new entity offers a complete and more sustainable way to manage technology lifecycles. It delivers a service based on circular economy principles; a service that anticipates the needs of companies looking for more flexible and sustainable “product as a service”2 financing solutions.

BNP Paribas 3 Step IT combines the strengths, expertise and geographical cover of the European leasing leader, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, and the Finnish specialist in IT life cycle management (management, refurbishment in own logistics centres and re-marketing), 3stepIT, to take the latter’s successful approach out of its Nordic stronghold and deliver it across Europe.

BNP Paribas 3 Step IT provides a complete service to companies to help them manage technology investments (mainly smartphones, tablets, PCs and laptops). The service adds value at all points in the lifecycle. It helps:

  • Analyse their needs to develop a lifecycle plan
  • Provide the funding to select and acquire the planned equipment
  • Monitor and manage equipment in use: where it is, who pays, how much it costs, when to replace it, as well as automating many routine IT administration tasks.
  • Return equipment at the end of the contract, for secure data destruction followed by refurbishing for resale, when the value recovered helps reduce rental costs.

In practice, this approach helps clients improve their IT service level, with up to date equipment; and provide IT devices at a lower overall cost. It also helps run IT in a more sustainable way, because the devices are refurbished, rather than dumped.

We refurbish 97% of returned devices for re-use, with less than 3% being recycled. Our focus on sustainability also confers sustainability on our clients’ own use of IT. Extending the life of equipment displaces the manufacture of new product and spreads the manufacturing carbon footprint across two users. Including manufacture, transport and power costs in the calculation, this reduces the carbon footprint by 36%.

Electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream on the planet, and the source of 70% of landfill toxic waste. Re-use reduces clients’ e-waste contribution by around 48%.

Sustainability is a growing factor in IT planning. While 15% of organisations say it is a consideration today, a further 67% say they intend to integrate sustainability into their IT plans within the next two years3. A circular economy lifecycle approach, that delivers product life extension for over 97% of returned devices, will interest these organisations.

Since we announced this joint venture, many international companies have wanted to learn more.  The lifecycle management service meets their business needs, and aligns with their values in terms of responsibility. Becoming more sustainable is increasingly a competitive differentiator, and a consideration for clients, partners and investors. As well as serving clients’ broader needs, this alliance is in perfect sync with the BNP Paribas Group strategy to support circular economy initiatives,” said Charlotte Dennery, CEO of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions.

We are delighted to take our solution across Europe. BNP Paribas 3 Step IT will offer a more sustainable approach to using technology, on a large international scale – a breakthrough for a circular economy business model, and a response to our customers’ demands for a global service”, says Carmen Ene, CEO of 3stepIT.

  1. European countries covered by the alliance:

Joint venture: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Commercial partnership: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden.

  1. Product as a service: selling the use of the equipment rather than the equipment itself.
  2. 3stepIT international market survey of 1000 organisations, carried out in February 2019

About BNP Paribas 3 Step IT:

The joint venture company, BNP Paribas 3 Step IT, makes IT more sustainable. It offers device-as-a-service solutions and refurbishes the used technology to find a new user.

The alliance brings BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, European leader in asset finance, and 3stepIT, seasoned experts in the IT asset management business, together, to take the most sustainable technology lifecycle solutions across Europe.

The partners’ existing branches in France and Italy operate under the name BNP Paribas 3 Step IT, with expansion following to serve most of Europe by the end of 2020.

Find more information at bnpparibas-3stepit.uk.

Watch the interview of Pascal Layan, our Deputy CEO, in Green Reflex, a French TV programme dedicated to energy transition, broadcasted on BFM Business on July 04, 2019.

He explains how our business operations and finance solutions promote the circular economy by not only prolonging the life of professional equipment, but also by giving them a second or even a third life. It is through the associated services offered with these solutions – such as predictive maintenance, insurance, fleet management, etc. – and our numerous international partnerships that we’re able to support both the commercial growth of businesses and transition to cleaner forms of energy.

We are committed to your business growth.

Our competitive finance solutions can help you capitalise on new opportunities. Contact us today to discuss your needs with a member of our team.

Strategic alliance created to offer more sustainable management of technological equipment across Europe

BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions and 3 Step IT have created a European strategic alliance, providing complete sustainable technology lifecycle management solutions, on an international level. The service offer, deeply rooted in the circular economy, meets businesses demands for more flexible and sustainable product-as-a-service solutions. The alliance is effective in the 20* European countries where each partner operates, developed under the name “BNP Paribas 3 Step IT”. Within the partnership, a joint venture operation will trade in 11 countries, starting in France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions is a European leader in financing professional equipment. It has been active for more than 20 years in the rental and lifecycle management market and added the BNP Paribas Rental Solutions brand in 2010.  The partnership with 3 Step IT will enable BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions to expand internationally and strengthen its re-marketing capabilities at the end of the contract.

3 Step IT is a technology life cycle management specialist. A leader in northern Europe, with headquarters in Helsinki, its services includes funding the acquisition and management of technology (usually IT devices), refurbishing and remarketing. The partnership will enable 3 Step IT to expand into other countries, notably in Western Europe, where BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions is present

The partnership between BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions and 3 Step IT confirms the ambition of both organisations to become a leader in the field of finance and product-as-a-service-solutions for technology equipment in Europe. They will take a lead in promoting the circular economy with services that maintain equipment in use and recondition returned equipment for resale to extend its life.

The partners will combine their expertise to provide organisations with a complete management service for their technology equipment, including understanding customer needs, funding, tracking and monitoring (what is installed, where it is, who pays, how much, etc.), data destruction and refurbishing and resale of returned equipment

Equipment will typically include: computers, smartphones, printers, software, healthcare etc.  This comprehensive service will also be available to manufacturers and distributors to meet their customers’ needs and expectations.

The joint venture company to offer this service is in plan for the end of 2019. The joint venture company, named BNP Paribas 3 Step IT, will be 51% owned by BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions and 49% by 3 Step IT. With a head office in France, it will also operate in the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. In 2020, the new company plans to extend its services to Poland, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Switzerland, to complete the European network.

Beyond the joint venture territory, “BNP Paribas 3 Step IT” alliance will provide similar services to its international clients through a commercial partnership, mainly in the Nordic and Baltic countries. 3 Step IT operations in Asia are not included in the partnership and will continue to run as they do today.

The alliance will be finalized by the end of the first half of 2019, subject to the agreement of the various regulatory authorities.

“With this announcement, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions complements both its European network, particularly in the Nordic and Baltic countries, and accelerates its commitment to the circular economy. 3 Step IT is the ideal partner to develop an offer that promotes the recycling and resale of technology equipment made available to our customers and partners. This transaction aligns perfectly with the BNP Paribas group’s strategy and its 2020 commitment plan, which includes the circular economy,”

said Charlotte Dennery, CEO of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions.

“The 3 Step IT team is very excited to partner with Europe’s leading professional equipment finance company. Our company was built around sustainability. Now, together with BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, we can make the circular economy a reality and develop more sustainable leasing for technology assets across Europe. This will benefit our clients and build an ever more successful business relationship,”

says Carmen Ene, CEO of 3 Step IT.

*European countries covered by the Alliance:
Joint-venture: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Partnership beyond the JV: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Romania, Sweden.

About 3 Step IT

As technology financing specialists, 3 Step IT makes it easy to lease, manage and renew IT assets. Our asset management service puts customers in control of their equipment life cycle: when each item was installed, where it’s used, and when it’s due to be replaced. So the end of lease process is never a surprise. Our refurbishing centres process hundreds of thousands of returned devices annually. After data has been securely erased, reconditioned devices are resold to an extensive network of buyers. We resell 98% of returned devices, with only 2% sent for recycling. We also work in partnership with other lessors: they can use our asset management, refurbish and resale expertise to offer more to their clients and also realise their assets’ residual value potential.

More information at 3stepit.com
Follow 3 Step IT on Twitter, @3stepIT, and LinkedIn

Press contacts:
Elodie Antoine:    +33 (0)6 71 53 45 32elodie.antoine@bnpparibas.com
Suvi Altonen:    +358 40 570 7179 – suvi.aaltonen@3stepit.com

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enquiryWe are committed to your business growth.

Our competitive finance solutions can help you capitalise on new opportunities. Contact us today to discuss your needs with a member of our team.

Access has replaced ownership through a massive shift in consumer mindset. BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions aims to drive these economic and social transformations by helping its partners adopt financing solutions that favor access and, by extension, the circular economy.

A beneficial system for a wide range of equipment

Leasing consists of renting an asset with the option of buying it at the end of the contract term for a fixed price determined when signing the lease. It is open to individuals, businesses and organizations, while it can also cover assets as diverse as a personal car, a combine harvester or an entire IT infrastructure. Central to this system is the financial organization that buys the asset from the manufacturer on behalf of its customer. In return, the customer pays a monthly rent as the lessee. 

This system offers many benefits: access to the latest models, no need to purchase or resell the equipment, budget control, optimized cash flow and even certain tax incentives. This financing model also makes it possible to acquire equipment when an immediate purchase is not possible or not desired. 

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What does the Sharing Economy mean for your Business?

The ‘sharing economy’ is a hot topic right now.

With the focus firmly on productivity and sustainability, a number of trends ‘have come together to make temporary use of an asset superior to owning it’.

In this eBook, we explore those trends.

We also address the factors boosting the popularity of the sharing economy among business leaders today.

Download your copy to read more about:

  • The role of technology in enabling the sharing economy
  • Ways the modern workplace can become truly flexible through alternative consumption models
  • How leasing enables ‘collaborative consumption’
  • How the Internet of Things and leasing offer exciting new growth opportunities for business

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To get your copy of the eBook, simply complete the form below:

BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, the European leader in professional equipment financing, has announced today that it is joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Economy 100 (CE100) programme.

The initiative mobilises companies, public institutions, researchers and innovators to move towards a circular economy as an alternative to the traditional model of ‘take, make, and dispose’.

BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions’ industrial partners are increasingly concerned with extending the lifespan of equipment, giving them a second life, and the importance of recycling. Leasing and rental solutions provide an alternative to the ownership of products and are examples of the innovative business models that are needed in order to shift to a circular economy.

The fact that BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions is joining CE100 illustrates its teams’ commitment to research and promote financing solutions that will support companies’ transition towards new, more sustainable economic models.

BNP Paribas’ corporate responsibility policy, which focuses on economic, social, civic and environmental aspects, is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. Its aim is to help build a better future and have a positive impact on society. By joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions will contribute to this endeavour by participating in research related to a circular economy together with internationally renowned players, says Charlotte Dennery, Chief Executive Officer of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions.


ABOUT THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY 100

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Economy 100 (CE 100) is a pre-competitive innovation programme established to enable organisations to develop new opportunities and realise their circular economy ambitions faster. It brings together corporates, governments and cities, academic institutions, emerging innovators and affiliates in a unique multi-stakeholder platform. Specially developed programme elements help members learn, build capacity, network, and collaborate with key organisations around the circular economy.

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Suhale Vorajee
Head of Marketing and Communications
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions UK

T: 01179 100 895
E: click here

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By Jean-Michel Boyer, CEO, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions UK

According to the United Nations University (UNU), we disposed of 42 million tonnes of electronic waste globally in 2014, with a total value of €48 billion – yet only 15 percent of this was collected and treated.

In the traditional linear economy, products are made, used and then disposed of, representing a tremendous loss of value. The concept of a ‘circular economy’ is challenging this conventional approach. It advocates a system that seeks to eliminate waste by promoting superior product design, maintenance, reuse, refurbishing and recycling. Leasing is well positioned to support the ‘circular economy’ as the leasing company retains ownership of an asset throughout its lifecycle. At the end of the asset’s economic life, the leasing company recovers the asset for remanufacturing, maximising its economic utility and minimising its environmental impact.

The ICT channel can play an active role in the ‘circular economy’ and help reduce the huge amount of electronic waste produced each year. Rather than sell ICT equipment for cash, resellers can consider integrating a lease option into the sales process. Should the customer agree to lease the equipment, the asset(s) are returned after two, three or four years for remanufacture and reuse.

Leasing penetration is traditionally low within the ICT industry. Aside from helping customers access new technology and avoid obsolescence, leasing is key to building a sustainable circular economy – and maintaining a competitive advantage in a changing market.

Changing habits

There is a growing appetite for access over ownership and leasing is on the rise globally, particularly in the technology channel. According to the 2017 Global Leasing Report, the UK leasing industry captured $87.13bn in new business volume in 2015, growing 14 percent compared with the previous year. The largest rate of growth came from the ICT equipment market, which grew by 38 percent. This represents an opportunity for the channel to deliver greater value to customers, as well as become more sustainable.

The business benefits of the circular economy for IT resellers

Forge stronger relationships with your customers

Successful businesses are built on strong, loyal customer relationships. Leasing ICT hardware helps resellers forge a long-term, trusted partnership. When a customer buys a desktop computer or ICT solution outright, it’s a one-off deal that presents little chance to develop the relationship further. A leasing contract keeps the customer close as once the equipment reaches its end of life, or the contract expires, they will come back to the reseller for an upgrade or renewal. Additional services and products can also be added midway through the lease term to scale with the customer’s growth trajectory, which opens a new revenue opportunity for the reseller.  

Support your customers’ cash flow

The customer benefits from a low barrier to entry. Limited cash flow may prohibit the outright purchase of new IT equipment but a monthly payment is far more affordable and enables them to access the assets they need. A leasing agreement also means that customers don’t need to worry about managing their ICT assets’ end of life phase – which can be costly.

Be environmentally aware

The circular economy speaks to a growing trend of environmental awareness. As resources become increasingly scarce or under threat, it’s important that businesses reduce waste and maximise productivity from existing materials. The environment cannot sustain humankind’s current levels of consumption. However, the moral argument is often not immediately as persuasive as a strong business case. Fortunately, the circular economy delivers both.

Shift in ownership

The circular economy prompts manufacturers to develop green assets through a sustainability argument. When customers lease a product instead of purchasing it, the finance provider is still responsible for the product after the initial lease term. With sustainability built in to product design, the leasing company is better placed to influence the remanufacture and reuse the asset in a secondary or even tertiary life. This shift in product design and usage model ensures fewer raw materials are required to manufacture and meet the insatiable demand for technology.

Ultimately, the circular economy could create an ecosystem in which the most environmentally sustainable products are also the most economical. In time, this would also produce a more predictable, profitable and ethical business for resellers.

We are committed to your business growth. Our competitive finance solutions can help you capitalise on new opportunities. Contact us today to discuss your needs with a member of our team.

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Suhale Vorajee
Head of Marketing and Communications
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions UK

T: 01179 100 895
E: click here

Beyond Finance - A change in ownership how resellers can benefit from the circular economy
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Many of us don’t own our phones and cars; we lease them. Each month we pay a subscription fee and in return have access to the asset for an agreed period of time. This makes sense; given the high-speed of technological turnover, outright ownership often buys us a product that will become outdated or ineffectual before we realize a return on investment.

While in the commercial vehicle industry, for example, this is becoming common practice – with more leased vehicles currently on the road than bought – the business of farming has traditionally favored a frugal, cash-is-king approach that pays per product. However, market pressures are challenging farmers to find (and fund) a competitive advantage, pushing them to consider other payment options available to them in today’s ‘subscription economy.’

Farming is seasonal, and machines are expensive. In America, leasing initiatives such as AgTribe, Machinery Link, and HarvestPort are helping farmers reduce costs by connecting equipment not in use, with farms in need of machines. This way, a harvester that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, but sits idle for most months, can be rented out to farms in different states and put to work all year round.

Factors such as equipment replacement cycles, fuel efficiency, and seasonal fluctuations, have a costly impact on farming budgets and forecasts. Asset finance is an increasingly popular payment option as it can provide farmers with the means to obtain the equipment they need without having to buy the machinery outright.

Replacement cycles

Farm machinery operates in a tough and testing outdoor environment. The practice of regularly replacing equipment due to wear and tear, or to keep up with the latest technological developments, is an expensive business that farmers would no doubt prefer to avoid.

Leasing frees them from the expense of buying and selling equipment on a regular basis: they’ll be able to upgrade at little or no cost as more sophisticated models come on the market.

Fuel efficiency

Strict standards require all farm machines to be more fuel efficient, using less energy and emitting fewer dangerous pollutants. This advanced equipment costs more to develop, which in turn makes the cost of purchase greater for the end user. As regulatory attention becomes more focused on protecting the environment from harmful emissions and wasteful fuel consumption, compliance will become increasingly costly for farmers. Asset finance allows them to stretch their budget further to adapt to these changing circumstances.

Seasonal fluctuations

A farm works according to the seasons, but not all seasons yield an income. If a farm is largely crop-based, for example, chances are it makes most of its profit at harvest time. Many asset finance companies understand this problem and will provide farmers with a flexible payment option that accommodates the fluctuation in income. As a result, monthly payments can be adjusted to match cash-flow, enabling them to spread their budget over the year.

The different seasons also necessitate different machinery: again, few crop farms will use a harvester in spring. Subscription-based models allow farmers to lease the equipment they need when they need it.

Sharing in the subscription economy

Subscription-based finance is a trend that all key stakeholders in the agriculture industry would do well to be aware of from farmers and agricultural suppliers to growing agtech companies and their investors. However, there is more than one way for those operating in farming and agricultural production to get the equipment they need, and they must ensure they always get advice from their accountant before making key decisions.

Most asset finance solutions are long-term commitments of around 4 to 5 years. Accountants will be able to assess a farms business needs against the terms of the agreement and determine whether or not it is flexible enough.

Choosing to do things differently is not an overnight decision. Farmers must work with a trusted, neutral advisor to assess the suitability of all available options. It’s important to understand the benefits and costs attached to any finance plan and match the right payment option to the right product, and ultimately do what is best for the farm in an increasingly competitive world.

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Suhale Vorajee
Head of Marketing and Communications
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions UK

T: 01179 100 895
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By Tristan Watkins, CEO, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions UK

The modern marketplace of goods and services no longer demands outright product ownership. Consumers can enjoy the latest mobile phones, movies and cars without committing to a purchase. Given how fast technology improves and updates, it’s completely understandable. No one wants to get stuck with a device that is obsolete before it’s delivered a full return on investment. Rather, you want to pay for what you use and then upgrade when the next model becomes available, or your needs change.   

We call this the age of the ‘subscription economy’, and businesses are taking advantage too by leasing software and hardware from resellers instead of buying it. But what about technologies like cloud storage, IoT and robots? Leasing IT infrastructure can extend to almost anything that adds value to your business.

Here are five technologies you might not have realised you can lease:

  1. 1. Servers

Leasing hardware such as desktop computers, servers and printers is actually becoming an increasingly popular option, giving businesses access to the latest technology without tying up cash that can be spent on growing other areas of the business. When the servers need replacing within a couple years, or if your needs change, you can upgrade, often at little extra cost. What’s more, there’s no need to worry about disposing of the old equipment, as you can return the unwanted hardware to the vendor.

  1. 2. Robots

By this we mean intelligent machines that perform a variety of professional tasks that are usually time-consuming or repetitive. Use of robots is increasing across a range of industries, from manufacturing to medical; the latter benefitting particularly from robotic assistance in performing minimally invasive surgeries.

The demand for service robots is growing, however their cost prevents many small to medium enterprises from adopting the technology. Vendors have started offering robots on lease, allowing your business to improve its productivity at minimal expense.

  1. 3. Electronic or interactive whiteboards

An electronic whiteboard can make a meeting or presentation much more interactive and interesting. What’s more, all the notes, files and addendums can be saved and stored for general access on your company’s server.

As the equipment can be expensive and may require regular maintenance, you would do better to lease use of it, rather than own it outright and be responsible for its upkeep.

  1. 4. Business software

Software as a Service (SaaS) is becoming a preferred alternative to the more traditional Software as a Product (SaaP). Once again, popularity is linked to the cost benefits of leasing the software you need, rather than owning more than you use.

Most vendors and resellers will offer flexible arrangements that have training programmes, maintenance and upgrades built into the leasing deal too.

  1. 5. The Internet of Things (IoT)

Businesses are enthusiastic about the Internet of Things (IoT) and its potential to increase profits and productivity. Perceived cost though, is hampering wide-scale implementation and some companies are choosing to wait until the technology becomes more affordable. One study predicts a 10% gulf in profits between IoT-enabled companies and those that aren’t over the next ten years – businesses that don’t adopt soon will be at a competitive disadvantage. 

Businesses are increasingly choosing the subscription or ‘pay per use’ model as a means of gaining access to critical goods and services. Not all of the products listed above are available on a subscription basis – but they can be leased. Leasing offers the same benefits, providing affordable access to the latest technologies with flexible terms for upgrading as your company’s needs change. According to research from The Economist Intelligence Unit/Gartner, 38% of B2B buyers say they prefer subscription rather than purchase, suggesting that outright ownership could soon become an outdated model. As access to the latest technology becomes increasingly crucial, businesses can get ahead by leasing, rather than purchasing, new equipment.  

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Suhale Vorajee
Head of Marketing and Communications
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions UK

T: 01179 100 895
E: click here

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