OREANDA-NEWS. February 24, 2010. Last year Uniastrum Bank’s branch in Saratov upsized its corporate lending portfolio 7-fold, taking it to Rb 515.5 mn as of year-start 2010. Meantime, total loans to small and mid-sized businesses increased 5-fold to Rb 129 mn as of January 1, 2010, while the branch’s plastic card portfolio expanded 4-fold to Rb 31.8 mn. Also in the reporting period the Saratov branch succeeded in improving its personal loan portfolio 5-fold to Rb 26.5 mn, and its deposit portfolio more than 20% to Rb 281 mn., reported the press-centre of Uniastrum Bank. 

In line with the Bank’s new lending policy adopted in 2009, staff at the Saratov branch vigorously applied themselves to the task of attracting borrowers in all business segments. As a result, loans were disbursed to a large number of enterprises in different sectors, including, among others, Iton (fuel and lubricant sales, retail gas station network - \\$588,000), sole proprietor S.V. Kirillov (meat processing, meat products trading – Rb 35 mn), Variant-Stroi (wholesale and retail trading in building and finishing materials – Rb 203.5 mn), Pikassa LLC (real estate leasing – Rb 50 mn), and Peresvet LLC Commercial Manufacturing Company (baked goods and confectionary production, retail chain selling company products – Rb 70 mn).

Traditionally considered the capital of the Volga region, Saratov is a center of industry, culture, and learning with a population of over 830,000. The city is home to more than 20 major industrial enterprises and a large number of small and mid-sized business entities. Besides its central office (located at 95, Volskaya Street), Uniastrum’s Saratov arm comprises three mini-branches, as well as a satellite office and a convenience branch in the nearby suburban town of Engels.

Designed and equipped to ensure an efficient, customer-focused environment for its retail and business clients, the Saratov branch offers a wide spectrum of banking services, such as cash management for businesses and individuals, foreign currency exchange, promissory note operations, money transfers via the Unistream system, acquiring, international payments, issuance and administration of bank cards, including corporate and payroll cards, deposit services, and lending to firms and households.