OREANDA-NEWS. January 30, 2012. Volume of lending to small and medium enterprises in 2011 exceeded Rub 162.2 rubles, up 72% compared to the previous year, reported the press-centre of Bank Vozrozhdenie.

“Small and medium businesses have always been our key clientele. Successful work with SMEs in 2011 proves that the bank remains one of the leaders in lending to this segment in Russia. In May Bank Vozrozhdenie was acknowledged “The best SME bank in Moscow oblast – 2011”, it was also ranked 2nd by volume of lending to SMEs for the first half of 2011 in accordance with RBC rating”, — commented Lyudmila Goncharova, Deputy Chairwoman of the Management Board.

In December 2011 Bank Vozrozhdenie was awarded “For promotion of sound development of the Program” of the II Annual Forum “Small and medium businesses — contribution to the new economy” arranged by SME Bank.

On the first stage of cooperation with SME Bank in terms of long-term state program of financial support to small and medium enterprises Bank Vozrozhdenie has fully fulfilled its obligations in six months. It originated SME loans on Rub 6 bln, 3 bln of which were financed by the bank’s own funds. Companies of food processing, construction, transport and telecoms, wholesale and retail trade sectors in all the regions where the bank has presence were funded in accordance with regional limits stipulated by the Program.

Over the whole duration of the state support program implemented via SME Bank (till December 2015) Bank Vozrozhdenie will maintain the current level of loan portfolio to small and medium enterprises. For the moment more than Rub 9 bln were directed on financing of more than 420 SMEs in all the regions of the bank’s presence.

Throughout the past year Bank Vozrozhdenie was developing successful cooperation with the regional guarantee Funds providing guarantees as a part of security on loans to SME’s.  Thus, in 2011 the bank entered into agreements with guarantee Funds of Ryazan, Voronezh and Tula regions as well as Republic of Mordovia and Karelia. Now the borrowers of Bank Vozrozhdenie have an opportunity to use guarantees of the Fund in 12 regions of the Bank’s presence.

At present volume of guarantees provided by regional SME supporting funds in Bank Vozrozhdenie exceeded Rub 440 mln that enabled financing of SMEs on more than Rub 1.1 bln.
Another area of SME financial support implemented by the bank is cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Within the framework of such cooperation two 5-year credit facilities were provided to the bank in amounts of USD 35 mln for on-lending to small and medium size enterprises and USD 16 mln to finance micro and small business.  As of today the bank has provided financing on 473 agreements, volume of loans amounted to Rub 4.5 bln that almost threefold exceeded the limit established for the bank.

“Bank Vozrozhdenie is actively increasing the number of partners in state support programs of lending to SMEs striving to provide its borrowers with the most favourable lending terms”, — concluded Lyudmila Goncharova.