Operational leasing market could reach €400 mln in 2008

In the case of operational leasing, leasing companies handle post-sale services for the vehicles.

According to specialized companies, operational leasing in 2007 made up 7 percent of the total leasing, with some 10,000 contracts signed.

“We estimate that the market will double in 2008 due to increasing popularity of this product,” said Dudy Perry, General Manager of Israeli company Sixt New Kopel.
Taking into account the evolution of the Romanian market, operational leasing should cover at least 20 percent of total sales in 6 years.

“I think Romania has great growth potential,” Perry added. In the United States operational leasing makes up 90 percent of the market in some states. “We expect operational leasing to cover 12 percent of the market this year,” said Theofilos Romaios, General Manager of Autotechnica Fleet Services, Hertz International franchise holder.

The Romanian operational leasing market is very dynamic. “Every year more and more companies come to Romania, so we will have a five-year growth period,” said Effie Valsamaki, General Manager of Greek company Dirent. “Unfortunately Romanian companies are unfamiliar with these kind of services, unlike European and American multinationals,” Valsamaki added.

There are 10 leasing companies in Romania, and its total value reached €3.31 billion in 2007.