Investkredit Bank AG creates centralised platform with SmartStream TLM Trade Finance

TLM Trade Finance integrates Investkredit and Volksbanken trade finance
activities to reduce risk and improve customer service
LONDON--(Business Wire)--
SmartStream Technologies, the financial Transaction Lifecycle Management
specialist, today announced that Austrian firm Investkredit Bank has gone live
on TLM Trade Finance, delivering a single trade finance platform for both
Investkredit and the Volksbanken group.

Vienna-based Investkredit has grown from being a niche player in long-term
financing into a bank for corporates and entrepreneurs, offering specialised
services across Central and Eastern Europe. With Investkredit taking on the
trade finance business of the Volksbanken group, it looked to replace manual
back office processes with an automated solution that could manage the both
entities trade finance volumes.

Investkredit selected SmartStream`s TLM Trade Finance solution to create a
centralised platform that would enable it to fully integrate Volksbanken`s trade
finance processes. In a phased approach the bank went live on Guarantees,
Letters of Credit and Collections, with every element delivered on time.

Barbara Dorner, Senior Vice President and Head of Trade Services, InvestKredit
Bank, said: "With the Volksbanken Group joining Investkredit we felt the need to
fully integrate its trade finance business through a single, automated solution.
When examining the market we received positive feedback from existing customers
of the TLM solution, particularly in Austria. Using TLM Trade Finance we now
have a single, automated processing solution that makes our combined business
more efficient. It enables us to process higher volumes, while also improving
the quality of the trade finance services we can offer."

Christian Schiebl, Executive Vice President, SmartStream Technologies, said:"We
are delighted, that Investkredit has chosen TLM Trade Finance as the backbone of
their trade finance business. SmartStream`s TLM Trade Finance allows
Investkredit to reduce risk and cost by automating all the routine banking
processes involved in the provision of international trade services. This was a
complex project integrating two businesses into a centralised processing
platform. The fact each element went live on time is further evidence of TLM
Trade Finance`s flexibility to meet critical processing needs and SmartStream`
capabilities to effectively manage complex trade finance projects."

SmartStream Technologies provides industry-leading Transaction Lifecycle
Management (TLM®) solutions that automate transactions to efficiently process,
track and manage financial transactions. 1,000 clients, including more than 75
of the world`s top 100 banks,rely on SmartStream`s solutions to reduce
operational risk and cost while addressing regulation and improving customer
service. For more information about SmartStream and our solutions visit:
www.smartstream-stp.com

SmartStream Technologies
Geoff Whitehouse, Communications Manager
+44 (0)20 7898 0633
email: geoff.whitehouse@smartstream-stp.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009