For equipment leasing and finance executives searching for a remedy to the ills of the current market, the federal government’s mandate 
for the nation’s healthcare industry to update medical records systems is creating a potential multi-billion-dollar cure. This is especially 
true for banks and captives with internal funding sources, strong vendor relationships and deep market knowledge. ... read more

May/June 2010

February marks the first official gathering of asset managers since the end of the recession, when the Equipment Leasing & Finance Association convenes its 2010 Equipment Management Conference in Tucson, AZ. In anticipation, the Monitor reached out to five of the industry’s leading asset managers — including the chairperson of this year’s conference planning committee — to see what the past two years have been like, what people will be talking about and what’s in store for 2010.... read more

January/February 2010

Making sense of the highs and lows of the shipping markets requires, to a large extent, an insider’s understanding. But as Matt McCleery explains, rule number one in marine finance becomes clearer when a Greek ship owner and an Irish American publisher of maritime financial information meet in a New York hotel bar and the following conversation ensues…... read more

October 2009

As organizations worldwide fine-tune their 2010 business plans, one of the most important questions is the size and scope of their investment budget, which are critical for every organization because investments are about creating and affecting change. Whether it is improving a business’s competitive position, its operational efficiency, or the scope of goods and services it can bring to market, business investments shape an organization’s future.... read more

September/October 2009

The sharp drop in construction activities and production of construction materials such as asphalt and cement have led to an unprecedented decline in equipment purchases. Just how bad is it for the construction equipment industry? A recent study, conducted by IHS Global Insights for two associations, paints a bleak picture. Now, the AED and AEM have combined forces to launch an aggressive campaign to tell the industry’s story on Capitol Hill.... read more

September/October 2009

Publisher Jerry Parrotto recently spent some time with Bob Costello, chief economist of the American Transportation Associations. In an exclusive interview, Costello provided some valuable insights into the state of the trucking industry and explained why it probably won’t rebound as quickly as we would all like. We asked Jerry to sum up what he learned.... read more

September/October 2009

Texans have a reputation for telling it like it is. So, when we wanted to get the skinny on how the domestic truck market is faring as the recession begins to wind down, we went to Rusty Rush, president and chief executive officer of Houston-based Rush Enterprises. Rush pulls no punches when describing the trauma the trucking industry, and his own company, have endured over the past two years.... read more

September/October 2009

Once again asset managers are finding themselves on the front lines as leasing and finance companies struggle to maintain market share in a stagnant economy. In 2007, with the first signs of credit market instability, some 70% of finance company senior managers polled by the ELFA said they expected equipment managers to become increasingly important to their businesses. The Monitor spoke with five equipment managers to gain their perspectives on these times of unprecedented uncertainty.... read more

January/February 2009

Escalating energy prices and concerns about global warming have caused an increased interest in renewable energy sources and their applications. Concepts that were once thought of as “futuristic” are now being considered as viable and necessary alternatives to nonrenewable energy sources. ... read more

September/October 2008

Lease financing in the information technology sector is currently experiencing a resurgence, as it provides a means to close transactions even in a sluggish market. The challenge for lessors: showing IT manufacturers, dealers and distributors the value of this type of financing.... read more

September/October 2008

While many IT organizations are accustomed to preparing a thorough analysis of procurement and funding options, including the traditional “lease versus buy analysis,” the report, “Strategies for Managing IT Equipment Renewal & Replacement in Difficult Times,” recommends that CIOs and CFOs take a more strategic view of IT procurement and its impact on their organizations.... read more

September/October 2008

With a half million construction jobs lost since last year, the construction industry is teetering on the edge. Its resurgence depends on a variety of factors, but most of all how the industry can work together and with local, state and federal governments to make that difference.... read more

September/October 2008

With the residential housing market going down the drain, major banks being bailed out by the Fed and company after company filing Chapter 11 or even Chapter 7, to say it’s been a rough year is an understatement. And no industry knows this better than the construction industry. ... read more

September/October 2008

With the many factors causing the market to destabilize, it’s a relief to know that one industry sector has stayed afloat and even expanded in the past six months. U.S. Bank’s Ken Rector explains why manufacturing has maintained this relative stability.... read more

September/October 2008

Stories tell of entrepreneurs coming up with seemingly brilliant ideas on a whim; one day the dreamer wakes up and has an “ah ha” moment that redefines a market. But Casey Pittock, founder and CEO of GreenTech Lease Finance, doesn’t subscribe to this notion. He believes business ideas and companies are born of study, experience and a network of smart people.... read more

September/October 2008