The American Trucking Association estimates that trucks haul 70% of all freight tonnage and that 80% of all U.S. communities receive their goods exclusively by truck, which means that distress in the trucking industry has the potential to increase the cost of nearly all products consumed by Americans. But opportunities are out there for those that develop roadmaps for success.... read more
September/October 2008
For all the upheaval in the wider economy, leasing analysts say not much has changed in the equipment finance sector. For asset managers, that means another year of intense competition, margin compression and increased residual assumptions as they do whatever it takes to “even the keel.”... read more
January/February 2008
On the surface, M&E appraisals may look to be pretty much the same. However, it is what the appraiser “brings to the table” that enhances his value to the lender and elevates his product above that of his competitors. What’s important is going the distance and providing a comprehensive examination of the net value of the collateral.... read more
November/December 2007
While today’s healthcare industry faces unprecedented challenges, some equipment leasing companies are thriving under the current conditions. One such company is US Express Leasing (USXL). The Monitor asked James McGrane, CEO of USXL, to comment on his company’s growth. He assured us that there’s no “secret sauce” to his company’s success in the healthcare marketplace. Success comes with following a few simple premises.... read more
September/October 2007
The federal government has proposed significant changes to the rules governing the leasing of medical equipment by physicians, which raises the question of just how much these new regulations might impact the equipment leasing industry.... read more
September/October 2007
HP Financial Services’ Irv Rothman discusses the current state of IT financing and what customers are looking for when spending on IT needs. The strategic importance of technology is changing the way lenders work with customers, how lenders advise them and how they structure financial proposals.... read more
September/October 2007
An International Data Corporation study sizes the leasing and financing market for IT equipment, and looks at the growth and opportunities of different IT sectors into 2010. It predicts the largest portion of IT spending in the next few years (43%) will be on IT services.... read more
September/October 2007
On June 22, Wells Fargo and the CIT Group announced they signed a purchase agreement in which Wells Fargo would acquire the construction lending unit of CIT. Ron Riecks will serve as general manager of the new entity called Wells Fargo Construction, which will be a division of Wells Fargo Equipment Finance.... read more
September/October 2007
Industry veteran Philip Cooper provides an overview of the industry — pointing out the recent changes such as Wells Fargo’s acquisition of CIT’s Construction Equipment unit, among others. In it, he finds, that although the years pass, the only thing that remains constant in the industry is, in fact, change.... read more
September/October 2007
The Monitor recently sat down with Banc of America Leasing’s Michael Amalfitano, who discussed the state of corporate aircraft finance and what the company sees in its future. When it comes down to it — it’s all about having the right people doing the right jobs and an integrated and well-executed strategy. Simply said, it’s about structure, strategy and staff.... read more
September/October 2007
Although the trucking industry has suffered throughout 2007 due to a drop in freight tonnage and expensive changes in emissions regulations, many truck leasing executives say that the wait for a rebound is almost over. In a roundtable with four such execs, the concensus is that trucking will bounce back by the end of the year into 2008.... read more
September/October 2007
A rising tide of buyouts by private equity firms is changing the competitive landscape of trucking. Not only is the process accelerating a transition from small family-run companies to large, professionally managed corporations, it is changing the way many for-hire carriers are organized and managed.... read more
September/October 2007
To properly price a Fair Market Value lease for materials handling equipment, a lessor needs to be one part detective, one part numbers-cruncher, and one part customer advocate. The effort involved can benefit all parties to this type of lease and in today’s environment, it’s more important than ever to offer such beneficial solutions.... read more
September/October 2007
There are less difficult ways to manage a fleet of material handling equipment vehicles than with a pencil and clipboard, a not uncommon practice even in today’s highly computerized distribution centers. Turning the job over to a third party, human or computer, is one way to go. Here are three examples of how to tame this critical, labor intensive task.... read more
September/October 2007
As IT companies become more globally integrated and trade efficiencies become more critical, technology manufacturers and suppliers need to identify new ways to innovatively fund their growth agendas.... read more
June 2007