De Lage Landen announced its annual results of 2012 and said its managed portfolio grew 5% to $40.6 billion and net income reached $1.9 billion.

“Our company’s performance is the result of strong relationships with our partners and the added value we bring through integrated solutions,” said CEO Ronald Slaats. “Our investments are paying off. Therefore we will continue to build a real networked organization that serves customers across the globe better and faster. Cost control, agility and industry knowledge are crucial to offer stability in the current dynamics.”

DLL said its Vendor Finance division remains the largest area of the business. In 2012 Vendor Finance grew 7% due to a strong performance across all business channels, especially the Food & Agriculture market (+11%) and the sector for Construction, Transportation and Industrial equipment (+8%). Overall growth is not limited to the emerging markets, DLL realized an increase of portfolio in the Americas and Europe as well.

Within DLL’s Financial & Mobility Solutions division, mainly focused on the European and Dutch market, the company witnessed a growth of 6% of its consumer finance solutions, including the online label Freo. In line with its ambitions, Athlon Car Lease increased its international business with 13% compared to last year.

Across channels, DLL’s growth is mainly due to longer-term leasing business. Non-interest products, like insurances, are also becoming more popular as value-added services to leasing contracts. This contributes to DLL’s strategy to increase the value of the overall portfolio. “In the current market dynamics we see that partners are looking for stability and look to us for solutions. Especially on a global level partners want total asset solutions that match their long term growth needs,” Slaats said.

DLL said it also managed to decrease its impairment charges for the 3rd year in a row as part of its strategy to keep its cost structure under control. This positively influenced DLL’s overall result in 2012, enabling net profit to reach EUR 365 million ($ 470 million), an increase of 20% vs. 2011.

Looking ahead, DLL aims to stay on course of offering sustainable and innovative concepts to its partners in the form of total solutions. “In 2012 DLL was acknowledged for its focus on sustainable business models with the introduction of Life Cycle Asset Management, resulting in 3 important industry awards. Together with the launch of Athlon Mobility Consultancy, these initiatives show the company’s drive to offer new solutions that look further ahead into the future, matching the challenges our partners will face in their value chains,” Slaats said.

He added that he is proud of DLL’s performance in a year in which the company witnessed an increase of the investments in equipment, especially across traditional market segments. “Every day we try to connect better with our worldwide partners. The programs to stimulate a culture that acts local while looking at the business from a global perspective is really paying off,” said Slaats in reference to the DLL’s ambition to become a truly networked organization in the 36 countries in which it is active. DLL currently employs more than 5,600 employees.

To further develop the offering of total solutions for its global partners, DLL said it will continue to strengthen the connection between its worldwide offices and employees. Building on a truly networked organization, the company will again embark with employees on the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. “Last year, we successfully concluded our first entry in this global ocean challenge. Being the perfect metaphor for our aim to become a connected global organization, our Journey to become One. This year we will again start in the 13-14 edition of the Clipper Race. We will continue to connect employees in offices across the world to emphasize the global approach of our local operations,” Slaats concluded.