What is equipment leasing?
Equipment leasing is a financial arrangement where a business rents equipment for a specified period instead of purchasing it outright. This helps preserve CAPEX and allows for easier upgrades.
Who can lease equipment in Europe?
Any registered business entity in the EU, including SMEs and large corporations, can lease equipment, subject to credit checks and compliance with local regulations.
EU-Level Regulation and Harmonisation.
Centralised vs. Local Oversight: The EU provides a foundation for financial regulation through centralised bodies such as the European Central Bank (ECB), European Banking Authority (EBA), and European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). These entities set broad regulations (e.g., MiCA, DORA, PSD2, Securitisation Regulation), but national regulators such as BaFin in Germany or AMF in France, play a key role in local licensing and enforcement. This can result in different interpretations and implementation at the country level. An experienced European equipment leasing partner is crucial for a successful vendor lease programme.
Leasing equipment across Europe FAQs.
Who can Oak Leasing help?
Four main groups of industry, Manufacturers, Suppliers, Direct Customers and Franchisors.
What countries can you provide leasing?
Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, UK, Ireland, Croatia, Czechia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Greece, Romania. The other countries are possible, but on a deal by deal basis.
What amounts can you fund?
If it is just a one off piece of equipment, then the lowest we can normally fund is €20K . However for a manufacturer or vendor programme, we can start as low as €3k. Our upper limits are €15 million.
What type of equipment?
Almost everything you may require, from undersea equipment in the North Sea to large production lines in Portugal and The Netherlands.
In the last few years, we have arranged leasing for over 1000 companies in Europe, in Hospitality, IT, Logistics, Medical & Scientific, Railway Infrastructure, Exploration, Green Technology, Manufacturing, Production Lines, Airport GSE, and everything in between.
What is the typical length of a lease contract?
The normal length of a contract is between two to five years. With some larger equipment, this can be longer to seven years depending on residual value and expected life.
Do I need a large deposit or downpayment?
Normally a lease will require only one to three months in advance upfront. This helps with your customers Capex budget.
Are the lease agreements fully compliant?
Yes all of the agreements we offer are fully IFRS 16 compliant in the relevant countries.
What happens at the end of the lease period?
Depending on the type of lease, finance or operating lease. With finance lease, you normally have an option to buy the equipment for a nominal sum depending on both the funder and the country. You will also have the upgrade option during the period of the lease where you can upgrade your equipment to the latest model.
Manufacturers and Supplier Vendor Programmes.
Almost 79% of lessees in Europe use vendor or manufacturer channels for their leasing requirements. This is notably more popular than seeking financing separately from banks or direct finance companies
European vendor leasing is crucial when businesses are cautious about Capex.By offering leasing directly at the point of sale, vendors and manufacturers can address customer concerns about Capex and accelerate their sales process.
Can you set up Vendor programme in Europe?
Yes, we have successfully launched many vendor lease programmes for suppliers and manufacturers in Europe.
“As a global leader in precision CNC manufacturing, ANCA provides our customers with vital production equipment and technology. Our clients need fast, flexible decisions to optimize their operations, and Oak has been a crucial partner in this process. Their professionalism and extensive funding network make them the ideal financing partner across Europe.”
Martin Winterstein. Managing Director, ANCA Europe GmbH
Is a white label finance option available in Europe?
Yes, in certain countries, this is an available option.
How to offer leasing to our customers?
Very simple, it is down to two main factors, a good vendor programme coupled with sales training for your relevant staff. This is not just your front end staff , but down to basics, by offering a lease option on every quote.
That is where our experience and knowledge can make a huge difference to your sales.
Is a Master lease option available?
Yes, again it is subject to a country by country basis.
Is SaaS available across Europe?
Only is certain countries, and depends on both the supplier and the equipment.
Can you provide leasing for franchisors?
We have huge experience is arranging programmes for various suppliers to the major franchisors to enable them to keeps their estates fresh and up to date and fully compliant.
Can you offer a finance lease and an operating lease solution?
Yes we can, again some countries might differ slightly in their interpretations.
How do we make Vendor equipment leasing work for us?
Integrate leasing as a core sales tool. Make leasing central, not an afterthought: Instead of simply offering finance as an option, build the leasing programme into your sales process from the outset.
This addresses the biggest hurdles for capital equipment purchases, CAPEX objections, budget cycles, and cash flow concerns. By positioning leasing as the easiest path to ownership, Oak will help your sales team to shorten the sales cycle, win larger deals, and keep control of resale residuals
Direct Customers
I am a new start, can you arrange leasing for me?
A straight answer is it mighty be difficult, as all funders will look at a new start quite hard. They will look for experience, a full business plan and some support from the directors. Some countries are easier than others however.
Can you arrange a sale and lease back?
Yes, however we will require additional information to both the equipment, and to confirm you have clear legal title
How long does it take for an answer?
A very good question, it depends on the amount, the equipment and the strength of the credit. As a general rule, from when we have received your information, for a deal up to say €50K should take 2 days, once we are in the €250K area, we are normally looking at 4- 5 working days.
The key is you providing all of the information required when requested.
Can the supplier be from a different country to where I am based?
Yes, if the supplier is in the EU, then it is very straightforward. In broad terms, this will also apply to a UK supplier.
In certain circumstance, we may be able to help with an export guarantee scheme from the manufacturers own country.
