Page 16 - Mellby Gård Yearbook 2018–2019

AROS KAPITAL
SEEKS TO BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT FINANCING SMEs
Aros Kapital is a fast-growing finance company focusing on the
SME segment, that is, providing credit to small and medium-sized companies. In recent years, the company has built a scalable platform for continued growth and is ready to take on new segments, focusing on smart solutions for customers’ needs.
“We want to be the best in the world at factoring and credit for SMEs. Having a clear focus aids our growth. And customers appreciate our speed, transparency and good service”, says MD Daniel Güner, who launched Aros as a financial institution in 2004 alongside a number of other employees.
Among other things, customers in the SME segment need factoring to strengthen their liquidity or to sell off credit risks in connection with exports, as well as loans associated with construction projects and leasing, for example. Customer companies operate in many different industries, from trading and wholesale operations to construction and property companies.
Aros gained impetus in 2015 when it secured a capital market permit and was able to shift into a higher gear. During that process, the founder of the company’s came into contact with Mellby Gård when seeking to raise the capital needed to develop the operations.
“We went on the road to raise SEK 50 million, receiving promises of
a few million here and a few million there. But then we met Johan and Gustav Andersson who, immediately after the presentation said: ’We’ll provide SEK 70 million, but want to be the sole investor in that case’. We enjoy considerable support from Mellby Gård, not only as a guarantor and a strong brand – it is also a matter of understanding us as a company and what we need on our journey”, says Daniel Güner.
For Aros, 2018 was another record year. Daniel Güner remains modest regarding the company’s success: “The market is extensive, we are developing from relatively low levels and have been spared from credit losses”, he says.
In 2018, the company added a new business unit – leasing. This involves credits in the millions of kronor for companies seeking to finance, for example, new machinery, hotel furnishings or vehicle fleets (such as for taxi operations). Although such credit approvals require rigorous analysis and therefore take a little longer, Aros is convinced that it has found a niche in the market.
“We see a gap in the market involving areas of operations to which the banks are already exposed and therefore refrain from new or extended commitments. Here, Aros can be a good partner to companies seeking to invest”, says Daniel Güner.
Last year, Aros increased the number of brokers and partners
to approximately 25. The company also won three new tenders, assignments in which Aros is responsible for providing prepackaged credit solutions for established companies seeking, in turn, to offer loans to their customers.
“Because we have chosen to work with partners who market our products, we have no marketing department of our own”, says Daniel Güner.
For Aros to continue growing, the company must have the capacity to manage the two greatest risks associated with its operations: credit risks and regulatory risks. In 2018, the company strengthened its regulatory compliance support with new systems and reviews of policies, procedures, documentation and internal training.
“The requirements have increased sharply since we started the company and the regulatory burden is substantial for a company the size of ours. But the rules must be complied with and, for us, it is a matter of having the right prerequisites in the form of good systems.
16 | MELLBY GÅRD – YEARBOOK 2018 / 2019