Quadient secures €25 million Schuldschein facility from EBRD to finance R&D programs in Czech Republic

QUADIENT
QUADIENT

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Quadient secures €25 million Schuldschein facility from EBRD
to finance R&D programs in Czech Republic

Paris, October 30, 2024

Quadient S.A. (Euronext Paris: QDT), a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, today announces that it has secured a new €25 million Schuldschein facility from the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to finance R&D programs in Czech Republic.

The Schuldschein loan from the EBRD is for a total nominal amount of €25 million with maturities spread equally between 5 and 7 years. The new credit facility aims at financing R&D programs at Quadient’s state of the art R&D center in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.

Quadient’s R&D center in Czech Republic is the Company’s hub for its Digital automation platform development. It currently hosts around 400 employees, including software developers, testers, IT consultants, trainers and UX designers. The R&D team is responsible for driving continuous improvements to Quadient software offerings and developing innovative Digital solutions, by leveraging advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, complex frameworks, and programming languages. A strong focus is placed on fostering continuous learning and collaboration by partnering with local schools and universities to train future engineers and developers. Notably, Quadient regularly collaborates with the University of Hradec Králové, offering classes, organizing IT events, and hosting BarCamps on new technologies.

In addition to the headquarters in Hradec Králové, Quadient also has offices established in Olomouc and Ostrava in the Czech Republic. This strong presence in the Královéhradecky region is well recognized locally as Quadient Czech Republic has been named Employer of the Year for several consecutive years and recently achieved 4th place nationally.

Laurent du Passage, Chief Financial Officer of Quadient, said: "We are pleased to be partnering with the EBRD to strengthen our R&D activities in Czech Republic. Our R&D center in Hradec Králové is central to Quadient’s Digital strategy and plays a key role in the local community. We are excited to be able to further enhance our development capabilities while maintaining our leadership in the field of innovation and Artificial Intelligence, continuing to offer best in class solutions to our customers.”

In the full-year 2023, Quadient dedicated a total of €63.2 million to R&D spending across its three automation platforms, representing 5.9% of its Group revenue.