Our history

De Lage Landen, a fully owned subsidiary of the Rabobank Group, was founded in Eindhoven, Netherlands in 1969 in response to a growing need among larger agricultural operations for more sophisticated and far reaching financial services.

In 1987, De Lage Landen initiated a program of aggressive European expansion, and began offering services in neighboring European countries.

In 1998, De Lage Landen expanded into the Americas in support of a partner in agricultural equipment manufacturing and has been expanding its product line, and broadening its knowledge and partner base ever since. As corporate clients underwent change and growth, they too required broader and more expert advisory services. As the playing field for all customers became increasingly global, so did the demand for banking support in a number of industries.

In 2006 De Lage Landen acquired Athlon, an international car leasing company, active in six European countries. In the same year the company prepared itself to become Rabobank’s competence center for consumer finance in the Dutch market. This consumer finance unit became operational by year-end 2006. Finally in 2006 De Lage Landen expanded its global network into Russia with the acquisition of the Moscow-based Agro-Industrial Finance Company.

In 2007 De Lage Landen entered into acquisition agreements with Siemens regarding Siemens Leasing Kft. and Siemens Finance Zrt. in Hungary. Moreover, it entered into exclusive negotiations related to the acquisition of IT Finans AS. In the early years IT Finans focused on the home-PC market. Since 2002 they have focused on office equipment, but also developed a market place in sectors such as IT, agriculture, transportation and material handling.

Development of the De Lage Landen International Network
1969 - Netherlands, Founded
1987 - Belgium, Luxembourg
1988 - Germany
1989 - United Kingdom
1990 - France
1991 - Italy
1992 - Ireland
1995 - Spain
1996 - Poland
1997 - Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland
1998 - Brazil, United States
2000 - Canada
2001 - Austria
2002 - Mexico, Australia, New Zealand
2004 - Norway, Singapore, South Korea 
2005 - Japan
2006 - China, Argentina, Russia
2007 - Romania
2008 - Hungary, Portugal
2009 - South Africa, Chile