Arts Alliance Media (AAM), a leading digital cinema provider, and Barco, the
global Digital Cinema Technology Leader, have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding to offer a financial leasing program to exhibitors across Europe
to convert to digital cinema. The fund, named the Barco Leasing Program, has a
provision for up to €100m and will offer financing packages to cinemas looking
to convert from 35mm to digital. The offer is supported by ING Lease Belgium.
It will be available to interested exhibitors of any size and will utilize
AAM’s existing VPF agreements with all 6 Hollywood majors and nearly 100 local
European distributors.
AAM
will begin offering the program over the coming weeks to exhibitors across
Europe with the funding available for the next 18 months, targeting 2,000
screens for conversion. Equipment will be supplied by Barco, who have installed
over 25,000 DLP Cinema-based digital projectors worldwide, and maintenance and
support will be provided by Arts Alliance Media, who currently support over
2,300 digital cinema systems from a dedicated Network Operations Centre in
London.
Howard
Kiedaisch, Chief Executive Officer of Arts Alliance Media, says: “One of the
critical elements to getting any exhibitor converted to digital is procuring
the necessary capital investment and we’re delighted to partner with our
friends at Barco to offer a solution to exhibitors throughout Europe. With
Europe already over 50% converted, the remaining cinemas who have not yet
converted need to move quickly or risk being left behind and we’re encouraging
all operators large and small to engage in dialogue with us.”
Wim
Buyens, Senior Vice President of Entertainment at Barco adds: “We expect this
leasing program is going to offer the digital cinema opportunity to more
cinemas than ever before. Cinemas working with Barco and AAM under this scheme
can trust that they’re partnering with digital experts who will offer the best
quality equipment and reliable service to allow them to offer the best
experience to their audiences.”
Exhibitors
interested in the program should contact Giovanni Dolci at Arts Alliance Media:
GDolci@artsalliancemedia.comT:
+44 (0)20 7751 7467
M:
+44 (0)78 2462 4786
About ING Lease Belgium
ING
Lease Belgium is one of the largest leasing companies in Belgium. ING Lease
Belgium is member of ING Group, itself one of the world's major actors in the
field of integrated financial services.
ING
Lease Belgium’s activities center wholly and solely on financial leasing. As
pioneer in its sector, ING Lease Belgium is an innovating force and created,
amongst other products the real estate leasing and leasing of renewable energy.
Known and recognized for its professionalism and creativity, it has become a
reference on the Belgian leasing market. ING Lease is structured by product
type which favors dynamism and adaptability, and allows ING Lease Belgium to
stay at the leading edge of each market segment whilst developing products
designed for its customers specific requirements.
