In 2020, we achieved our 95th anniversary, continuing our long history of supporting domestic and international trade throughout the world.
As with many modern day businesses, our company has a rich history and has grown both organically and through mergers and acquisitions. Each of the organisations that became part of the Atradius story has enjoyed a long life, confirming the longevity and strength of our business.
Atradius - Supporting trade for more than 95 years
As the first of the companies that went on to form part of Atradius, Nederlandsche Credietverzekering Maatschappij (NCM) was founded in the Netherlands in 1925. At that time, the company was created with the goal of improving trade for companies in the Netherlands. This business plan was cemented in 1932 when NCM partnered with the Dutch government to provide export credit services to Dutch companies on behalf of the Dutch State. This relationship still exists today through our affiliate Atradius Dutch State Business.
In Germany, Atradius' roots stem from Gerling-Konzern Speziale Kreditversicherung (Gerling Credit), which was established in 1954 as the credit insurance arm of the Gerling Group. Gerling Credit operated solely out of Germany until 1962 when it opened its first international branch office in Switzerland. Gerling Credit was the first private credit insurer to offer export credit protection.
In Spain, Crédito y Caución, founded in 1929, has focused on organically growing to become the dominant credit insurer and surety company on the Iberian Peninsula and fourth largest global credit insurer.
Internationalisation
The internationalisation and rapid expansion of business and trade throughout the latter half of the 20th century also drove consolidation in the credit insurance industry and both NCM and Gerling Credit were leading acquirers of credit insurance and collections companies.
Through the merger of Gerling Credit and NCM, GERLING NCM was established in 2001. In January 2004, the company was rebranded as Atradius.
Replacing the Gerling Group as shareholder was, at that time, a group of leading international financial institutions including Swiss Re and Deutsche Bank, Sal. Oppenheim, Seguros Catalana Occidente, a leading Spanish financial services company, and Crédito y Caución.
On January 25, 2008, Atradius again entered into a major business union teaming up with Crédito y Caución to further strengthen its position in global credit insurance markets. At the same time, Grupo Catalana Occidente S.A. became the major shareholder of Atradius.
Today we are one of the world’s foremost credit insurance companies, a trusted provider of trade credit insurance, surety and collections services in more than 50 countries worldwide.