Growth of ATM installations

Razor's Kalay Maistry and NTT Data's Marian Scala named in Provoke Media’s Innovator 25 EMEA

Danette Breitenbach

Spark ATM Systems, one of South Africa's premier ATM deployer importing, installing and maintaining world-leading ATMs in retail, hospitality, leisure and rural locations, among others, reports an excellent final quarter for 2011.

Marc Sternberg, MD of Spark ATM Systems.

The company installed 205 new ATMs, with 76 alone in December 2011, breaking previous installation records.

According to Marc Sternberg, MD of Spark ATM Systems, the latest quarter installation results are further indication of the potential for the South African ATM market. "As South Africa's economy and the level of banked consumers grows the country will continue to experience an increasing demand for access to cash via ATMs. This demand, specifically driven from consumers and businesses in rural locations, will be a key driver in the continued growth of the local ATM market over the next five years," he says.

The latest Retail Banking Research report predicts that the Middle East and Africa regions will be the fasted growing region for ATMs with an expected 94% growth rate for the period of 2009 to 2015. "This predicted growth is massive, compared with forecasts for developing economies such as the Western European (12%) and North American (4%) markets.

"With a density of ATMs of 430 per 1 million people, a growing middle class and huge strides being made in banking the unbanked, we are excited about the potential of the South African ATM market over the short to medium term," he concludes.