"This strategic expansion underlines the growing economic importance of Slovenia in Europe and reaffirms our commitment to global expansion and the provision of high-quality services with the greatest possible proximity to our clients" says Thomas Langen, Senior Regional Director Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. Atradius is the world's second largest provider of credit insurance and protects companies against the consequences of payment defaults and delays by their customers.
The new office in Slovenia represents an important expansion in Atradius' European network and contributes to further consolidating the company's international presence. "Our expansion into Slovenia demonstrates our continued efforts to bring our services closer to our clients and to manage risk in an increasingly complex and globalised market," says Petra Merica, Country Manager Slovenia, and adds: "We want to offer our customers the best service with the highest possible expertise in the most important markets. With the opening of our new office, we not only strengthen our position vis-à-vis Slovenian companies, but can also better support our international clients as they expand in this market."
The new office will offer a comprehensive portfolio of credit insurance services, including Trade Credit Insurance, Collections and information services. These services are designed to help businesses effectively manage their credit risk and to operate safely and successfully in Slovenia and beyond.
In recent years, Slovenia has established itself as a stable and growing economy in the European Union. Despite the recent severe natural disaster, the country offers an attractive environment for companies and investors. The share of exports and imports in the gross domestic product (GDP) is currently more than 80 percent. The service sector accounts for the largest share of GDP, more than 50 per cent. Slovenia's most important economic sectors are industry (including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automotive, electrical appliances, electronics, and processed food), wholesale and retail trade, transport, accommodation and catering as well as public administration, defence, education, health, and social services. According to Slovenia's Economic Development Agency, 20 per cent of the country's exports in 2022 consisted of parts for cars. Most of these exports went to Germany, France and Italy.
Due to its comparatively small domestic market, Slovenia's economy is highly internationalised and export-oriented: Around two-thirds of Slovenia's exports go to EU countries. The largest customers include Germany, Italy, Croatia, and Austria. Among non-EU countries, Switzerland and Serbia are the most important trading partners. "Opening an office in Slovenia is a natural step for Atradius to strengthen its presence in a market that is growing in importance both regionally and internationally," says Thomas Langen.