€25.3 million funding for Sameday

• A €25.3 million loan from Banca Transilvania to the Romanian delivery operator Delivery Solutions S.A., which operates the Sameday and easybox brands.
• The loan is intended to support the company's medium-term investment plans and the expansion of the delivery infrastructure through Sameday easybox.
• The EBRD will cover 65% of the credit risk of the transaction through its risk-sharing framework with Banca Transilvania.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is facilitating access to finance for Romanian courier operator Sameday through a risk-sharing agreement with Banca Transilvania.

Under the EBRD's Risk Sharing Framework (RSF), Banca Transilvania is providing a €25.3 million loan to support Sameday's medium-term investment plan. Under this agreement, the EBRD assumes 65% of Banca Transilvania's credit risk in this transaction.

The collaboration underlines the commitment of the EBRD and Banca Transilvania to support the growth of Romanian companies, in particular by focusing on financing innovative solutions and digitisation of services.

Sameday offers a full range of 24-hour delivery services, including easybox delivery and returns. The EBRD and Banca Transilvania's investment will enable the expansion of Sameday's ATM network in Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria, adding more than 2,500 new ATMs in urban and rural areas.

Demand for contactless delivery to easybox ATMs has increased recently due to the convenience of locker parcel delivery, and people's preferences for delivery services have changed over time. According to Sameday's latest research in Romania, easybox delivery and return service is used by 86% of online shoppers in urban areas. In terms of preferences for delivery methods, 48% of respondents indicate easybox, compared to 28% home delivery, a result which confirms that people are starting to appreciate the flexibility and control that easyboxes offer, as they are available 24/7 and within a 5-minute walk in Romanian cities. This delivery method is more efficient for both online retailers and consumers and has a lower environmental impact. The expansion of the Sameday vending machine network will thus enable cheaper and more sustainable e-commerce deliveries in the country, benefiting consumers and local businesses in Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria selling online. Sameday currently operates 4960 easybox lockers in the three countries where the company operates.

Sameday is the first courier company in Romania to expand regionally, having experienced spectacular growth in recent years and is now among the leading players in its market segment. With 16 years of experience in the Romanian market, a team of over 5,000 employees and partners and an integrated digital infrastructure, Sameday is part of Dante International S.A., a leading Romanian online retailer operating the eMAG e-commerce platform, with subsidiaries in Hungary and Bulgaria.

Banca Transilvania is the largest bank in Romania and the main financier of the economy, covering all customer segments and business lines in the financial sector. With a history that started almost 30 years ago, the bank has a market share of around 20%, 4 million customers, over 9,000 employees, online banking solutions and 500 branches in 180 locations. Banca Transilvania's brand value has surpassed the $500 million mark and it entered the top 300 in the Brand Finance Banking 500 in 2023. Beyond banking, BT wants to make a positive impact in Romania for people, business and the environment.

Supporting private sector growth is one of the key priorities of the EBRD's work in Romania. To date, the EBRD has invested more than €10.5 billion in 517 projects in the country. Most of the projects have been in the private sector.