A Year of Strategic Expansion

2025 was a defining year for the CHG-MERIDIAN Group, marked by strategic growth and operational resilience. A key milestone was the one-year anniversary of the US-based Meridian Leasing Corporation (MLC) acquisition, which strengthened CHG-MERIDIAN’s position in the world’s largest leasing and asset financing market. In parallel, the company expanded its Eastern Europe portfolio through the acquisition of IT assets from Macquarie Equipment Finance, effective July 1, 2025. With assets primarily in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, this move enhances CHG-MERIDIAN’s presence and regional service capabilities.

These developments are part of a broader global expansion strategy, continuously strengthening the footprint in high-growth regions such as Asia-Pacific, the USA, South America, and Eastern Europe, while keeping innovation, sustainability, and flexible usage models at the core of growth.

Strong Financial Momentum

Figures published in 2025 for the 2024 financial year underline this positive trajectory: lease originations rose 16% to €2.83 billion, pre-tax profit reached €175 million, and total assets under management grew to €11.73 billion. More than 60% of business is generated outside Germany. Around one million IT devices were remarketed globally, highlighting the growing relevance of circular usage models and professional lifecycle management.

Sustainability and Governance Progress

Sustainability remained central in 2025. CHG-MERIDIAN successfully validated its climate targets through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and received the EcoVadis Platinum Medal, placing the company among the top 1% of over 130,000 assessed worldwide. These achievements reflect the systematic strengthening of sustainability management and commitment to responsible business practices.

“The key question today is no longer ‘What does this machine cost?’ It is ‘What does this machine enable – in terms of productivity, flexibility and competitiveness over the next contract cycle?’”

Intralogistics Under Pressure

This strong performance mirrors a broader transformation across industries shaped by volatility, digitalisation, and sustainability pressures. Few areas feel this change as directly as intralogistics — the critical interface between production, storage, and distribution — where the limits of traditional asset ownership models are becoming increasingly apparent.

Intralogistics is under growing pressure. Volatile demand, increasing complexity in supply chains, labour shortages, and rising expectations of speed, transparency, and flexibility are reshaping the way warehouses and distribution centres operate. Automation, digitalisation, and connected systems are becoming integral parts of daily operations. Yet while processes, software, and data flows are evolving rapidly, one thing often remains unchanged: the way intralogistics technology and equipment are financed. Material handling systems are still frequently purchased as long-term assets, even when the business models they support are far more dynamic.

When Contract Duration No Longer Matches Asset Lifetime

In many logistics operations, equipment often outlasts the projects it was originally purchased for. A forklift may remain technically reliable for a decade, while the customer contract it supports ends after only a few years. When that happens, the asset stays — along with depreciation, maintenance costs, and operational risks — even if future usage is uncertain. What looks economical at the moment of purchase can quickly become a burden: rising downtime, higher repair costs, limited digital compatibility, and in some cases safety concerns.

“What seems cost-efficient at first often becomes an operational burden over time.”

Looking Ahead to 2026

In 2026, adaptability will define competitiveness in intralogistics. Companies tied to rigid asset structures will struggle to adjust. Those operating with scalable, usage-based models will move faster — technologically and economically. Flexible financing turns innovation into a continuous process. Equipment is no longer treated as a static asset but as an adaptable resource aligned with real demand, contract duration, and business strategy. Forklifts, AGVs, and complete intralogistics systems will be judged by one criterion: how well they support a dynamic operating model. Financing and lifecycle management evolve from administrative tasks into strategic enablers.

To support companies in implementing these approaches, CHG-MERIDIAN Industrial Solutions offers a comprehensive set of services that translate flexible usage into concrete advantages:

• Portfolio analysis and benchmarking across sites and regions
• Fleet right-sizing and refresh-cycle planning
• Integration of modern logistics technologies such as AGVs and AMRs
• Telematics for real-time asset tracking and operational control
• Data dashboards providing transparency on usage, costs, and optimal replacement timing
• Predictive maintenance and managed services to prevent obsolescence
• Refurbishment, reuse, and secure remarketing at the end of the lease

These capabilities allow companies to reduce CapEx exposure, scale fleets as needed, access the latest technologies, minimise downtime, and make data-driven decisions across multiple sites, all while maintaining operational flexibility.