History

In August 2003, Atradius was introduced through the rebranding of Gerling NCM, a global leader in credit insurance and credit management established in 2001 through the merger of the German credit insurance group, Gerling-Konzern Speziale Kreditversichering (GKS) and the Dutch credit insurer Nederlandsche Credietverzekering Maatschappij (NCM).  This rebranding was completed on 5 January 2004.

Replacing the Gerling Group as shareholder was 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 Crèdito y Caución, the leading Spanish and fourth largest global credit insurer.

Atradius - the world's first Credit Insurance Company
Atradius however was originally founded as NCM in the Netherlands in 1925. It was the world's first credit insurance company.  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.

In Germany, Atradius' roots stem from GKS, which was established in 1954 as the credit insurance arm of the Gerling Group.  GKS operated solely out of Germany until 1962 when it opened it’s first international branch office in Switzerland. GKS was the first private credit insurer to offer export credit protection.

Internationalisation
The internationalisation of business and trade throughout the latter half of the 20^th Century was well suited for the business plans of both companies and they both prospered and grew rapidly along with the rapid expansion of international trade. This internationalisation drove consolidation in the credit insurance industry and both NCM and GKS were leading acquirers of credit insurance and collections companies.

Their paths merged in 2001 forming what is now Atradius. Atradius stands as one of the largest global credit insurance organisations in the world providing credit insurance and credit management products and services from more than 90 offices in 40 countries worldwide.