Wincor Nixdorf is a global provider of IT solutions and services to retail banks and retailers, which it believes Australian financial institutions, in particular, are eager to adopt immediately.

"The Australian market is very attractive for us because banks are considered global trend setters and are ready for our sophisticated solutions," said Lim Khoon Hong, President, Wincor Nixdorf Asia-Pacific.

"Our new legal entity here is a significant development as it shows strong commitment to the market and will act as a platform to build our solutions business in Australia."

The company has already secured wins with independent ATM deployers as well as major financial institutions. More banks are also approaching the company to gain a better understanding of its extensive portfolio of products and how they can enhance security and optimise processes, explained Mr Lim.

Wincor Nixdorf has adopted a country by country strategy in Asia Pacific to ensure it is sensitive to local market needs and trends. The creation of Wincor Nixdorf's new Australian subsidiary also comes at a time when regulatory changes in Australia have forced a significant refresh of automated teller machine (ATM) networks.

According to a report by independent global financial services and payments consultancy Edgar, Dunn & Company* this refresh will see Microsoft Windows replace OS/2 as the dominant operating system used on ATMs in Australia in 2009 as well as ATM deployers no longer necessarily buying their software from the same vendor as their hardware.

"We are making a significant contribution by transforming the market infrastructure for ATM operating systems. And our multi-vendor software offering gives bank unprecedented choice," said Mr Lim.

Consequently, Wincor Nixdorf's local office will focus on building the software solutions and professional services business with customers' hardware requirements handled by the company's regional headquarters and through its business partner Armaguard ITS.

Wincor Nixdorf also supports retail banks to transform their current ad-hoc IT architectures through its ProClassic/Enterprise Retail Banking Solution Suite (PC/E). The software suite focuses on security, sales and marketing, service and support processes via the self-service zone and bank's front office. It builds on an open, net-centric, multi-channel architecture that has a modular and service-orientated design.

"Banks today need to pursue innovative services and sales strategies to remain competitive. But they also need process models and IT architectures that will enable them to support and implement these strategies across all delivery channels.

"PC/E supports the transformation of today's service and sales processes - and the associated IT architecture - into an expandable, future-proof retail banking business. It helps banks achieve two strategic objectives - higher revenues by differentiating a bank from the competition and lower costs as processes are standardised," explained Mr Lim.