"We are confident that Symcor will successfully transition our item processing services to a cost-effective, image-based platform as part of our TECP compliance strategy," says Mark Ripplinger, Senior Vice-President and CIO, ATB Financial, referring to the Canadian Payments Association's Truncation & Electronic Cheque Presentment initiative that requires member financial institutions to offer image-based clearing by 2007 to eliminate the need for paper-based item exchange between clearers.

"We are also looking forward to being able to offer, within the next two years, new image-based products and services to all our customers including faster and more convenient access to cheque image statements, e-statements online, as well as self-serve trace, CD-ROM cheque services and image-based lockbox services for our business customers," states Ripplinger.

Glen Geib, Symcor's Sr. Vice President, Item Processing Operations, adds, "We are very excited to be selected as ATB Financial's strategic partner. We are looking forward to providing ATB Financial with a broad range of new service capabilities that will allow them to achieve their goal as Alberta's first choice for financial services."

Symcor's services will include clearing and back-office processing, including cheque and bill clearing and processing services, statement production (except MasterCard), remittances and tracing services, out of province clearing and inter-branch mail services.