Prakikter and MaxBahr flagsThe DIY stores Praktiker and Max Bahr have placed their credit and debit card acquiring in easycash's hands. © Praktiker AG

Ingenico (Euronext : FR0000125346 - ING), leading worldwide provider of payment solutions, today announces that the company Praktiker AG has extended its cooperation with easycash GmbH, an Ingenico company. The DIY (“Do it yourself”) group additionally placed the debit and credit card acquiring for its German distribution channels, the stores Praktiker and Max Bahr, in the hands of the payment institution easycash.

Praktiker AG has been running its network operations in cooperation with easycash GmbH since 1994. Alongside girocard debit card payments, the stores are therefore now also using easycash's services for the processing of payments made using V PAY and Maestro debit cards in all of their branches. This is complemented by the acceptance of Visa and MasterCard credit cards in key stores such as those close to borders or in urban centres.

The extension of our cooperation with Praktiker shows the relevance of our one stop shop strategy ", declares Marc Birkner, Managing Director of easycash GmbH. "easycash boasts a complete payment portfolio that we use to provide the retail world with comprehensive, efficient and secure card acceptance combined with intelligent added value services. This enables companies to optimise their processes and effectively reduce costs and save time and effort."

The Praktiker Group, based in the Germany, operates 440 DIY stores in nine European countries. Praktiker offers a full assortment of products and services for a wide range of applications including construction, renovation, home repairs, home improvement, gardening and leisure. The Group operates 330 stores in Germany in the form of two brands, Praktiker and Max Bahr. It offers a comprehensive range of products, including high-quality items from both well-known brand manufacturers and private labels, characterised by a particularly favourable cost/benefit ratio and complemented by a spectrum of services ranging from wood cutting to trailer rental. Praktiker is able to look back on a history spanning over thirty-years, while Max Bahr celebrated its 130th anniversary in 2009. The Group's expertise and many years of experience in the DIY business have enabled it to achieve a very high level of brand awareness in all countries in which it operates, with over 100 million customer contacts.