CHG-Meridian

CHG-Meridian is a German technology asset management and equipment leasing company headquartered in Weingarten, Baden-Württemberg. Its business centers on acquiring, financing, leasing, managing, and remarketing technology and other industrial assets for large corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises, and public-sector organizations. The company began in 1979 when Jürgen Gelf established a business in the Ravensburg-Weingarten area to broker and sell large computer systems, including equipment that was being transferred to second users. Leasing gradually became the core activity, supported by services intended to help customers manage the infrastructure surrounding their technology investments. The company’s operating model extends beyond the provision of hardware. CHG-Meridian combines commercial data about contracts, financing, and service costs with technical information about individual assets. This enables customers to monitor equipment over its useful life, coordinate maintenance and related services, avoid unnecessary duplication of peripheral equipment or software, and plan replacement or disposal. The model is particularly relevant to organizations that operate large and distributed technology estates, where procurement, maintenance, security, compliance, and end-of-life handling must be managed together. During the 1990s, CHG underwent restructuring intended to prepare the business for the acquisition of competitors and became a German stock corporation under the CHG-Meridian name. Its corporate base was consolidated through the opening of a new headquarters in Weingarten in 2003. In 2004, the company broadened its asset portfolio beyond information technology into industrial equipment and medical technology. This expansion gave CHG-Meridian a wider role in technology and equipment finance rather than limiting it to conventional computer leasing. International growth became increasingly important during the 2000s. The group established branches and subsidiaries across Europe and expanded outside the continent through its 2009 majority investment in El Camino Resources International, a leasing company with operations in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. This transaction helped extend CHG-Meridian’s capabilities into North America and supported its development as an international technology services provider. The company reported passing one billion euros in new investment volume in 2014, although this figure is not used here as a current financial measure. The group now operates through CHG-Meridian and related businesses in a broad international network. Its principal service areas include information-technology leasing, industrial-asset leasing, healthcare-technology finance, lifecycle management, maintenance coordination, asset remarketing, and technology-related financing. In 2022, its subsidiary devicenow entered the international Device-as-a-Service market, offering standardized and scalable end-device services across national borders. CHG-Meridian is also a co-founder and principal investor in circulee, a Berlin-based business focused on selling refurbished and certified IT hardware to small and medium-sized enterprises. The company’s more recent expansion has included acquisitions and portfolio transactions in Australia and the United States, together with a broader cooperation with Japanese leasing company SMFL in China, Malaysia, and Thailand. The supplied reference material states that a Romanian subsidiary was established in March 2026, bringing the group’s presence to 34 countries across five continents. CHG-Meridian remains active as a technology-focused asset manager whose proposition combines financing, operational control, lifecycle services, and reuse or remarketing of equipment.

CHG-Meridian traces its origins to 1979, when Jürgen Gelf established a business in his home office in the Berg area near Ravensburg and Weingarten in southern Germany. The original activity involved brokering and selling large computer systems, including machines sold to second users. Leasing computer systems soon became more important than straightforward trading. The company also provided practical support around the leased systems, helping customers organize terminals, peripheral equipment, software, and the associated infrastructure. This early combination of financing and operational advice established the basis for its later technology asset-management model. The company went through substantial restructuring in the 1990s. The changes were designed to create a platform for acquiring competitors and scaling the business. The owners subsequently converted the company into an Aktiengesellschaft, or German stock corporation, under the CHG-Meridian name. Gelf had withdrawn from day-to-day operating management in 1992 but continued to play an important governance role as chairman of the supervisory board. The corporate structure allowed the business to pursue a broader acquisition and internationalization strategy while retaining its focus on technology and equipment leasing. A new headquarters in Weingarten opened in 2003 and remains associated with the company’s German base. In 2004, CHG-Meridian expanded its asset portfolio beyond information technology to include industrial equipment and medical technology. At the same time, the group invested in processes for handling returned leased equipment. Return processing and remarketing became important parts of the lifecycle proposition because equipment could be assessed, maintained, redeployed, resold, or otherwise managed after the first customer’s lease ended. During the 2000s, CHG-Meridian accelerated its international expansion. It opened branches in a number of European countries and also established operations in markets such as Russia. A major step came in 2009, when the company acquired a majority stake in El Camino Resources International. El Camino was a leasing company with activities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The deal gave CHG-Meridian a stronger presence in North America and supported its transition from a mainly European leasing business into a global technology-services group. The company subsequently reported that its new investment volume exceeded one billion euros in 2014. The death of founder and supervisory-board chairman Jürgen Gelf in 2013 was a significant leadership transition. The business nevertheless continued its stated horizontal and vertical growth strategy. Later expansion included additional takeovers and market entries, including activities in Norway and Australia. Rather than concentrating solely on financing, CHG-Meridian continued developing a broader service model covering procurement, leasing, technical administration, maintenance, utilization, and end-of-life treatment of assets. The group entered a newer segment of the technology-services market in 2022 through devicenow, a subsidiary focused on Device-as-a-Service. The offering was intended to provide standardized, scalable end-device services across national borders. CHG-Meridian also became a co-founder and principal investor in circulee, a Berlin-based business selling refurbished and certified IT hardware to business customers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises. These initiatives connected the group’s financing activities with subscription-like device provision, reuse, and the secondary market for technology. In 2024, the company expanded its international portfolio through the acquisition of Maia Financial’s portfolio in Australia and Meridian Leasing Corporation in the United States. It also broadened its cooperation with SMFL, a Japanese leasing company, to cover China, Malaysia, and Thailand. The supplied reference material further reports that CHG-Meridian established a Romanian subsidiary in March 2026, giving it a presence in 34 countries across five continents. The group is described as comprising 43 subsidiaries and as preparing consolidated accounts under German commercial law and IFRS. Its continuing business is built around the financing and management of IT, industrial, and healthcare technology assets for corporate, mid-market, and public-sector customers.

1. 2026Romanian subsidiary established

   The supplied reference material reports a new Romanian subsidiary and a presence in 34 countries across five continents.

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2. 2024Expansion in Australia and the United States

   The group expanded through the Maia Financial portfolio in Australia and Meridian Leasing Corporation in the United States.

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3. 2022Launch of devicenow

   CHG-Meridian entered the global Device-as-a-Service market through its devicenow subsidiary.

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4. 2013Death of founder Jürgen Gelf

   Founder and supervisory-board chairman Jürgen Gelf died, after which the group continued its growth and internationalization strategy.

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5. 2009North American expansion through El Camino Resources

   CHG-Meridian acquired a majority stake in El Camino Resources International, extending its leasing operations into Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

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6. 2004Expansion into industrial and medical technology

   The company broadened its portfolio from information technology to industrial equipment and medical technology.

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7. 2003Weingarten headquarters opened

   CHG-Meridian opened its new headquarters in Weingarten, the company’s continuing German base.

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8. 1992Founder leaves operating management

   Jürgen Gelf retired from the company’s operating business and subsequently continued in a supervisory-board leadership role.

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9. 1990Restructuring and conversion into a stock corporation

   During the 1990s, restructuring prepared CHG for competitor acquisitions and the company became a German stock corporation under the CHG-Meridian name.

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10. 1979Business founded in southern Germany

    Jürgen Gelf established a business near Ravensburg and Weingarten that brokered and sold large computer systems, including equipment for second users.

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A technology-focused asset management partner combining leasing, financing, technical lifecycle control, maintenance coordination, and equipment reuse for corporate and public-sector customers.

• IT leasing and lifecycle managementTechnology asset management1979

  CHG-Meridian finances and leases computers, end-user devices, data-processing systems, and related infrastructure. Its service model can cover procurement, contract administration, maintenance coordination, technical and commercial asset data, replacement planning, return processing, and remarketing. The objective is to give customers visibility over the full useful life of technology rather than treating leasing as a standalone financing transaction.

• Industrial equipment leasingEquipment finance2004

  The company leases and finances industrial assets for corporate customers and other organizations. The offering extends the group’s original IT focus into machinery, equipment, and plant-related assets, with lifecycle administration and service-cost tracking intended to support larger and more complex asset estates.

• Healthcare technology financingHealthcare equipment finance2004

  CHG-Meridian includes medical and healthcare technology among the assets it finances and manages. The service addresses organizations that need to acquire and operate specialized equipment while controlling financing, maintenance, utilization, and eventual replacement or disposal.

• devicenowDevice-as-a-Service2022

  devicenow is a CHG-Meridian subsidiary and brand focused on Device-as-a-Service. It provides standardized and scalable end-device services intended for organizations operating across national borders, linking device provision with financing and lifecycle administration.

• circuleeRefurbished IT hardware

  circulee is a Berlin-based business co-founded and principally backed by CHG-Meridian. It distributes used and certified IT hardware to business customers, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, connecting the group’s asset lifecycle expertise with the secondary market and equipment reuse.

• 2024Expand through Australian and U.S. transactionsM&A

  CHG-Meridian continued its horizontal and geographic expansion strategy in established technology-finance markets.

  What changed. The group acquired Maia Financial’s portfolio in Australia and Meridian Leasing Corporation in the United States.

  Aftermath. The transactions expanded the group’s customer, asset, and market footprint in Australia and the United States.

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• 2024Broaden cooperation with SMFL in AsiaStrategy

  CHG-Meridian sought to extend its international capabilities through cooperation with a Japanese leasing partner.

  What changed. The company expanded its cooperation with SMFL to include China, Malaysia, and Thailand.

  Aftermath. The arrangement extended CHG-Meridian’s reach in Asian markets without a stated standalone acquisition.

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• 2022Enter Device-as-a-Service through devicenowProduct launch

  Organizations increasingly sought standardized device provision and lifecycle services across multiple countries.

  What changed. CHG-Meridian established devicenow to offer international Device-as-a-Service solutions for end-user equipment.

  Aftermath. The move broadened CHG-Meridian’s proposition from leasing and asset administration toward standardized, service-based device consumption.

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• 2009Acquire majority stake in El Camino Resources InternationalM&A

  CHG-Meridian was seeking international scale for its technology leasing and asset-management activities.

  What changed. The company acquired a majority stake in El Camino Resources International, a leasing business operating in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

  Aftermath. The transaction strengthened CHG-Meridian’s North American presence and supported its evolution into a global technology-services provider.

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• 2026CHG-Meridian establishes a Romanian subsidiary

  The supplied reference material states that the new subsidiary brought the company’s reported presence to 34 countries across five continents.

  Other
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• 2024CHG-Meridian expands in Australia and the United States

  The group acquired Maia Financial’s portfolio in Australia and Meridian Leasing Corporation in the United States.

  M&A
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• 2024CHG-Meridian broadens cooperation with SMFL in Asia

  The company extended its cooperation with Japanese leasing company SMFL to China, Malaysia, and Thailand.

  Other
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• 2022CHG-Meridian enters the international Device-as-a-Service market

  The group launched the devicenow subsidiary to provide standardized and scalable end-device services across national borders.

  Product launch
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• 2009CHG-Meridian acquires majority stake in El Camino Resources International

  The transaction expanded CHG-Meridian’s leasing and technology-services footprint into Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

  M&A
  Source

1. CHG-Meridian
2. CHG-Meridian official website