Fusion of VR-Bank and Volksbank: Strong strength for the region!

The board members, including Dr. Peter Hanker and Dr. Lars Witteck from Volksbank Mittelhessen and Thomas Balk from the VR Bankverein, emphasize that the merger is justified not only by the size, but also by the local roots and the different strengths of the banks. Dr. Hanker emphasizes that the number of employees is an as important factor as the balance sheet total, whereby the ratio is 1 to 4

opportunities for the future

Thomas Balk explained that the merger opened new opportunities for the VR Bankverein. The decision to approve larger loans between 20 and 50 million euros faster is one of the goals of the new partnership. In addition, the merger should be considered in response to the challenges of regulatory, digitization and demographic change.

The board members also emphasize the intention of improving previous customer care and strengthening the market presence. The regional identity remains preserved, although the branch network is not only preserved, but is also modernized. No branches have been closed in the past 18 years.

commitment in the region

Another central concern of the merger is the continued commitment to local associations and institutions. Dr. Hanker reports that the Volksbank Mittelhessen has already spent 1.3 million euros on regional projects last year and plans to further expand this support. The guarantees for the existing and workplace were also confirmed: employees should be secured for five years and represent a period of ten years.

This fusion not only represents a significant change for the two houses, but also shows the continuing need for cooperative banks to bundle their strength in order to pass in competition. The VR Bankverein was recognized in 2024 as the most popular Volks- und Raiffeisenbank in Germany, which underlines the importance and recognition of the institution.