Equifax's Overseas Push Continues - in India, Mexico, and Thailand

Equifax Inc. is making its mark in a number of emerging markets, building on momentum gained earlier this year by expanding further overseas.

This week, the Atlanta-based financial services company announced new businesses in India, Mexico, and Thailand. Equifax now has operations in 17 countries outside the United States.

Through an alliance with International Business Machines Corp., Equifax will also have a sales presence in the Asia-Pacific region, where the computer company runs back office operations for card issuers using Equifax's software.

"Finding the right footholds internationally will increasingly be a bigger part of our revenues," said Thomas F. Chapman, executive vice president of Equifax.

The company expanded its operations in the United Kingdom, Chile, and Canada earlier this year, and it is considering moving into other countries such as the Philippines.

In India, Equifax has a joint venture with Venture Infotek, a major supplier of credit card-related products and services there.

The company, as yet unnamed, will be the first third-party card processor in India, where the card market is just developing.

India has more than 1.8 million Visa and MasterCard card accounts and more than 75,000 merchants that accept the cards. Over the next few years the total number of cards issued there is expected to grow to 10 million.

In Thailand, the Association of Finance Companies, a trade group, selected Equifax as its technology partner in starting a new credit bureau.

The bureau will license Equifax's international credit reporting system, which is essentially a blueprint for how the Atlanta firm manages its credit bureau businesses abroad.

The credit bureau, which has not been named, will be jointly owned by Equifax, an agency of the Thai government, and a number of financial institutions including banks and insurance companies.

In Mexico, Equifax launched a credit bureau in Monterrey called Equifax de Mexico. About two years ago Equifax wanted to form a credit bureau with the major Mexican banks, but they rejected its application, selecting Trans Union Corp. instead.

The fact that its main rivals, Trans Union and Experian, already have credit bureau operations in Mexico makes Equifax's initiatives more challenging.

"We are the market share leader in North America and Europe," Mr. Chapman said. "I'm confident that we will be able to differentiate ourselves in Mexico."

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