Branch network

A look at where credit union branches are growing the fastest.

While banks have been backing away from branching, a recent study by SNL Financial that credit unions have been adding more new branches the last couple of years.

There's been a lot of talk about futuristic branches. Here's how two CUs have already implemented their own strategies to take their networks to the next generation.

CO-OP Shared Branch has overtaken Bank of America in number of branches, and now is the third-largest network of financial institution branches in the United States, according to data drawn from the FDIC.

ATM management company Dolphin Debit has placed large, drive-up ATMs at Murphy USA fuel stations, adjacent to Walmart stores, for credit unions in Mississippi and Texas.

First Bank in Wilmington, N.C., opened a new branch in Jacksonville, N.C., earlier this week, that was designed to be environmentally friendly.

The number of branches at credit unions and banks has been surging for decades and presents some challenging problems for financial institutions as they face an ever-increasingly competitive landscape in the future.

Bankers give too much credence to futurists and financial gurus who warn that technology will render the in-branch experience obsolete.

Bank branches are continuing to lose their luster as consumers rely on online and mobile channels, according to a new report.

VACAVILLE, Calif. — Whatever you do, don't call it a branch. Travis Credit Union 23rd location is a Financial Solution Center.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Shared branching network CU Service Centers of Alabama is set to return $147,000 in patronage rebates and dividends, the fourth consecutive year it has done so.

Online banking, ATMs and other advances have limited face-to-face transactions, but new Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. research says the brick-and-mortar office isn't going anywhere just yet.

LONGVIEW, Texas — East Texas Professional CU saw member sales increase at the same time average visit times decreased after implementing a new lobby tracking system.

Forget the machines. Even forget the software. Diebold's business plan for the future — as touted in a video the company screened at 50 movie houses around the world — centers on its collaboration with banks and others on innovation.

The new year represents a chance for credit unions to take a close look at their branch networks and identify areas to cut costs as well as look for opportunities for growth.

Independent Bank Corp. of Ionia, Mich., is consolidating 14 of its 74 Michigan branches.

TD Bank is deploying "smart" automated teller machines in four Canadian branches.

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Telhio CU has purchased a former Huntington Bank branch here for $2.5 million, with plans to renovate and move in by early 2016.

Nationwide the number of bank branches fell by about 1.7% last year. But some cities and states were hit harder than others, according to data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and research firm BankRegData.

With the availability of artificial intelligence and sophisticated risk algorithms that can run on mobile devices, some say there’s no longer a need for even stripped-down versions of the branch.