BBL’s entry to ING Group brings with it many synergy opportunities. After barely a year, and with many more fields to be explored, the bank has significantly strengthened its position on the home market.
"},"title":"I want to know more about the period 1997"}],"componentType":"accordion"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"1998: The euro and the year 2000 in the offing"},{"alignedImage":{"altTextDE":"Euro","altTextEN":"Euro","altTextFR":"Euro","altTextNL":"Euro","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/31273233e6e383e9/original/About_1998_Euro.JPG","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/4ca42d50-b453-4c5a-a3aa-75e5b40ff6c0/About_1998_Euro"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":""},"title":"In 1998, the Executive Committee decides to develop a Business Continuity Plan in view of the changeover to the euro and the year 2000. The computer equipment and software, including all telecommunications infrastructure, need to be reviewed. BBL successfully adapts all its information systems to the European single currency. The creation of the European currency zone will cause a structural drop in interest rates within the zone, but thanks to a five-year plan, drawn up before ING's arrival, the bank manages to compensate for this loss of profit."},{"accordionList":[{"richBody":{"value":"The computer equipment and software, including all telecommunications infrastructure, need to be reviewed. BBL successfully adapts all its information systems to the European single currency. The creation of the European currency zone will cause a structural drop in interest rates within the zone, but thanks to a five-year plan, drawn up before ING's arrival, the bank manages to compensate for this loss of profit.
"},"title":"I want to know more about the period 1998"},{"richBody":{"value":"ING has been listed on the Brussels stock exchange since 1998.
"},"title":"Did you know..."}],"componentType":"accordion"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"2000: The illumination of the façade of the Marnix building is a world first"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":""},"title":"To celebrate the start of the new millennium, the façade of the Marnix building is fully illuminated. It’s unique in the world.","video":{"type":"video","originalUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/m/4a4c9d7e567bd19b/original/A-colorful-transition-to-2015.mp4","videoPreviewURLs":["https://assets.ing.com/asset/552e0e12-4d64-4f52-a0a0-dd2704f58e65/mp4/A-colorful-transition-to-2015.mp4"],"thumbnails":{"mini":"https://assets.ing.com/m/4a4c9d7e567bd19b/mini-A-colorful-transition-to-2015.jpg","webimage":"https://assets.ing.com/m/4a4c9d7e567bd19b/webimage-A-colorful-transition-to-2015.jpg","thul":"https://assets.ing.com/m/4a4c9d7e567bd19b/thul-A-colorful-transition-to-2015.jpg"},"extension":["mp4"]}},{"accordionList":[{"richBody":{"value":"Images are projected onto BBL’s head office via an ingenious electronic system. All 364 windows of the façade have been fitted with RGB bulbs that create a matrix of 364 multi-coloured and three-dimensional pixels. During the New Year period, spectators and passers-by can have their own animation projected onto the façade via a website.
The project is a true world first. The Marnix building already enjoyed international fame for its architecture and its special location. Since 2000, the bank has used this beautiful ‘window’ to send its best wishes to the city of Brussels (and the thousands of motorists who use the inner ring road every day) and to raise certain social issues.
"},"title":"I want to know more about the period 2000"}],"componentType":"accordion"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"2001: Birth of Record Bank, a savings bank that values the personal approach"},{"alignedImage":{"position":"top","altTextDE":"ING","altTextEN":"ING","altTextFR":"ING","altTextNL":"ING","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/4dee5822b1763f6a/original/About_2001_ING.JPG","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/e3f0d7cf-c1e2-49c9-ad2e-43dc87747850/About_2001_ING"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":""},"title":"Record Bank is launched as a new brand in Belgium following the merger of four small banking subsidiaries of ING: Record Bank, De Vaderlandsche Spaarbank, Dipo Spaarbank and Sodefina. RVS in Belgium is also part of the new group."},{"accordionList":[{"richBody":{"value":"Record Bank will serve the Belgian retail market through a network of 700 insurance agents. The strength of the new group lies in its personal approach to customers. The bank becomes the fourth largest savings bank in Belgium, after Argenta, AXA Bank and Crelan.
BBL, as a wholly owned subsidiary of ING Group, holds a majority stake in Record Bank.
"},"title":"I want to know more about the period 2001"}],"componentType":"accordion"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"2003: “BBL becomes ING”, the eye-catching campaign surrounding the name change, is awarded a prize"},{"alignedImage":{"position":"bottom","altTextDE":"Baby with ING Lion","altTextEN":"Baby with ING Lion","altTextFR":"Baby with ING Lion","altTextNL":"Baby with ING Lion","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/31e04d3b6f9ec1ea/original/About_2003_INGLion.JPG","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/857d477e-b7ef-4af5-8dad-9a3201cecb14/About_2003_INGLion"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":""},"title":"In 2003, the Belgian BBL changes its name to ING in Belgium. An 18-month process is concluded to familiarise both customers and employees with the benefits of the global brand."},{"accordionList":[{"richBody":{"value":"With a new advertising campaign, ING is positioning itself in Belgium in relation to its competitors. The high-profile rebranding campaigns in 2002 and 2003, which include a lion cub and oranges flying around, put ING firmly on the map as a brand.
Shortly after the launch of the new campaign, all ING branches in Belgium are also given a look that is predominantly orange. It is the final element in the transition from the green of BBL to the ING colour spectrum. The new look of the Belgian branches is in line with the ING corporate identity that will be carried through to all European bank branches.
ING in Belgium receives a prestigious European award for its name change campaign: in 2003, the European Financial Management & Marketing Association (EFMA), a leading European association of banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions, awards the EFMA Grand Prix to the ‘child with lion cub’ advertisement from the “BBL becomes ING” campaign.
"},"title":"I want to know more about the period 2003"}],"componentType":"accordion"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"2004: Mercator Bank is acquired by ING in Belgium"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":""},"title":"In 2004, ING in Belgium acquires Mercator Bank. The bank will be integrated into the Record Bank network."},{"accordionList":[{"richBody":{"value":"ING in Belgium acquires Mercator Bank from Swiss insurer Baloise. The medium-sized savings bank, which operates exclusively in Flanders, is merged with Record Bank. Through the acquisition of Mercator Bank, Record Bank doubles its deposits to €5.4 billion, grows its loan business by a third and increases the number of its branches by 310.
"},"title":"I want to know more about the period 2004"}],"componentType":"accordion"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"2005: Start of partnership with the King Baudouin Foundation"},{"alignedImage":{"position":"left","altTextDE":"King Baudouin Foundation","altTextEN":"King Baudouin Foundation","altTextFR":"King Baudouin Foundation","altTextNL":"King Baudouin Foundation","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/a734d977603a2b3/original/About_2005_KingBauduinFoundation.JPG","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/1ad39621-4986-49a1-a201-86b01e63d751/About_2005_KingBauduinFoundation"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":""},"title":"ING Belgium has been partnered with the King Baudouin Foundation since 2005. Every year, through the ING Fund, the bank supports various Belgian projects related to education, entrepreneurship, circular economy and digital inclusion."},{"accordionList":[{"richBody":{"value":"ING in Belgium has been involved in over 650 projects since the start of the partnership with the King Baudouin Foundation, providing financial support of over €8 million.
"},"title":"Did you know..."}],"componentType":"accordion"}]},"hasMacro":false,"id":"e8238c85-5040-47d8-94d8-e1213be57771","localeString":"en-GB","mainHeaderZone":{"backLink":{"textLink":{"text":"History","url":"/en/individuals/about-us/history"}},"componentType":"productHeader","coreHeader":{"headerImage":{"altTextDE":"BBL - Branch","altTextEN":"BBL - Branch","altTextFR":"BBL - Branch","altTextNL":"BBL - Branch","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/51c176da6330e077/original/about_bblbranch.JPG","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/e57677fe-2e16-4646-b28d-afe8b23ea3d6/about_bblbranch","type":"image","width":573},"title":"ING Belgium: 150 years back in time - Period 1997-2006"}},"publishDate":"2024-08-29T13:33:20.095+02:00"}}