上海2013年4月17日電 /美通社/ -- 全球領先的汽車租賃品牌 Hertz 赫茲國際汽車租賃（NYSE：HTZ）與神州租車聯合宣布，赫茲將戰略投資中國租車業領導品牌神州租車，持有神州租車近20%的股權並獲得一個董事會席位。根據協議，赫茲與神州租車兩個品牌將同時出現在雙方後續的全國租賃服務門店，赫茲門店將併入神州運營系統，繼續在主要城市提供高端租賃服務。赫茲將繼續管理其在國內的出境租車團隊，該合作也不影響其設備租賃業務。
這一戰略合作將大大提升赫茲在中國迅猛發展的汽車租賃市場的影響力。此外，赫茲與神州租車也將分別成為對方在入境和出境租車服務的獨家合作夥伴，為國際企業及休閒旅客提供較佳的長短租服務。2012年，中國的國際旅遊支出超過了1000億美元，位居世界第一，預計到2016年，中國的國內租車業務每年將增長15%以上。
赫茲全球總裁兼執行長 Mark P. Frissora 認為：「赫茲作為全球領先的汽車租賃品牌，與中國規模較大、最受認可的汽車租賃公司合作是個完美的選擇。神州租車在全國66個城市擁有700多家門店，車隊規模接近50,000輛，超過其較大競爭對手規模的四倍。同時，神州租車業務增長迅速，在2012年實現了營業額翻番，達到2.5億美元，是其他國內競爭對手的2.5倍。神州租車2009年到2012年年增長率達200%，為市場同期增長的六倍，且到2016年其預期年增長率超過50%，是整體市場預期的3倍多。這使得赫茲憑藉其現有國際品牌和差異化的市場定位來快速拓展中國租車市場，同時促進神州租車的增長。不僅神州租車及赫茲能夠在全國範圍提供商務及休閒租車服務，同時也使我們能夠在增長預期較高的中國出境及入境市場為商旅人士提供較佳的租車解決方案。」
根據協議，神州租車將被授予為期5年的經營許可權運作赫茲在中國的租車業務。神州租車將在全國主要城市按照其發展路徑，建立赫茲全方位服務高端門店網絡。同事，赫茲與神州租車服務將圍繞自駕和包車業務，以及短期、中期、長期車輛租賃業務。赫茲將提供神州租車一系列行業領先的技術產品與服務，涵蓋赫茲專業的運營，強大的預定處理以及高效的車輛管理，以帶動其高端業務的發展。
神州租車董事局主席兼執行長陸正耀先生表示：「我們非常高興能與全球汽車租賃領導品牌赫茲建立深層次戰略合作關係。這一合作，不僅有助於進一步優化我們的股權結構，還可使我們受益於赫茲先進的管理經驗和豐富的國際資源，鞏固神州租車在中國租車行業的領導地位，推動國際市場的開拓。同時，也將極大促進神州租車的規模、品牌、產品和服務的提升，為國內外客戶創造更加優質、便捷的租車體驗。」
關於神州租車
神州租車成立於2007年9月，總部位於北京。作為中國領先的汽車租賃服務提供商，神州租車積極借鑑國際上成功的汽車租賃模式，並結合中國客戶的消費習慣，為客戶提供短租、長租及融資租賃等專業化的汽車租賃服務，以及全國救援、異地還車等完善的配套服務。截至2013年2月，神州租車在國內66個主要城市和52個主要機場擁有近700個租車網點，服務個人客戶過百萬、企業客戶近萬家，是目前中國較大的全國性大型連鎖汽車租賃企業。
自成立以來，神州租車獲得了客戶的一致認可和社會各界的廣泛好評。2008年，公司成為第29屆奧運會租車服務提供商，2008年公司獲評《中國企業家》「21世紀未來之星」企業，2009年公司榮登《福布斯》中文版「中國潛力企業榜」，2010年公司獲評《新財富》「最具增長潛力商業模式」、中華網「年度較佳租車服務獎」，2011年公司獲評哈佛《商業評論》「管理行動獎」金獎、中國品牌節「品牌中國大獎較佳服務獎」、《時尚旅遊》「中國旅遊金榜」較佳租車公司獎，入選「2012年德勤亞太區高成長公司500強」，並在中國工信部發起的 第三屆「中國品牌力指數」評測中位居行業榜首，成為汽車租賃服務領域消費者最可信賴的品牌。
根據第三方機構羅蘭貝格的調查報告，神州租車是目前中國最具認知度的汽車租賃服務提供商，並在車隊規模、網點覆蓋、市場份額和業務收入等各項運營和財務指標上，處於中國汽車租賃行業絕對的領導地位。
關於赫茲全球
赫茲旗下共有赫茲、道樂及Thrifty三大租車品牌，在北美、歐洲、南美、亞洲、澳大利亞、紐西蘭、中東及非洲地區經營著約10,400家直營、授權及特許經營網點。赫茲是全球較大的機場常用租車品牌，在全球約150個國家擁有約8,800家直營或授權網點。赫茲也是美國市場較大的機場租車品牌，在111個主要歐洲機場提供服務。道樂和Thrifty租車在全球約80個國家擁有1,580家直營或授權網點。赫茲是旅遊+休閒「世界較佳獎名人堂」的創始成員，近期再次被該雜誌讀者命名為「較佳租車公司」，這是赫茲第13次獲此殊榮。Zagat的2012/13年度美國租車調查中，赫茲還被選為較佳整體租車公司，在14個類別中贏得較高榮譽。公司還橫掃FlyerTalk.com逐個全球獎項，包括較好獎勵計劃及較佳整體效益。赫茲的產品及服務舉措，如赫茲金尚尊享獎勵、NeverLost®、Adrenaline產品所提供的獨特小車和SUV車型，以及Prestige尊貴和Green Traveler綠色旅行者系列，使得赫茲公司在市場競爭中脫穎而出。此外，赫茲旗下還包括汽車融資租賃及車隊管理的領導者Donlen道能公司，以及專營汽車共享的Hertz On Demand品牌。赫茲旗下的赫茲設備租賃公司擁有北美領先的設備租賃業務，該公司業務還包括赫茲娛樂服務。
關於赫茲中國國際汽車租賃
赫茲中國為個人和企業客戶提供國際標準的高端租車服務，企業客戶大都為財富500強和國際知名公司。赫茲提供廣泛的國內租車和入境租車服務，如長期租車、機場接送、包車服務、自駕服務、會展會務車輛解決方案以及深港跨境服務。赫茲中國在上海、北京、天津、成都、深圳、廣州和烏魯木齊7個城市已設有辦事處，提供全方位汽車租賃解決方案，車組配備包括中級車組、全型車組、豪華車組、尊榮車組、SUV廂型車車組等。此外，赫茲中國還與國內外航空公司、旅行社、酒店、銀行等旅業集團建立起廣泛的合作夥伴關係。
Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release and in related comments by our management include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Examples of forward-looking statements include information concerning Hertz’s outlook, anticipated revenues and results of operations, as well as any other statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. These forward-looking statements often include words such as "believe," "expect," "project," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "seek," "will," "may," "would," "should," "could," "forecasts" or similar expressions. These statements are based on certain assumptions that Hertz has made in light of its experience in the industry as well as its perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors that Hertz believes are appropriate in these circumstances. We believe these judgments are reasonable, but you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results, and our actual results could differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of important factors, both positive and negative.
Among other items, such factors could include: our ability to integrate the car rental operations of Dollar Thrifty and realize operational efficiencies from the acquisition; the risk that expected synergies, cost savings from the Dollar Thrifty acquisition may not be fully realized or realized within the expected time frame; the operational and profitability impact of the Advantage divestiture and the divestiture of the airport locations that we agreed to undertake in order to secure regulatory approval for the Dollar Thrifty acquisition; levels of travel demand, particularly with respect to airline passenger traffic in the United States and in global markets; the impact of pending and future U.S. governmental action to address budget deficits through reductions in spending and similar austerity measures, which could materially adversely affect unemployment rates and consumer spending levels; significant changes in the competitive environment, including as a result of industry consolidation, and the effect of competition in our markets, including on our pricing policies or use of incentives; occurrences that disrupt rental activity during our peak periods; our ability to achieve cost savings and efficiencies and realize opportunities to increase productivity and profitability; an increase in our fleet costs as a result of an increase in the cost of new vehicles and/or a decrease in the price at which we dispose of used vehicles either in the used vehicle market or under repurchase or guaranteed depreciation programs our ability to accurately estimate future levels of rental activity and adjust the size and mix of our fleet accordingly; our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity and the availability to us of additional or continued sources of financing for our revenue earning equipment and to refinance our existing indebtedness; safety recalls by the manufacturers of our vehicles and equipment; a major disruption in our communication or centralized information networks; financial instability of the manufacturers of our vehicles and equipment; any impact on us from the actions of our licensees, franchisees, dealers and independent contractors; our ability to maintain profitability during adverse economic cycles and unfavorable external events (including war, terrorist acts, natural disasters and epidemic disease); shortages of fuel and increases or volatility in fuel costs; our ability to successfully integrate acquisitions and complete dispositions; our ability to maintain favorable brand recognition; costs and risks associated with litigation; risks related to our indebtedness, including our substantial amount of debt, our ability to incur substantially more debt and increases in interest rates or in our borrowing margins; our ability to meet the financial and other covenants contained in our Senior Credit Facilities, our outstanding unsecured Senior Notes and certain asset-backed and asset-based arrangements; changes in accounting principles, or their application or interpretation, and our ability to make accurate estimates and the assumptions underlying the estimates, which could have an effect on earnings; changes in the existing, or the adoption of new laws, regulations, policies or other activities of governments, agencies and similar organizations where such actions may affect our operations, the cost thereof or applicable tax rates; changes to our senior management team; the effect of tangible and intangible asset impairment charges; the impact of our derivative instruments, which can be affected by fluctuations in interest rates and commodity prices; and our exposure to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. Additional information concerning these and other factors can be found in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K.
Hertz therefore cautions you against relying on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to Hertz or persons acting on Hertz’s behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. All such statements speak only as of the date made, and Hertz undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.