WORLDLINE_REGISTRATION_DOCUMENT_2017

C

The Group’s business Property Plant and Equipment

Property Plant and Equipment C.7

Significant existing or planned property, plant and equipment

C.7.1

As of December 31, 2017, the Group held property, plant and equipment with a total net value of approximately € 129.2 million, consisting mainly of the equipment (particularly information technology equipment) used in its production centers, more specifically its data centers. The Group leases almost all of its property & plant while IT equipment is generally purchased. Property, plant and equipment held or leased by the Group consists primarily of the following: administrative and commercial needs, in all of the countries in which the Group operates. The principal sites leased are located in France (in particular the Bezons site, where the Company has its registered office), Belgium, in the Netherlands, in Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom. The Group’s principal data centers are located in France (at its Seclin site) as well as at its Vendôme site, in Belgium (at its Brussels site), in the Netherllands (at its Amsterdam site), in Italy (at its Pero and Settimo sites) and in Germany (at its Frankfurt site), as well as in Spain and the United Kingdom where the Group is renting some datacentre space from Administrative buildings and offices for the Group’s ●

Atos. Certain sites in Belgium are sub-leased by Worldline PropCo SA to Worldline NV/SA (Belgium) in connection with a long-term lease between Worldline PropCo SA and Immo Haecht 1442, which owns the Group’s principal real property located in Belgium. The Group also rents, from third parties connected with its own data centers, four European telecommunications centers (located in France, Belgium and Germany). Lastly, the Group leases buildings and data centers in the emerging countries in which it operates, including India and Argentina, as well as in the USA and in Russia; (primarily information technology equipment) and data center servers, which the Group owns through its local subsidiaries; Assembly plant in the United Kingdom for the manufacture ● of kiosks. The Group believes that the usage rate of its various tangible fixed assets is consistent with its activity and projected growth, as well as with its current and planned investments. Technical data center infrastructure, furniture, equipment ●

Research and development, Patents and Licenses C.8

Research and development

C.8.1

teams and focus primarily on incremental innovation, while other research and development engineers are focused on longer-term research and development projects dedicated to disruptive innovation. The Group’s dedicated research and development team supports a broader team of more than 4,500 engineers in the field working with clients to implement the Group’s services. The Group’s research and development expense amounted to € 48.3 million in 2017 and € 47.6 million in 2016. The Group’s research and development teams indeed interact with Atos’ various Service Line experienced research and development teams, like for example, Atos’ scientific The Group’s research and development activities are detailed in Section D.2.1.1 “Anticipate customers’ expectations regarding innovation” Of the Group’s Corporate and Social responsibility Report, presented in Section D. community or BDS (formerly Bull) R&D teams.

The Worldline Group actively seeks to promote a culture of innovation designed to spur its employees to greater creativity and encourage the design and implementation of value creating projects. The Group’s Research and Development department is a key enabler of its capacity for innovation and improvement of its products and solutions, a critical strength in an industry that is constantly evolving. The Group’s research and development teams, which are managed centrally from its headquarters, comprise a dedicated team of research and development engineers spread throughout the countries in which the Group operates. Many of the Group’s research and development engineers are closely integrated within the Group’s operational

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Worldline 2017 Registration Document