CASH machine operator Customers Ltd has taken second slot among...

CASH machine operator Customers Ltd has taken second slot among the country's ATM providers after acquiring 3300 machines from Macquarie Bank for up to $132 million.

The deal will take the number of ATMs run by Customers to more than 5000 and brings it closer to its main rival, Cashcards, Australia's biggest operator.

Many of the senior management of Sydney-based Customers used to work for Cashcards before it was taken over two years ago by US company First Data Corporation.

The purchase is highly beneficial for Macquarie Payments Infrastructure Holdings, the Macquarie Bank subsidiary that bought ATM Solutions Australasia from the Bank of Queensland just 18 months ago for $64 million. Macquarie expanded the original ATM Solutions network of 2400 machines, including 1700 Bank of Queensland-branded ATMs, by a further 900 through acquisitions during its brief ownership.

A spokesman declined to comment after the deal was announced yesterday but the bank will book a healthy profit.

Customers will become the fourth owner of ATM Solutions in just three years, but chairman and managing director Greg Baker said it was a natural fit for his business.

"Just two years ago we set a strategic vision to become Australia's leading listed payments system business," he said. "Our emphasis was to grow our ATM position strongly and then deliver services via an established retail footprint."

Customers shares closed at 24¢ yesterday, down 0.5¢.