Datacard Group

Datacard Group

Type	Private[1][2]
Industry	Manufacturing and Service
Founded	1969
Founder(s)	Willis K. Drake
Headquarters	Minnetonka, Minnesota, US
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Todd Wilkinson (CEO)[3]
Products	High-volume card issuance systems and software, card printers and encoders, identification software, passport systems
Employees	1,300 (2011)
Website	www.datacard.com

Datacard Group (established 1969) is one of the largest global providers of secure identification and card issuance solutions.^[4][5][6][7] Its customers, including banks, service bureaus, government agencies, corporations and other organizations, issue over 10 million cards every day.^[8][9] The company was founded in 1969 by Willis K. Drake^[5] and has locations around the world including Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa and the Americas.^[5][6] Headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, Datacard Group serves customers in over 150 countries, employs more than 1,300 people worldwide and generates annual revenues of more than $400 million.^{[1][8][10][11]}

Company history

Datacard Group spun off from Dataproducts Corporation, an early manufacturer of computer peripheral equipment. Founder Willis K. Drake recognized an opportunity created by a rise in credit card commerce, which relied on slow and labor intensive card production and processing.^[12] His expertise in computing and printing technology told him that it was possible to mass produce machine readable cards.^[12] However, the idea didn't fit with Dataproducts' circumstances at that time, so DataCard Corporation was formed to bring Drake's idea to fruition.^[12]

Drake and Datacard Group engineers partnered with strategists and engineers from the world's leading financial institutions and retail organizations to create the first ever high speed credit card personalization system. It was capable of creating up to 1500 personalized, embossed cards per hour and helped revolutionize credit card commerce.^[12][13]

Datacard Group also pioneered digital photo ID technology by installing the world’s first digital photo ID system in 1991^[12] and brought the first desktop card printer to market the same year.^[14]

Products and acquisitions

Datacard Group develops, markets, and supports secure identification and card personalization systems and software for a variety of applications including government identification and financial cards.^[15] The company provides card issuers and service bureaus around the world with fully integrated systems for a variety of financial, identification, transportation, telecommunications, gift card and loyalty applications.^[15][16]

Acquisitions

In mid-2000, Datacard acquired Platform Seven from NatWest Bank, a part of the Royal Bank of Scotland.^[17] The company announced that the acquisition would help it "expand its role from smart card personalization tools to multi-application smart card software".^[17]

In early 2001, the company acquired Darmstadt, Germany-based Contec GmbH, that designs and develops laser engraving systems used to produce highly secure identification cards and passports.^[18] Contec had been working closely with Datacard Group since 1997, designing its "stand-alone laser engraving systems" which have since been used for numerous government projects including the Dutch passport and Slovenian National ID.^[18]

In 2003, the company officially acquired French smart-card company Gilles Leroux that manufactured embedded chips, often used in cell phones worldwide.^[8][19] Gilles Leroux went bankrupt in 2002 and Datacard had been running all operations until a French court finally ruled that Datacard had the right to buy Gilles Leroux's assets.^[19][20]

In early 2006, Datacard Group acquired Ga-Vehren Engineering, a St. Louis-based company that manufactured flexible, high-speed print and package-finishing machinery used for plastic card delivery, direct mail and commercial printing.^[21] Datacard announced that the acquisition would increase its ability to take advantage of growth opportunities in telecommunications, loyalty programs, gift cards, direct mail, commercial printing, and print and package finishing.^[21]

Later in 2006, the company acquired Card Personalization Systems Technology (CPST), a company that provided high-speed inkjet systems to create cards in the gift, loyalty and telecommunications markets.^[22] Datacard again made an announcement that the acquisition would allow the company to round out its existing print and packaging systems for end-to-end solutions.^[22]

In 2010, Datacard Group acquired Dynamic Card Solutions (DCS), a Denver-based company that provided instant issuance and PIN selection solutions for banks, credit unions and retailers that issue contactless, magnetic stripe and EMV® compliant cards. The company announced that the acquisition would expand the Datacard portfolio of end-to-end instant issuance solutions for banks, credit unions and retailers and position the company for growth in a global market.^[23]

Clients and important achievements

Datacard Group's customers include government organizations in more than 95 countries including the governments of Singapore,^[24] Ukraine,^[25] and Spain^[26] and the majority of all financial institutions, some of which include Bank of America, American Express, First National Bank of Omaha, Mountain America Credit Union, Liberty Bank, Commonwealth Bank, Desert Schools Federal Credit Union, Greenbank and Service Credit Union. Datacard also serves customers in other markets including corporate security, education, retail and healthcare.^[4][27]

Datacard technology was chosen to personalize and deliver the US passport card, an alternative to the passport book for US citizens traveling to by land and sea to and from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. The highly secure card program uses long-range radio frequency identification (RFID), laser engraved personalization, and other layered security technologies.^[28] As of March 2010, more than 2,700,000 Passport Cards had been issued to U.S. citizens.^[29]

The Republic of Guatemala employed Datacard Group to deliver an "automated state-of-the-art card personalization solution" which the responded to by providing them with highly secure electronic identity cards.^[30] The e-ID cards will be issued to more than 11 million people over 8 years.^[30]

In an effort to prevent fraud and counterfeiting, the Republic of Guinea-Bissau sought out Datacard's services to create national ID cards with multi-layered security and issue them with the Datacard® SP75 card printer. Guinea-Bissau plans to issue over one million of these national ID cards over five years.^[31]

While it can take us up to eight weeks to generate basic statistics such as the list of voters and age and gender demographics, the Datacard solution provided us with results we could share immediately with candidates, political parties and the media. -- Williamsburg, Virginia Voter Registrar, David Andrews^[32]

“

”

Liberty Bank, the oldest mutual bank in Connecticut that serves over 190,000 customers, implemented an instant issuance strategy using Datacard® CardWizard® instant issuance software and PIN selection technology.^[33]

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia upgraded its drivers' licenses to include a radio frequency identification technology (RFID) chip embedded in the EDL (Enhanced Driver's License) to help facilitate traveler processing at the U.S. borders by implementing IBM Canada and Datacard Group technologies.^[34]

The Commonwealth of Virginia used the Datacard® Advocate™ precinct management system to improve efficiency, security and auditability of voter check-in, eliminating the need for traditional paper poll books which had remained largely unchanged since early 1800s.^[35] Voter Registrar, David Andrews, authorized a trial run during the Virginia Dual Party primary in June 2005.

According to Cynthia Patterson, Vice President of Card Issuance Technology, Bank of America improved productivity in its card shop by 45% after implementing Datacard® Syntera® Manufacturing Efficiency Software at two sites, replacing existing OS/2 operating systems.^[36] "We have definitely increased the speed of card processing by at least 45 percent," Patterson said. "It is easy to combine multiple smaller jobs into one long job and flow it through the system. We can reject one card and remake it immediately without going back to the drawing board."^[36]

The company was named amongst Business Journal's Top 100 Private Companies list in 2010.^[37]

External links

• Datacard Group home page

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Company Profile, Datacard Group
2. ^ "Company Profile". http://www.datacard.com/. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
3. ^ Wyant, Carissa (June 26, 2008). "Datacard names new CEO". Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2008/06/23/daily32.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Christian, Susan (June 2, 1992). "Jobs Wither in Drought of Recession : Shutdown: DataCard Corp. blames California costs and competition for closing Buena Park plant and laying off 125 people.". LA Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1992-06-02/business/fi-657_1_buena-park. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} Businessweek, Bloomberg L.P.. "DataCard Corporation". Bloomberg Businessweek. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=264507. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "Datacard Corporation (established 1969)". Minnesota Computing Companies. Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota. http://www.cbi.umn.edu/resources/mncomphist-d.html. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
7. ^ El Diario. "Empresas exponen propuestas de seguridad de nueva cédula". FM Bolivia. http://www.fmbolivia.com.bo/noticia61400-empresas-exponen-propuestas-de-seguridad-de-nueva-cedula.html. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
8. ^ ^{a b c} Reilly, Mark (March 2, 2003). "Minnetonka tech firm plans to cut 12 percent of jobs". Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2003/03/03/story6.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
9. ^ "Why Datacard". Datacard Group. http://www.datacard.com/government#why-datacard. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
10. ^ "Datacard signs joint marketing agreement". Business Journal. January 25, 2002. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2002/01/21/daily46.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
11. ^ Datacad Group. CityBusiness Fact Book. 2002. 
12. ^ ^{a b c d e} Willis K. Drake, OH 46. Oral history interview by James Baker Ross, 3 February 1983, Minnetonka, Minnesota. Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
13. ^ Commerce Transformed, Datacard Group
14. ^ Instant Card Issuance, Datacard Group
15. ^ ^{a b} "DataCard reorganizes". Business Journal. April 7, 1999. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/1999/04/05/daily10.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
16. ^ Mattson-Teig, Beth (September 10, 2000). "Biometrics Make Security Physical". Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2000/09/11/focus3.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
17. ^ ^{a b} "Datacard buys Platform Seven". Business Journal. March 26, 2000. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2000/03/27/weekinbiz.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
18. ^ ^{a b} "Datacard Group acquires Contec". Business Journal. January 25, 2001. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2001/01/22/daily19.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
19. ^ ^{a b} "Datacard buys French company". Business Journal. June 24, 2002. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2002/06/24/daily6.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
20. ^ "Datacard completes French purchase". Business Journal. March 17, 2003. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2003/03/17/daily5.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
21. ^ ^{a b} Vomhof Jr., John (January 10, 2006). "Datacard Group buys St. Louis company". Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2006/01/09/daily17.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
22. ^ ^{a b} Wilbert, Lauren (June 8, 2006). "Datacard buys inkjet card printing firm". Business Journals. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2006/06/05/daily40.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
23. ^ Klabunde, Tim. "Datacard Group Acquires Dynamic Card Solutions and CardWizard® Software". BusinessW. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100930006434/en/Datacard-Group-Acquires-Dynamic-Card-Solutions-CardWizard%C2%AE. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
24. ^ "Singapore Launches Card Based...". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/downloads/ViewDownLoad.dyn?elementId=repositories/downloads/xml/GOV_CS_Singapore_DL.xml&repositoryName=downloads&index=20. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
25. ^ "Ukraine Launches Card Based Driver's License". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/downloads/ViewDownLoad.dyn?elementId=repositories/downloads/xml/UkraineDL_SuccessStory_070719.xml&repositoryName=downloads&index=29. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
26. ^ "Spain Launches Driver's License Program". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/downloads/ViewDownLoad.dyn?elementId=repositories/downloads/xml/Govt_Success_Spain_DL_070501.xml&repositoryName=downloads&index=21. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
27. ^ "CLIENT QUOTES". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/downloads/ViewDownLoad.dyn?elementId=repositories/downloads/xml/FII_CS_Card_Wizard_ClientQuotes.xml&repositoryName=downloads&index=2. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
28. ^ "Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Introduces The Passport Card". Datacard Group. http://www.datacard.com/downloads/ViewDownLoad.dyn?elementId=repositories/downloads/xml/Gov_SS_WHTI.xml&repositoryName=downloads&index=. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
29. ^ "U.S. Passport Card Frequently Asked Questions". Passports. U.S. Department of State. http://travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3921.html. Retrieved 17 September 2011. 
30. ^ ^{a b} "Guatemala National Identity Card". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/downloads/ViewDownLoad.dyn?elementId=repositories/downloads/xml/GOV_SS_GuatemalaNID.xml&repositoryName=downloads&index=11. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
31. ^ "Guinea Bissau Opts for Secure National ID Card to Combat Fraud". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/id/knowledge_center/knowledge_center_detail.jhtml?id=repositories/downloads/xml/GOV_CS_GuineaBissau.xml. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
32. ^ "City of Williamsburg — Williamsburg, Va. Success Story". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/downloads/ViewDownLoad.dyn?elementId=repositories/downloads/xml/EPB_Williamsubrg_successstory_050809.xml&repositoryName=downloads&index=5. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
33. ^ "Advancing Debit Card Program with Instant Issuance". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/downloads/ViewDownLoad.dyn?elementId=repositories/downloads/xml/FII_CS_Card_Wizard_LibertyBank.xml&repositoryName=downloads&index=0. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
34. ^ "British Columbia Enhanced Driver's License (EDL)". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/downloads/ViewDownLoad.dyn?elementId=repositories/downloads/xml/GOV_CS_BritishColumbia_EDL.xml&repositoryName=downloads&index=1. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
35. ^ "Commonwealth of Virgina Case Study". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/id/knowledge_center/knowledge_center_detail.jhtml?id=repositories/downloads/xml/CommonwealthofVirginaCasestudy.xml. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
36. ^ ^{a b} "Bank of America Success Story". Datacard. http://www.datacard.com/downloads/ViewDownLoad.dyn?elementId=repositories/downloads/xml/Syntera_BankofAmerica_061109.xml&repositoryName=downloads&index=24. Retrieved 28 August 2011. 
37. ^ Vomhof Jr., John (May 16, 2010). "The Great Recession dealt a big blow to the Business Journal's Top 100 Private Companies list". Business Journal. http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2010/05/17/focus1.html. Retrieved 28 August 2011.