Chantilly, VA August 19, 2010–Oberthur Technologies, one of the world’s largest providers of smart cards technology and related services, has received several prestigious awards for its innovation in the first part of 2010

In June, Oberthur received two International Innovation Awards from ACT Canada, a non-profit association that focuses on smart card technology in Canada. The International Innovation Awards recognize organizations that have introduced innovative new technologies, applications or services into the payment card market.

• In the Banking Finance Service category, Oberthur’s Smart Pin won for being the first service that allows card issuers to securely deliver card PINs via mobile text message.
• In the Business Model Service category, Oberthur’s EMV-In-A-Box won for being able to provide issuers a complete, turnkey EMV Migration solution- containing consultancy, training, project management and technical support- in as little as 12 weeks.

In May, Oberthur Technologies won the coveted Élan Award for Unique Innovation at the International Card Manufacturing Association (ICMA) EXPO, held in Scottsdale, Arizona. ICMA is the largest association of plastic card manufacturers and personalizers in the world. Its purpose is to promote the plastic card industry and the value of its products and services.

ICMA’s Élan provides the manufacturing industry’s only award that distinguishes the latest advancements and achievements in card design and technical innovation. Oberthur received recognition in three categories:

• Unique Innovation for Oberthur Technologies’ contactless FlyBuy™ Sticker
• Best Government Identification Card for the ID-One™ Cosmo smart card which features a variety of physical security elements including: unique holograms, changeable laser images, guilloche printing, micro-printing and optically variable inks
• Judges’ Choice for Oberthur’s clear contactless smartcard with translucent black ink

In March, Oberthur Technologies won a 2010 Product Innovation Award from Network Products Guide, the leading information technology research and advisory guide. The award, in the Smart Card category, was for ID-One™ PIV, Oberthur’s fully federally compliant physical and logical security access card solution which offers identity proofing, card authentication, digital signature, fingerprint on-card comparison, encryption and secure post issuance management.

“Oberthur Technologies drives innovation through leveraging its 5 global R&D facilities,” said Martin Ferenczi, Managing Director, Americas, Card Systems Division at Oberthur Technologies. “These awards demonstrate our understanding of our customers’ needs and delivering useful solutions to meet those needs.”

About Oberthur Technologies

With sales of 904 million Euros in 2009, Oberthur Technologies is a world leader in the field of secure technologies. Innovation and high quality services ensure Oberthur Technologies’ strong positioning in its main target markets:

• Card Systems: One of the world’s leading providers of security and identification based on smart card technology and associated services for mobile, payment, transport, digital TV and convergence markets.
• Identity: International leader in manufacturing, personalization, and issuance systems for secure documents such as passports, identity cards, driving licenses, or healthcare cards – traditional and electronic – for both government and corporate sectors.
• Fiduciary printing: World’s third largest private security printer specialized in high security for the production of banknotes, checks and other fiduciary documents in more than fifty countries.
• Cash protection: World leader in the emerging market of intelligent systems to secure cash-in-transit and ATM.
  Close to its customers, Oberthur Technologies benefits from an industrial and commercial presence across all five continents.

Website: http://www.oberthur.com

U.S. Press Contact

Leana Benson Hersch
Phone: +1 310 868 1318
Email: l.hersch@oberthur.com