Agfa supplies high security identification cards system to Thales Security Systems

The Moroccan DGSN (Direction Générale de la Sûreté Nationale) has awarded the French company Thales Security Systems (TSS) a contract for a complete card production and personalization system. This highly secure national e-ID card contains an integrated RFID module (Radio Frequency Identification).

• Thales Security Systems will produce highly secure e-ID cards with contactless chip for Moroccan population

As part of this project, Agfa’s business unit Specialty Products will provide TSS with a complete sub-system consisting of production/personalization equipment, consumables and materials for the production of about 20 million e-ID cards.

TSS will act on site in Rabat and Marrakech as the producer of the cards in close cooperation with the Moroccan Government, incorporating the personal (including biometric) information of the future cardholder in the embedded chip. This solution is the very first of its kind in the world. The concept of the electronic-ID card incorporates state-of-the-art technology (contactless chip module with small antenna embedded in a polyester structure) and the proven imaging know-how (DCT-Pro*) of Agfa.

According to Leo Alaerts, Agfa’s Specialty Products business unit manager: “Agfa has always had profitable activities in the identity and security cards area, providing imaging materials and special laminates to paper-based ID document producers. With this large contract Agfa enters the growing field of personal, high-security plastic electronic ID documents with a comprehensive system including hardware, software and consumables.”

“Agfa is looking forward cooperating with TSS on this project for the Moroccan government. It will enable us to land more of these business-to-business contracts in the future,” Leo Alaerts concludes.

(*) The Agfa equipment has been specially designed to automate a unique Agfa personalization process based on color photographic transfer. The DCT-Pro (Digital Continuous Tone Professional) process represents the latest evolution of the technology used with paper based cards such as the French National ID card.

About Agfa

The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world’s leading imaging and information technology companies. Agfa develops, manufactures and markets analog and digital systems for the graphic industry and for healthcare. Agfa’s headquarters are in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is active in 40 countries and has agents in another 100 countries throughout the world. Together they achieved a turnover of 3,762 million Euros in 2004.

Agfa’s Specialty Products business unit offers high-quality (film-based) consumables in the business-to-business market. For the motion picture market it supplies sound recording film and color print film. Other main products are microfilm and film for non-destructive testing. Furthermore Specialty Products’ portfolio includes solutions for aerial photography, printed circuit boards production, security identification cards, passports as well as electroluminescent lamps, touch screens and displays. It also produces PET film and custom designed bases for various applications.