Datacard(R) Maxsys(R) Card Issuance System Drives Unprecedented Success in South Korea.

Card issuers praise Datacard([R]) system for modular capabilities, efficiency and seamless integration 

SEOUL, South Korea -- Datacard Group today announced the company sold its twenty-second Datacard([R]) Maxsys([R]) card issuance system in the Republic of Korea. This represents an unprecedented level of success in the region, and includes several multiple orders and repeat buyers, including BC Card, Shinhan Card, IC Korea, Hyundai Card, KB Card, Lotte Card and KBC.

Financial card issuers and service bureaus alike praised the Maxsys system for its unique combination of speed, performance and range of capabilities.

"We chose the Maxsys system because of its fast return on investment and its wide range of card personalization modules," said Daniel Lee, Vice President of IC Korea, a service bureau based in Daegu, Korea. "When we acquired our first Maxsys system with smart card personalization capabilities, we knew we could achieve a full ROI in a very short time with high-volume production."

The launch of the Maxsys system in South Korea also coincided with new EMV migration requirements. BC Card, a credit card issuer headquartered in Seoul, saw a significant rise in these types of jobs -- for which the Maxsys system was ideally suited.

"The big advantages of the Maxsys system are high throughput, efficiency and a relatively compact footprint," said Lee Hyun-Ho, General Manager at BC Card. "We knew the Maxsys system could deliver the performance we needed. However, we were concerned about the limited floor space in our facilities. Eventually, the Maxsys system's physical footprint allowed us to incorporate the system with minimal changes to our existing system layout."

Ensuring success from day one was also important, according to Baek Ji-Hyun, Senior Sales Director of I&S Systems, an authorized Datacard distributor. "When we introduced the Maxsys system, we had to demonstrate that migration of card personalization applications from the Datacard([R]) 9000 Series card issuance system would be seamless," Ji-Hyun said. "By leveraging our extensive software development skills, and with outstanding technical support from Datacard Group, we showed how easy the migration would be in our very first Maxsys system installation at Hyundai Card in October 2004. This early successful implementation influenced many other customers' decisions thereafter."

"All of these orders are important wins for Datacard Group," said Henry Chun, Datacard Group country manager - Korea. "We were up against competitors that were committed to using very aggressive pricing and conditional offers in an effort to penetrate the card personalization market in Korea. Still, when presented with all the options, customers chose Datacard Group."

Datacard Group offers the world's best-selling secure ID and card personalization solutions. The company's portfolio includes systems for high-volume card issuance, card delivery and fulfillment, secure ID issuance and passport production, plus extensive service and supply offerings. Datacard Group serves customers in more than 120 countries. Stay current with Datacard Group news - subscribe today!! (www.datacard.com)