Datacard Card Delivery Systems Enhance Productivity in U.S. Bank's Card Operations.

PARIS -- Customized messaging also creates powerful one-to-one marketing opportunities

Datacard Group, the world leader in secure ID and card personalization solutions, announced today at CARTES 2004 in Paris, France, that two of its card delivery systems deployed at U.S. Bank have increased card operations productivity by nearly 30 percent in the first 12 months of operation. Additionally, the Datacard(R) C3000 card delivery systems, which are manufactured by document handling market leader and innovator Otto Kunnecke, have created new one-to-one marketing opportunities for U.S. Bank and its co-marketing partners.

The previous three-step card delivery process required five discrete systems and offered total throughput speeds of 2,100 forms per hour. Creating one integrated process built around two Datacard C3000 systems has elevated productivity to 2,700 forms per hour -- an increase of nearly 30% for the 11 million card-per-year operation, based in Fargo, N.D.

Jim Johnson, vice president of underwriting services and card issuance for U.S. Bank, said while the productivity gains were expected, the ability to deliver an improved customer experience was most important. The cleaner, more attractive card carriers support U.S. Bank's commitment to making the customer experience more personal and satisfying.

"We can print highly personalized messages on card carrier forms without slowing the card delivery process," Johnson said. "The same data that drives card personalization is modified slightly and sent to the C3000 systems, where high-speed laser printers add customized text to create a professional look."

High-quality laser printing reduces forms inventories for U.S. Bank. Johnson's team now prints and stores fewer forms, then uses inline laser printing to differentiate them.

"The system also affixes cards with adhesive, rather than inserting them into slits or holes on the form," Johnson said. "This makes our forms much cleaner and more attractive. Affixing multiple cards to one form and using lightweight cut-sheet paper and duplex printing also reduces postage costs."

Mike Schnaus, vice president of marketing and corporate development for Datacard Group, said the productivity gains and marketing enhancements at U.S. Bank reflect similar improvements in other high-volume card programs.

"Job sizes are shrinking and the demand for one-to-one personalization is increasing. There are incredible pressures to reduce costs," Schnaus said. "Our card delivery solutions enable card issuers to meet their operational challenges."

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, secure ID issuance and passport production, plus extensive service and supplies offerings. Datacard Group offers the C3000 card delivery system in cooperation with Otto Kunnecke, a market leader and true innovator in document handling. (www.datacard.com).