Datacard Exceeds Forecast for New Desktop Card Printer by 300 Percent; New Datacard SP35 Card Printer Scores Direct Hit on Emerging Market Demand.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 13, 2003

Richard Garner, a Datacard Worldwide national reseller manager in Australia, has never sold a plastic card printer without conducting a live demonstration -- until now.

Worldwide demand, in a variety of vertical markets, has the new Datacard(R) SP35 card printer flying out of Datacard's factories at a pace that tripled the company's sales forecast for the fiscal year that just ended in March.

"The price, card quality, reliability, and even the attractive design of the printer, have generated strong demand for the SP35," Garner said. "This printer clearly has scored a direct hit with unmet market needs. People are ordering it without asking for a demonstration or even seeing it in person. I've never experienced anything quite like this."

The Datacard SP35 printer delivers up to 120 full-color and 500 one-color cards per hour and offers inline magnetic stripe and smart card capabilities. It features a small footprint, a sleek design and smart supplies that greatly simplify operation and maintenance. It also leverages Datacard's exclusive Advanced Imaging Technology(TM) to produce vivid photos, graphics and text across the entire surface of a card.

"We've also bundled the SP35 with Datacard Preface ID software at no extra charge," said Kent Shields, senior vice president and general manager of Datacard's hardware division. "When people buy the printer, they get everything they need to produce high-quality cards, ranging from member IDs and gift cards to employee badges and loyalty cards.

"Smart card, magnetic stripe and bar code capabilities also are making the SP35 a popular solution for access control and other applications that require machine-readable technologies," Shields said. "In fact, customers who are issuing smart cards can configure the printer for contact, contactless or hybrid cards. So, it's a great solution for emerging RFID applications."

Datacard Group provides software, systems and professional services needed to build profitable card programs. The company's portfolio includes a complete line of smart card solutions, secure digital identity systems and card personalization systems. Datacard Group, which is privately held and based in Minnetonka, Minn., serves customers in more than 120 countries. (www.datacard.com).