New Smart Card Docking Station With Encoding Options Provide Fargo Systems With ``Most Advanced Desktop Solution For Printing and Encoding Smart Cards''.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 30, 2001

A new integrated docking station, coupled with a series of complete encoding options, now makes the Fargo Professional Series "the most advanced desktop solution for printing and encoding smart cards available in the marketplace," Gary R. Holland, president and chief executive officer of Fargo Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FRGO) announced today.

Smart cards contain computer chips that are accessed by a contact pad, an embedded antenna, or by a combination of both. They are used in a wide variety of applications including identification cards, network security, access control, mass transit, vending, meal plans, loyalty, electronic cash, government IDs, campus IDs, e-commerce, and health cards.

"Because the Professional Series card printer/encoders are desktop systems, end users have the ability to decentralize the issuance of smart cards, while choosing from a broad array of options for the encoding electronics necessary to personalize and activate the cards," Holland noted.

These options use the integrated docking station to incorporate:

-- Contact smart card encoding electronics (compliant with the ISO 7816
standard);

-- Contactless smart card encoding electronics (compliant with Mifare(R)/ISO
14443 standards);

-- Proximity card reader electronics (compliant with HID Prox Card
specifications);

-- Magnetic stripe encoding, either ISO or JIS II standards;

-- Any (or all) combinations of the smart card and magnetic stripe types
mentioned above.

"Incorporating the docking station and encoding electronics in the Professional Series card printer/encoders enables the end user to personalize each smart card in a single, seamless one-pass process," Holland said. "Due to its unique, cutting edge High Definition Printing(TM) process, the Fargo HDP720 card printer/encoder produces identification cards with exceptional photo quality, print clarity, color depth and vibrancy. Printing images onto a special HDP film, which is then fused into the surface of the card through heat and pressure, results in cards that are highly durable and virtually tamper-proof.

"The use of contact smart cards, contactless smart cards, and proximity cards (collectively referred to as e-cards) has created new opportunities for distributed card personalization systems. As e-cards become more widely accepted, particularly in the U.S., the ability to provide complete solutions for these applications will be increasingly more important. At the same time, encoding has increased from relatively simple bar code and magnetic stripe cards to more complex schemes, including hybrid cards that comprise two or more technologies," Holland concluded.

The Fargo integrated docking station with encoding and prox reader electronics will be showcased for the security industry at the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) 47th Annual Conference October 1-4 in San Antonio, Texas.

For more information on emerging smart card technologies, contact your Fargo Solution Provider, or visit http://www.fargo.com/smart_cards/card_technologies.asp.

About Fargo

Fargo Electronics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FRGO) is the world's leader in innovative technologies for desktop plastic card personalization systems. Based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Fargo printing systems create personalized plastic identification cards complete with digital images and text, lamination, and electronically encoded information.

Personalized identification cards provide physical, information and transaction security for a wide variety of applications including retail stores, e-commerce, government installations, schools, sports and recreation facilities, clubs and associations, and correctional facilities. More than 50,000 Fargo systems are currently installed throughout the U.S. and in over 100 other countries. For more information, visit Fargo's Web site at http://www.fargo.com.