SCM Microsystems Enters Physical Access Control Market
March 22 2004 - 2:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
SCM Microsystems Enters Physical Access Control Market HANOVER,
Germany and FREMONT, Calif., March 22, CeBIT /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
-- SCM Microsystems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCMM; Prime Standard: SMY), a
leading provider of solutions that open the Digital World, today
announced plans to enter the physical access control market. The
physical access control market includes the cards, readers,
terminals and systems used for securing the entry of people into
facilities and buildings. SCM plans to introduce a family of
physical access control terminals. The announcement was made at the
CeBIT exhibition in Hanover, Germany, where SCM is showing
prototypes of the new products from March 18 to 24, 2004 in Hall 6,
Booth # E10 and Hall 17 Booth # D26. Heightenedsecurity awareness,
particularly in the United States, is driving an increase in the
use of smart card technology to strengthen the security of identity
credentials, building access systems and computer/network access.
Smart cards are ideal for this purpose because they are virtually
impossible to counterfeit, can replace visual inspection with
machine verification, communicate with computers and networks and
support biometrics. Millions of smart ID cards are already in use,
and the U.S. government is implementing major new smart card
initiatives including a common identity credential for all U.S.
federal employees and a similar ID for the 12 million plus U.S.
transportation workers. "As physical access control migrates to
smart cards, the market is becoming more sophisticated and more
demanding. These changes created an opportunity for SCM
Microsystems," said Robert Schneider, chief executive officer of
SCM Microsystems. "Our new line of physical access control
terminals will leverage our experience in smart card and security
technologies, our investment in smart card ASIC technology and our
existing strong channel relationships." To date SCM has shipped
several million smart card readers worldwide to major enterprises,
financial institutions and government agencies, including more than
1.5 million units through systems integration partners for the U.S.
Department of Defense Common Access Card program. The company holds
more than 80 relevant patents and participates actively in
standards initiatives guiding the changes taking place in the
physical access control market. The new product line will support
the latest technologies adopted by the physical access control
market including contact and contactless smart cards, and it will
position companies for fingerprint biometrics going forward. SCM
will market the terminals to both government and corporate
customers through its existing channel partners, the top-tier OEMs
and systems integrators serving the physical access control, smart
card and security sectors. SCM plans to announce the first models
of the new physical access product line at the 14th annual
CardTechSecurTech exhibition in the United States, taking place
April 26-29 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
About SCM Microsystems SCM Microsystems is a leading supplier of
solutions that open the Digital World by enabling people to
conveniently access digital content and services. The company
markets and sells its smart card reader technology for network and
physical access and conditional access modules for secure digital
TV decryption to OEM customers in the government, financial,
enterprise and broadcasting markets worldwide. Global headquarters
are in Fremont, California, with European headquarters in Ismaning,
Germany. For additional information, visit the SCM Microsystems web
site at http://www.scmmicro.com/. NOTE: All trade names are either
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
DATASOURCE: SCM Microsystems, Inc. CONTACT: Manfred Mueller of SCM
Microsystems, +49 89 95 95 5140, or ; or Deb Montner of Montner
& Associates, +1-203-226-9290, or , for SCM Microsystems, Inc.
Web site: http://www.scmmicro.com/
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