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Datacard Group Announces Relationship with Aconite


    Datacard Group, the world leader in secure ID and card
    personalization solutions, and Aconite Technology, a leading provider
    of EMV and smart card software and consulting, today announced they
    have joined forces to offer customers complete EMV migration and smart
    pre-paid card solutions, including transaction processing, scripting,
    key generation, key storage and clearing data validation.

    These solutions bring together both companies best-in-class
    products: Datacard(R) Affina(R) Issuance and Affina(R) Enterprise
    software solutions and Aconite's EMV Script Processor (ESP), EMV
    Transaction Enabler (TRxE) and Pre-Paid Value Manager (PPVM). Together
    Datacard Group and Aconite will deliver solutions and expertise in the
    following three areas: EMV Migration, Smart Pre-Paid and Enterprise
    card management.

    "Combining our expertise in these key solutions supports our
    global commitment to innovation and our strategy to provide our
    customers with turn-key, market leading solutions," said Bob Beer,
    director of smart card marketing from Datacard Group.

    "Aconite's expertise in scripting, authorization and pre-paid
    solutions will complement and strengthen our market position in both
    EMV migration and the development of smart card solutions for our
    customers," concluded Beer.

    "This relationship reflects the synergy between our respective
    product offerings and positions us to respond to the strong demand for
    integrated and comprehensive EMV and smart card solutions," said
    Patrick Regester, EVP of Sales & Marketing at Aconite. "Together, we
    provide all the pieces of the puzzle that card issuers need to
    facilitate EMV migration and enable them to enter the pre-paid smart
    card market quickly and cost effectively."

    At whatever stage a card issuer maybe with their EMV migration, be
    it early stage functionality or advanced development of their smart
    card offerings, the combined solutions are designed to integrate
    easily with existing host systems. With enhanced business solutions
    such as EMV scripting offline risk management and support for pre-paid
    cards, card issuers will be able to maximize their existing
    investments, and capitalize on new market opportunities with minimum
    disruption and risk to their business.

    The companies will jointly market these EMV migration and smart
    card solutions; firstly in the UK and mainland Europe with plans to
    roll out to Asia Pacific and the Americas in the second half of 2007.

    About 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, secure ID issuance and
    passport production, plus extensive service and supply offerings.
    Datacard Group serves customers in more than 120 countries
    (www.datacard.com).

    About Aconite

    Aconite delivers smart card payment solutions and consulting
    expertise to card issuers and processors around the world, providing a
    rapid and cost-effective route to smart card deployment and the
    delivery of innovative card payment solutions to new and existing
    markets. (www.aconite.net)