3M has entered into a definitive agreement with authentos GmbH, Germany, to acquire Security Printing and Systems Limited (SPSL), a UK producer of finished, personalised passports and secure cards. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
SPSL has provided passports to the UK Government for more than four decades. SPSLs position as a trusted source for security document expertise and biometric passports incorporating RFID technology complements 3Ms own expertise in RFID, security laminates for passports and secure document issuing systems.
Supported by SPSL the Identity and Passport Service in the UK is currently in the process of transitioning from digital passports to biometric passports with personal data integrated in an RFID chip, which provides significant additional protection against fraud and forgery.
The transaction is expected to close by the end of the month, subject to customary closing conditions.
Related links: (Open in a new window.)
www.3M.com/uk
www.authentos-group.com
Taken from Information Security Bulletin.