Sophia-Antipolis, March 09, 2010
ASK, a worldwide leading supplier in contactless inlays, contactless cards and contactless tickets, today announced that it has entered into a framework agreement with De La Rue Identity Systems for the provision of eCovers, a component part of biometric passports, for certain ongoing contracts.

De La Rue selected ASK following a structured competitive eTender process.

James Thorburn, Managing Director De La Rue Identity Systems said: “We are delighted with the confirmation of this agreement and look forward to developing a strong working relationship with ASK. It is a credit to their capability that they have been successful in this procurement process “.


Bruno Moreau, ASK C.E.O said “We are very proud to have been selected by De La Rue. Our innovative technology, has been reliably proven by millions of contactless products in the field for over 12 years.”

ASK, with over 150 million contactless products in circulation in more than 50 countries, is a worldwide leading provider of a full range of contactless products including smart cards, smart tickets, smart adhesive labels, readers, inlays for electronic passports or contactless smart cards and eDocuments. ASK is ISO9001 certified and holds a portfolio of 55 patents to date. ASK is a France-headquartered company with worldwide customers, and subsidiaries in Singapore, China, India, Brazil, Mexico and the US.

About De La Rue

De La Rue is the world’s largest commercial security printer and papermaker, involved in the production of over 150 national currencies and a wide range of security documents such as passports, authentication labels and fiscal stamps. The Company is a leading provider of cash sorting equipment and software solutions to central banks, helping them to reduce the cost of handling cash. De La Rue also pioneers new technologies in government identity solutions for national identification, driver’s licence and passport issuing schemes. De La Rue employs over 4,000 people worldwide and is a member of the FTSE 250. Its ordinary shares are listed with the UK Listing Authority and trade on the market for listed securities on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol DLAR.

De La Rue Identity Systems is a trusted partner and advisor of Governments the world over, working closely with them to design, implement and manage secure identity systems and solutions. Pioneers of new technologies and innovation, De La Rue have successfully implemented over 50 identity management projects across the globe. With more than 27 million secure documents issued each year as a result of De La Rue’s know-how and expertise, De La Rue Identity Systems are world experts in delivering quality and high performance solutions for passport, ePassport, visa, national ID and eID, driving licence and voter registration systems.