Feedback on IFSEC 2011

We were so excited to showcase our product line at IFSEC Securex Johannesburg 2011 this week. The show is now complete, and as we debrief as a team, we like to reflect on the feedback we received from the visitors.

The XID8300

Time and time again, we printed a sample card on this printer and the visitor exclaimed "Wow!". The feedback we received was a reiteration of what we have believed since it's release- the XID8300 is the best desktop card printer available. Full stop.

We can't stop talking about some of the fantastic benefits wrapped in that little grey box:

• The clarity of print is unmatched by any other printer represented at the show.
  
  
• The UV ink we showcased was broadcasted by top VIP visitors as a "smart" security feature.
  
  
• Anyone who has ever sunk thousands of rands into printhead replacements knows that the Lifetime Print head Warranty is pure gold.
  
  
• The encoding modules available for the XID8300 will encode iClass HID cards, Mifare cards and other contact and contactless chips. This is an important feature for the visitors of IFSEC Securex, as many are in the process of migrating into a more self-sufficient in house system for their security.
  
  

• When we got to that complicated question of pricing, each visitor was surprised at how reasonable the machine was. The price of EDIsecure Retransfer printers have come down significantly over the years- making this machine more value for money than any other plastic card printer available.
  
  

The LCP9000

The LCP9000 is a desktop colour laser personalisation unit, small enough to fit on a small desk, with the ability to engrave images into the plastic. A fully kitted card can have tactile and flat engraving of text or images, UV, ghost imaging and a mirage of security features. The market for this printer is significantly smaller than that of the XID8300, thanks to it's more secure requirements and higher price tag.

We had videos running of the laser operating, as well as an actual demonstration of the full LCP9000 unit. The videos attracted congregations of people watching how the laser reflects, and engraves onto polycarbonate plastic. Lasers are awesome and this highly secure method of card issuance is awesome too.


Overall we are ecstatic about the results of the show and are looking forward to the next show we'll be popping into!

Ready to join the CardsPlus revolution? Go ahead! Give us a call on 086 16 CARDS (22737) or
+27 11 894 3914 .

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FAQs- As a reseller, what questions should I ask to best determine what type of plastic card printer my client needs?

An excellent reseller is set on providing intelligent solutions to their client base.

Much like a doctor needs a thorough knowledge of the symptoms of illness and it's relationship to the body to diagnose an illness, resellers need a good understanding of their client's needs and the relationship of those needs to what the market offers.

We have compiled just three questions that will help you assess which plastic card printer will be best for your client.

1. What type of cards are you planning on producing?

Knowing the application for the machine will help you determine which level printer you need to focus on:

For instance if your client answers:

ID Cards with low security: You can start thinking about a simple direct-to-card printer might be suitable

Loyalty or Gift cards: you may need to ask if a printer with a magnetic encoder will be needed

RFID/Prox: You can recommend Retransfer printing as it is the only recommended method for desktop colour printing on smart cards.


2. What monthly volumes are you expecting?

The answer to this question would indicate which line of printer your client would need. Different card printer brands have different spans of use, but for EDIsecure, we judge that a DCP240+ or DCP340+ is perfect for small volumes ( up to 5000) while the DCP360 and XID 8300 is great for large volumes.

3. Budgetary Concerns?

There are two schools of thought in the finance of plastic card printing. One wants the cheapest cost per card. The other, wants the lowest cost for the solution.

There is a significant difference between a cost per card, and a cost per solution.

A cost per card is the simple calculation of ink+plastic=cost per card.

A cost per solution calculates the total inclusive cost of the solution. It includes the cost of the printer, the software, the consumables to print the cards, the ongoing maintence, the speed of the machine and the down time that the printer will require changing ribbons, mantaining the printer etc.

Finding out what your client needs for their budget will help you address the total solution (instead of just the cost per card) and save your client some serious money!


Still aren't sure which printer to ask for? CardsPlus offers free consultations on 086 16 CARDS (22737) or +27 (0)11 894 3914.

Do you think we we missed something important? Go ahead and comment below.

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Why Cards Plus?

With a growing number of companies in South Africa who having offerings to the Plastic Card industry, perhaps you are wondering why you should buy from Cards Plus.

What would be the advantage you would have in our being your supplier?

1. We are a South African Manufacturer of Plastic cards -we do not bring our preprinted
cards from China or the United States -we print and manufacture our own at our factory in Johannesburg. What is the advantage to you, the client?

a. Speedy service – our standard turnaround time, express and next day service all have set new benchmarks in South Africa
b. Flexibility – need to check if your colour looks the way you want on your card? You can
run a sample – or better yet, utilize our standard and speedy Hard Copy Proofing service –
then make adjustments if it isn’t the way you had dreamed.
c. Quality Control – if there should be any issues with your cards after approval of the hard copy, you have immediate recourse for addressing the issue - and (see point 2b) we will stand by our product and if we have made a mistake, we will fix it!
d. We are creating jobs in South Africa and keeping your money in our economy
e. Come and visit us for a tour!

2. We only represent the best quality products

a. From our equipment to the type of plastic we print on – we do not buy junk! What we
offer our clients is tried and tested by us to be of excellent quality. We don’t cut corners to
increase our margins or decrease our pricing.
b. We believe so strongly in our product that we offer our own guarantees on our products.

3. We have a variety of solutions to meet every need – are you budget sensitive, time critical or need a flexible solution? We have products and services to meet each of these.

4. We offer full support and training if needed
Having trouble getting your software to work? Does your printer need to be serviced? We
can help. Perhaps you need a new printer but don’t know how to work it? We will be very
happy to train you.

5. Our Brain Trust – a great resource for consultation

With over 23 years in the auto ID industry, and a vast amount of experience and knowledge, we have trained up knowledgeable staff and have the resources to assist you with deciding what the best solution is for your requirement.

We believe strongly that you deserve the best, and we strive to offer you what you need.

Please feel free to contact us if there is anything we can do to assist you
0861 16 CARDS (22737) or +27 11 894 2914 www.cardsplus.co.za

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March Madness

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10 colours to include in your 2011 marketing and loyalty campaigns for added benefit

What is going to get the attention of your clients this year?

Pantone predictions
Colour authority Pantone released their predictions in late December and as we noticed late last year– exotic, vibrant colours are on the up and up.

The colour of 2011 is Honeysuckle – a fresh, cheerful and versatile shade of pink. You can expect this colour to feature across the industries in new marketing campaigns, clothing designs and even home industry trends.

Pantone also gave Russet, Regatta, Coral Rose, Peapod, Blue Curacao, Beeswax, Lavender, Silver Peony and Silver Cloud the thumbs up for 2011.

This palette is strong, intriguing and healthy with a particular nod to saturated African and Indian inspirations.

How it will help you

Forecasting
Armed with this knowledge, you have the edge in trend appeal. You can choose to embrace the power of popularity– much like the turquoise of yore, these colours have mass staying-power and will still look hip and fresh for the next few years according to trend analysis.

African Influence
Local is Lekker and with the unique African influence these colours are primed and ready to pounce on your target audience.

Colour Association
Harnessing the power of colour provides subconscious messages to your audience.
These colours are energetic and vibrant. Using these colours for a marketing or loyalty campaign associates your campaign is associated to youthful vibrancy and positivity.

Putting it on plastic
We love this new palette of dramatic , rich shades– even more so because they look so good on plastic. Pair Coral Rose with Regatta and Honeysuckle for high energy impact – or Peapod and Blue Curacao with a touch of Silver Peony for a subtle chic result.

Give it the 2011 twist with increased interest in striking colour combinations. You can’t go wrong in this palette– so go big and reap the benefits of trend appeal.

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What you will need to start printing your own cards tomorrow

Are you ready to branch into printing your own cards, either as a side business or for your company?

We created a brief rundown of what you will need– besides a computer or laptop– to start printing your own plastic cards…

A reliable plastic card printer: There are a wide variety of plastic card printers that will suite a variety of needs from single sided printing to high security printing. We recommend EDIsecure for their durability and reliability.

Software: Connecting to a database gives you the freedom to let the printer print without stopping to browse for a photo. Pick Jolly Technologies IDFlow to get the most bang for your buck

Consumables: Don’t forget your ribbons with the ink ribbons and the plastic cards to print on!

That’s it! You are ready to print! Print on!

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DCP 360+ unveiled

Digital Identification Solutions Group recently unveiled the upgraded version of the DCP360i, renamed as the DCP 360+.

The DCP 360+ is being called the most powerful and compact direct card printer in its class.

The new, modern-designed, double-sided, edge-to-edge EDIsecure® DCP 360+ Direct Card Printer was developed for industrial needs and is prepared for plug and play inline lamination. It is the most powerful desktop direct card printer in the world with its versatility and state-of-the-art features.

Product Highlights and Features

* Fastest full-color direct card printer in its class due to portrait mode printing
* High-speed printing of more than 180 full-color and up to 720 monochrome cards per hour
* Built-in LED panel for convenient set-up and operation
* Detachable card hopper for easy handling
* Powerful printer driver shows the printer status and makes it possible to change the parameters for printing from the PC
* Removable and reusable cleaning rollers
* Optional single- and simultaneous dual-side lamination with EDIsecure® ILM or ILM-DS to apply a range of EDIsecure® clear and secure laminates that extend card life and enhances security
* Optional lockable access to lamination supplies for higher security
* Optional field upgradeable encoder modules for magnetic stripe, contact and contactless smart card encoding
* Ideal for medium to high volume applications for corporations, government agencies, organizations, hospitals, health facilities, and universities, for photo IDs, access control, time and attendance, and loyalty cards

The following ribbons are available: YMCKO and YMCKOK ribbon as well as monochrome K (black) ribbon.

What makes the DCP360+ better than the DCP360i?

The major upgrade is the introduction of infrared capabilities for use with the new lamination (ILM) units. This will enable users the ability to utalise the DS and LS ILM units with the DCP360+ instead of the previous bulky ILM units of yore. Hooray for streamlining printing solutions!

We give Digital Identification Solutions a big thumbs up on this project!

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What is at the Core?

When looking for something new, a new computer, a new car, or even a new pair of pants, I am always trying to figure out what it's made from.

Does this computer have dual core processing that will handle the work I need it to run?

Does this car have a sturdy engine that will give me many long happy years without malfunction?

Is this pair of pants made of material that will suit my lifestyle?

I always want to know what is at the core of the product I am purchasing. If it counts what's inside, I want to know about it.

Same is true for a plastic card supplier. We want to know what is at their core. What are they made out of?

So CardsPlus, What are you made out of?

At our core we are a plastic card solutions company. We facilitate the printing of cards or implementation of plastic card systems.

This means:

- We know our stuff. It's our core business! Want to know something about your plastic card application? We can help! Need software to print cards or to implement your cards in real life? We can help!

- We have really great quality. Because we have no 'plan B'- you can be assured that your cards are going to be manufactured with only the best materials and equipment. Cutting corners is cutting out our livelihood- and no one wants a cut up livelihood.

- We can give really good service. Without all the extra goodies to support and supply, we are able to ensure that you receive one on one attention and care. Plus, once the sale is closed and you are thrilled with the card system, we can provide you additional support and assistance.


But does this mean CardsPlus is a small little business?

Hardly! Being focused on our niche has helped us overcome the small business pitfalls and become South Africa's leading Short-Run plastic card manufacturer. With over 4.2 million cards printed in the last 8 months, CardsPlus is well equipped to handle your next order.

At our core, we are a plastic card solutions provider.

At our core, we are committed to serving you!

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ExpressCards– Get your printed cards in just 24 hours!

Do you have an emergency red-hot need for plastic cards?

Choose:You can now get your cards in just 24 hours!

ExpressCards is the groundbreaking new service offered only by CardsPlus giving you up to 5000 cards in just 24 hours

Enjoy:

• Vibrant CYMK (Full Colour) print quality
• A professional glossy offset finish
• Fastest turnaround available
• Confident, speedy service
• No minimum quantity, set up fees, plate charges or hidden costs
• Cards are manufactured in house ensuring the highest quality output

Your cards can feature:

• Vivid CYMK (Full Colour) print on one or both sides of the card
• Barcodes
• Photo or text inserts
• Serialised number personalisation
• A HiCo or LoCo magnetic stripe for self encoding
• and more

Secure up to 5000 custom printed cards within just 24 hours!

Call 086 16 CARDS (22737) today to find out how ExpressCards can fire up your business! Certain limitations do apply.

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Oh so many choices! But which is the best for YOU?!

With so many options available for plastic card printers, how would you know which direct to card single sided printer would suite your needs?

We’ve whipped up this friendly little chart for the major brands of single side direct-to-card printers . Have a look at which printer would be ideal for you! (Click here for a link to the insider Downloads page where you can access this PDF and more!)

Need more help deciding?

It’s no secret we favour the DCP240+ for it’s outstanding reliability , ease-of-use and support network. But we know that the DCP240+ doesn’t suite each and every requirement.

For a complimentary consultation pop us an email at info@cardsplus.co.za or call at 086 16 CARDS and receive personalised advice on which printer would be best for you!

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Securex- A great opportunity to see the best in action!

Residing in South Africa, we see that security is at forefront in any South African's mind. We're concerned with not just preventing crimes in ones home or business but crimes of fraud and corruption in corporations or even government institutions. With this in mind, plastic card security is crucial in any application - but even more so in credential management or Identification card programmes. Fraud of any sort completely undermines the control of the card.

Securex is an exhibition that focuses on security channels of all kinds, from access control to residential alarming systems. CardsPlus has taken this week to broadcast and demonstrate the high security features of XID retransfer printers at this show. Revealing hidden security features capable on these machines as well as the high print quality that allows for effective visual security features, the XID printers truly demonstrated the difference that 12 years of quality technology can make!

We still feel confident that EDIsecure's XID family of retransfer printers can simply not be beaten.

If you missed us at Securex and are interested in viewing the XID 8300 in action, please give us a call on 086 16 CARDS and book your appointment today!

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EDIsecure Printers in US Driver's License Solution

EDISecure printers, and Digital Identification Solutions, continue to prove themselves as THE choice solution for plastic card solutions. This week, DISO announced receipt of orders for three separate driver's license programs in the United States, adding to the already established programmes in South Carolina and Mississippi.
Secure ID reported that this brings the number of EDIsecure printers and laminators installed in United States Driver's programmes to 600.

CardsPlus is a proud to be a certified solution provider of EDIsecure printers and products to sub-Sahara Africa, proving that we chose to provide only the best in quality and technology to the Southern Africa market.

Contact CardsPlus at +27 11 894 3914 to learn more about the EDIsecure family of printers.

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5 Reasons to Make the Switch to Retransfer Printing Right Now

Retransfer technology is all the rage right now and being marketed across the world as cutting edge print technology at it’s finest.

But, what are the actual differences between the direct-to-card Zebra, Evolis, Datacard, Fargo printers and Retransfer printers? And what actual benefits are there in switching to the finest print technology available?

Let’s have a look at the original retransfer brand of printers– the EDIsecure XID family.

1. Better Print Quality Imaging on the XID retransfer printers is comparable to offset press printed cards- Colours are brighter and crisper; lines are sharper and cleaner.

2. Off-the-edge Printing Direct-to-card printers all leave a faint line on one side of the card to protect the print head from damage. Yuck!

Retransfer print heads do not make contact with the card, allowing a fluid 'over-the-edge' print, even on the uneven edges of smart cards.

3. Lifetime Warranty on the Print head Only the XID printers offer you the assurance of
a lifetime warranty on the print head. No shady card count restrictions apply .

4. Completely Modular The XID printers are fully customisable, meaning you purchase only
what you need at this time with the option of adding modules (without requiring an upgrade) when your needs change. Why spend more when you don't have to ?

5. Affordability The XID printers give you true value for your money and the cost per card is comparable to direct to card printing!

Demonstrations are available if you would like to see the technology in action. Join the revolution and schedule your demonstration for an XID retransfer printer now.

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Client FAQ: Why does the Datacard SP35 look JUST like the EDIsecure DCP240+?

The SP35 and DCP240+ have similar bodies and look similar on the outside.

However, the two printer brands do not operate the same.

Why we prefer the DCP240+

• Advanced print driver gives the ability to enhance print graphic quality
• The powerful printer drivers have access to every parameter of the card printing job- so you can change any aspect in one central place
• Unmatched Graphic User Interface (GUI) ensures better colour matching from screen to print.
  

To quote a long term Datacard user, “The DCP240+ is like the SP35 except better!” What a great compliment!

Thanks for asking & Print on!

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High-end Card Security is Linked to Specific Covert Tactics

Security on an ID or access control card is imperative for the safety of your organisation.

There are two types of security features – overt features are visible with the naked eye and covert features that require an additional assistant for viewing.

A secure card has a balance of both covert and overt features.

These 3 tips are covert security features and things that those validating entry or identification can recognise as valid or fraudulent using specific tools.

Ultra-violet Ink – Reprint logos, text or card holder’s identification in UV ink. Under a UV light source, the light reflection will be visible. Under normal light, the ink is not visible.

On the right is an example of the UV printing under a UV light.


Invisible Personal Information (IPI) - IPI encodes personal data into the photo. This information is invisible to the naked eye, but can be seen through a simple decoding device as seen on the left.





Optically variable ink (OVI) Printing – Colour shifting inks reflect various wavelengths in white light differently, depending on the angle of incidence to the surface. An unaided eye will observe this effect as a change of colour as the viewing angle is changed.

A colour copier or scanner will only scan the document at one fixed angle relative to the card’s surface making unauthorised replication very difficult.

On the right you can see an example of OVI printing



Call in today to see how we can help amp up your card security!

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Making the Switch

This month, CardsPlus is offering you the opportunity to launch your card printing from the okay into the phenomenal with a trade in and upgrade special. Trade in your Zebra, Evolis, or Datacard printer for over R10 000 off the affordable line of XID Retransfer printers and gain the edge in card printing.

Plastic card printers like the Evolis Tattoo or Evolis Pebble; the Zebra P110i, P330i, or P430i; the Fargo C30 Persona or DTC550; the Datacard SP range and even the EDIsecure DCP range all print with a process termed "direct-to-card printing".

But, what are the actual differences between your direct-to-card Zebra, Evolis, Datacard, Fargo printers and the XID Retransfer printers?

5 Reasons why you need to make the switch

1. Better Print Quality Imaging on the XID retransfer printers is comparable to offset press printed cards- Colours are brighter and crisper; lines are sharper and cleaner.

2. Off-the-edge Printing Direct-to-card printers all leave a faint line on one side of the card to protect the printhead from damage. Yuck! Thankfully, Retransfer print heads do not make contact with the card, allowing a 'over-the-edge' printing appearance.

3. Lifetime Warranty on the Printhead Only the XID printers offer you the assurance of a lifetime warranty on the print head. No shady card count restrictions need apply.

4. Completely Modular The XID printers are fully customisable- meaning you purchase only what you need at this time with the option of adding modules (without requiring an upgrade) when your needs change. Why spend more when you don't have to?

5. Affordability Don't be deceived that the generosity of the CardsPlus discount reveals that the printer is outside of your budgeting bracket. The XID printers give you true value for your money.

You can read a brief introduction on the variety of print processes here and a comprehensive article on direct-to-card and retransfer printing methods here.

As always, please feel free to give us a call on 086 16 CARDS (22737) to hear more about print technology, printers and this offer.

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