Israeli company Supercom has won a tender published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, the British government printer, to print passports for British citizens for the next four years. Supercom general manager Eli Rosen told "Globes" that the company won the tender thanks to technology it developed which prints documents that cannot be forged. He said the deal was worth $5 million over four years.
Rosen refused to disclose details of the quantity of passports the company will print, as the matter is considered a British state secret. Nevertheless, the Home Office estimated that, up to the end of 1999, some four million passports would be issued using the new method. British Home Secretary Mike O’Brien said the new technology, based on a patent registered by Supercom, would make forgery of the passport bearer’s photograph and signature impossible.
Supercom won the project in conjunction with Siemens of Germany. It is expected to go ahead at the end of 1998. In the course of the project, Siemens will cooperate with the British Passport Office in collating applications and gathering the information required to issue passports. At the same time, the printing itself will be carried out by Supercom in cooperation with Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.
Supercom was set up in 1998 by four private founders. It has developed several new technologies, including unforgeable digital printing, and a smart card containing a picture and personal details that can transfer information without physical contact. "Globes" has learned that Supercom is currently preparing for a NASDAQ issue, expected to take place within a few months.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on August 10, 1998