ICMA Members Gain Special Education in Minneapolis, Munich

PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., June 14, 2018 — Card industry professionals who attend an ICMA CardTREX event this fall will gain valuable industry insight with an exclusive tour of a member site, the International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) announced today.

In addition to the tours, CardTREX educational sessions will elevate and empower attendees through card-focused education, trend analysis and multiple networking opportunities. ICMA will also offer Advanced Card Education (ACE) industry training and exams to earn the ACE designation. Supplier tabletop exhibits will provide networking and a chance for attendees to recognize outstanding products in the industry.

“This industry is changing so quickly and it‘s more important than ever to keep on top of the technologies and opportunities,” said Jeffrey Barnhart, ICMA founder and executive director. “The regional CardTREX events are the perfect opportunity for professionals to get insights into what’s happening in their particular region.”

Every year, ICMA hosts two CardTREX events to make it more convenient for the global community to attend. Here is the 2018 schedule:

• CardTREX North America will take place Sept. 27-28 at the Westin Edina Galleria in Edina (Minneapolis), Minnesota and will feature an exclusive tour of Entrust Datacard. The tour will cover a manufacturing and facility tour, demos for access and identity card products and EDC Trusted Identity products demo and overview.
• CardTREX Europe will take place Oct. 11-12 at the Hilton Munich Airport in Munich, Germany and will feature an exclusive tour of Mühlbauer. The tour will cover card production and personalization machines from parts up through painting and assembly, as well as a visit to their high-tech showroom.

Both are a day-and-a-half conference focused on the regional issues faced by card manufacturers, personalizers and suppliers. Attendees will learn about the latest trends, technologies and innovations that will benefit technical and production staff, as well as business owners and executives.

CardTREX will help attendees develop and enhance strategic business relationships. Each features a networking dinner and ICMA’s signature Networking Zone and Speed Share session. In the Networking Zone, production/operations personnel have a chance to meet with suppliers to the card industry. During the Speed Share session, exhibitors discuss products and attendees vote on the best product of the event.

ICMA members receive a significant CardTREX registration discount. For more details on these events and to register, visit www.cardtrex.com.

Beyond CardTREX

For nearly 30 years, ICMA has represented the interests of the card industry—which includes manufacturers, personalizers, issuers and suppliers—as its leading global association. ICMA provides member benefits in education, training and networking and represents the industry before the standard-making bodies International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

As the complexity of card manufacturing and personalization has increased, so have the production, standards, quality, security and environmental issues surrounding these cards. ICMA provides both in-person and online education, networking, idea-sharing, and collaboration for companies around the globe. Card manufacturing is a $19 billion industry globally.

ICMA members reap more benefits that the annual fall events. For example, ICMA members have access to several industry-leading training and education programs about card manufacturing for members. These include the Advanced Card Education (ACE) certificate and the web-based Card Industry Training & Education programs, which provide information on key areas of the industry, as well as online tutorials and webinars on specific topics from card industry experts and leading industry suppliers. ICMA also provides regular industry reports to keep members informed of emerging trends and changing standards. The organization hosts three conferences each year. The main event is the Annual Card Manufacturing & Personalization EXPO and the other two conferences are CardTREX North America and CardTREX Europe.

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About ICMA

For nearly 30 years, ICMA has been a nonprofit association of card manufacturers, personalizers, suppliers and related industry participants. With 225 members globally, ICMA acts as a resource for industry issues, including the production, technology, application, security and environmental issues of cards. More information is available at www.icma.com.