Card manufacturers have an ongoing commitment to improve their productivity, performance, delivery, quality, compliance, environmental footprint and customer satisfaction. As the card manufacturing industry landscape continues to evolve, organizations need to know how to adapt and grow in a competitive marketplace. Understanding the unique solutions other manufacturers develop to universal challenges has never been more important.

In response, the International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA), the leading global card association for card manufacturers and personalizers, presents CardTREX. The event will take place on 12-13 October at the Munich Marriott Hotel in Munich, Germany. The one-and-a-half-day conference is open to ICMA members and non-members. However, ICMA members receive significant discounts.

“CardTREX brings together the ‘who’s who’ of card manufacturing executives, plant personnel, cutting-edge technology providers and supplier partners of various levels from around the globe,” said Thomas Decker, CardTREX chair and vice president of payments product marketing at Linxens. “The program will be a dynamic conversation, among experienced and rising card industry leaders, on how to best navigate real-world challenges and opportunities.”

Decker continues, “By centralizing CardTREX to one location this year, suppliers and card industry-related services will have expanded opportunities to reach a global audience of card manufacturers through exhibits and sponsorships. We look forward to the conversations and vibrancy of learning from one another at this unique event.”

In addition to ICMA’s signature Speed Share session, where exhibitors will promote their best product and attendees will vote on the best product of the event, the conference offers a facility tour, educational presentations and networking opportunities.

Tour a Microsystems Technology Facility

On the first day, attendees will be taken off site to Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Microsystems and Solid State Technologies EMFT for two educational presentations as well as a facility tour. The featured presentations during the facility tour are:

• Flexible Hybrid Electronics by Roll-to-Roll at Fraunhofer EMFT presented by Christof Landesberger, Fraunhofer EMFT will show technical examples of how electronic systems on flexible film substrates can be prepared by roll-to-roll (R2R) processing.
• GreenICT: Research Platform in Germany Toward Greener Electronics presented by Sabine Scherbaum and Jennifer Goldbrunner, Fraunhofer EMFT. Since last year, the competence center for resource-conscious information and communication technology (Green ICT@FMD) has been available to industrial partners. Under the criterion of resource efficiency, processes of packaging and interconnection technology as well as demonstrators for the modularization of flexible electronics are developed at EMFT. Comparative lifecycle assessments are carried out on metallization processes. Existing processes are examined for resource-saving substitution of materials and processes.

Discover the Latest Industry Trends and Solutions

CardTREX offers a comprehensive agenda including the following presentations:

• Digital Intelligence Brings ROI to Card Personalization & Issuance presented by Zain Aleem, Director Global Business Analysis & Consulting, Entrust.
• How to Differentiate in the Payment Card Space While Improving Consumer Loyalty and UX presented by Ursula Schilling, Director for Business Development, Chip Card and Security Division, Infineon Technologies AG
• The State of Play: An Update presented by Thomas Decker, Vice President of Payments Product Marketing, Linxens
• Benefits of Composite Cards: Optimizing Security, Durability & Cost presented by Michael Korzeniewski, Account Manager EMEA, TESLIN^® Substrate Products PPG
• Exploring Eco-Friendly Bonding Approaches for Recycled/Biobased Card Materials presented by Christoph Kramer, Senior Marketing Manager Cards & Security – Smart Bonding Solutions for Secure Documents, Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG
• Innovative Plastic-Free Wood Cards Enable the Payment Card Industry to Even More Sustainability presented by Dr. Christian Lehringer, Copecto
• Suppliers Versus Partners: The Evolution in Purchasing presented by Núria Llonch, Global Category Manager Films, Giesecke+Devrient ePayments GmbH

Network with Industry Thought Leaders

Together with having access to regionally focused educational sessions, CardTREX offers attendees the opportunity to enhance strategic business relationships in the region of the world where they work by networking with thought leaders, industry peers and experts in their field. Likewise, attendees will get industry insights that they can leverage to drive innovation and profitability within their organizations.

Supplier exhibits in ICMA’s signature Networking Zone will bring card manufacturers, personalizers, suppliers and issuers together to discuss opportunities and challenges in their region of the card industry.

Learn More Insights on Card Trends

For more than 30 years, ICMA has represented the interests of the card manufacturing industry—which includes manufacturers, personalizers, issuers and suppliers—as its leading global association.

Throughout the year, ICMA members have the opportunity to share insights and knowledge by giving presentations during ICMA webcasts and events. The association’s main event is its annual Card Manufacturing & Personalization EXPO. The 2024 EXPO will take place from May 13-16 in Orlando, Florida.

ICMA offers regular educational opportunities, including ACE-Manufacturing, ACE-Personalization and ACE-Advanced Technologies training and exams at the ICMA EXPO. ICMA also offers ACE-Commercial training, which provides sales, marketing, customer service and other key personnel at ICMA member companies with the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of card manufacturing. In 2023, the last ACE-Commercial training will take place on November 1.

Learn more about the benefits of ICMA membership.