Vision and groundbreaking technologies are demonstrated in the latest International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) Élan Award winning entries. ICMA, the leading global card association for card manufacturers, personalizers, issuers and suppliers driving industry innovation, honored Goldpac with two Élan Awards at the 2024 ICMA EXPO. Among the winners, Goldpac earned the awards in the following categories:
- Personalization & Fulfillment – Product, Service or Project and Manufacturer
- Access Control Cards
“Goldpac has more than 30 years of experience in the smart and secure payment cards industry,” said Dr. William Lu, executive director at Goldpac. “Being once again awarded with an Élan Award is not only a recognition of Goldpac’s outstanding achievements in product design and craftsmanship, but also a demonstration of Goldpac’s cutting-edge technologies and continuous innovation capabilities.”
Payment Card Aligned with Customer Preference Trends
The HengTong Black Gold Card for Shunde Rural Commercial Bank is specially created for prestige consumers, satisfying their desire for security and convenience in financial products with a sophisticated design. This is consistent with recent diverse trends in customer preferences.
It also demonstrates how Chinese traditional aesthetics and contemporary technology can coexist. This product aims to provide upscale clients with a safe, practical and elegant payment experience.
Through its design, the black gold card evokes an aura of prestige. The card face showcases a traditional Chinese phoenix pattern, and the application of embossing ink technology creates a stereoscopic texture. This highlights the sophistication of oriental aesthetics. Making it a status symbol of nobility, the timeless combination of gold and black exudes luxury.
“As a trustworthy fintech product and service provider, Goldpac integrates product design, craftsmanship and advanced technology, as well as strengthens the cultural attributes of the products to create higher-value products for banks and financial institutions,” stated Dr. William Lu. “Over time, the bank card has become a powerful and essential component of branding and visual identity.”
With its exquisite appearance, the Shunde Rural Commercial Bank black gold card:
- Boosts the cultural added value of bank cards
- Helps to improve the bank’s brand awareness
- Draws the attention of the high-net-worth community
Dr. William Lu continued, “At the same time, the widespread acceptance of cards produced using environmentally friendly materials has become the norm. To further support the long-term growth of the international bank card market, Goldpac will continue its research and development of cutting-edge PVC cards like this one.”
Key Card Highlights Move Toward Automation and Digitization
The growing popularity of intelligent vehicles is driving user demand for convenience and safety features. Designed to satisfy consumers’ expectations, the HiPhi near field communication (NFC) key card offers automobile owners a keyless entry system.
“In addition to spurring innovation in vehicle security systems, the debut of the HiPhi NFC key card highlights the industry’s continued momentum towards automation and digitization,” exclaimed Dr. William Lu.
The HiPhi NFC key cards are made with temperature-resistant materials that increase the cards’ durability and reliability, while ensuring dependable performance in adverse weather conditions. Data exposure and unauthorized access are effectively prevented by the built-in central processing unit and highly secure encryption technology.
This guarantees the protection of user data. NFC technology also makes communication quick and simple, which keeps the process of unlocking and starting a car smooth and seamless.
“The access control card market is currently heading towards a future that’s multifunctional, intelligent and personalized,” declared Dr. William Lu. “In addition to serving as a car key, the HiPhi NFC key card can be extended to various intelligent access control use cases. NFC key cards have the potential to serve as the link between consumers and smart devices of the future, offering a more varied and customized experience within the Internet of Everything,” concludes Dr. William Lu.
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 2025 EXPO will take place from May 12-15 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.
Learn more about the benefits of ICMA membership.