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Co-branded cards have become a significant trend, particularly as consumer preferences shift toward products that reflect their individual identities and brand loyalties. According to Javelin Strategy & Research, co-branded cards now represent 62% of consumer credit card products, which underscores their growing importance.

Specializing in the processing of financial cards, ID cards, driver’s licenses, health care cards, voter cards and commercial cards, International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA) member Atlantic Zeiser offers versatile modular components and scalable secure software platforms including contact and contactless chip encoding, UV color and black and white inkjet printing and laser marking. The company’s expertise lies in applying sensitive variable data onto various card materials, ensuring full data and personalization process integrity.

Gaël Murat, senior commercial director at the company, discusses the growing importance of co-branded card personalization.

“At Atlantic Zeiser, we recognized this shift early on and developed the PERSOSMART system to meet these evolving needs,” Murat said.

PERSOSMART, designed to handle the complexities of co-branded card production with exceptional efficiency, supports high-resolution printing of intricate designs that combine both bank and retail brand elements, ensuring that each card is not only functional but also visually appealing. This system also offers the flexibility to use various materials, from traditional PVC to more innovative options like recycled PVC and metal, aligning with the sustainability goals of many clients.

Atlantic Zeiserrecently showcased its innovations at Seamless Middle East and Seamless North Africa 2024. Both events were crucial in demonstrating how its solutions are setting new standards in the industry.

“At Seamless Middle East, the focus was on the PERSOSMART system’s ability to deliver high-quality, full-color edge-to-edge printing, which is particularly important for co-branded cards,” Murat said. “We received very positive feedback, especially regarding the system’s drop-on-demand inkjet printing technology that provides brilliant colors.”

The PERSOSMART system revolutionizes the production process by offering unmatched agility and efficiency.

“Traditional methods often involve significant overhead costs due to the need for large inventories of pre-printed card stock,” Murat said. “PERSOSMART, with its drop-on-demand ProfFlo technology, reduces these costs by minimizing card stock requirements and allowing for on-demand printing.”

This capability enables financial institutions to respond swiftly to market changes and offer new co-branded card designs with minimal lead time. Additionally, the system's ability to manage detailed elements like logos and cardholder information in a single pass ensures that the final product is both accurate and visually aligned with the brand’s identity.

“The operational advantages of PERSOSMART allow for greater creativity and flexibility in offering multiple co-branded card programs,” Murat said.

At Seamless North Africa, Atlantic Zeiser introduced its MAILMASTER system, a flexible and affordable solution for card mailing processes.

“The system can efficiently handle a variety of small orders in one production run, processing up to 3,000 envelopes per hour,” Murat said. “Its compact design and ability to work with both pre-printed carriers and dynamic printing during operation, in mono or color, make it practical for businesses managing co-branded card programs. It also supports changing multiple parameters during production through Rainbow Deck applications.”

With the growing competition in the card personalization market, Atlantic Zeiser ensures its solutions remain ahead of the curve with an approach based on continuous innovation and a deep understanding of its clients' needs.

“We invest heavily in research and development to ensure that our products not only meet current market demands but also anticipate future trends,” Murat said. “For instance, we are constantly refining the PERSOSMART system to enhance its flexibility, security features and compatibility with emerging card materials. This focus on innovation, combined with our commitment to sustainability and customer-centric design, ensures that our solutions provide real value to our clients and keep us among the leading companies in the industry.”

Excited about the future and the opportunities it holds, Atlantic Zeiser plans further enhancements to its existing systems, particularly in terms of integrating more advanced data management capabilities and expanding the range of materials it supports.

“We are also exploring new markets and partnerships to broaden our reach, especially in regions where the demand for co-branded cards is on the rise,” Murat said. “Our goal is to continue providing solutions that empower our clients to offer personalized, high-quality products while maintaining efficiency and sustainability.”

About the Author Gaël Murat is an expert in digital printing solutions for the card and packaging industries, currently serving as senior commercial director (focusing on driving product strategy, encompassing technical, commercial and marketing aspects) at Atlantic Zeiser, a Coesia company and a global leader in digital printing and card personalization solutions. The company specializes in innovative digital printing solutions that ensure secure, high-quality production for industries like banking and consumer goods. With more than 15 years of experience in the card market, Gaël has held various technical and commercial roles at Entrust Datacard, and he is recognized for his multilingual capabilities, leadership certifications and publications on industry advancements.