How Will Quantum Computing Impact the Card Industry?
By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor, ICMA Although it is difficult to understand, quantum mechanics is the most successful scientific theory that has ever been created and it has…
The Card Sandwich Conundrum: How Many Layers are Too Many?
By Elliot Lamb, Creative Director, Oasys Technologies Credit cards and smartcards used to be like BLTs, consisting of printed card images on sheets with three or four layers.…
Flat Card Personalization Accelerates
By Dave Tushie, Magellan Consulting, Inc., ICMA Standards and Technical Representative One of the clear themes at last year’s inaugural ICMA Connect event is the accelerating trend…
How to Protect Cardholders Against Microorganisms on the Card’s Surface
By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor, ICMA Invisible enemies lurk on the surface of cards that could be detrimental to cardholders’ health. Liveo Research has studied microorganisms that live…
Global Card Industry Loses $3B in 2020
By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor, ICMA The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the global card industry in 2020. All regional geographic markets and vertical markets experienced significant declines in…
Contactless Payments Expected to Become More Popular Due to COVID-19 Virus
By Dan Good, Vice President of Bureau Solutions, Entrust Going contactless is suddenly in vogue. From elbow bumps to video conferencing to food delivery, the COVID-19 pandemic has…
Not All Cards are the Same: The Subtleties of UV Ink
By Roy Kropman, President, Buskro Ultraviolet (UV)-curable inks have long been described as being versatile and are often touted as being compatible with virtually all printing substrates. While…
Global Card Industry Unites at ICMA Connect
By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor, ICMA The transaction card business is evolving in new and unexpected ways and on November 4-5 ICMA Connect attendees learned how there is…
ICMA Announces 2020 Élan Awards of Excellence Winners
By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor, ICMA ICMA announced the winners of the prestigious 2020 Élan Awards of Excellence during our association’s inaugural virtual event—ICMA Connect: A Global Virtual…
EcoLabel Sets Standard for Environmentally Intelligent Cards
By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor, ICMA New industry developments in sustainable materials and processes have reached a tipping point in card manufacturing. Consumers’ concerns about climate change combined…
Digital Printing Continues to Advance
by Dave Tushie, Magellan Consulting, Inc., ICMA Standards and Technical Representative Over the last several years, the card industry has seen a steady advance in the use of…
Digital Printing’s Impact on the Transaction Card Industry
By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor, ICMA Anything that can go digital will go digital. Print is no exception. In the transaction card industry, print is not dead—it is…