Chase Corporation (AMEX:CCF), a global manufacturer of tapes, laminates, sealants and coatings for high reliability applications, reports that its new contactless shielding product, Paper Tyger® DEFENDER™, is quickly gaining widespread acceptance. DEFENDER, an innovative patent-pending laminated paper with an inner security barrier, provides affordable personal and mail-stream privacy protection by shielding smart cards and RFID-enabled credentials from unauthorized access. According to industry leaders, the DEFENDER shield is facilitating the growth of contactless cards across the globe.
Worldwide financial institutions and government agencies are now using DEFENDER sleeves, inserts and envelopes to protect contactless cardholder privacy. Since its launch in June 2007, DEFENDER has been closely evaluated for shielding effectiveness and compatibility with current mail-stream fulfillment practices. Major card brands and their issuing banks have chosen DEFENDER to shield contactless payment cards from unauthorized access during mail delivery. Additionally, DEFENDER is being selected as a card carrying sleeve for consumer protection when carried in a wallet or purse. Contactless payment is gaining pace as it enables rapid payment simplicity.
Another rapidly emerging application includes border U.S.A. States, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, issuing DEFENDER protective sleeves to achieve mail-stream and personal privacy protection of their new RFID-enabled Enhanced Drivers License (EDL). The EDL is being issued in response to legislation for a Federally approved combined driver’s license/border crossing card. Several states are working to meet Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requirements. WHTI requires all U.S. Citizens entering the U.S. to have a passport or other federally approved identification/proof of citizenship. EDLs will allow quick identification checks at border crossings with DEFENDER sleeves helping to provide personal privacy protection when the EDL is not in use.
Beyond the State EDL program, DEFENDER has obtained FIPS 201 approval and is recognized by the GSA as an accepted shielding product for use by the U.S. Federal Government. Independent testing laboratories have confirmed DEFENDER’s effective shielding performance in both the HF 13.56MHz and UHF 860-980 MHz range making it suitable to protect a wide range of smart cards and RFID-enabled credentials on the market. DEFENDER can be used to protect 13.56MHz U.S. government ID cards including PIV, CAC, FRAC & TWIC credentials.
New applications are developing that are as varied as the healthcare and hotel industries as well as prepaid cards. Healthcare smart cards will contain personal health records on a contactless card and enable a portable patient record capable of real time updates. Hotels will be moving to “contactless room keys” to finally address the problem of hotels and their guests being inconvenienced by the de-magnification of the mag stripe keys and the frustrating back and forth to the hotel desk for reprogramming. U.S. card issuers are interested in using contactless payment for prepaid cards. In these applications, DEFENDER sleeves would help to prevent unintended or unauthorized access or use of the contained private information while offering the high quality printable surface of the sleeves for advertising or other written information.
“It is clear that DEFENDER’s light weight, ease of converting and printing and exceptionally affordable price have made it the shielding material of choice.” said Terry Jones, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Chase Corporation. He went on to say, “We are delighted by the expanding interest and use of DEFENDER to address the privacy challenges of the increasing applications of contactless RFID products.”
Chase Corporation, founded in 1946, is a global manufacturer of tapes, laminates, sealants and coatings for high reliability applications, and provides contract assembly services for the electronics industry.
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