TSYS Enters Strategic Alliance with Leading UK Smart Card Company
ID Data Systems Limited to Provide Smart Card Services to TSYS European Clients
Columbus, Ga., February 8, 2001 – Total System Services, Inc.® (TSYS®) (NYSE: "TSS"), today announced a multiyear strategic alliance with smart card leader, ID Data Limited Services (ID Data). This alliance provides the UK and European issuing market with a fully integrated service provider offering a wide range of card products and services, ranging from card manufacturing and personalization to state-of-the-art processing and smart card technology and applications.
"ID Data will perform an important role in our service offering. Their industry-leading capabilities in card personalization and smart card production made them the best choice as an alliance partner for TSYS Europe," said Roger Van Scoy, Senior Director of TSYS Europe. "TSYS is extending its service offering worldwide, and ID Data has a very similar view of the global market place. Therefore, we are pleased with this new relationship and its potential to expand beyond Europe to deliver a consistent, high quality solution to the rapidly expanding smart card market."
"This new alliance between TSYS and ID Data creates a new force in card processing and supply in Europe. By combining TSYS’ world-class processing systems with ID Data industry leading smart card production capability, a fully integrated service will be available to banks and financial institutions as they move into smart card issuance," said Paul Knight, Deputy CEO, ID Data Systems Ltd.
About ID Data Systems Limited
ID Data plc ("ID Data"), is one of the fastest growing suppliers of secure transaction systems and smart card services to the international telephony, banking, retail and secure access sectors. Founded in 1988, ID Data plc is a 'One-Stop Shop' in the world of plastic card technology which offers end-to-end solutions for card-based requirements. Throughout its development, ID Data provided systems and solutions to meet the diverse and demanding requirements of customers, Today ID Data is a major provider of card technology for some of the most complex card solutions in Europe. The Company’s strategy of moving from commodity products into value-added services and solutions has created a platform ready for further growth in the new millennium.
About Total System Services, Inc.
TSYS provides global commerce solutions. With more than 195 million accounts on file, TSYS facilitates the payment exchange between buyers and sellers. TSYS and its family of companies offer a full range of acquiring and issuing business services from accepting electronic payments for goods and services to credit applications and collections for credit, debit, commercial, stored value, retail and chip accounts. TSYS has offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Canada and Japan, and processes for 21 countries and in 11 currencies. Based in Columbus, Ga., TSYS (NYSE: "TSS") (www.totalsystem.com) is an 80.8 percent-owned subsidiary of Synovus Financial Corp. (NYSE: "SNV") (www.synovus.com), No. 8 on FORTUNE magazine’s list of "The 100 Best Companies To Work For" in 2001. For more information, contact news@totalsystem.com.
Contacts:
Danita Gibson-Lloyd
Corporate Communications Manager
ph. (706) 649-5578
dglloyd@totalsystem.com
Paul Knight
Deputy CEO, ID Data Systems Ltd.
ph. 011 44 1536 207000
pknight@id-data.co.uk