Practical and wear-resistant ID cardholders are now being introduced on the U.S. market. The holders help facilitate the handling of cards, which often serve both as identification and as an electronic key to open doors. The cardholders, which are made of environment-friendly plastic, increase the life of the cards and help to ward off the detrimental effects of static electricity and electromagnetic interference.

“The ID cards in Europe are often the same size as credit cards (CR 80), but we also have holders for CR-60 type cards, which are very common in the United States,” says Camilla Martinson, the president of ExpoGraf CardKeep in Sweden, which developed the cardholders.
The company has a range of products that facilitate the handling of ID cards: holders and racks and other accessories. The original CardKeep is said to be the most frequently used holder in the world for ID cards and it has been on the market for 15 years. ExpoGraf CardKeep has developed cardholders for a number of big Swedish companies, including SAS, Volvo, and Pharmacia. It also markets accessories allowing an ID card to be attached to your clothes or hung around your neck.

Recyclable plastic
The most recent product, CardKeep 2, is a further development of the original holder. It has several patented functions such as allowing the card to “float” inside to protect against damage. Safety features have also been improved. When worn around your neck, for example, it will be immediately released if it catches on something. It is manufactured of recyclable plastic (PP).
The company has also developed their own yo-yo type cardholder featuring a spring-action that automatically pulls the card back to the holder after use. It can be used for most of the common card types, and it is particularly suitable for people who must use a series of card readers. ExpoGraf CardKeep will also shortly be launching its own yo-yo holder for ski-lift cards.
“The holder for smart cards is another new item,” explains Camilla Martinson. “The card is automatically inserted into a reader, such as in banks or stores, and then retracted after use. It can also be removed from the holder without any difficulty.”
The company is also introducing CardKeep 5+1 in the U.S.A. Besides being able to hold an ID card, it will also hold five other cards: key cards, credit cards or business cards. Furthermore, the company will be launching CardRack, for the new generation of digital “punch cards”. The use of cardholders is not as widespread in the United States as in Europe, according to the company, which is why the market potential is deemed to be very good.
“All of our products are the result of meeting customer-specified requirements, which subsequently proved applicable in other areas,” says Camilla Martinson. “We have even developed cardholders for cows for a customer in France.”
The company was founded in 1980, and is said to be a world-leader in holders for ID cards./ins

Caption:
The Swedish company ExpoGraf CardKeep has developed holders to facilitate the handling of ID cards and to extend their service life. The product range includes both regular cardholders and special yo-yo types. A number of new models will be introduced on the U.S. market in spring.

Exhibited at
ISC Expo West 97, March 12–14
Las Vegas Convention Center, Nevada
Hall S3, Stand 1054

For further information, please contact:
ExpoGraf CardKeep AB
Camilla Martinson, President
P.O. Box 186
SE-161 26 Bromma, Sweden
Telephone +46 8 80 46 80
Telefax +46 8 80 81 80
E-mail: cardkeep@oden.se

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