PLI (Plasticard-Locktech International), the world’s largest manufacturer of hotel keycards, has signed a large-scale and long-term supply agreement with Smartrac, featuring NXP MIFARE® ICs. For Smartrac, the agreement means a breakthrough in the global Hospitality, Leisure and Entertainment market, while PLI and its customers will benefit from a quantum leap in product capability, quality and security.

From June 2016, Smartrac will start delivering tens of millions of RFID products to PLI for use over the next several years. The scope of supply includes genuine, secure Smartrac PRELAM® inlays for contactless access cards, wearables, gift and loyalty cards. With Smartrac inlays using MIFARE ICs from NXP, PLI will be able to provide a gapless proof of authenticity and origin for their contactless cards and products. Hence, PLI’s customers will benefit from a new level of credential quality, security and reliability from their RFID-based products, without harming any Intellectual Property rights of Smartrac.

Genuine products guarantee security

With Smartrac’s premium-quality PRELAM inlays, the company combines genuine MIFARE chips from NXP with its state-of-the-art antenna technology, enabling the highest levels of security, reliability and interoperability.

NXP MIFARE ICs and Smartrac PRELAM inlays are fully compliant with EAL4+ Common Criteria and ISO International Standards, which have to be considered as prerequisites for interoperable products. Great customer convenience with vastly increased door lock security and minimum drop-out rates are just some of the many important product advantages arising from this agreement.

Besides a higher level of security and reliability, the new strategic partnership between PLI, Smartrac and NXP will provide hotel and brand owners with the additional benefit of truly enhancing their customers’ experience. A secure, contactless infrastructure allows card usage for multiple applications. Just one single card can now be used to open doors, make payments, earn loyalty points or rent a bike.

Furthermore, NFC cards, smartphones and wearables can all be processed by infrastructure devices such as locks, in the same way. This will facilitate the co-existence of different form factors and makes the integration of a loyalty card or a mobile device much simpler.

“PLI has built its reputation over 28 years of offering the highest quality products and services to more than 50,000 customers worldwide. We pride ourselves on working with best-in-class organizations while striving to be one ourselves,” says Peter Krauss, CEO of PLI. “This partnership with Smartrac and NXP brings the three top companies together to provide the best possible solutions to our mutual customers,” he adds. “Using licensed Smartrac PRELAMs featuring authentic NXP ICs, enables us to offer the highest quality product at the most competitive price in the market.”

While Smartrac and PLI are not disclosing details, the supply agreement is for some of the highest volumes in Smartrac’s history. “We are very pleased to have PLI as our customer, and the agreement is a very important landmark deal for us in the Hospitality, Leisure & Entertainment market. This product solution will be a unique starting point to offer enhanced door lock applications with high security and extended services that hotel operators and customers can strongly benefit from in the future”, says Thomas Hitzer, EVP Secure ID & Transactions Business Division at Smartrac.

“This strategic partnership supports the global hospitality industry in its ongoing transition to secure, contactless smart card technology. Through the collaboration of the leading players along the supply chain, we can offer a combination of technology, operational and service excellence – serving both operators’ and guests’ needs in a unique way. MIFARE ICs provide a high security level and allow mobile integration for additional customer convenience,” says Ulrich Huewels, SVP and General Manager Secure Identification Solutions, NXP.

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NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI) enables secure connections and infrastructure for a smarter world, advancing solutions that make lives easier, better and safer. As the world leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, NXP is driving innovation in the secure connected vehicle, end-to-end security & privacy and smart connected solutions markets. Built on more than 60 years of combined experience and expertise, the company has 45,000 employees in more than 35 countries.