Jerry Sumner

Smart cards start to experience growth in U.S. markets. Because of the many benefits they offer to many different markets, smart cards have enjoyed immense popularity worldwide—and are finally beginning to see some action in the United States. "Smart cards can store great amounts of information—information that can be both accessed and rewritten," noted Jerry Sumner, regional sales manager for Arthur Blank & Company in Boston. "There can be interaction between the system and the information on the chip at a much higher level than with a bar-coded or magnetic stripe card." Schlumberger's Simera Airflex smart card, used in mobile communications, is transferable

New and old uses unite to expand the market for plastic cards. Plastic cards are breaking the mold. From artistic attributes—including oil-stamped logos and holograms—to out-of-the-ordinary shapes and multi-purpose designs, plastic cards are growing not only in diversity, but also in popularity. "People are adding a lot of things to cards," said Jim Brown, vice president of sales and marketing, Plastic Printing Innovations, San Diego. For example, instead of the typical four-color process, clients want silkscreen, pms color and foil stamps. "We've had a lot of interest lately in using card and key tag combinations in retail loyalty applications," noted Jerry Sumner, director