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 $100
Million Boost for Singapore's Research and Development in Smart Card Technologies
Gemplus Expands its Research and Development Centre
in Singapore into Regional Hub To Enhance Asia Pacific Services.
Singapore 16 October 2002 - In a S$100 million investment decision,
Gemplus has announced that Singapore will be its first R&D hub outside
its international headquarters in France. The decision will make Gemplus'
R&D centre one of the largest technology research centres in the country.
Gemplus' decision attests to Singapore's strengths as a location for
R&D activities. The impressive reserve of technical talent in Singapore
and the support of the Economic Development Board also played a part in
Gemplus' decision to expand its Singapore R&D centre into an R&D
hub.
The new facilities will complement Gemplus R&D capabilities in France
and boost synergy with its manufacturing facilities in Singapore - the
company's only microprocessor module plant in Asia. Beyond Gemplus' expertise
in smart card operating systems, the Singapore centre focuses on security
technologies and application development. These fields are crucial to
the widespread adoption of smart card solutions in the Asian market.
With the enhanced capabilities of the R&D centre, Gemplus will be
able to provide integrated and total smart card solutions to its clients
in Asia-Pacific, including existing clients such as NTT DoComo in Japan,
SingTel and NETS in Singapore and Hutchinson in Hong Kong. This investment
is linked to the opportunities and growth that Gemplus foresees for smart
card business and related services in Asia Pacific over the next five
years.
"Gemplus' decision to host its second R&D hub in Singapore is
testimony to Singapore's strengths in technology infrastructure and manpower,
and to our ability to conduct knowledge-intensive R&D work,"
commented Mr Teo Ming Kian, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development
Board. "More importantly, with Gemplus' expanded research centre
and the synergies it will derive with its manufacturing facilities here,
Singapore is well-placed to leverage the enormous IT potential in the
region to become a compelling hub for smart card and security-related
technologies."
"Singapore is the ideal site for Gemplus' second R&D hub in
the world," said Tony Engberg, Chief Technology Officer, Gemplus
Research and Development. "Its excellent infrastructure, strong government
commitment to technology and strong R&D potential, coupled with a
strategic location to tap the growth markets in Asia Pacific are key factors
for our choice. These merits have also prompted us to hold our yearly
Gemplus Developer Conference in Singapore and in Asia for the first time."
Gemplus Developer Conference (GDC) is a prestigious three-day event comprising
a combination of plenary sessions, conferences, workshops and tutorials
led by some of the industry's leading experts. Designed to provide the
global developer community with the tools and expertise required in their
business, GDC 2002 will focus primarily on development in Java Card/ Wireless
Java, Security in Identity & Privacy Applications, Open & Interoperable
Smart Card Applications, and 3G Network & Services.
Now in its fourth year, the GDC will be held in Singapore from 12-14
November 2002, at Raffles Convention Centre. (see www.gemplus.com/gdc)
About Gemplus
GEMPLUS: the world's leading provider of smart card solutions.
Gemplus helps its clients offer an exceptional range of portable, personalised
solutions that bring security and convenience to people's lives. These
include mobile internet access, inter-operable banking facilities, e-commerce
and a wealth of other applications.
Gemplus is the only completely dedicated, truly global player in the Smart
Card industry, with the largest R&D team, unrivalled experience, and
an outstanding track record of technological innovation.
In 2001, Gemplus was the worldwide smart card leader in both revenues
and total smart card shipments (source: Gartner-Dataquest, Frost and Sullivan)
. Gemplus was also awarded 2002 Frost and Sullivan Market Value Award
for its exceptional performance.
Gemplus trades its shares on Euronext Paris S.A. First Market and on the
Nasdaq Stock Market as GEMP in the form of ADSs. Its revenue in 2001 was
1 billion Euros.
Gemplus: Beyond Smart
www.gemplus.com
For further information please contact:
Gemplus
Janet Loh
Tel: +65 6317 3333
Email: janet.loh-tk@gemplus.com
Edelman PR Worldwide
Choong Cheng Theng / Elliza Abdul Rahim
Tel: +65 6733 1110
Email: ctchoong@edelman.com.sg
/ erahim@edelman.com.sg
©2002 Gemplus All rights reserved. Gemplus
and the Gemplus logo are trademarks and service marks of Gemplus S.A.
and are registered in certain countries. All other trademarks and service
marks, whether registered or not in specific countries, are the property
of their respective owners. Java and Java Card are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
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