ASK Group Reports +21% Organic Growth and Profit for 2012

Strong expansion on both transport and identity divisions forecast in 2013

SOPHIA-ANTIPOLIS, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ASK, a worldwide leading provider of contactless technology, today announces financial figures for 2012 exceeding budget expectations in terms of turnover and profit. Turnover increased by 21% reaching 38.2 M€ and profits reached 1.1 M€.

“As a pioneer in contactless technology, ASK focuses on innovation to deliver added value services and products, while building up profitability as a basis for sustained development, says Thierry Lucereau, CEO of ASK.”

ASK corporate headquarters located in Sophia-Antipolis, France, host the R&D, sales and marketing teams as well as the company’s advanced manufacturing center. ASK further sources products from its worldwide network. The site has undergone restructuring and revamping: it includes new industrial investments to face the growing demand for multi-application ticketing and for the identity sector.

“As a pioneer in contactless technology, ASK focuses on innovation to deliver added value services and products, while building up profitability as a basis for sustained development, says Thierry Lucereau, CEO of ASK.”

From a strategic perspective, the company will continue to invest in manufacturing efficiency and R&D to gain momentum in the identity sector where a major e-Passport contract has recently been won, and also to keep its leadership in the mass transit market. ASK also recently won a large long term contract in dual interface cards.

ASK’s management is confident this positive trend will extend into 2013.

About ASK
ASK, with over 300 million contactless products in circulation in more than 50 countries, is a worldwide leading provider of a full range of contactless products including smart cards, smart tickets, readers, inlays for electronic passports or contactless smart cards and eDocuments. ASK is a France-headquartered company with worldwide customers in the mass transit, access control and identity sectors. ASK manufacturing sites and subsidiaries are based in France, China, India, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and the US.