1) Could you describe your company as well as the products and solutions you will be presenting at TRUSTECH 2023?
Covestro, a leader in the ID/security industry, has more than thirty years of experience in material solutions and develops films that meet extremely high security requirements. Covestro offers a broad, high-quality range of technical films based on polycarbonate (PC) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), covering a wide range of properties. Our film solutions enable the integration of a wide range of security features into ID documents and security prints such as ID cards, passports, driver's licenses, border crossing cards and banknotes. The company focuses on market requirements and provides solutions and innovative technologies for future security documents.
With sales of €18 billion in 2022, Covestro is one of the world's leading polymer companies. The focus of its business activities is on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative, sustainable solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. In doing so, Covestro is fully committed to the circular economy and aims to become climate neutral by 2035 (Scope 1 and 2). The main customer industries are automotive and transportation, construction, furniture, and wood processing, as well as electrical, electronics, household appliances, safety and security. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).
This year's TRUSTECH event has our team excited for our participation once again. We're eager to present our innovative film materials that enable the creation of highly secure identification documents and printing.
2) What current trends do you think provide opportunities for your company?
The ID market is evolving dynamically as more and more smart cards are used in major citizen ID programs. The trend to use both physical and digital identities to create highly secure citizen ID documents continues.
Key government ID programs such as national ID cards, passports, driver's licenses, and border crossing cards require robust carrier materials to protect the physical, personalized data in the documents as well as the digital content in the electronic chip.
Covestro applies its renowned specialty film solutions and expertise to help card and passport manufacturers produce secure, high-quality, robust identity documents that outlast the validity of the programs. Today, more and more ID card and passport pages are made from polycarbonate films.
3) Why did you choose to participate in TRUSTECH 2023? Will you be presenting innovative or new products or solutions there?
Covestro is committed to actively engaging with industry players, the identity ecosystem, customers, and partners to build brand awareness, promote solutions and provide thought leadership. The TRUSTECH conference serves as a platform where participants, including exhibitors, speakers, and visitors, come together to share knowledge.
We place great emphasis on TRUSTECH being an exceptional venue for networking with key industry institutions and subject matter experts. This allows us to share insights and discuss the latest market trends together. The ongoing trend of merging physical and digital identities to create secure ID documents is a perfect fit for our portfolio of specialty films for the identification segment.
This year at TRUSTECH, Covestro will showcase the following specialty film solutions at TRUSTECH under the theme "Pushing Boundaries in ID Document Innovations."
- Superlaser polycarbonate (PC) film with optimum laser reactivity for enhanced level 2 security features
- Thin, highly opaque white PC films for creating intricate clear window designs
- Color-switching PC film with multiple security features
- Innovative thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) passport cover solution
- Polycarbonate film contributing to the circular economy
- Novel passport booklet concepts utilizing PC and TPU films
- New polymer printing substrate for security printing
Furthermore, Covestro will conduct presentations on both the conference stage and innovation platforms to spotlight our ID document film solutions, and especially this year with the new polymer printing substrate for security printing offering more robust polymer printing substrate with opaque white colour.
4) How does TRUSTECH 2023 help grow your business?
It is a dynamic time in the ID document and security printing segment as the market recovers from the pandemic and interest and demand for ID cards and passports, especially those with embedded electronic chips, is on the rise again. With the increase in travel and border crossings, the need for highly secure ID documents is at the forefront.
ID documents that are easy to verify while being very difficult to replicate help border officials expedite the entry of legitimate travelers while having a mechanism to trigger secondary checks to detect suspicious individuals. This also serves to detect suspected counterfeit or altered identity documents.
The TRUSTECH conference has always been an important annual event for Covestro. We enjoy the opportunity to exchange ideas with the industry and network with experts and colleagues in the field of identification. It also provides us with a good platform to showcase our latest solutions for ID documents.
At the Trustech 2023, Covestro will showcase its "Pushing boundaries in ID document innovations" using its Makrofol® polycarbonate (PC) ID films and Platilon® ID thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) films. Our portfolio of specialty films can help support ID document concepts, including scratch- and abrasion-resistant and high-security TPU passport covers, thin, high-opacity white PC films that enable sophisticated clear windows for ID documents, color-changing PC films and more.
6) Where do you intend to grow your business in the future (countries or verticals)?
Covestro has a global presence in identification solutions and has contributed to numerous citizen ID initiatives over a long period of time with its polycarbonate films. With the ongoing trend toward versatile, multifunctional e-ID cards, e-passports and driver's licenses that leverage both physical and digital identity, Covestro remains committed to supporting the industry. With our recognized specialty film solutions, we have supported the creation of identity documents that require a trifecta of attributes: robust security, superior quality, and long-lasting durability.