Card personalization: high-tech meets precision

Constantin, welcome to Spotlight. Let’s start from the beginning: how did you end up in your role as managing director of G+D’s card personalization facility?

That’s a long story! I joined G+D over 20 years ago as an intern, programming Excel macros. I then became a project manager and worked for the group in the US for seven years. Now I am the managing director of the card personalization facility here in Coburg [Germany].

Can you tell us a bit more about this very unique environment and the work you do here?

We work in what is known as an HSA: a high-security area. This means that we are isolated from the outside world. No internet, no cell phones, security gates for access to the building, and at least two people in every room at all times. It sounds a bit like a high-security prison, but there is a good reason for this. Namely, we are responsible for card personalization here and process the personal data of hundreds of thousands of people every day. Nothing can go wrong; not a single data record can fall into the wrong hands. We take this responsibility very seriously. 

We have just under 150 employees, 75 of whom work in three shifts directly on the production lines. Every day, we produce around 170,000 cards for more than 60 different customers – from classic EC cards to health insurance cards.

From plastic blank to payment card

We have three main steps: personalizing the card, printing the cover letter, and inserting it into the envelope. Personalization is the most interesting part. We receive the encrypted customer data from banks and health insurance companies at night. This information is only decrypted for the moment of personalization – and then automatically deleted.

The machines receive the data for the order and then process one card after another. In doing so, they automatically ensure that the information on the front, back, magnetic strip, and chip belongs to the same person and matches exactly.

How long does it take, on average, to personalize a card?

Nowadays, it takes 30 to 45 seconds – high speed with maximum precision. Once the machine has done its job, our colleagues visually check each individual card again for scratches or other defects. If a card is not perfect, it is immediately rendered unrecognizable and reproduced.

There are three methods for this: laser engraving for classic EC cards, embossing with raised lettering for credit cards, and the modern DOD method – i.e., “drop-on-demand” – in which the lettering is applied with liquid ink.

Over the next year and a half, we will certainly personalize more than 80% of our cards using the DOD process. This opens up many new possibilities for individual design. With liquid ink, we can precisely apply to cards the corporate identity colors of banks and insurance companies. The colors are more vibrant, and the quality is higher.

What are the biggest changes you’re seeing in how banks want their cards to look and feel?

Many banks are also switching from horizontal to vertical layouts. Often, only the cardholder’s name appears on the front, with all other details on the back. This allows the bank’s branding to take up more space. 

Why do banks place such importance on this?

The payment card also serves as a business card for the financial institution – more colorful, more representative, with plenty of space for the logo and innovative design elements. In addition to functionality, appearance is becoming a criterion for success. This is because many people have several cards in their wallets. Financial institutions want to take advantage of the “top-of-wallet” effect with innovative designs: we are particularly happy to pull out and show off the card with the most appealing design.

What does a typical day look like for you as the managing director of such a high-output facility?

We have a clear structure. My day begins with two production meetings. We review the production figures for the last 24 hours, plan the current day, and respond to any disruptions. That’s the daily operational business.

At the same time, we run our project business: customers work on new products, or change their cover letters or the inserts they include with their letters. New customers receive an “onboarding” package. There is a lot to coordinate, and we work with customers and our experts to develop pragmatic solutions. 

For example, every customer wants to use the cover letter we send with the payment card as advertising, preferably without technical barcodes. However, we need them for final quality assurance checks to ensure that the card and recipient match. Explaining and mediating this balancing act between customer wishes and production reality is an essential part of my job.

What is it about your role that still gets you excited after all these years?

Technology fascinates me. It’s the combination of high-tech and human precision. We have state-of-the-art machines, but the human eye and the experience and professionalism of our employees are irreplaceable. 

We employ experts from a wide range of professions – machine and equipment specialists, engineers, and quality managers – who all contribute to ensuring that these small technological marvels are perfectly designed, fully functional, and, above all, safe for people to use. 

Millions of people trust that their data is safe with us, that their card will work, that everything is correct. Carrying this responsibility for millions of cardholders is something special. I am proud to live up to this trust every day.

What would you say to someone who is considering joining your production team?

I can wholeheartedly recommend it [laughs]. If you are looking for a job or training position in a high-tech, innovative environment, you have come to the right place. We work with modern IT and the highest security standards. Everyone takes on responsibility from the very beginning. We offer meaningful jobs, have a clear mission, and manufacture products that millions of people use every day. We take a lot of time for training and offer exciting continuing-education opportunities. And there are great development opportunities within the group. I am the best example of that. 

What is just as irreplaceable is the good team spirit and the friendly, collegial atmosphere. We also joke around from time to time and, despite our focus, we can have a good laugh together. That’s important.