Electronic identity (eID) card reader within range of all Belgian citizens, thanks to Zetes and Ingram Micro Belgium

Brussels, January 13, 2006 – Producer of the Belgian electronic identity card (eID) as well as importer of the ACR38U eID card reader from ACS, Zetes (Euronext Brussels: ZTS) has reached a distribution agreement with Ingram Micro Belgium. This agreement allows Ingram Micro Belgium to distribute the ACR38U card reader through its resellers’ network.

An extra asset for eID

Tens of thousand of ACR38U card readers have already been sold off to professional users. In addition, this eID card reader is also ideal for private users, due to its ease of use and to its affordable price.

The ACR38U is a USB peripheral and is compatible with most computers supporting Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X or Linux. Installing the ACR38U is most often almost automatic and only requires a software download from a Web site - ww.belgeid.be - , available in three languages (English, Dutch, French). Thanks to the purchase of more than 100,000 ACR38U card readers by the Belgian government, in the course of the SaferChat initiative launched by today’s Federal
Minister of Employment and e-Government, Peter Vanvelthoven, a few months ago, the price of this equipment could be noticeably reduced to a recommended street price of €16.59 VAT included.

« As our goal is to make this eID card reader available to all at a reachable price, we found an extra asset with the distribution agreement between us and Ingram Micro Belgium”, says Ronny Depoortere, Senior Vice-president in charge of Zetes PASS (Personal Authentication and Security Services). « Ingram Micro Belgium has a large distribution centre located in Machelen from which it deserves more than five thousands professional resellers in Belgium. Moreover, the strong B-to-C (Business-to-Consumer) competence of our partner will most certainly benefit to an eID offering intended to the largest as possible number of people ».

« We are delighted that Zetes has chosen us to support the resale and distribution of the eID card reader so waited by the Belgian market », comments Dominique Deklerck, General Manager of Ingram Micro. « Our infrastructure as well as our experience in logistics are unique in Belgium and are required in order to carry through such a major scale project. More especially, thanks to our mastery of the B-to-C market, we will unquestionably be able to answer the needs of eID card reader’s coming users ».

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