Corn Card & Digicard--PVC altern.

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Thursday October 15, 3:15 pm Eastern Time

Company Press Release

Gemplus-R, University of Nebraska, Corn Card International and Digicard
Announce Biodegradable Card

Major Technological Breakthrough Helps the Environment Using Corn By-Products

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 15, 1998-- Gemplus(R) and CORN CARD
International
today announced they have executed a letter of intent to promote and
develop markets for a
biodegradable card as an alternative to the billions of non-recyclable
plastic cards. The
material that is being used in the card, MAZIN(R) resin, is made from
environmentally friendly
materials, including corn by-products. The new cards will be demonstrated
at the ICMA
Conference in San Francisco October 17-20.

The University of Nebraska developed the material that is used in the
cards, CORN CARD
International (CCI) holds the trademark for the name (MAZIN) and holds
distribution rights for
commercial deployment of MAZIN, and Austria-based Digicard is the one of
several companies
to experiment with printing the cards. Gemplus, the world's leading
provider of smart card
solutions and a major player in card manufacturing, has signed a letter of
intent with CCI in
anticipation of obtaining exclusive distribution rights for use of the new
material in cards for
the North American market and, possibly, worldwide.

MAZIN is completely biodegradable when introduced into a composting
environment. The
biodegradation process is affected by temperature, humidity, pH, and
substratum activity.
Effective biodegradation rates will vary, but while still offering the same
physical
characteristics of today's PVC (polyvinyl chloride) cards. The new cards,
when left in a
compost pile for 3 to 5 weeks, will totally disappear after a bacterial
process reduces the
material to hydrogen, carbon and water.

PVC plastics are used in everything from plumbing pipes and IV bags, to
credit cards and
diaper liners.

``The protection of the environment will be one of the major issues of the
21st century,'' said
Marc Lassus, chairman of Gemplus Associates International. ``Thanks to the
development work
done by the University of Nebraska, and the promotional work done by CORN
CARD International;
and Digicard, we are taking an important step toward reducing a contributor
to industrial
waste.''

``Our mission is to enhance agri-business by impacting our environment in a
positive way.
Coupling University of Nebraska technology with the manufacturing,
marketing, and
distribution of Gemplus and Digicard is an ideal way to accomplish this
mission,'' said William
Brown, president of CORN CARD International. ``As with the word `plastic,'
someday `MAZIN'
will become a common household word worldwide.''

``It takes more than talking to conserve our environment--and we shouldn't
overlook an
opportunity to do something about it,'' said Frank Dorner, president of
Digicard G.m.b.H.
``Digicard immediately recognized the value of the revolutionary new
product that CCI showed
to us, and by getting Gemplus on board, together we have the power,
knowledge and technology
to push the growing card business in an environmentally friendly direction.''

About Gemplus

Gemplus (www.gemplus.com) is the world's leading provider of plastic and
smart card-based
solutions. Gemplus sells magnetic stripe cards, memory and
microprocessor-based smart
cards, smart contactless cards, electronic tags and smart objects. The
company designs and
markets software, development tools and readers. Gemplus also provides
consulting, training
and personalization services to deliver the industry's most comprehensive
and flexible
card-based solutions to its developers, distributors, partners and customers.

With sales of over US$590 million in 1997, Gemplus employs more than 4,100
people in 10
manufacturing facilities, five R&D centers and 41 sales and marketing
offices located in 27
countries around the world. Founded in 1988, Gemplus has successfully
implemented portable
and secure smart card-based solutions to simplify applications such as
public and wireless
communications, financial transactions, loyalty, transportation, education,
healthcare,
identity, physical access control, Pay-TV, electronic commerce, Internet
security, logical
access control and information technology.

University of Nebraska (Industrial Agricultural Products Center)

With more than 150 contracts from businesses, non-profit organizations, and
researchers, the
Industrial Agricultural Center provides product development and technology
development
services on a contract (for fee) basis worldwide. Located on the campus of
the University of
Nebraska in Lincoln, the Center focuses on products and processes that can
be commercialized
within 5 to 8 months from concept to implementation. By participating in
strategic alliances,
the Center directs its activities toward identifying market niches for
agricultural
commodities, developing strategies for penetration of markets, and then
creating economically
viable, environmentally friendly products and processes.

About CORN CARD International

CORN CARD International (CCI) holds a license for the use of the research
accomplished at the
University Bio-Systems Center, and enjoys the opportunity to introduce new
and innovative
technological products to an awaiting international marketplace. As
interest and awareness
for environmental issues continue to grow, the coupling of the
technological breakthroughs
with the interested and eager consumer continues to be enhanced. Located in
the heartland of
south central Nebraska, USA, CCI is ideally placed to have its finger on
pulse of the
agricultural community.

About Digicard

Digicard (http://www.digicard.co.at) invented thermo - transfer printing on
plastic cards in
1984. With 20 years experience in printing on plastic materials, the
company produces
personalization systems for card-issuers and specializes in producing and
the personalization
of plastic-cards and other plastic products. Digicard manufactures
Prestige, the industry's
most flexible plastic personalization system, which is supported by a wide
distributor
network throughout the world. Additionally, Digicard develops software, and
installs point of
sale terminal solutions throughout Austria and surrounding countries.
Digicard also offers
end-to-end card- solutions including 24-hour hotline support to its
customers and
distributors. Digicard (founded in 1984) and its subsidiary, Kunz, (founded
in 1968) are based
in Vienna with local offices in Salzburg, Slovenia, Hungary, and Croatia.

(c)1998 Gemplus. Gemplus is a registered trademark of Gemplus. MAZIN is a
registered
trademark of CORN CARD International. All other trademarks are the property
of their
respective owners.

Contact:

     Dr. Patricia Neptune
     Neptune Group International Inc.
    (203) 221-2820


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