HID acquires smart card manufacturer Calmell Group

HID has acquired Calmell Group, a Spanish manufacturer of public transit smart cards, smart paper tickets and magnetic tickets. The company says the acquisition expands HID’s smart ticketing portfolio to include smart paper and magnetic tickets, as well as growing its global presence.  

“Calmell Group is a fantastic addition to our growing public transportation ecosystem, and we are excited to welcome them to the HID family,” said HID Executive Vice President and Head Björn Lidefel. “Calmell’s offering and expertise enable people to get where they need to go, aligning well with our desire to help the world travel more freely.”  

Founded in 1920 as a printing house for graphic products, HID says the family-owned firm has evolved to mainly become a manufacturer of smart cards, smart paper tickets and magnetic tickets for the public transit industry.  

Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, Calmell will be part of HID’s Identification Technologies Business Area as part of its Events and Mobility Solutions Business Unit led by Cesare Paciello. 

“At Calmell, we are proud of our long history of creating innovative and reliable solutions that help people travel on their terms,” said Calmell Group CEO Carles Marti Santiago. “By joining HID, we now have a great opportunity to drive our impact well into the future by leveraging HID’s expertise in digital credentials to serve our partners.”