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SPONSORS

Gold Sponsors
Multipolaris
OVD Kinegram

Silver Sponsors
Gemalto
Digital Identification Solutions
SAFE ID Solutions

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REVIEW

INTRODUCTION

Cross Conferences now has a well founded reputation for excellently organised events and the consensus was that this Conference and Exhibition was the best so far. Delegates heard presentations from experts during the Cash Handling Seminar/Workshop and the High Security Printing Conference, both were held alongside a specialist exhibition of the Industry. The total number of attendees was 255. Delegates from 31 different countries attended the Conference, including from 19 Central Banks and Government Security Printers, and a further 59 from Commercial Security Printers and Government Security Organisations. Cross Conferences is therefore confirmed as the premier Regional High Security Printing Conference in Asia with 46% of the organisations attending the Conference from Asia.

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

At least 100 delegates were present when The 2nd Asia Pacific Cash Handling Seminar and was formally opened by Colin Cross, who welcomed everyone to the Hong Kong Disneyland Conference and Resort Centre on Lantau Island. An opening address and presentation on CIT operations in Indonesia then followed from Col. Hendrawan Razief.

Everyone present was also most impressed by the next Speaker, Mr Ed Grondahl of Tidel Engineering, whose talk was 'Eliminate Cash Shrinkage' and covered automated safe operations experience in the multination 7-111 chain of retail outlets. Speakers then followed who were or had been with the Reserve Bank of India, Royal Canadian Mint and Reserve Bank of New Zealand. This wide variety of Speakers and presentations on Cash Handling topics as was continued into the afternoon with Speakers from De La Rue (UK), FX153 (Singapore) and NCR (USA). Finally we listened to talks on CIT insurance from Marsh Ltd, Cash Handling equipment from Currency Research and Branch banknote processing from STU Julong, China.

Due to the high volume of speakers, requests for another 6  presentations were arranged for the Wednesday morning session, 31 October. These again covered wide ranging topics from companies based in China, Singapore, New Zealand, France and the USA.

Attendees from 15 National Banks were involved and the success of the event has led to the next one being announced for Bangkok in November 2008.

Throughout the 3 days of the Cash Handling Seminar and the High Security Printing Conference delegates were free to browse at the booths of the 33 sponsor and exhibiting organisations, in particularly those of the Sponsors from Multipolaris, OVD Kinegram, Gemalto, Digital Identification Solutions and SAFE ID Solutions.

At the end of the Cash Handling Seminar Mr Neville Barnes welcomed the joining delegates for the High Security Printing Conference at the Welcome Cocktail Reception, sponsored by OVD Kinegram. At registration all delegates were given a personalised security badge prepared and printed using the latest Digital Identification Solutions software.

Mr Neville Barnes, from BSC International formally opened the High Security Printing Conference on behalf of Cross Group and BSC International, the Conference Partners, before handing the Chair to Mr Colin Cross. The Conference then proceeded with eloquent papers from Bank of Thailand Printing Works, Securency (Australia), Pura Group (Indonesia), and Heidelberg (India). After a break for morning coffee, Mr Barnes took up the Chairmanship for papers from GOZNAK (Russia), Security Papers UK, Portals Bathford (UK), and Crane Currency (Sweden).

Following an excellent buffet lunch, Gerd Schafer took up the Chair for papers from Bundesdruckerei (Germany), MaskTech Group (Germany), Infineon Technologies (Germany). After afternoon tea, papers from Gemalto (France), Datacard Asia Pacific (Hong Kong) completed the first day of the Conference.

In the evening attendees enjoyed the Gala Dinner whilst on a cruise of the spectacular Victoria Harbour, taking in to view the world famous “Symphony of Lights Laser Show”, sponsored by Multipolaris. The light show, superb buffet, accompanied by live music and was followed by dancing.

The second day of the Conference was opened by Mr Tschupp-Lambert who introduced presentations from SAFE ID Solutions (Germany), OVD Kinegram (Germany), Neryos (France), Drent Goebel (Germany/ Netherlands), OeBS (Austria), NanoMatrix International (Hong Kong), Jura (Hungary) and Mr Jararaman – Consultant (India).

Lunch time presented a further opportunity for delegates to visit the Exhibition, which was the largest held in the region by Cross Conferences. The first half of the afternoon session was chaired by Mr Victor Ionov, with papers from National Printing Bureau of Japan, Sousexertiza (Russia), & Forensic Science Centre, Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia) and Crypotech of Goznak, Belarus.

Following a short break the Conference Organisers, Mr Colin Cross and Mr Neville Barnes, took the Chair to introduce papers from National Bank of Ukraine and the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (UK). After thanking the translators who did a fantastic job of translating between English, Chinese and Russian delegates were reminded that the next Pan European High Security Printing Conference will be held in Prague between 6-7 April 2008. (The previous Pan European Conference in Budapest was over-subscribed, so delegates were advised to register early.)

The delegates then retired to the exhibition area for farewell drinks and the opportunity to have their photograph taken with Mickey Mouse, while taking advantage of a final chance to view the exhibition and network with their colleagues.

We can end the review of the Conference with the announcement about the next Asian Conference. The decision to hold the next Asian High Security Conference in Bangkok Thailand was the “talk of the Conference”, after Dr Nopporn Pramojaney made the announcement whilst presenting the first Paper of the Conference. Despite a few initial reservations everybody congratulated Cross Conferences in holding the 6th Asian High Security Printing Conference and 2nd Asia Pacific Cash Handling Seminar at the Hong Kong Disney Conference Centre between 30 October – 1 November 2007.

Cross Conferences – Acclaimed as most Successful Conference yet.