Information contained in this news release is current as of the date of the press announcement, but may be subject to change without prior notice.
September 19, 2012
-- In total, approximately 1,800 Finger Vein devices will be implemented --
London, September 19, 2012 - Hitachi Europe Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501), today announced that it has finalised delivery of Finger Vein biometrics authentication for Bank BPH S.A. (Headquarter: Krakow), one of the largest banks in Poland and a member of the GE Capital group. By using Hitachi's Finger Vein biometric devices, Bank BPH can provide its customers with more secure money transaction services without PIN numbers to verify individuals. Bank BPH has already been running a pilot in several branches since June 2012. BPH will implement the system into 22 branch offices by the end of September 2012. Subsequently, all 287 branch offices in Poland will start using it as a main method of authentication at teller counters by the end of 2012. Above all, approximately 1,800 Finger Vein devices in total will be installed in the Bank BPH branch network.
After carefully studying the advantages of each of the available technologies on the market, Bank BPH selected Finger Vein biometric authentication systems, proposed by a consortium of Hitachi Europe Ltd. and Wincor Nixdorf Sp. z o.o., as the most suitable solution for deployment across their network. A special Finger Vein authentication device with an Ethernet interface adopted by Bank BPH has been developed based on the biometric module from Hitachi-Omron Terminal Solutions, Corp., a joint venture of Hitachi, Ltd. and OMRON Corporation and a leading company of ATMs with Finger Vein biometric authentication in Japan.
Finger Vein authentication technology is developed by Hitachi, and uses infrared light to capture the unique pattern of veins in a person's finger. This pattern is stored as a template and used to verify the person's identity on the next occasion they use the device. Impossible to counterfeit, contactless, discreet and non-invasive, it combines the convenience of fingerprint with the accuracy of iris scanning. Since Hitachi started its Finger Vein authentication business in 2002, the solutions have been implemented in a number of applications such as banking transactions, access control, and time and attendance systems, etc.
Recently, Hitachi's Finger Vein authentication solutions were adopted by Is Bankasi A.S., the largest Turkish commercial bank, mainly as its ATM security, as well as being collaborated with the BT Group, a leading communications services provider to use Hitachi's Finger Vein authentication technology for identification management of financial institutions. In Poland, Hitachi's Finger Vein authentication solutions were introduced into the Polish co-operative banks sector in 2010 for the security of ATM transactions and benefits in payment schemes.
The Hitachi Group aims to expand its Finger Vein authentication business globally, including in the regions of Europe, North America, China, Southeast Asia and Oceania. For more information regarding our Finger Vein biometric authentication products, please visit our website.
http://www.hitachi.co.jp/products/it/veinid/global/index.html
Hitachi Europe Ltd., headquartered in Maidenhead, UK, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., and its subsidiary companies offer a broad range of information & telecommunication systems; power and industrial system; rail system; digital media and consumer products; industrial components and equipment; air conditioning and refrigeration systems; manufacturing systems; and procurement and sourcing with operations throughout 12 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. And Hitachi Europe also has three Research and Development laboratories and a design centre. For more information, visit http://www.hitachi.eu. For more information on other Hitachi Group companies in Europe, please visit http://www.hitachi.eu/network/index.html
Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2011 (ended March 31, 2012) consolidated revenues totaled 9,665 billion yen ($117.8 billion). Hitachi is focusing more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes information and telecommunication systems, power systems, industrial, transportation and urban development systems, as well as the sophisticated materials and key devices that support them. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com
