Interview with Mr. E. Arduino, President & CEO of Logika Comp SPA
Card Personalization Systems
Deeply Cultivating the Asian Market with Decentralised Machines

Logika Comp, a plastic card personalization systems manufacturer which has been enjoying 20-30% annual growth since its establishment as a venture business in 1998, opened its Japanese office represented by Yoshimitsu Kimura, president of Logika Japan in Minato-Mirai area of Nishi-ku, Yokohama half a year ago.
It was the first entry to the Japanese market by the Italian firm which shared the world market with DataCard Corporation of USA. Through its sole distributor, S.I.S., Logika’s sales in Japan has already exceeded 400 millions yen. On his recent visit to Japan, the Managing Director Enrico Arduino, who regards Japan as the most interesting market, answered the following questions concerning his Asian strategy.
- Tell me the reasons for opening the Japanese office.
- “First of all, Japan is the second largest market in the world only after USA, where there is an on-going project involving decentralised machines for card personalization at branch levels. I anticipate sales about 1000 units which is the largest scale ever for us, and if it turns out well, this will give a favourable influence to other markets. Although the Japanese economy is not particularity good at the moment, I do not want to lose the opportunity”.
- How is the current situation in the European market?
- “The banks and other financial institutions are stable. I consider this field a mature market However, field including IC cards and cellular phones are still prospective enough as we handle IC cards as well. We have 30% market share in the European market with our modular technology. The share is 70% in Italy. Just recently we won a bid for drivers licence to be used nation wide in Italy. This relates to the Italian domestic shift of drivers license to IC cards and will add 500 units, 4 millions dollars sales for us.”
- Tell me about your Asian strategy.
- “We entered the market of Mainland China in the beginning of 1990s where both the potential demand and growth of economy are high. As they did not have any communication system originally, they adopted the decentralised card personalization system from the start and have purchased more than hundred units per year ever since. We also make sales in Singapore and Macao from the base in Hong Kong. In Korea, we have delivered more than 300 units before the recent economic crisis.
- How do you forecast the card personalization system market?
- “Decentralised card personalization system, that is to issue a card at site, has a great potentiality. In addition to Japan, Brazil and Mexico are considering its introduction. One of the advantage of these projects is that number of units sold in one projects is large. Moreover, there is still room for development in new field such as drivers license and various fidelity cards”.
- What is your sales target in fiscal year 1998?
- “We aim at 12 to 15 million dollars world-wide including 4 to 5 million in Japan. I want to incorporate the Japanese office as early as early net year”.

“Hold on!” to the US Monopoly
The card personalization market in Japan had long been monopolised by a US manufacturer. Mr. Arduino first visited Japan 17 years ago, had prepared for the entrance to the market, and finally started sales using the office in Yokohama. The office has been receiving increased numbers of inquires from banks that are considering development of unmanned stations. There is no doubt that the card market in the future will be dominated by IC cards. The market will move into time of force competition with US versus Italian manufacturers”.

Yumiko Genba, Yokohama