SWSC awarded Irish Passport Contract

Smurfit Westrock Security Concepts (SWSC), the internationally recognised high security printing and identity management solutions provider with a range of award-winning products including passports, identity cards, excise stamps, birth and education certificates, has renewed its contract with the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland to provide the country’s passports. This builds on a 30-year relationship which has seen SWSC supply over 20 million passport books.

Under the terms of the deal SWSC will operate as the lead contractor heading up a collaboration with specialist businesses Toppan Security, IAI Industrial Systems B.V., and CCS  for the manufacture and storage of the passports and utilising personalisation machinery from its bases on the island of Ireland, supporting Irish jobs and paying personal and corporate taxes in this jurisdiction.

SWSC will be introducing a number of ground-breaking, world first security features to ensure that the new Irish Passport will be one of the most innovative Passports in the world. These include some Irish developed solutions containing elements developed and patented in Ireland that are designed to solve a global passport security problem.  In addition, the design of the passport will include imagery chosen by Irish citizens as a result of an innovative idea by the Irish Government.

Peter Thomas, Managing Director at SWSC, said: “Our solution is designed to support the Department’s vision of creating a passport that combines outstanding creativity, enhanced usability, and interoperability, while addressing both current and future security threats.

“According to the Henley index, the passport is the third most powerful passport, granting visa free access to 198 countries worldwide. Moving forward our solution will further elevate it to be the flagbearer for security, innovation and celebrated design.  It will be a document all Irish citizens will be proud to carry.”