Paris – 2 July 2014 – EnterNext, the Euronext subsidiary dedicated to promoting and growing the market for SMEs[1], today congratulated ASK, a specialist in secure contactless solutions for identity and transport solutions, on its listing in Compartment C of Euronext Paris’s regulated market.
Founded in 1997 in Sophia-Antipolis in south-eastern France, ASK specialises in contactless solutions used in transport and identity documents. The company designs and produces inlays (electronic covers and integrated antennas) that are incorporated into secure contactless cards and documents including passports, drivers’ licenses and travel cards. Its distinctive feature is a reliable and eco-friendly silver printing process that combines extremely high reliability with enhanced security. Since 2001, this technology has been used for travel cards in some of the world’s largest cities, including Paris, London, Mexico, Chicago, San Francisco, Sydney and Singapore, and, since 2006, for passports issued by France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel and other countries with very high security requirements.
ASK (ticker code: ASK ) was listed through the admission to trading of the 4,700,000 shares making up its equity and 2,845,221 new shares issued in a Global Offering[2].
The admission and issue price of ASK shares was set at €7.70 per share. Market capitalisation was €58.1million on the day of listing. The offering raised €21.9 million altogether.
“We are delighted to welcome ASK, an innovative company from south-eastern France with international reach, to Euronext Paris. Listing is a major step for ASK, in maintaining its technology edge and strengthening its financial and industrial structure, bringing the visibility and recognition that will enable it continue to expand in France and abroad,” said Eric Forest, Chairman and CEO of EnterNext.
ASK CEO Julien Zuccarelli added: “I would like to thank our long-term shareholders, fifty institutional investors and over 2,300 individual investors for their vote of confidence in taking part in our listing. We now have the financial resources we need to implement our business development plan in fast-growing markets.”
[1]Small and medium-size enterprises
[2]The Global Offering was made up of a Public Offering that included an Open Price Public Offering and a Global Placement with institutional investors in France and other countries.
About ASK
ASK provides secure contactless solutions for sensitive applications linked to individuals. Founded in 1997, ASK has developed patented technology based on a unique silver printing process. It creates genuine solutions to the security and reliability challenges of its markets. ASK offers a full range of contactless cards and inlays (electronic covers and integrated antennas) for passports, transport cards, tickets, terminals, operating systems and personalisation services.
ASK’s innovative technology and global organisation, with manufacturing units in Europe (France), Asia (China) and the USA, make it the reference player in secure contactless solutions for identity (e.ID) and transport markets. In e.ID, since 2006 ASK has worked with top global customers, providing inlays for US, UK, French, Israeli, Philippine and other passports. On the transport market, ASK has strengthened its leadership position since 2001, assisting over 103 cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Dubai, Lisbon, London, Mexico City, Miami, Paris, Singapore, Sydney and Tel Aviv, in 27 countries.
For more information, see www.ASK-Contactless.com