HID has bought inepro ID, the identity authentication business of Dutch company inepro Group, adding RFID and Bluetooth readers for printers and lockers to its identity portfolio.
Key Takeaways
- HID, an ASSA ABLOY brand, has acquired inepro ID, the Dutch firm’s secure print and access authentication unit.
- inepro ID’s Spider reader family covers printers, lockers, workstations and cash registers using RFID and Bluetooth credentials.
- Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Why HID wanted into secure print identity
inepro ID was founded in the 1990s and built its business around contactless authentication for secure print release, document flow control and smart locker management. Most of its customers are in Europe, with a smaller presence in North and Latin America. It now sits inside HID’s Identification Technologies business, alongside the OMNIKEY line of readers that HID has sold for more than 25 years.
The deal brings inepro ID’s credential-agnostic readers, software and professional services under the HID name. The Spider reader range includes embedded readers built into printers and lockers, plus desktop and handheld readers for workstations, digital boards and cash registers.
“Customers want an identity experience that is part of a larger ecosystem, including interactions from the door to the printer, the locker, the workstation and beyond,” said Björn Lidefelt, EVP and Head of HID. “inepro ID strengthens our ecosystem with their expertise in secure print. We look forward to welcoming the team to the HID family, and together we will further extend trusted identities to how people work every day.”
Demand for secure print identity is rising
Marc Bielmann, SVP and Head of Identification Technologies at HID, pointed to the shift toward shared office spaces as a driver of demand.
“Demand for RFID-based secure print is rising worldwide, driven by stronger security requirements and the shift to shared, flexible workspaces,” said Bielmann. “inepro ID brings proven technology and deep expertise in this market and HID brings global reach. Together, we will help more customers protect sensitive documents and authenticate users more easily, across a broader range of credential technologies.”
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
inepro’s other business stays separate
inepro Group keeps its other arm, a Netherlands-based smart energy metering business, outside this deal. Jeroen Pynenburg, CEO of inepro Group, framed the sale as a way to put more resources behind that side of the company.
“With the Spider reader family, our team has built a strong foundation for smart, reliable and credential-agnostic identification. We are proud of what we have achieved together. By bringing our ID business into HID, we are opening an exciting new chapter,” said Pynenburg. “For inepro Group, this marks a positive and deliberate step forward: building on our heritage of innovation while bringing renewed focus, energy and ambition to the next phase of growth in smart energy metering and energy intelligence.”
HID is based in Austin, Texas, and employs more than 4,500 people across offices supporting over 100 countries. It operates as a brand under ASSA ABLOY. inepro ID’s technology and team now fall under HID’s Identification Technologies business area, which also runs the OMNIKEY line of authentication readers.
