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Smart Card Maker Strikes Verification Software Deal

Irvine’s CardLogix Corp., a maker of smart cards and software used by businesses and governments, has struck a pact with Datastrip Inc., a portable security device maker based in Connecticut.

Under the deal, Datastrip’s handheld devices are set to include CardLogix software, which verifies biometric and biographic information.

CardLogix has deals to sell its software in the U.S. and several other countries.

“We’re doing projects with a number of different militaries and governments in Africa and the Middle East,” Chief Executive Bruce Ross said.

Customers include the government of Zambia and two other African nations.

CardLogix’s smart cards contain a chip housed within a credit card-like plastic case. The chips can store just about anything—money, points, documents, access to buildings and even a person’s fingerprint or facial impression.

Some use an embedded antenna or radio frequencies to communicate to servers on a network. Others have a tiny processor chip inside.

The smart cards have been used to enhance airport and border security, and recently for passport verification. They also are used in gambling, transportation, healthcare, telecommunications, vending machines and other outlets.

CardLogix started in 1994 as a research company and then expanded to making smart cards in the late 1990s. Most of the chip embedding and software programming is done in Irvine. Some software work is handled at CardLogix’s San Diego office.

The company has 14 full-time employees and plans to expand soon, according to Ross.

The privately held company, which sees an estimated $20 million in yearly sales, is self-funded.

Local.com Integration

Irvine-based search engine operator Local.com Corp. has worked into its latest advertising campaign technology from its recent acquisitions of Mountain View’s Krillion Inc. and Boston’s Rovion Inc.

Krillion culls together product photos, comparison pricing, availability, discounts and other details for online shoppers.

Rovion, a former unit of Irvine’s DigitalPost Interactive Inc., creates and tracks online video advertising for local and national advertisers.

Local.com plans to tailor Krillion’s service to local shoppers and distribute the ads across its network of more than 1,400 regional websites.

The company generates revenue from retailers when consumers click on the ads.

Local.com runs an online search engine that directs users to local businesses, such as “flowers in Irvine.”

Users also get search results that include offers from local businesses, reviews, links to local websites, maps, driving directions and other features.

In other Local.com news, company insider Michael Sawtell has retaken the reins as chief operating officer.

Sawtell, a former Local.com president and COO from 2000 to 2005, most recently served as senior vice president and general manager of sales and advertiser services.

He replaces Bruce Crair, who left to pursue other opportunities, the company said.

Sawtell was founder and chief executive of DigitalPost Interactive. He’s held management positions at Northrop Grumman Corp. and General Dynamics Corp.

Kofax Deal

Irvine-based software maker Kofax PLC has landed a deal with an undisclosed customer to provide invoice processing software.

The deal is valued at more than $500,000, according to the company.

The customer, which provides products and services to manufacturers in the automotive, commercial vehicle, marine and other industries, is set to implement Kofax software to capture, validate and extract information from more than 900,000 invoices it receives annually.

Kofax, which got its start in Irvine in 1985, has yearly sales of about $125 million.

The company is publicly traded in Britain, where its holding company parent was based for a time.

Kofax officially moved its headquarters to Irvine—long its operational base—in 2008.

Tower in Argentina

Israel’s Tower Semiconductor Ltd., which runs a chip plant in Newport Beach, has inked a deal with a public-private group in Buenos Aires that seeks to foster research and development in Argentina.

Under the pact, Tower is set to train research and development groups from Tecnopolis del Sur on chip design and production.

TowerJazz also is making available to the group discounted space at its Israel and Newport Beach chip plants.

In exchange, Tecnopolis del Sur is allowing TowerJazz to use its facilities in Bahia Blanca, south of Buenos Aires.

Tecnopolis del Sur, which is backed by local universities, trade groups and companies, runs a tech park in Bahia Blanca.

Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

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