James Madison University

Sustainable Security: How FARGO® Card Printers Pave the Way to Eco-Friendly Efficiency

Part Three in a Three-Part Series Highlighting FARGO Customers and the Solutions That Enable Them to Work in More Innovative, Efficient and Sustainable Ways 

Sustainable solutions are no longer optional. 

Organizations of all sizes — including governments, large corporations and even small schools — are opting for suppliers offering green solutions. A recent HID survey even found that 87% of security professionals see sustainability as “important to extremely important.” 

Sustainability matters at every step of the supply chain, and goals are impacted in the least likely places — like an organization’s ID badge and card printing program. 

The previous posts in this series discussed the ways FARGO printers enable organizations to innovate and increase efficiency. In this last post, we will focus on how card printers support sustainability initiatives. 

Less Waste, More Productivity: James Madison University

James Madison University’s 36,000 students and 1,500 faculty members can learn and work thanks to the JMU Access Cards, which grant admission to various campus facilities and services. Unfortunately, this typically high-performing university was not reaching its potential in this area. Staff and students were dealing with chronic delays, poor-quality cards and card loss — a staggering 15% of all cards were wasted each year.  

To address these challenges, JMU worked with FARGO and identification solution provider ColorID to implement our integrated, cloud-based platform called FARGO Connect™. This platform streamlined card issuance operations and improved the reliability and quality of ID cards.

Part of the solution was the FARGO HDP6600 printer, known for its eco-friendly and energy-efficient features. This printer’s iON™ technology enables high-speed printing, producing high-definition ID cards in under 60 seconds. It also supports high-yield, full-color ribbon and laminate consumables, minimizing costs and maximizing productivity.

The results were significant. Thanks to FARGO, JMU was able to:

  • Cut high-volume lamination materials costs by up to 40%
  • Eliminate thousands of card losses per year
  • Improve the on-campus experience for students and faculty

The 15% card waste has been eliminated and the approximately 125 hours previously lost due to printing delays and problems have been recovered. With the new HID system, JMU’s solid purple and black backgrounds are proudly on display with no degradation or other quality issues.             

The actual deciding factor was that, without any hesitation, ColorID sent us a printer to try, and it reliably printed our cards. It was so much simpler, and the FARGO Connect console made a huge difference.

— Nathan Gray, Systems Administrator, James Madison University 

Read the case study. 

Stringent Standards and Improved Sustainability: Lufthansa 

With around 100,000 employees worldwide and strict quality and corporate identity guidelines, Lufthansa’s ID card program standards were high. They needed increased card security, of course, and also sought a solution that minimized waste and reduced energy consumption during the card production process.

Their partner in achieving this goal was Plasticard-ZFT, a German-based, full-service manufacturer of plastic cards and ID media, who understood that their stringent security requirements and sustainability goals could be met by FARGO. 

The updated solution included eight FARGO DTC5500LMX ID card printers known for their dual-sided printing and innovative wasteless lamination technology. These printers reduce misprints and waste during card production, significantly contributing to sustainability efforts.

The highlight of the solution was a custom-designed secure holographic overlaminate, which elevates card security to new levels. Additionally, the HID PolyGuard™ LMX overlaminate material extends card life and safeguards printed images and text.

Thanks to these FARGO solutions, Lufthansa was able to: 

  • Improve the quality and security of their ID cards
  • Significantly reduce energy consumption 
  • Eliminate waste during the card production process
  • Provide additional security assurances to both staff and travelers 

This partnership with HID provided Lufthansa with a solution that met their stringent security requirements and aligned with their sustainability aspirations.

Lufthansa has the strictest quality and corporate identity guidelines and expectations. Following an evaluation and proof of concept, we knew that the DTC5500LMX would meet those requirements. It’s good to have a strong partner on such a high security project.

— René Blankenhagel, Managing Director, Plasticard-ZFT GmbH & Co. KG

Read the case study. 

Sustainable Security Starts With FARGO

With wasteless ribbons, fewer unusable IDs and longer-lasting cards, the right printer can make a significant sustainability difference — in addition to efficiency and quality gains. HID and FARGO are working hard to make it easy for organizations to achieve sustainability goals, one printer at a time. 

How can FARGO transform your green initiatives? Visit our portfolio of card printers and encoders to learn more >>