24 May 2022. The technology enterprise Rheinmetall AG and Dermalog Identification Systems GmbH, Germany’s largest biometrics firm, have contractually agreed to set up a joint venture. The new company, Rheinmetall Dermalog SensorTec GmbH, should begin operating in early summer 2022. Rheinmetall will hold a 65% stake in the partnership, with Dermalog accounting for the remaining 35% share. Creation of the company still requires approval by the merger control authorities.
The technology enterprise Rheinmetall AG and Dermalog Identification Systems GmbH, Germany’s largest biometrics firm, have contractually agreed to set up a joint venture / Photo: Rheinmetall AG
The strategic objective is to integrate biometric technology, artificial intelligence software, and digitization solutions in three different areas: driver monitoring, security, and industry. For Rheinmetall, the joint venture marks an important step in the transformation to digitization technology and expanding into driver monitoring solutions.
Furthermore, the new joint venture enhances the Düsseldorf-based technology group’s future-oriented diversification into biometrics applications geared to the security sector and industry. The move also adds toits existing digitization and software expertise. Importantly, the partnership reinforces Rheinmetall’s capabilities in five strategic technology clusters:automation, sensors, digitization, alternative mobility, and artificial intelligence.
Setting up this joint venture is an important stepin our transformation strategy, one which will enable us to offer cutting-edge monitoring, authentication, and security technology to our customers in the automotive sector and other industries, states René Gansauge, CEO of Rheinmetall’s Sensors and Actuators division.
Rheinmetall Dermalog SensorTec GmbH will fuse Rheinmetall’s proprietary radar technology, which will be used for interior monitoring, with Dermalog’s software, camera, and fingerprint technologies. In addition, an industrial application is already planned for the company access system at a Group-owned plant.
The majority-owned joint venture’s activities will be domiciled in Rheinmetall’s Sensors and Actuators division, which is spearheading the Group’s electrification strategy and applying new developments to the “Beyond Automotive” realm and industry in general.
Dermalog Identification Systems GmbH
Headquartered in Hamburg, Rheinmetall’s new cooperation partner has been actively pioneering biometric products and solutions for 25 years. During this period, the company has evolved into Germany’s largest maker of biometric systems and devices and is an innovation leader in the world of biometrics. Best-in-class technologies characterized by high speed, precision and reliability are a hallmark of Dermalog. In 2021 thecompany took the coveted German Innovation Award, just the latest is a serious of national and international prizes in various categories.
The joint venture with Rheinmetall AG transfers biometrics into the field of automotive applications. Driver monitoring in particular will help to avoid accidents caused by distraction, says Günther Mull, founder and managing director of Dermalog Identification Systems GmbH in Hamburg about the joint venture with the technology group Rheinmetall.
Ever since the company’s foundation, it has been winning prestigious orders around the globe and carrying out major international projects. To date, the company has won 65 awards for its outstanding achievements in the field of biometrics, including the German Innovation Award Gold 2021 for its biometric cameras and the LivDet 2021 for its liveness recognition technology for differentiating between live and false fingers placed on a scanner for identification. Furthermore, following long years of successful cooperation, thecompany has succeeded in gaining a strong, experienced partner in Germany’s Bundesdruckerei, or Federal Printing Office, with a participation of 22.43%.
The company’s portfolio includes automated biometric identification systems and automated fingerprint identification systems; the latest fingerprint scanners; biometric border control systems; IDs and passports; and voting systems. Itscustomer base is extensive, encompassing law enforcement authorities, government residency registration offices and election authorities, vehicle registration offices, health and security companies, access control and data security firms, authorization and authentication services, mobile security organizations, government agencies, as well as public and private companies and banks around the globe. Among other things, Dermalog offers solutions such as FingerLogin, FingerPayment and FingerBanking. The company is active in over 100 countries, serving clients not only in Germany and Europe, but also in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.
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