HID has signed an agreement to acquire Calmell Group, a Spanish manufacturer of smart cards, smart paper tickets, and magnetic tickets, primarily for the public transportation vertical.

The addition of Calmell Group expands HID’s smart ticketing portfolio to include smart paper and magnetic tickets, as well as provides HID a stronger geographic foothold in the public transportation space, particularly in Spain, the European Union, Northern Africa, and Latin America.

“Calmell Group is a fantastic addition to our growing public transportation ecosystem, and we are excited to welcome them to the HID family,” says Björn Lidefelt, EVP and head of HID. “Calmell’s offering and expertise enable people to get where they need to go, aligning well with our desire to help the world travel more freely.”

Founded in 1920 as a printing house for graphic products, the family-owned firm has evolved to mainly become a manufacturer of smart cards, smart paper tickets, and magnetic tickets for the public transportation vertical.

“We look forward to incorporating Calmell into our growing smart ticketing offering,” adds Marc Bielmann, SVP and head of Identification Technologies, HID. “This addition helps increase our relevance in the public transportation space, as well as better serve users in an increasing number of geographies around the world.”The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions.