[privacy] Viisage rolls up the biometrics industry

["Richard M. Smith" <rms () bsf-llc com>]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060717/ap_on_hi_te/viisage_iridian_3 

By BRIAN BERGSTEIN, AP Technology Writer 57 minutes ago 

BOSTON - Viisage Technology Inc. moved again to strengthen its portfolio of
biometric systems for homeland security and access control Monday by
acquiring an iris-scanning company, Iridian Technologies Inc., for $35
million in cash. 

Since last year, when longtime defense executive Robert LaPenta engineered a
$100 million investment in Viisage, the Billerica, Mass.-based company has
used acquisitions to expand from its intial core in facial-recognition
technology into fingerprint and iris biometrics.

In January, Viisage spent $770 million in stock to buy fingerprint
biometrics provider Identix Inc. The following month Viisage grabbed iris
scanner SecuriMetrics Inc. for $28 million in cash.

The Iridian deal is expected to close next month. Moorestown, N.J.-based
Iridian, which has 27 employees and is privately held, is to be combined
with SecuriMetrics.

Once the deal is complete, LaPenta expects to rename Viisage as L-1 Identity
Solutions to reflect the company's status as a full-service biometrics
vendor.

...

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