US DHS opts for Rochford Thompson readers

07 June 2006

The US Department of Homeland Security has chosen UK-based passport reader manufacturer – Rochford Thompson – to supply its readers for use at US ports of entry.

Although no formal announcement has been made, the Department of Homeland Security took part in the Berlin ePassport Interoperability test event last week and was using Rochford Thompson technology to test the 91 official e-Passports that were circulated by the organisers.

A senior level spokesperson at the DHS confirmed to SDW that it had indeed chosen Rochford Thompson’s readers, following a bidding process that had also included 3M and Viisage.

The exact number of readers ordered was not clear as the DHS is not expecting to roll out readers immediately to every passport desk in every location, but to roll out enough readers to at least meet legislative requirements. (A public tender document relating to this contract suggested that as many as 800 readers could be deployed this year.)

Rochford Thompson is based in Newbury, UK, and built its name producing swipe readers with more than 35,000 in the field. Its biggest clients are the US and UK governments.

Two and a half years ago the company launched its RT 8000 device, which is a full-page reader with an integrated RFID module. A spokesperson at Rochford Thompson confirmed to SDW that the RFID module has been designed for them by German supplier ACG.