IVI Checkmate Corp, which claims to be the third largest electronic point of sale automation systems provider in North America, has strengthened its product line with the acquisition of smart card and magnetic strip card software company Debitek Holdings Ltd of Chattanooga, Tennessee. IVI sees the Debitek acquisition as a way to develop its existing partnership with Ingenico SA, the French smart card terminal manufacturer. Debitek currently produces application programming interfaces (APIs) for unattended point-of sale-systems such as vending systems, copiers and laundry equipment and is used by systems integrators for closed user groups such as universities, libraries, prisons and military facilities. IVI, formed by the merger of International Verifact Inc of Toronto, Canada, and Checkmate Electronics Inc of Roswell, Georgia, believes that it is now in the position to bring open market systems such as VISA, Mondex and Proton to the closed user marketplace. Atlanta, Georgia-based IVI did not disclose the terms of the deal.
