* Alliance Leverages Brand Strength and Technology Expertise *
ERLANGER, Kentucky, June 30 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- The United States Playing Card Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH) today announced that it has formed a strategic alliance with Walker Digital Gaming LLC, a leading technology provider of gaming solutions. The alliance combines USPC's leading brands, such as Bee(R), with Walker Digital Gaming's innovative table-gaming technologies, including the RFID-enabled Perfect Pay Smart Table Network with Elite Baccarat. Together the two companies will develop and market new and exclusive products for the casino industry, initially for the international Asian markets.
"Walker Digital is an innovative leader in developing enhanced technologies for the gaming industry," noted Phil Dolci, President and Chief Executive Officer of The United States Playing Card Company. "The strength of our market-leading brands, combined with Walker Digital's innovations, including Elite Baccarat and Perfect Pay, presents compelling international growth opportunities, particularly in the Asian casino baccarat market."
"We are pleased to collaborate with USPC," stated Jay Walker, the Chairman of Walker Digital Gaming. "Their market-leading brands, commitment to innovation, and unparalleled relationships and reputation in the casino market align well with our growth plans, particularly as we introduce new technology into the casino gaming industry."
"This is an exciting investment opportunity for our United States Playing Card Company subsidiary as we continue to invest in our playing card operations," commented Martin E. Franklin, Chairman and Chief Executive of Jarden Corporation. "We believe our relationship with Jay Walker and the team at WDG will drive incremental growth opportunities for our leading playing card brands and will increase our exposure to new, international market opportunities. This technology-focused alliance, combined with the opening of our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Kentucky last year and the recent capital investments in our Fournier facility in Vitoria, Spain, underscores our commitment to driving growth through innovation in perceived mature product categories."
About The United States Playing Card Company
The United States Playing Card Company is the leader in the production and distribution of premier brands of playing cards, including BEE(R), BICYCLE(R), AVIATOR(R), HOYLE(R), KEM(R) and CONGRESS(R) playing cards. BICYCLE(R) has been the best selling playing card brand in the world for more than 100 years. Founded in 1867, the company manufactures, markets and distributes playing cards, children's card games, collectible tins, puzzles and card accessories. BEE(R), BICYCLE(R), AVIATOR(R) and HOYLE(R) are registered trademarks of The United States Playing Card Company. For more information, visit http://www.usplayingcard.com. USPC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation.
About Jarden Corporation
Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of niche consumer products. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia(R), Berkley(R), Campingaz(R) and Coleman(R), Fenwick(R), Gulp!(R), K2(R), Marker(R), Marmot(R), Mitchell(R), Penn(R), Rawlings(R), Shakespeare(R), Stearns(R), Stren(R), Trilene(R), Volkl(R) and Zoot(R); Consumer Solutions: Bionaire(R), Crock-Pot(R), FoodSaver(R), Health o meter(R), Holmes(R), Mr. Coffee(R), Oster(R), Patton(R), Rival(R), Seal-a-Meal(R), Sunbeam(R), VillaWare(R) and White Mountain(R); and Branded Consumables: Ball(R), Bee(R), Bicycle(R), Billy Boy(R), Crawford(R), Diamond(R), Dicon(R), First Alert(R), Forster(R), Hoyle(R), Kerr(R), Lehigh(R), Leslie-Locke(R), Loew Cornell(R), Mapa(R), NUK(R), Pine Mountain(R) and Spontex(R). Headquartered in Rye, N.Y., Jarden has over 24,000 employees worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.jarden.com.
About Walker Digital Gaming LLC
Walker Digital Gaming LLC is a leader for technology-enabled casino solutions. WDG develops innovations for Asian gaming markets including the RFID-enabled Perfect Pay Smart Table Network with Elite Baccarat that adds exciting new bet and game play options, dramatically increases game security and dealer accuracy while minimizing losses from human error, collusion and theft. Other products include tablet-based solutions for mass-market and VIP.
Walker Digital Gaming is part of Walker Digital Management LLC, a privately held business solutions company based in Stamford, CT. The firm is headed by U.S. inventor and entrepreneur Jay Walker, best known as the founder of Priceline.com. TIME magazine has twice named Mr. Walker "one of the top 50 business leaders of the digital age."
