What Swype does

Swype, trading as Company Cards Ltd, is a UK-based digital card manufacturer founded in 1996 and headquartered in St Helens. The company produces custom and blank plastic cards across photo ID, RFID, NFC, membership, gift, hotel key, event and key-fob formats, plus an expanding eco-friendly line (EcoLite PVC-Free, Renew Cards at 98% recycled content, Board Cards, Degradable Cards and FSC-certified Wooden Cards). Manufacturing is fully in-house at the St Helens facility on digital printing and laminating equipment, with authorized chip encoding for MIFARE, DESFire, Fudan and Paxton proximity systems under NXP's MIFARE Partner Program. Supporting offerings include lanyards, badge reels, rigid and flexible card holders, ID card printers, and a Membership Bureau fulfilment service that prints, personalises and mails cards alongside matching letters. The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 14001 and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications and is positioned as the UK's first solely digital card manufacturer.

Revenue is generated through a mix of quote-based custom card manufacturing for enterprise buyers and direct e-commerce sales of standardised blank cards, accessories and eco-friendly products, with no minimum order requirement supporting both short-run SMB demand and bulk enterprise orders. Go-to-market is sales-led, predominantly UK-domestic, and supported by direct e-commerce, design-agency and reseller channels; named customers span BT, the NHS, Lidl, Manchester United, Formula 1, the FA, Currys, Specsavers, Betfred, Champneys Health Spa, St Helens RFC and several UK universities. Swype is wholly owned under the Company Cards Ltd Group, with no external institutional investment disclosed. Sub-brands include "Swype Greener" for the sustainability initiative and a wholly owned subsidiary, The Plastic Card Factory, which provides the Card Creator online design tool.

Name

Swype

Legal name

Company Cards Ltd

Website

https://swype.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Swype (trading as Company Cards Ltd) is a St Helens, UK-based digital card manufacturer founded in 1996 that produces custom and blank plastic, RFID, NFC and eco-friendly cards, accessories and bureau fulfilment services for enterprise, education, sports, retail, healthcare and hospitality buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Helens

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Card Manufacturing: Manufacture and sale of custom printed plastic cards including Photo ID, RFID, NFC, Membership, Gift, Hotel Key, and Event cards. Both short runs and bulk orders accepted with typical lead time of 5 working days or less.
2. Blank Card Sales: Sale of blank cards including proximity cards (Paxton, MIFARE, Fudan), biodegradable cards, and self-adhesive cards. Sold in packs of 10 to 500 units.
3. Card Accessories: Sale of complementary products including lanyards, badge reels, card holders, and rigid card holders. Eco-friendly options including recycled PET lanyards made from plastic bottles.
4. Fulfilment and Mailing Services: Membership bureau service including printing, personalizing, and mailing cards directly to customers along with matching letters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Swype designs, manufactures, prints and delivers plastic and eco-friendly cards for access, identity, membership, gift, hotel key, and event applications. As a UK-based digital card manufacturer operating since 1996, the company offers in-house production of Photo ID, RFID, NFC, membership, gift, hotel key, and event cards, plus key fobs and custom-shaped cards, alongside eco-friendly alternatives such as EcoLite PVC-free, recycled, degradable, board and wooden cards. The company also supplies complementary lanyards, badge reels, card holders, blank card stock, ID card printers, and a membership bureau fulfillment and mailing service.

Product overview

Swype is a UK-based digital card manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of plastic and eco-friendly card products. The core offering includes Photo ID Cards, RFID Cards, NFC Cards, Membership Cards, Gift Cards, Hotel Key Cards, Event Cards, Key Fobs, and Custom Shaped Cards. Their eco-friendly product line (Eco Cards) features PVC-free, recyclable, and biodegradable options including EcoLite PVC-Free Cards, Recyclable PVC Cards, Board Cards, Degradable Cards, Renew Cards (98% recycled content), and FSC-certified Wooden Cards. Supporting products include Lanyards, Badge Reels, Flexible and Rigid Card Holders, Blank Card stock with various chip technologies, and ID Card Printers. Services include design, manufacturing, printing, delivery, and a Membership Bureau Service for fulfillment and mailing. The company was founded in 1996 and is part of the Company Cards Ltd Group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Swype Greener: Environmental sustainability initiative focused on eco-friendly card manufacturing with carbon capture, recycling, and renewable energy.

Products and services

• Photo ID Cards Modern photo identification cards produced with digital printing technology for secure building access, identity verification, and employee/student identification.
• RFID Cards Radio-frequency identification cards used for access control, identification, and security applications; Swype encodes MIFARE, DESFire, Fudan, and Paxton proximity chip technologies.
• NFC Cards Near-field communication cards enabling contactless functionality for identification, entry systems, and payment applications.
• Membership Cards Custom membership cards for clubs, gyms, sports organizations, and loyalty programs designed to create brand loyalty and customer engagement.
• Gift Cards Plastic gift cards for retail, hospitality, and service businesses, available in both standard PVC and eco-friendly materials.
• Hotel Key Cards RFID-enabled key cards designed for hotel door locking systems, enhancing guest experience with contactless technology.
• Event Cards Cards for event access control, ticketing, and attendee identification at conferences, festivals, and corporate events.
• Key Fobs Compact RFID key fobs for access control, compatible with keys and luggage attachments for membership and security applications.
• Custom Shaped Cards Cards manufactured in custom shapes beyond standard rectangular formats for unique branding and promotional applications.
• EcoLite PVC-Free Cards Sustainable plastic-free cards that combine environmental responsibility with durability for access and identification purposes.
• Recyclable PVC Cards Cards made from material that degrades in active landfill or compost environments and can be recycled through PVC recycling facilities.
• Board Cards Plastic-free, recyclable cards that are FSC certified, ideal for single-use items such as event passes and sustainable gift cards.
• Degradable Cards Environmentally responsible cards designed to degrade into carbon dioxide and water when placed in oxygen-free, microbe-rich environments.
• Renew Cards Cards made with third-party certified 98% recycled content that look and feel like standard PVC but are significantly more environmentally friendly.
• Wooden Cards Premium wooden RFID cards made from FSC certified sustainably sourced wood in multiple finish options (Bamboo, Basswood, Beech, Cherry, Maple) for premium business and membership applications.
• Lanyards Custom printed lanyards including standard and recycled PET options, available in various colors with different attachment types such as metal lobster clip, plastic J clip, and breakaway.
• Card Accessories (Badge Reels, Card Holders, Luggage Loops) Complementary card accessories including retractable badge reels, flexible vinyl badge holders, rigid card holders in multiple colors, and luggage loops and straps for identification applications.
• Blank Cards Pre-manufactured blank cards including proximity cards and smart cards with MIFARE, Fudan, and DESFire chip technologies, plus biodegradable options, intended for desktop printer personalization, sold in packs of 10 to 500.
• ID Card Printers Desktop ID card printers and associated ribbons and consumables sold to enable in-house card production by customers.
• Membership Bureau Service Full-service fulfilment including printing, personalising, attaching cards to matching letters, and mailing cards directly to end customers for ongoing membership programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Typical lead time of 5 working days or less
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Company Cards Ltd GroupcoreOthersParent company of Swype. Swype operates as a trading division of Company Cards Ltd. Company Cards Ltd was incorporated in 2005 to formalize the card manufacturing business that began in 1996.
• NXP Semiconductors (MIFARE Partner Program)coreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial partner in NXP's MIFARE Partner Program, authorized to manufacture and encode MIFARE and DESFire smart cards for access control and cashless systems.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Entrust: Identity and payment credential provider (formerly Datacard) with a major card printer and issuance business. Competes with Swype in card issuance solutions and security printing at a larger scale.
• Giesecke+Devrient (G+D): Global provider of security technology, including payment cards, SIMs, and secure identities. Competes with Swype on smart card and secure credential manufacturing at an enterprise scale.
• HID Global: Major provider of secure identity solutions including RFID cards, smart cards, and access control technology. Overlaps with Swype on MIFARE/DESFire-based access control cards but serves global enterprise customers.
• Zebra Technologies: Sells card printers, ribbons, and supplies that complement or substitute for outsourced card manufacturing. Swype also resells desktop ID card printers, placing Zebra in an adjacent supply position.
• IDEMIA: Global leader in identity and security solutions, including financial cards, SIM cards, and secure credentials. Operates at a vastly larger scale than Swype and competes for the same access control and smart card programs but across a much broader portfolio.

Others

• NXP Semiconductors: Supplier of MIFARE/DESFire chips that Swype encodes. Not a direct competitor but a strategic technology partner whose MIFARE Partner Program authorization is a key credential for Swype's smart card business.

Direct peers

• CPI Card Group: US-headquartered manufacturer of financial, prepaid, debit, and access cards with a strong eco card range. Closest publicly traded direct peer in terms of card manufacturing model, with similar end-market diversification.
• Valid: Brazil-headquartered card manufacturer and secure solution provider with operations in payment, SIM, and identification cards. Comparable in business model to Swype with a focus on secure card production and personalization.
• Thames Card Technology: UK-based plastic card manufacturer offering custom printed, RFID, and membership cards. Most direct UK head-to-head competitor to Swype with overlapping customer segments in education, hospitality, and corporate ID.

Regional players

• The Plastic Card Shop: UK-based smaller player selling plastic cards, blank cards, and accessories. A small, regional UK competitor with overlapping catalog products and e-commerce approach to Swype's shop channel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/companycards
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/company-cards-limited

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swype