Emptech, Covestro target growing demand for secure ID documents in emerging markets

Chinese identity technology supplier Emptech and polymer materials manufacturer Covestro have partnered to provide end-to-end solutions for government-issued identity documents, targeting emerging markets where demand for passports, national ID cards and driver’s licenses is growing alongside digital identity and civil registration programs.

Under a memorandum of understanding (MOU), the companies will combine Emptech’s document personalization and system integration capabilities with Covestro’s polycarbonate film technologies used in secure identity documents.

The deal comes as Emtech expands its footprint across African and Asian countries, including Mali, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Kyrgyzstan. The Shenzhen-headquartered company says it currently has operations in more than 60 countries and regions, including its home market of Mainland China and Hong Kong.

Earlier this year, Emptech secured dual accreditation in the MOSIP Partner Program as both a commercial and technology partner, underscoring its ambitions to expand beyond physical credentials into digital identity systems.

While governments are investing in digital identity and mobile credentials, physical identity documents remain foundational to many national identity systems, sustaining demand for secure document issuance and personalization infrastructure.

“The demand for high-security identity documents in emerging markets continues to grow rapidly, accompanied by higher expectations for solution adaptability and reliable implementation,” says Covestro’s Caroline Wolff. “By combining the complementary capabilities of both companies, we are positioned to deliver strong, effective solutions that meet the evolving needs of the market.”

Secure document personalization requires tight alignment between material properties and equipment performance, Emptech explains in its announcement. This technical dependency becomes more demanding as governments raise anti-counterfeiting and durability requirements.

“Material performance plays a critical role in determining the security and reliability of ID document products,” says Sean Zheng, the company’s chairman and CEO. “By partnering with Covestro, we are further enhancing our technical strengths and competitiveness in emerging market projects, enabling us to deliver more robust and future-ready solutions to our customers.”

Financial terms of the MoU were not disclosed.

Article Topics

Covestro  |  digital ID  |  Emperor Technology  |  identity document