Bioscrypt Inc., Toronto, Ontario, announced plans to acquire A4Vision, Sunnyvale, Calif. Bioscrypt, a manufacturer of biometric technologies, will expand its offerings with A4Vision’s 3-D facial recognition technology. The acquisition will lend itself to plenty of synergistic opportunities, including plans to offer access control readers that incorporate both finger and facial biometrics for use in physical access control, said Matthew Bogart, Bioscrypt’s director of corporate development.

“We have been in the business of biometric and identity verification since the mid-’90s. [This acquisition] is really extending our vision of access control and is a great extension of our product line,” Bogart said.

The acquisition, which had been in the works for several months according to Bogart, is an all-stock transaction and is expected to close in March. A4Vision’s CEO Grant Evans, will stay on as a member of Bioscrypt’s Board of Directors.

Bioscrypt, which works with dealers, integrators and several manufacturers, will continue to do so with its newest technology offering. The company will focus on branding, as well as leveraging geographical advantages that the acquisition brings. “A4 has a bigger presence in Europe, while Bioscrypt has a bigger presence in North America,” Bogart said, adding that this opens up the possibilities for new customers and new markets.

Bogart said that the acquisition lends itself to new and emerging markets, allowing Bioscrypt to be a one-stop-shop for biometric access control needs. “Typically, a customer will decide if they will go with fingerprint or another type of biometric. This provides us with the opportunity to go to that customer and provide them with a different technology. The ability to be a single source provider for biometric technology is a great benefit,” Bogart said. Bioscrypt’s largest current markets are financial services, transportation including airports and seaports, and government facilities. For more information, visit www.bioscrypt.com or www.a4vision.com.