PPG announced that North Carolina’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is realizing a dramatic reduction in customer card replacements and attempted fraud through the use of PPG TESLIN substrate for driver’s licenses and identification cards in the state’s two-year-old REAL ID program.

North Carolina’s quest for a best-in-class REAL ID program began in 2016 when its DMV was faced with a two-pronged challenge. The first was to implement a driver’s license/personal identification (DL/ID) program that complied with the Department of Homeland Security’s REAL ID requirements before the end of 2017. The other was to replace its existing polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based DL/ID card construction, which often cracked, peeled, faded and failed to fulfill its mandated eight-year lifecycle requirement.

After developing specifications to ensure the highest levels of security and card performance, a DMV committee conducted comprehensive evaluations of two DL/ID constructions – a polycarbonate (PC) card and a composite card fabricated with PPG Teslin substrate. The committee selected the PPG Teslin substrate composite card solution because of its capacity to accommodate all of the state’s performance and security requirements at one-third the cost of the PC option.

The state produces 2.4 million DL/IDs annually. As part of the REAL ID program implementation, the DMV modernized its production equipment and centralized card production in one location. This enabled the department to enhance security control and cost containment without sacrificing customer satisfaction. Since the program was implemented in May 2017, the DMV has not received a single complaint.

“Teslin substrate delivers durability and adaptability at a cost that reflects ‘mindful stewardship’ of the state’s financial resources,” said Torre J. Jessup, commissioner, North Carolina DMV. “It enabled us to design one of the most secure REAL ID-compliant cards available. The substrate hosts all of our advanced security features in a highly durable card at a reasonable cost, and its material properties can readily accommodate our future security needs as well.”

“The selection of PPG Teslin substrate for this application was especially gratifying due to the rigor of the selection process,” said Pierre Scaglia, PPG global segment manager, secure credentials, Teslin substrate products. “The DMV committee was very comprehensive in both its research and testing. The sheer variety and volume of security features built into this card make it very difficult to counterfeit or alter, resulting in a good REAL ID model for other states to emulate.”

PPG Teslin substrate is a durable, secure and highly printable synthetic paper that excels for laminated print projects and other applications demanding a tough, high-performance material. PPG Teslin substrate provides a variety of benefits for credential and identity documents, including high-definition color photos, laser-engraving, built-in tamper evidence and flexible production and issuance options.

For more information, visit www.teslin.com/NCDMV.