American Banknote Corporation (ABCorp), one of the longest-standing manufacturing service providers in the U.S., announced today the partnership with sport technology startup BATS-TOI to manufacture The Mercado, the most advanced multisport headgear on the market, using 3D print technology.

Initially designed to protect wrestlers against head injuries, The Mercado has evolved into a next-generation smart multisport headgear capable of incorporating diagnostic sensors to monitor brain wave activity and two-way communication to provide a combination of safety and performance enhancement previously unavailable.

"ABCorp has a history dating back more than 225 years of providing Essential Critical goods and services to world-class companies and federal, state, and local government agencies in more than 120 countries worldwide," said William Brown, ABCorp Chairman and CEO. "Many of our relationships date back decades, if not centuries, and we do not enter strategic partnerships impulsively. We are pleased to announce our new association with BATS-TOI for the latest generation of smart multisport headgear."

"From day one, our focus and purpose at BATS-TOI has been to revolutionize head safety for serious and recreational athletes through innovative design and engineering," said Mario Mercado, founder and CEO of BATS-TOI. We worked with our partners at HP and ABCorp to develop a groundbreaking system and process to 3D print The Mercado at scale, as a best-in-class multisport headgear that provides superior protection and performance against head injuries. The Mercado has been recognized as the official wrestling headgear of the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS), and our partnership with ABCorp will ensure we deliver on our commitment to the highest quality standards, not only for wrestlers but for all athletes that need superior head protection to keep them in the game." 

Manufacturing will take place in ABCorp's 125,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility and will be powered by the HP MJF Systems - enabling ABCorp to 3D print complex end-use parts with unparalleled speed and accuracy. ABCorp offers design and high-volume production capacity under a single roof, with the flexibility of multiple base materials including polymers and stainless steel. All production takes place in ABCorp's highly secure FDA-registered facility with HiTrust certification and HIPPA compliance to ensure the security of BATS-TOI's confidential and sensitive projects. For information about BATS-TOI's groundbreaking multisport headgear, The Mercado, visit www.batstoi.com or email info@batstoi.com. 

ABCorp offers the latest platform for both existing and new clients across the entire manufacturing sector, including automotive, consumer goods, government & defense, machine design and heavy industries. For more information about ABCorp's 3D printing capabilities, visit www.ABCorp.com or email 3D@ABCorp.com.

About ABCorp

ABCorp is a provider of Essential Critical goods and services for authentication, payment, and secure access. Customers span federal, state, and local government agencies and companies across the commercial, financial, healthcare, and transit sectors. ABCorp's history dates back more than 225 years to 1795. The company started out as secure printers - designing & producing better, more counterfeit-resistant currency for the First Bank of the United States. Our products & services have changed, but secure envelopes everything we do. Today, ABCorp offers a wide variety of products and services. We design, manufacture, and personalize contactless credit & debit cards; offer instant issuance programs for ID and payment card (physical & virtual); 3D print highly detailed prototypes & parts; provide digital solutions for authentication, payment, and customer engagement; and use digital content to elevate the customer experience. Countless government agencies and world-class companies rely on ABCorp to better engage with their constituents and customers in a secure manner, evolving to higher levels of security, trust, and utility.

About BATS-TOIä

BATS-TOI is a sports technology company that provides a product ecosystem for athlete head safety, injury detection, and electronic communication. Through its signature multisport headgear, The Mercado, the team at BATS-TOI is committed to the continuous search to innovate, create, engineer, and design the best head protection for athletes of all levels. As the official wrestling headgear of the National Federation of State High Schools (NFHS), The Mercado is also used by athletes in a variety of sports such as flag football, field hockey, soccer, rugby, and MMA. Based in Brooklyn, New York, BATS-TOI is a resident member of technology accelerator, Newlab.