Holograms

Mass Production Printing of Holograms

March 18, 2025

By Liz Stevens, writer, PostPress

Holograms, those magical images that allow the viewer to see an image in three dimensions, have advanced from being rare, mesmerizing novelty items to offering practical applications and aesthetic touches on items and packaging everywhere. Unlike the earliest holograms that were produced as one-off laboratory specimens by optical scientists, today’s holograms can be manually produced via the traditional way – with lasers and mirrors and physical objects – or designed and digitally produced with nothing more than a computer and algorithms. Mass reproduction of holograms now is commonplace.

The eye-catching depth, color and beauty of holograms are put to use for a variety of purposes. They are used to authenticate product brands, to embellish packaging for high-end products and to create a tamper-proof packaging seal. Holograms are embedded in paper currency to thwart counterfeiting, affixed on identification cards and badges, reproduced on valuable documents as authentication and even stamped onto some metal coins. Event tickets, commemorative items and collectables feature dazzling holograms to reinforce their premium value. Other esoteric uses for holograms include data storage and interferometry.

Back in the Day

Credit physicist Dennis Gabor for inventing holography in 1948. The Hungarian-British scientist actually was aiming to improve that era’s electron microscopes; his unexpected invention of holography was patented and it earned Gabor a Nobel Prize in Physics. In the 1960s, laser holography was developed, eliminating the need for electron beam. Rainbow holograms soon were invented, allowing holograms to be viewed with natural light. White light holography and reflection holography came along soon after, advancing the science for displaying holograms. The emergence of dichromated gelatin – as a holographic recording medium to replace glass plates – was a development that allowed for recording holograms on any clear, non-porous surface.

A Crucial Development – Mass Print Production of Holograms

National Geographic magazine was one of the earliest publications to mass produce holograms. The magazine’s March 1984 cover featured the hologram of a bald eagle. Each copy of the magazine had an actual 3D hologram on its cover page, to the tune of millions of copies. The magazine featured a short description of how the cover images were produced (edited here for length).

How the Cover Was Made ¹

“The bald eagle you see on our cover began as a tiny sculpture, produced by Eidetic Images, Inc., in Elmsford, New York. Eidetic, a subsidiary of the American Bank Note Company of New York City, used the eagle to construct the hologram.

“To mass-produce rainbow holograms after exposure by the laser, the hologram’s special emulsion, called photoresist, is developed, rendering the interference pattern as a series of ultrafine ridges. By electrolysis, particles of nickel are deposited on the ridges to make a mold. The nickel mold impresses the interference pattern into plastic, and a thin aluminum coating is applied. Functioning like a mirror, the coating reflects white-light waves through the interference pattern to create the changing image of the bald eagle model.

“This process was repeated almost 11 million times to create the holograms on this issue of National Geographic, the first major magazine to reproduce a hologram on its cover. It is best viewed in direct sunlight or light from a single artificial source. Though the sculptured eagle looks to its left, the cover hologram faces right for heraldic tradition.”

Producing the Eagle Hologram Cover

Back in 1983, when the magazine issue was being prepped and produced, National Geographic (along with American Bank Note Holographics), worked with several companies that had the ability to foil stamp the hologram on the covers. With a quantity of 11 million, it took many presses and locations involved in the process to make it happen. The majority of all of the covers were being run on 14 x 22 Kluge presses using a foil and hologram system designed by Terry Gallagher and his son, John Gallagher. They would later start a new company from this venture, Total Register, which installed hundreds of hologram registration systems through the 80s, 90s and 2000s. The holographic foil that included the holographic 3D image of the eagle was produced by Crown Roll Leaf and was supplied to those companies involved with foil stamping the covers by its distributor at the time – Old Dominion Foils.

One of those trade finishers involved in the project was Graphic Converting Inc. of Texas in Dallas, Texas. During that year, in 1983, Founder and Owner Robert Graham, Sr. (now deceased) was approached by American Bank Note Holographics (Terry Gallagher), National Geographic and Old Dominion Foils to help with the eagle hologram set to be included on the cover of the March 1984 National Geographic issue. PostPress talked with Robert’s son, Robert Jr., who was working at Graphic Converting at the time and recalls many of the ins and outs of gearing up for the mass production of the 11 million eagle hologram covers.

“When we were approached by American Bank Note, we recently had purchased the first Gietz FSA 720 to come to the US in 1982, and we were asked if American Bank Note Holographics could come look at the press to see if a hologram foil attachment could be built and installed,” remembered Graham. “I remember an electrical and a mechanical engineer came to Dallas to look at all the drawings of the press. In one month, American Bank Note designed both the electrical and mechanical equipment needed to add a hologram foil attachment to the press. This was the first hologram attachment installed on a sheet-fed reciprocating-style machine.”

Graphic Converting Inc. of Texas in Dallas became the hub for all sheets produced in Texas. The running timeline for production was a little behind. The company was told that National Geographic had never been late with its monthly editions so Graphic Converting had to do what it could to make the deadline.

“I remember being called to the front office by my father, Bob Graham, Sr., so we could meet with the printing director for National Geographic, who said he needed us to work as many hours as possible,” continued Graham. “He also asked what it would take to run two shifts on Super Bowl Sunday. We came up with a proposal: a TV and everything else for a party (except alcohol) plus a $300 bonus for each employee.” Graham remembers the last sheets leaving Texas the first week of March 1984, and the producers in Texas overall ran close to 2,000,000 covers.

Graham went on to mention that Terry Gallagher was the man who really invented everything it took to put 3-dimensional holograms in hot stamping foil, from the actual-size epoxy eagle model to creating the shim that embossed the image in the foil. The embossing diffracts the light to create the image, and the colors created are naturally occurring in white light. The foil used for the eagle hologram was silver automotive trim foil, which at the time was on a heavier mylar carrier, had more silver and was formulated with a sizing suitable for paper. On the Kluge foil units, the chain drives were replaced by stepping motors and a control console to make adjustments while running. This also was designed by Terry Gallagher and his son, John – part of the retrofit equipment they later would market to the foil stamping industry through Total Register.

Robert Graham, Jr. still is in the industry today, working for FSEA member TPC Printing & Packaging
(www.tpcpackaging.com), which produces folding cartons, rigid set-up boxes and trading cards in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “I always have dedicated myself to trying and learning new things while in this great industry. [I’m] proud to be a part of it for so long,” stated Graham.

Holograms Today

The mass production of holographic images has endured, and new advancements keep the technology on the cutting-edge and continuously improved for efficiency.

Besides the foil stamping of holographic images in register for both aesthetics and security applications, there are processes today that include custom holographic images within an entire layout for products, such as folding cartons, labels, magazine covers, posters and more. These applications include specialized holographic processes that then are laminated to board or paper and can be overprinted with a 4-color process to create amazing results. This use of holographic images is available through companies such as K Laser Technologies (www.klasergroup.com) and Hazen Paper (www.hazen.com). With this process, custom holograms can be included on a roll or sheet and then printed inline without registration of an image, providing opportunities to utilize holographic images within a design without the use of special registration equipment on a foil stamping press.

References

“How our cover was made,” National Geographic, March 1984. Volume 165, Number 3.

Hazen Paper Company Elevates Its Game with Enshrinement 2023

December 11, 2023

Edited by Erin La Row, editor, PostPress

Hazen Paper Company’s 11th Enshrinement Yearbook cover for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, is a light show worthy of the dazzling Hall of Fame Dome. The limited-edition 2023 cover, created with Hazen HoloJet® paper, projects an amplified refractive three-dimensional image of a basketball symbolizing the dome.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball. Each year, the organization recognizes a group of finalists of the sport’s elite – from players to coaches to referees – by formally enshrining that year’s class into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. A commemorative yearbook and enshrinement program is created to recognize the class and award recipients. Hazen worked with the Basketball Hall of Fame to take a graphic design and amplify it with holography.

“Once again, the Hazen holographic team has raised the bar, amplifying the special effects each time to ensure the cover is more exciting than ever,” said John Hazen, president of Hazen Paper Company. For 2023, this includes Fresnel lens technology and a new holographic element Hazen calls “Metal-Morphosis™,” utilizing a new deep-groove system for sharper images and greater dimensionality. Appearing to move and change with the angle of light, the holographic treatment induces engagement and interaction with the book.

Hazen originated the holography completely within its Holyoke, Massachusetts, facility. The custom holograms were created in Hazen’s holographic laser lab, then micro-embossed and transfer-metalized onto smooth, 12-point WestRock Tango C2S using Hazen’s environmentally friendly Envirofoil® and HoloJet® process. The holography is created with an optical structure that is imparted on the surface of the paper (underneath the printed graphics) with an ultra-thin polymer layer that is less than 2 microns in thickness. Envirofoil is a non-plastic paper that is as recyclable as printed paper.

Hazen said the white ink application is critical to optimize the holographic effect by blocking the holography completely in some areas and, through a gradation of tonal values, turn up or turn down the holographic effect.

“That gradation of ‘holographic show-thru’ is the trick to creating 3D effects. In reality, the registration is not perfect. The art and the hologram are designed to allow for bleed and fade. The white ink is key to achieving what appears to be perfect registration. The holographic tableau is designed in a way to make the printing quite easy,” Hazen said.

The stock itself has a transfer metallized finish. Hazen transfer metallizes the paper stock with a holographic film (transfer is similar to cold foil). The holographic film is produced in Holyoke. The first step is to apply a polymer coating to a carrier film. That polymer-coated surface then is holographically embossed and vacuum metallized. The resultant “transfer film” then is laminated to a 12-point C2S Tango cover stock in rolls. The rolls are next register-sheeted and the carrier film is separated for re-use. The resultant holographic stock is primed for INDIGO digital printing. Every cover gets a unique serial number through the magic of digital printing.

Hazen said this year the event was moved forward a month, requiring the company to hit all of the project milestones in a crisp manner. “Hazen is vertically integrated and extremely experienced with these projects, so the timeline compression didn’t cause any problems,” he said.

The cover was designed by agency GO of Hartford, Connecticut, and printed and individually numbered for authenticity on an HP Indigo digital press by Starburst Printing of Holliston, Massachusetts. The book was printed and bound by Cummings Printing in Hookset, New Hampshire. Mohegan Sun Casino, in Uncasville, Connecticut, is the presenting partner of the Hall of Fame Tip Off Pavilion and the annual marketing partner of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Hazen said that Mohegan Sun, once again, used a custom hologram on the backside cover to create a high-voltage graphic that radiates energy.

“The Basketball Hall of Fame was extremely happy with the result, as was Mohegan Sun,” Hazen said. “Hazen had a large group of employees attend the Enshrinement event and all of the guests, fans and enshrinees had at least one Enshrinement Yearbook in their hands.”

What Will Impact Growth for Holography in 2022?

March 22, 2022

By The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA)

COVID-19 threats and increased illicit trade and counterfeiting are among the factors set to drive hologram growth in 2022, particularly for authentication purposes.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) says authentication and track and trace systems, which feature holograms, will help to underpin international efforts by government and law enforcement agencies to bolster overt and covert protection strategies in the next 12 months.

Fake COVID-19 cards, documents and vaccines will remain a big security threat in the months ahead, so government, law enforcement authorities and global supply chains must review their anti-counterfeiting plans and investment in security resources.

Growth in security devices appears ‘strong and potentially lucrative’, says the IHMA, following The Future of Anti-Counterfeiting, Brand Protection and Security Packaging to 2026 and other reports predicting increasing incidences of global counterfeiting alongside heightened awareness of tracing technologies.

These indicate that brand protection, track and trace and other anti-counterfeiting technologies in packaging will increase in use as economies wrestle with the impacts of COVID-19. The packaging industry will continue to benefit in the coming months from the use of anti-counterfeiting solutions, particularly as fears over shortages of medicines, pharmaceuticals and vaccines in many parts of the world drive demand for counterfeit and illicit products.

Security devices, such as holograms on packaged goods, can ensure quality and check the distribution and smuggling of illicit products while items not displaying them can be seized and destroyed.

There is a growing volume of fake medicines on sale in developing countries, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), while Interpol has reported an increase in fake medical products. Seizures of fake COVID-19 tests and personal protective equipment (PPE) also have been reported by the US CBP and the World Customs Organisation.

Added to this, the economic damage wrought by COVID-19 – including tax hikes, global shortages of raw materials and finished goods, rising prices and falling incomes – is providing fertile ground for illicit trade to flourish.

This situation is set to continue in the next 12 months, the IHMA predicts, while growth in authentication devices will stay ‘strong and lucrative’ on the back of forecasts that the market for anti-counterfeit technologies on pharmaceuticals and cosmetics products will grow. The overall global market for anti-counterfeit products on security packaging is projected to be worth in excess of $188 billion by 2025.

A poll has revealed that almost 50% of hologram manufacturers and suppliers are seeing an increase in demand from customers, specifiers and end-users for holographic devices and technologies. This indicates that hologram users will continue to be concerned about the impact of counterfeiting on supply chains as the pandemic continues to be felt well into new year.

IHMA chair, Dr. Paul Dunn, said, “Counterfeiting puts governments, companies and the public at risk and must be tackled effectively to minimize the impact on society. We look forward to seeing supply chains further bolstered in 2022 with countries enhancing their anti-counterfeiting plans, which should include the introduction of harder hitting anti-counterfeiting legislation and strategies.”

“It’s clear that in the face of the continued impact of COVID-19 and other threats, we can legitimately say law enforcement, government, brand owners and other influencers will continue to push demand for authentication and brand protection devices such as holograms,” said Dr. Dunn.

Holography also will hold up well in comparison with other optical variable features in the currency market in 2022, says the IHMA. Despite predictions about the demise of cash, demand for banknotes has actually increased around the world during the pandemic – especially for high value notes as a store of value, which fuel demand in turn for holograms.

One third of all banknotes currently feature a holographic device, and the R&D going into ever more secure and complex holographic features for both paper and polymer banknotes that reassure the public and central banks about cash authenticity will continue.

On the other hand, a drop in travel has seen a decline in the demand for passport and travel documents, hence the holographic devices that protect them. As uncertainties remain around COVID-19, this situation will persist, but is somewhat offset by the global migrant crisis, which will continue to drive the development and deployment of secure personal identification outside of that related specially to COVID-19.

Dr. Dunn said, “Innovative features in banknotes are pushing the boundaries of what the technology can achieve, reflecting that there is plenty of mileage in holography. We also will see new applications for holographic features on ID documents coming through, where innovations linked to digital applications, packaging and tax stamps, could all see continued growth.”

The exploration of holography technologies for new wearable head-up displays and other smart devices to enhance people’s lives along with applications will see continued development in the new year. Holographic optical elements (HOEs) which are used in, for example, vehicle lighting and head-up displays, also will continue to gain traction alongside ‘ground-breaking’ holographic applications in medical imaging, solar energy, data storage, healthcare such as legalised cannabis-derived treatments, and cryptocurrencies, says the IHMA.

The use of authentication solutions, as advocated by the ISO12931 standard, enables examiners to verify the authenticity of a legitimate product, differentiating it from fake products coming from counterfeiting hot spots in Asia and eastern Europe. Even those that carry a ‘fake’ authentication feature can be distinguished from the genuine item if that item carries a carefully thought-out authentication solution.

The IHMA is made up more than 80 of the world’s leading hologram companies. Members include the leading producers and converters of holograms for banknote security, anti-counterfeiting, brand protection, packaging, graphics and other commercial applications around the world, and actively cooperate to maintain the highest professional, security and quality standards. This article is issued on behalf of the IHMA by MHW PR Ltd. For more information, visit www.ihma.org.

Holograms Shine in the Battle to Protect Against ID Fraud

March 12, 2021

Dr Paul Dunn, chairman, International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA)

Fraudulent passports, driver’s licenses and fake documents cost governments, issuing agencies and other global organizations billions of dollars a year in lost revenue. Corporate reputations also may suffer, and investments stifled, as funds are diverted to cover losses, while the cost of paying for anti-counterfeiting measures to bring criminals to justice can run into hundreds of millions of dollars.

But in the fight against counterfeiting and fraud, holography – propelled by advances in materials and applications – is valued, particularly in securing data and thwarting criminal interference, tampering, alteration, forgery or imitation. New technology, innovation and advanced processes ensure protection against the forgery of variable information, most notably photographs and personal data.

Overt technology such as holograms offer a means of protection and authentication and a warning about the dangers of counterfeiting. Indeed, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the threat has increased significantly and countries around the world are looking at ways to tackle the problem and better secure documents. In South Africa, for instance, the government currently is considering adopting biometric technology to stem the rising tide of identity fraud, which recently caused losses in excess of one billion rand – more than $61 million US (www.biometricupdate.com).

A new generation of high security now is being seen with highly innovative holograms becoming available, raising levels of ID document security and protection and providing the latest tools to help law enforcement keep up with criminals. The new Photonics HoloSystem is an example of how the technology is being developed to make forged documents easier to spot. The developers behind the project believe it will allow for the numbering and personalization of individual holograms, even where they are rapidly created, stopping criminals from being able to overcome them for years to come.

Growth

The continued growth in the use of holography as a security device points to the technology’s deep underlying versatility, cost effectiveness and graphical flexibility. Indeed, holography will continue to flourish in those markets where a premium overt security feature is required. For example, with a passport, the top target for counterfeiters is the biodata. Sector manufacturers such as De Le Rue are working with state and commercial security printers and providers to protect this information using secure ID components, which include the addition of holographic laminates to help protect against the risk of alterations to the genuine holder’s details.

Governments and other issuers of ID cards, passports and driver’s licenses must protect an increasing array of documents from wide-ranging attacks by implementing more security technologies. Increasingly, governments are turning to polycarbonate as their material of choice to deliver the most secure, durable and climate-resistant identity cards.

Holography is meeting these needs as demonstrated by OpSec Security’s recent launch of Fuse, a high-performance hologram applied in register, and by IQ Structures, another manufacturer of holograms, bringing forward a polycarbonate film solution with edge-to-edge holographic patterns.

These innovations can help to robustly combat the most frequent counterfeiting attacks. They also protect documents from so called ‘chain attacks’ – criminals who counterfeit a weaker document, such as a driver´s license, before going on to attempt to forge a passport later.

An advanced, holographic, thin-film laminate from Demax Holograms offers bespoke construction for enhanced security and design to protect paper passport data pages against alteration, replication and simulation, including laminate removal and reuse. Custom-shaped characters can be produced anywhere within the laminate, allowing the opportunity for their integration with printed features.

Fully tested for chemical and mechanical resistance, the laminate provides superior adhesion to the substrate and will disintegrate under any form of attack, making its reuse impossible. With the added benefit of custom-shaped edges, the fraudulent use of a second laminate on top will become immediately obvious. The technology, which offers an array of naked-eye features that go beyond conventional diffractive optical variable devices, also provides high counterfeit resilience as the effects cannot be reproduced or imitated using alternative techniques.

Holograms also are playing their part in the fight against fake academic documents as fraud of education certificates and diplomas becomes ever more sophisticated – and on the rise – affecting students, employers and universities. According to a UK National Qualification Agency survey, only one in four university admission staff feel confident spotting fake documents.

So most academic institutions will produce certificates and diplomas that combine security print techniques with physical devices, most often a hologram. Physical anti-counterfeiting features can reduce the risk of tampering and interference while digital solutions help in intelligence and identifying conspirators working within the system. They also can facilitate fast and convenient authentication. While nothing is immune from the threat of counterfeiting, colleges and universities are fast becoming aware that holograms and other anti-counterfeiting technologies can make illegal copying or reproduction difficult and provide a means to verify legitimate credentials.

Important part

While holography faces challenges as ID technology and associated criminal behavior continue to evolve, the evidence shows that its ability to find new applications ensures that it remains a potent anti-counterfeiting measure. Holograms will continue to play an important part in moving overt protection to the next stage of development, ensuring quality and checking the trade in ID counterfeiting while those documents not displaying security holograms are seized and destroyed.

Moreover, the use of well-designed and properly deployed authentication solutions, as advocated by the ISO 12931 standard, enables those with ID protection responsibilities to verify the authenticity of a legitimate product, differentiating it from counterfeits. Even those that carry a fake authentication feature can be distinguished from the genuine item if that item carries a carefully thought out authentication solution. The advantages holography offers will continue even as digital and mobile ID technologies gain traction.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) is made up of almost 100 of the world’s leading hologram companies. Members include the leading producers and converters of holograms for banknote security, anti-counterfeiting, brand protection, packaging, graphics and other commercial applications around the world and actively cooperate to maintain the highest professional, security and quality standards. For more information, visit www.ihma.org.

Crown Roll Leaf’s Holograms

December 9, 2020

By Lara Copeland, contributing writer, PostPress

Privately owned and founded in 1971, Crown Roll Leaf, Inc., Paterson, New Jersey, has a vertically integrated holographic division, Crown Holo-Grafx™, which provides fully integrated hologram design, origination and manufacturing. Crown has multiple in-house laser/computer pixellation labs where it produces custom and stock holograms.

Security holography has evolved in the last decade thanks to advancements in computer technology and digital printing. With counterfeiting as prevalent and sophisticated as ever, businesses are battling to maintain the integrity of their goods. According to Crown, the best way to fight counterfeiting is in a multi-level approach. Crown uses a preemptive strategy – a combination of holography, special coatings and substrates, as well as sophisticated printing techniques – to fight counterfeiters.

A typical custom hologram is produced through a number of steps. When a customer forwards their hologram specifications to the art department, spec/forensic sheets are created and sent back to the customer. If they are approved, digital artwork is prepared and sent to the hologram lab for origination.

When the digital art files are prepared for origination into the digital holographic machine in the hologram lab, the image is recorded onto a holographic photo-resist plate. Once this is finished, the plate is inspected and sent to electroforming. Here, the plate is silver sprayed and put into electroplating tanks. A nickel master is grown to make nickel shim copies for mechanical recombination. The 1-up holographic image is recombined into an acrylic plate according to the production specifications for the foil production master.

Next, the production acrylic plate goes through the electroplating process to create the nickel master for embossing. During the embossing process, a nickel shim is mounted onto rollers on the embossing machine where heat and pressure are used to transfer the holographic image into a coating on the roll of film. An even deposition of metal/HRI coating is applied to the entire roll of embossed film after it is placed into the metallizer, thus creating the end result: a foil product. The rolls of metallized foil are ready for the application of adhesive coating before going through inspection and slitting into the final specified rolls of holographic foil.

Several techniques are used in making a hologram. Surface diffraction images are line art images assembled from sections of “rainbow gratings.” These gratings are arrays of straight lines spaced closely together (20,000 per inch) and diffract light into a rainbow of colors. This means different colors are seen from different angles. Color images can be assembled by using various orientations of the rainbow grating in individual parts of the image. These images are 2D, colorful and bright, lending themselves to logos and decorative images, and they may be combined with other types of holograms.

Made from either flat art or photographs, 2D/3D holograms depict the subject arranged in two-dimensional layers separated in space. Typically, two or more layers are used; however, when only one layer is used, the hologram is called a 2D hologram and there is no effect of depth or space. With two or more layers, the hologram shows depth, and the special separation of layers is evident.

Crown states that the best and most secure hologram combines all of the above techniques in addition to overt and covert security features. Its facility houses a state-of-the-art holographic origination machine and is capable of producing such a secure hologram.

Overt features include flip images, animated effects, embossed or relief holographic effects, non-diffracting or white imagery, and fine line guilloche. The covert features that can be added to a hologram include hidden images, micro-text and nano-text.

Holography on the Front Line of ID Security and Protection

December 17, 2019

Submitted by Andy Bruce
on behalf of the International Hologram Manufacturers Association

In the face of continued reports about fake identity documents and the ‘skills’ of counterfeiters to reproduce passports, driving licenses and other official papers that look like the real thing to the untrained eye, Dr. Paul Dunn, chairman of the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), considers the latest developments in security and authentication holography.

There can be little doubt that the illicit production of counterfeit and fake ID documents is big business. Around the world, the combined cost of fraudulent passports, drivers’ licenses and pass cards adds up to billions of dollars a year in lost revenues. It also impacts on corporate reputations, share values and issues around product efficacy and safety. Meanwhile, the cost of paying for anti-counterfeiting measures and teams tasked with bringing the criminals to justice can run into the millions of dollars.

We continue to see the impact of identity theft on a truly global scale. There have been recent reports from China about more than a million fake identity documents seized, followed by dozens of people arrested by Chinese police after an investigation into a counterfeit gang operating across 20 provinces. Elsewhere, millions of people are falling victim to identity theft – in the last few years, identity thieves have stolen over $107 billion in the US, according to a 2017 Identity Fraud Study.

In the UK, a national newspaper report highlighted a disturbing case involving criminals providing illegal immigrants with fake passports and documents to land jobs caring for the vulnerable. Australia is so awash with fake drivers licenses, passports and other IDs that the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs has introduced a document verification service (DVS) to check that various government-issued documents, which also include visas and birth certificates, are indeed legitimate.

Also, modern reprographic technologies make it possible to copy many things, but the real issue is just how accurately can holograms be copied? The answer is that their intrinsic features ensure that the techniques and visual effects make it extremely difficult, perhaps almost impossible, to copy a well-designed security hologram 100%.

But in the fight against fake IDs, holography continues on the front line, where its value in securing data and protecting against criminal interference, tampering, alteration, forgery or imitation is priceless – new technology, innovation and advanced processes ensure protection against the forgery of variable information (photographs and personal data).

Holographic technology offers a means of protection and authentication, and a warning about the dangers of counterfeiting. Therefore, they are not solely to prevent counterfeits but perform the role of an effective detection device, making it easier for the trained eye to distinguish the genuine item from the fake.

Manufacturers are responding to the technical challenges this imposes, and in recent times, we have seen significant growth in the number of passports and other documents issued which feature OVDs (Optically Variable Devices) to stay at the forefront of overt asset and brand protection programs. The OVD can be used as a standalone feature or combined with printed security features to create devices that are extremely difficult to replicate using conventional photocopy or scanning technologies.

Indeed, data from a leading manufacturer of products for ID and secure document production, personalization, verification and protection – ITW – says that when it comes to passports and ID cards, 81% of them feature holograms, according to an estimate that spans the 2010 to 2016 period. That compares to 69% for the period from 2000 through 2009. By the end of 2016, 89% of passports had holograms (compared to 60% in 2006).

New generation

There’s a new generation of high-security innovative holograms emerging, which is driving improvements in ID document security and protection, helping those with responsibility for law enforcement stay ahead of the criminals.

These include Surys’ Spectreod, which scooped the Innovation in Holographic Technology category at the Excellence in Holography Awards 2018 for its advanced utilization of phase-shifting micro-optic authentication elements. These enable the viewer to pick out and identify information using a smartphone light source. When observed at a direct angle, Spectreod is recognizable to the naked eye, but when it comes under a light source, pre-selected floating colored information appears that follows the movement of the light. This can help to confirm the authenticity of a document at a glance.

The company also has continued to further expand its diffractive identity device (DID) technology platform with a portfolio of products for identity applications, including its latest DID Wave and DID Virtual products.

Another pushing the boundaries is the Singapore University of Technology and Design, which has developed a new holographic security device that shows as a color image when viewed in white light but reveals up to three different hidden holographic projections under red, green and blue laser illumination. It’s believed to be the first time that holograms have been encrypted into a color print for enhanced optical security applications across a wide spectrum of ID document security applications.

Offering a high level of counterfeit resistance, a new generation of optical features – which incorporate holographic effects and offer overt, covert and forensic features – will herald a step-change in the secure document industry over the next few years. OpSec Security is in the vanguard with proprietary Advanced Colour Control (ACC) technology that can be changed by wavelengths/intensities of light, altering the liquid crystal molecules and the color they reflect.

Zhongchao Special Security Technology’s ColorSpace is a new micro-optic feature that utilizes holographic micro-nanostructures to provide colorful 3D dynamic graphic features with full parallax. The colors are fixed and can be precisely controlled at the nanometer level and also are easy to observe and describe. ColorSpace is ultra-thin (less than 30 microns), enabling it to be easily integrated into security threads, foil stripes, labels and ID applications.

Promoted as a significant step forward in moving further than the current state-of-the-art in light transmission, optically variable colored effects are visible through Surys’ metallic foil Plasmogram: a new-generation, high-security DOVID that combines reflective and see-through effects on a nano-structured film incorporating physical properties. It’s one of several “break through” technologies that now are available for the high-security ID sector.

For instance, we are seeing optical security features coming through that can be integrated with almost any substrates – plastic cards, polycarbonate material, composite and paper – to deliver “smart” ID solutions, which combine optical and digital technologies to offer both visual and automatic authentication based around the interactions of the user and smart devices.

Companies at the forefront of these developments include OVD Kinegram with digital seal. The technology integrates digital ID with the physical document in a secure manner in an innovative way, which takes the biographical data found in the optical character recognition (OCR) line from an identity document and encodes the information into a quick response (QR) code that can be easily and quickly read using a smartphone. The QR code can be encrypted if required and is protected against counterfeiting or manipulation using a Kinegram optical structure. The information is read using an intelligent smartphone app that does not require any special add on. Surys also has developed its Optical Smart technologies that combine a digital data matrix code with a high-definition micro image, which is part of the holographic security design. Using a dedicated app, specific images and properties can be authenticated without the need for an Internet connection.

Future challenges

packaging-holograms — The IHMA’s Paul Dunn says a new report highlights opportunity for packaging holograms.

Looking to the future, while holography undoubtedly faces challenges as ID technology and associated criminal behavior continue to evolve, if it remains focused on its role as an effective, flexible and reliable anti-counterfeiting measure, then its position among governments and those responsible for law enforcement will be assured. It will continue to play an important part in moving ID documents to the next stage of development, ensuring quality and checking the trade in fake IDs while those documents not displaying security holograms are seized and destroyed.

Those involved in law enforcement, border protection and ID security will benefit from the presence of holography technologies and devices on passports and other documents, clearly seeing and benefiting from the advantages they provide.

The technology may have been around for decades, but holograms for secure authentication still are standing strong as an effective document security feature. Moreover, the use of well-designed and properly deployed authentication solutions, as advocated by the ISO 12931 standard, enables those with ID protection responsibilities to verify the authenticity of a legitimate product, differentiating it from counterfeits.

Even those that carry a “fake” authentication feature can be distinguished from the genuine item if that item carries a carefully thought-out authentication solution. And, it would appear that the advantages holography offers will continue even as digital and mobile ID technologies gain increasing traction.

The IHMA is made up of almost 100 of the world’s leading hologram companies. Members include the leading producers and converters of holograms for banknote security, anti-counterfeiting, brand protection, packaging, graphics and other commercial applications around the world, and actively cooperate to maintain the highest professional, security and quality standards. To learn more, visit www.ihma.org.

Foil Innovation Catches the Eye for Added Value Brand Packaging

December 17, 2019

By Lara Copeland, contributing editor
PostPress

The visual appearance of a package is critically important to a product’s success and lasting shelf appeal. The packaging itself offers the brand owner the last opportunity to convey important messaging to discerning consumers and influence their purchase. Through the use of special effects beyond printing, the look of the package can be elevated to a new level to engage, stimulate and tempt the consumer, producing a premium brand experience. It also provides a measure of deterrence against piracy.

Fresnels Inc., Stamford, Connecticut, manufacturer of optical variable foils, hot stamping foils and laminates, called upon Glory Innovations, Inc., New Taipei City, Taiwan, to help create a special wine box to showcase the company’s foil capabilities. Glory Innovations is a printing company and luxury rigid box manufacturer with locations in Taiwan and China.

The Tenute Glory wine box, entitled Spumante Brut – Rosé, was first 4-color printed with a vibrant flower design on white carton stock from Iggesund. Fresnel’s optically variable clear Peacock foil then was applied to spell out the word “ROSE” with a separate letter on each side of the wine box. This was foil stamped on the white surface to see the shifting of color utilizing an etched die from Carlo Gasperini that created a “chiseled” effect within each letter.

The Peacock foil also was used with a combination (foil and embossing) die from Carlo Gasperini embossing the 4-color printed flowers in perfect register.

“The idea was to showcase our clear optically variable foil on both a flat white background and also on a colorful embossed image for viewers to see it used in both types of applications,” explained Fresnel’s COO Dr. Glenn Wood. “It was amazing the perfect registration that was achieved with foiling and multi-level embossing the flower image.”

The other important embellishment that Fresnel wanted to showcase on the box was its Cellini technology. It is a nanotechnology-based imaging technology that creates colorful, 3D holographic images. A special image with the Fresnel and Cellini name was created and applied to each wine box utilizing a hologram registration system to read each hologram as it enters in position.

Custom-made using proprietary technology designed for high-security application, each Cellini image contains three levels of security. Level one is overt and intended for consumers. Level two requires a handheld device, such as a magnifier, which can reveal features such as microtext. Level three is the forensic level, which is discussed only with the brand owner who can feel reassured that this decorative feature is doing double duty as an eye-catching print enhancement feature and an anti-counterfeit device.

Lastly, a soft copper metallic foil was applied to display a Tenute Glory logo on three sides of the wine box and a circular pattern of dots around the word “Rose” on the front side of the box.

The Spumante Brut – Rosé promotional wine box has been recognized by FSEA, receiving the Gold Leaf Award for technical difficulty in the Best Use of Foil Embossing on Folding Carton category. As relative newcomers to the stamping foil market, Wood was pleased to accept the award.

“It’s encouraging to be recognized as serious players in the highly competitive market,” he commented. “We are bringing highly innovative, eye-catching features to luxury packaging, which incorporate advanced optical technology. This provides packaging designers with new graphic tools in response to the current trend for color-shifting effects and provides a measure of deterrence against piracy.”

Foiling the Forgers – Hot Stamping Foil Adds Security to Documents

December 28, 2018

by Mark Filby
Security Foiling Limited

Hot stamping foils have long been used to create stunning visual effects for all types of printed materials, including folding cartons, labels, greeting cards, stationery and much more. And, although foils have been used for many years for security applications, the concerns in the marketplace with counterfeiting of all types of documents have helped spark continued growth in this area.

Let us look at some of the specific applications for hot stamping foils as it relates to security.

Practical applications of hot stamping foil to add security to documents

Transparent foils – used as a lamination to encapsulate data and photographs to provide evidence of tampering; sometimes incorporating UV reflective properties. (identity documents, university certificates, etc.) See Figure 1.
Metallic foils – used to protect the substrate against duplication. The high reflectivity and bright shiny finish are much harder to recreate digitally (tax receipts, licenses, work permits, etc.).
Holographic foils can create dramatic light diffractive features that change color and appearance, which makes accurate copying or simulation very difficult (tax stamps, checks, bank drafts, etc.). See Figure 2.

The stamping process “embeds” the feature into the substrate and can create a tactile effect to the image. Foil can be combined with complex embossing dies to personalize the stamped image (as seen above in Figure 2). Foil also can be used as an additional layer of security – integrated and combined with the document to provide a defense against fraudulent alteration or duplication.

In many instances, the HSF is used as a dramatic visual representation of the customer’s own branding.

Foiled security image – the authentication challenge

Adding any type of security feature to a document should always provoke a discussion about authentication: How do you know the feature is genuine? How can you check? What type of checking is practical for this document?

As with all document security features, hot stamping foils authentication features can have up to three means of authentication.

Level One – Visual feature, such as color change, that requires no “tools” to check.
Level Two – Features that require the use of tools, such as microtext magnification, screen reveal slides, hidden features revealed by laser pens, etc. See Figure 3.
Level Three – Forensic features that require extensive laboratory testing and possible destruction of the document.

The design of the hot stamping foil security feature must recognize the customer’s needs and how they may use the feature in practical terms. Level One features remain the primary method of validating documents, often due to time constraints in checking documents (concert and sporting event ticketing, requiring quick movement of crowds into the venue). Level One features are almost always combined with Level Two and Three features.

Higher level authentication methods may only be used when documents are questioned. This allows more time for that document to be checked more thoroughly (typical in border control applications or government investigation bureaus) in a controlled environment. The hot stamping foil feature will be one part of a more thorough document examination and may act as an early detection device of a document being viewed as suspicious.

Personalizing – adding unique features to hot stamping foil and holograms

Personalization is a feature that can be added to the hot stamping foil before the stamping process. There is technology available today that can add sequential numbers to the holographic image on the foil roll to add traceability of both the hologram before stamping and the documents after they are stamped. Foil is a perfect material for adding additional personalization and can be authenticated at Levels One and Two.

Sequential numbering – can be recorded during document creation and authenticated later by electronic methods. See Figure 4.
Halftone images & photographs – strong brand identity. See Figure 5.
Text threads – a continuous line of text running through the feature. See Figure 6.
Covert information – revealed by back lighting or UV light. See Figure 7.

These features are more sophisticated and require higher skill levels and equipment to replicate or imitate. They create additional barriers for a counterfeiter.

On-demand document security

Hot stamping foil features can be applied in the centralized format common to most print production facilities or in an on-demand environment with unique, easy-to-use desktop solutions. See Figure 8.

On-demand security is effective in situations that require localized issuing of documents such as tax collection offices, customs authorities, banking, etc. Careful consideration must be given to local support of the document-issuing system to ensure local service levels are maintained.

The on-demand desktop solutions were first developed almost 30 years ago to address an increasing need for government departments to issue their own documents and validate the issuing process with the security feature – an evolution of the rubber stamp or wax seal. On-demand application of holograms and other hot-stamped security features are there to enhance preprinted document security features and provide higher levels of control over the document creation and issuing processes.

The desktop hot stamping unit impresses the hologram or hot foil into the surface of the document and makes removal or change of the feature without detection very difficult – particularly useful for forensic document examination where such fraud attempts would be much easier to detect.

The desktop solution has security access control, and audit trails can be manually or digitally created to record who issues which documents and when. This creates a deterrent for internal fraud and allows document issuing responsibilities to be clearly defined.

There are strong arguments to adopt this approach where security is paramount:

Fully validated documents are not stored in bulk and open to theft or misuse.
The security printer does not have to distribute fully validated stock or develop enhanced security in the distribution chain.
The customer can control the number of valid documents and when they are issued.
Documents without the security feature are invalid.
The document creation process can be easily audited (with appropriate controls).

In many applications customers prefer to add some local content to the security document – ensuring that labor is used locally and supports the local economy. On-demand security gives control over the document issuing process and supports local content demands.

In summary, hot stamping foils provide a visually attractive, tactile enhancement and very effective authentication feature when thoughtfully integrated into the document. They can be combined with emerging electronic document technologies: near field communications- (NFC) enabled documents can instruct the user in the correct method of validating the document and hot stamped feature using smartphones and bespoke readers. Holographic foils continue to develop dramatic high-resolution features and color change authentication. The future of hot stamping foil in the security market looks very bright indeed.

Since 1987, Security Foiling Limited (www.securityfoiling.co.uk), based in the United Kingdom, has manufactured the MicroPOISE™ range of hot stamping machines dedicated to the document and plastic card security sector. It has more than 2,500 installations across 105 countries. Its resellers and technical partners offer hot stamping and embossing document security solutions with full design and technical support services. Together it champions the use of hot stamping foil and holograms to defeat the counterfeiter and fraudster and put the document issuer in control.

Utilizing Hologram Technology and Second-Level Solutions for Increased Brand Protection

June 14, 2017

by Brittany Willes, editor, PostPress

Daivy hard embosser for hologram production

Growing at a predicted rate of 3 percent per year, according to the 2016 Brand Protection and Product Traceability Market Research report conducted by PMMI, counterfeiting has become a worldwide epidemic. Global ink manufacturer Sun Chemical, Parsippany, New Jersey, recently released its “Anti-counterfeiting Technologies for Packaging” white paper, explaining how “Counterfeiting threatens public health through the production of inferior medicines, foods and beverages; causes taxes to increase by sidestepping official channels; increases public spending by boosting law enforcement to counter the illicit trade; and raises the price of legitimate products as companies seek to recoup their losses.”

Because of widespread counterfeiting, the anti-counterfeiting market is predicted to outpace growth of the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries combined as companies search for ways to protect their brands and their customers from inferior products.

Hologram Security

One method for combating counterfeiting is through incorporation of hologram technology. Introduced in the late 1970s, the first commercial holograms were developed to create 3D images. “Early entrepreneurs were quick to realize that hologram technology could be a potent weapon to combat the menace of counterfeiting,” stated Manoj Kochar, chairman of the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA). Since then, holograms have undergone tremendous change. According to Kochar, what started as a classical 2D/3D technology, requiring a good deal of skill and sophistication to create and manage, since has evolved into a highly specialized – yet extremely flexible – device that can incorporate many different feature combinations and be used in different formats.

As far as anti-counterfeiting technology, the hologram lends itself to integration with various substrates and print and conversion technologies, which leads to new products and applications. Currently, a new generation of optical structures is in development. The structures will contain distinct visual effects, making them easy to identify and even more difficult to simulate.

“There are quite a few optically variable devices (OVD) currently on the market,” said Kochar, “but the hologram is probably the most widely used and recognized. It also happens to be the only optically variable feature that is integrated with a database of security images.”

Kochar went on to explain that the IHMA, which works closely with the Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau, has established a Hologram Image Register, a centrally held database that provides faster online registration and copyright checking of hologram designs. Operated under the strictest confidence and security, manufacturers and producers can register their holograms, enabling them to check that production designs do not inadvertently copy existing ones and infringe copyright.

When it comes to packaging, the brightness and dynamic appearance of the hologram makes it eye-catching. It’s no secret or surprise that holograms are useful in grabbing the attention of customers browsing shelves in a store or supermarket. “This is the one single property that all brand owners look for in their packaging – brand appeal,” said Kochar. Holograms are able to impart a premium look and feel, which is why more and more companies are turning to holographic films and foils when designing packaging.

Incorporating Holograms

KISICO, the German-based producer of packaging caps and closures, has used Morphotonix brand protection technology to develop a highly secure hologram-topped cap free from additives or inks – called the HologramCap – for the packaging sector.

Due to their ability to increase both the security and visual appeal of packaging, many might assume that applying holograms would be difficult and time-consuming; however, this usually is not the case. In fact, most holography and other forms of product security have been designed specifically to correspond with existing manufacturing processes.

According to David Hutchison, CEO of Lenexa, Kansas-based BrightMARKS, “In terms of preparation of the press sheet to apply a hologram, it’s no different than any other hot foil stamping project. In terms of selecting the security level desired, the client should review the various levels of holographic security devices and choose one they believe to be the most appropriate for their needs.” Since the early use of commercially applied holograms, many forms of OVDs have been developed, allowing brand owners a variety of security solutions from which to choose.

To minimize the potential for hologram duplication, Hutchison recommends taking the following precautions:

Choose an OVD (hologram) that is unique.
Apply the hologram with a unique stamping die that has some level of complexity to it: an uncommon shape and/or a micro-texture element.
Plan to change either or both items 1 and 2, on some scheduled basis.
Communicate to the viewer or authenticating parties whenever changes are made and the effective date.

“Holography offers multiple levels of verification possibilities comprising overt, covert and forensic features, which makes it the preferred technology for most authentication solution seekers,” stated Kochar. “Having said that, it is pertinent to note that each technology has its own USP, and an effective security solution invariably employs several technologies to provide a truly effective solution.”

Additional Security Solutions

As Kochar noted, no single approach will be appropriate for every situation. In addition to hologram technology, experts recommend products and packages incorporate second-level security features. This creates a more layered approach, which has been proven to be most effective when applying anti-counterfeiting technology and protecting consumers – and brand owners – from inferior products.

Incorporating second-level security features involves adding covert or hidden features. “Second- and third-level solutions are very difficult to detect,” explained Jeff Salisbury, CEO of Label Impressions, Inc., headquartered in Orange, California. Like many companies, Label Impressions recommends clients utilize overt and covert security features. “The overt feature effectively throws the counterfeiter or diverter off the trail,” Salisbury stated. “They copy the hologram but miss the other security features hidden within the label or package.” These covert, or “hidden,” solutions are imbedded into artwork in ways that counterfeiters, armed with anti-counterfeiting detection devices, still are unable to detect. “Features such as micro text, latent images and hidden data points buried as an additional “plate” are all highly effective solutions against counterfeiting,” he said.

When it comes to creating a layered solution, Sun Chemical identified three basic categories: on-package-based solutions, serialization (track and trace) and direct product testing. Of the three, on-package solutions are recommended as being the most prevalent. According to its anti-counterfeiting report, “The most cost-effective and effective security solution is an on-package approach. There are many benefits in using an on-package security approach, including ease of implementation, the ability to be integrated into existing processes, a rapid yes/no determination for in-field users or customs officials, and its low cost.”

For on-package security, one of the most recommended second-level covert solutions involves the use of phosphors as taggants. “Some refer to the use of taggants as third-level security, but due to its relatively low cost, I consider it a third-level option at a second-level price,” stated Salisbury. “These additives can be mixed into any ink or coating and are invisible to the naked eye. They only show up, or “activate,” when exposed to a very specific spectrum of light. Better yet, the taggant type, color and location can be changed with each print run.” This makes taggants especially effective in anti-diversion programs where a brand is looking for the specific source of the diversion. A different colored taggant can be assigned to each distributor and easily traced back from retail to the diverter.

Brand protection label supplied by RPC Krypten

“We had a personal care brand with a highly effective, high-cost product,” stated Salisbury. “The customer wanted a very simple, basic one-color print on a white label; however, the product was extremely prone to counterfeiting. There was literally no way for a consumer to tell the difference between the real product and a counterfeit until the product had been used for several weeks.” In addition to counterfeiting, the brand also had a significant diversion problem. Naturally, the customer wanted to determine the source of the diversion. Label Impressions introduced a taggant to the adhesive, binding the lamination to the base material and rendering it invisible to the naked eye. The client could trace the diversion back to a specific diverter and penalize the distributor financially – quickly putting a stop to the diverting. “By adding the taggant, counterfeiters do not know what to look for and believe they are providing a similar product,” Salisbury affirmed.

Sun Chemical likewise recommends taggants for high-level security and protection. As the report states, “Through the incorporation of these forensic markers, suspicious packaging can receive laboratory analysis, which not only plays a very important role in identifying a fake but can also serve as evidence in courtroom situations.” One of Sun Chemical’s own taggant solutions, Hidden Indicia™, uses proprietary software to encode covert images into original art. These images are revealed either optically by using a credit card-sized plastic lens or digitally using a smartphone or scanner equipped with decoding software.

Conclusion

Diversion and counterfeiting are more prevalent than ever in the expanding age of e-commerce. As a result, companies are becoming more and more proactive in utilizing anti-counterfeiting technology. Hologram technology has come to represent a reliable first line of defense that offers the added benefit of increasing shelf appeal. When paired with second-level security solutions, business owners and customers alike are safeguarded against inferior products.

As Salisbury noted, “Clients are often surprised to find these solutions are easy and cost-effective and typically allow for added marketing components. Truly, they are worth every penny, and their value often extends beyond security.”

Global Threats Drive Hologram Growth

February 13, 2017

by International Hologram Manufacturers Association

Continuing demand for effective security devices to meet global threats will drive growth for authentication and brand protection holograms in 2017, says the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA).

Next year marks 70 years since the first commercial hologram was developed and IHMA believes the technology will continue to push new boundaries in the next 12 months. The arrival of new banknotes in 2017, which include the Bank of England £10 polymer note, the Swiss 20 Franc and Israeli 100 Shekel, can only strengthen holography’s role as a leading-edge security device.

The technology also will hold up well in comparison with other optical variable features in the currency market, says Dr. Mark Deakes, IHMA general secretary, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

“The new polymer notes will benefit from holographic security features that will continue to reassure both central banks and the public about currency authenticity,” said Deakes. “Some of the holographic features in more traditional paper substrates will also continue to push the boundaries of what the technology now can achieve, demonstrating that there is plenty of mileage in holography yet.”

Holograms for ID, where innovations linked to digital applications, packaging and tax stamps are all tipped for continued growth. Eye-catching holograms add design appeal to brand packaging, so 2017 will see success in a sector where companies have to invest in new products or refresh existing brands to meet consumer demand, the IHMA forecasts.

Elsewhere, holograms will see increasing use alongside other track and trace technologies to provide overt and covert protection. This will only strengthen their role in tax stamp programs, combatting the multi-billion global trade in illicit or counterfeit tobacco and alcohol products.

The IHMA also predicts more activity for holographic optical elements (HOE). Deakes says: “This nascent yet exciting area of opportunity for holography will see organizations exploring holography technologies for new wearable head-up displays and other smart devices to enhance people’s lives.”

With LEDs in use as vehicle rear lights and brake lights, HOEs are being used to enhance the emitted light while they also have an important role in vehicle instrumentation and improving the image on small and large format LCD and OLED displays. “Display holograms, which are often overlooked, also possess growth potential, so 2017 could well see activity in this sector starting to gain traction,” Deakes said.

While Europe and North America will continue to offer opportunity, it’s in the economic powerhouses of India and China – where counterfeiting remains widespread – that still have massive potential. “China in particular continues to offer almost limitless scope for the holography industry today and in the years to come,” he noted. “But we need to see more and quicker action if the tidal wave of Chinese counterfeit goods flooding onto the market is to be checked, let alone stopped.

“More needs to be done to tackle the problem, and this might include increased integration of holograms in China as part of brand protection strategies.”

This will see the IHMA building on its work in 2017 with the Chinese authorities including the China Trade Association for Anti-Counterfeiting (CTAAC), to address the problems. Such moves will protect those retail brands destined for export markets against the threat of counterfeit criminals and organized crime.

“The Chinese cannot defeat counterfeiting on their own, so collaboration with the likes of the IHMA, and what we offer in terms of helping China to tackle counterfeiting, has to be a welcome priority,” Deakes said. “International communication, open-mindedness and closer collaboration will be beneficial as we move forward, helping us to tackle and solve this problem together.”

This will include well-designed and deployed authentication solutions, as advocated in ISO 12931, on authentication solutions, to enable examiners to verify the authenticity of a legitimate product, differentiating it from the counterfeits coming out of China. Even those that carry a “fake” authentication feature can be distinguished from the genuine item if it carries a carefully thought-out authentication solution.

The IHMA (www.ihma.org) is made up of 100 of the world’s leading hologram companies. Members include the leading producers and converters of holograms for banknote security, anticounterfeiting, brand protection, packaging, graphics and other commercial applications around the world, and actively cooperate to maintain the highest professional, security and quality standards.