After the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, there was real hope that 2022 would see an upturn in global economic activity and the start of a ‘new-normal’. Within our sector, a new-normal had already started to establish itself with an acceleration of the shift toward online authentication of people, unable to make ‘person-present’ verification of their identity, and further dematerialisation of goods away from the physical, towards the digital and from there to the virtual.
Authentication & Brand News™ replaces Authentication News®. Brand protection had always been an important part of the news coverage in AN, but it was becoming more important than ever for brand owners to safeguard their intellectual property and, on the flip side, easier than ever for counterfeiters and fraudsters to abuse that property.
Securikett IoT Platform and Labels at Heart of New Packaging Recycling Project. The Austrian pilot project ‘Digi- Cycle’ – supported by the Austrian drinks industry to facilitate householders recycling beverage containers through a rewards scheme – took place assisted by tamper- evident labels and a system for generating limitless unique IDs by Austrian security solutions provider Securikett. TruTrace and Laava Partner for Blockchain-Supported Traceability. TruTrace Technologies, a Canadian developer of a fully integrated blockchain platform, entered into a strategic partnership with Australian technology company Laava to drive product provenance and traceability.
‘Living’ Football Jerseys that Interact with Fans. Identiv, Inc, a Nasdaq-listed provider of secure identification systems within the Internet of Things (IoT), has expanded its partnership with collectID in Switzerland, to provide a product authentication and consumer interaction solution on collectible football jerseys, via the use of embeddable near-field communication (NFC) tags. Watermarks for Less Waste. Digital watermark specialist Digimarc was featured in a news clip from the BBC, the UK’s broadcaster, on how invisible watermarks could help to increase plastic recycling.
Crane and Essentra Partner for Next Generation Security Features. Crane Currency and Essentra Packaging announced a strategic partnership to develop a range of next generation security features for the pharmaceutical and beauty packaging industries. Digital Identities for Reusable Packaging. Flexible electronics developer PragmatIC Semiconductor has announced its involvement in leading an Innovate UK, Smart Sustainability Plastic Packaging business project that will make reusable plastic packaging systems a reality at scale.
Origyn and WatchBox Form Timely Partnership. Origyn, the Swiss foundation dedicated to identifying, authenticating and protecting the ownership of objects of value, announced a partnership with WatchBox, a global leader in collectible luxury timepieces to produce utility non fungible tokens (NFTs) for the ownership of luxury watches to become digitally tradable.
Toppan Shines a Light on Security. Toppan – a global leader in communication, security, packaging, décor materials and electronics – launched Illumigram™, a new security hologram in which three-dimensional images appear in response to strong light, such as a smartphone’s flashlight. Nike Sues StockX Over NFTs and Counterfeit Sneakers. Dubbed the ‘Sneaker Wars’, Nike’s ongoing landmark lawsuit against online shoe reseller StockX will likely end up dictating how intellectual property law is applied to non-fungible tokens (NFTs), according to attorney and journalist Andrew Rossow.
Meteoric Rise for Blockchain and Recycling Start-Up Security Matters. Australian anti-counterfeit technology start- up Security Matters announced its plans to merge with Lionheart III Corp, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a deal that values the combined entity at $360 million. The companies will combine under a new Irish company – SMX Ireland, with shares trading on Nasdaq. Lumenco Launches Equity Crowdfunding Campaign. Colorado-based Lumenco Inc, a technology company specialising in micro-optics and banknote anti- counterfeiting technologies, launched an equity crowdfunding campaign.
G+D Unveils New Solution to Protect Brands. Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) developed a new authentication solution, SIGN®, that uses modern micro-optics technology to provide simple and rapid product authentication. Hueck Folien Launches TRILUMIC® in Thread Format. The family-owned Austrian business Hueck Folien, founded in 1970 and supplier of high security foils and threads since the 1980s, has now created a thread version of its UV feature for holographic foils.
Enschedé Collaborates on NFT Venture. Dutch security print company Royal Joh Enschedé – creator and printer of banknotes, postage stamps, tax labels, passports and visas for 320 years – is teaming up with PROxID and Concordium blockchain to connect the world between security print products, NFTs and the metaverse. SICPA and UbiQD Partner for Quantum Dot Security. Swiss-based SICPA and New-Mexico nanotechnology company UbiQD announced an expansion of their partnership to develop security inks based on the latter’s quantum dot technology.
First HP Indigo Secure Press for Latin America. Tausa-Pelcco, a Mexican company producing security documents and vehicle, road, and urban identification plates, announced that it had purchased an HP Indigo 6K Secure Press, the first in Latin America. This type of digital printing press is only sold to accredited high security customers.
Twitter to Launch Blue, Gold and Grey Authenticity Ticks. Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter, announced that the social media platform will launch a revamped account verification service, including the allocation of different colour-coded ticks to verify individuals, government entities, and companies.
Toshiba Unveils New Transparent Photoluminescent Phosphor. Japan’s Toshiba Corporation unveiled what it terms a technology breakthrough in photoluminescence, namely a novel phosphor that delivers excellent solubility in polymers or organic solvents and opens potential applications for authentication and security printing.
