Mercian Labels’ Label Lock tamper proof security tape has been nominated for inclusion in the ‘Made By Britain’ awards run by the Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group of the UK Parliament

 

Mercian Labels' Label Lock tamper proof security tape has been nominated for inclusion in the 'Made By Britain' awards run by the Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group of the UK Parliament

Mercian Labels' Label Lock tamper proof security tape has been nominated for inclusion in the 'Made By Britain' awards run by the Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group of the UK Parliament

Mercian Labels’ Label Lock™ tamper proof security tape has been nominated for inclusion in the ‘Made By Britain’ awards run by the Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group of the UK Parliament.

The Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group, inaugurated in February 2011, exists to encourage the exchange of knowledge and understanding between Parliament and the manufacturing industries, helping to raise the profile of manufacturing both inside and outside of Parliament.

Details of the nomination can be seen on the APMG website.

 

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“Hungry for Solutions”– Mercian Labels interviewed by Labels and Labelling

"Hungry for Solutions" – Mercian Labels interviewed by Labels and Labelling

"Hungry for Solutions" – Mercian Labels interviewed by Labels and Labelling

The Mercian Labels Group was interviewed as part of the article “Hungry for Solutions” published in volume 5, of Labels and Labelling, 2011.  You can download a PDF of the article here.

 

 

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AC Labels – Support Band for Coldplay Mylo Xyloto World Tour.

PRESS RELEASE

8 December 2011

Derby, UK

AC Labels – Support Band for Coldplay Mylo Xyloto World Tour.

Glowbands were a huge hit at the Coldplay concerts with unique variable promotion code labels from AC Labels

Glowbands were a huge hit at the Coldplay concerts with unique variable promotion code labels from AC Labels

Last week AC Labels played support to the UK band Coldplay on their Mylo Xyloto World Tour. “Yes, you heard correctly!” said Peter Hartshorn, General Manager at AC Labels “Although we do have some members of staff who can belt out a good tune on the karaoke, thankfully we were not actually on stage performing”.

The support was in the form of unique promotional labels that were enclosed within a specially interactive LED light wristband, the brainchild of the UK marketing strategies company RB Concepts.

“We were approached by RB Concepts as they knew of our expertise in large print runs of variable data barcode labelling” said Jason Woodhouse, Business Development Manager. “The job needed to be turned around very quickly to meet their tight manufacturing deadline ahead of the Glasgow Arena Concert, a task we achieved within 36 hours, we are very proud to be working with such an innovative company as RB Concepts.”

AC Labels experience with data management enabled RB Concepts to generate unique promotional codes which fans are able to input giving them direct access to Coldplay’s interactive promotions; the new technology aims to increase audience participation at live events.

Clive Banks of RB Concepts commented “The big thing is audience participation and this means bands can relate more to the audience, it means there is a lot more audience participation, as opposed to it being static”. Coldplay were so impressed with the wristbands they bought part of the company. RB Concepts have high hopes for the technology in the future and may even be used at the Olympics.

Mr Banks Added. “AC Labels did a great job turning around the unique promotional code labels for the Coldplay Glowbands so quickly. They have been a big success”.  The fantastic impact they created can be seen on the videos at Glowbands or ColdPlay Glowbands


END

Notes to Editors:

Further information available at www.mercianlabels.com

Contact: Lynne Hathaway at +44 1543 431095, lynne.hathaway@mercianlabels.com

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Mercian Labels Celebrates Xeikon with Morris Dancing

PRESS RELEASE

5 December 2011

Cannock, UK and Lier, Belgium

Mercian Labels Celebrates Xeikon with Morris Dancing


 

The Mercian Labels Group, Cannock, UK, has completed final installation of its new Xeikon 3300 digital label press. The company’s original investment in Xeikon digital printing equipment, a Xeikon 330, was decommisioned at the same time. To celebrate this a “farewell” of Morris dancing signalled the departure of the old machine.

Dr Adrian Steele, Managing Director of The Mercian Labels Group said: “Whilst the retiring machine was destined for recycling, we could not let the occasion pass without a celebration of its achievements for our business over many years. We got our thinking caps on, and our sales team suggested we organise some celebratory dancing in a quintessentially English style.”

Enter The Jockey Morris Men of Birmingham, who performed a series of traditional English “farewell” dances to see out our old machine.

Among the dances performed were:

  • Vandals of Hammerwich – a stick dance from the Lichfield tradition. The title comes from some inhabitants of Hammerwich (near Mercian Labels in Cannock; not to be confused with Hammersmith, London!) who set fire to a wood in Staffordshire in the Middle Ages – hence the placename of Burntwood.
  • Lads a Buncham – a traditional fighting dance from the village of Adderbury in Oxfordshire. Danced with long sticks (quarterstaffs)
  • Laudnum Bunches – a handkerchief dance from the village of Headington Quarry – now a suburb of Oxford. The title comes from Laudanum – a popular opiate!
  • Highland Mary – a handkerchief dance from the village of Bampton in Oxfordshire. It is sometimes danced to the tune of “Norton New Bell Wake” which comes from a poem in St Nicolas Church, Kings Norton which celebrates the installation of new bells in 1783.

Some of this unique “passing out” celebration has been recorded and is available now on Youtube!

 

END

Notes to Editors:

Further information available at www.mercianlabels.com

Contact: Lynne Hathaway at +44 1543 431095, lynne.hathaway@mercianlabels.com

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Article in Printweek about AC Labels reaching 200 million variable barcode labels

 

AC Labels passes 200 million variable barcode benchmark

AC Labels passes 200 million variable barcode benchmark

AC Labels and The Mercian Labels Group were interviewed as part of the article “AC Labels passes 200 million variable barcode benchmark“published in PRINTWEEK 9 November 2011.  You can download a PDF of the article here.

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AC Labels break 200 million variable barcode label barrier

PRESS RELEASE

7 November 2011

Derby, UK

AC Labels break 200 million variable barcode label barrier

100% of barcodes are verified to ANSI grade on the press immediately after printed, as well as additional manual quality checks

100% of barcodes are verified to ANSI grade on the press immediately after printed, as well as additional manual quality checks

Variable barcode label specialist AC Labels has manufactured its 200 millionth unique barcode label since reforming in April 2010 as part of the Mercian Labels Group.

Peter Hartshorn, General Manager, said “Producing so many high quality variable data labels is a sure sign that we are getting it right. This proves we are supplying our customers with the service and value they expect and our small team at Derby is very proud.”

AC Labels recognised they were specialists in variable data printing, producing cost effective barcode labels and tags with 100% barcode verification for medical, pharma, logistics and courier markets. Their ability to manufacture difficult and complex constructions to solve customer’s problems was also a USP and they identified their numerous checks and barcode verifying equipment was vital for data accuracy.

“The whole team knew our quality and service was excellent so we regained the ISO:9001 certification to UKAS standards as a priority to prove this was the case” said Hartshorn “ Understanding what we offer is key to our strategic sucess.  Our next goal is identify new market sectors that require the benefits we bring along with new customers in sectors already served ”.

 

END

Notes to Editors:

Further information available at www.mercianlabels.com

Contact: Lynne Hathaway at +44 1543 431095, lynne.hathaway@mercianlabels.com

 

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Adapt to the new reality or risk being left behind – Mercian Labels interviewd by PRINTWEEK 30 September 2011

"Adapt to the new reality or risk being left behind" -  PRINTWEEK 30 September 2011

"Adapt to the new reality or risk being left behind" - PRINTWEEK 30 September 2011

The Mercian Labels Group was interviewed as part of the article “Adapt to the new reality or risk being left behind “published in PRINTWEEK 30 September 2011.  You can download a PDF of the article here.

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Mercian Labels Invests in Second Xeikon Digital Industrial Printing Press

PRESS RELEASE
28 September 2011
Lier, Belgium & Cannock, UK

Mercian Labels Invests in Second Xeikon Digital Industrial Printing Press

The state of the art Xeikon 3300 digital label printing machine

The Mercian Labels Group, Cannock, UK, has completed its latest investment with the purchase and installation of a new Xeikon 3300 digital label press. The new press which is due to be commissioned shortly is the company’s second investment in Xeikon digital printing equipment.

Dr Adrian Steele, Managing Director of The Mercian Labels Group said: “Investing in a second Xeikon machine at this time in the economic cycle is the right decision for both our customers and us.  We are in business to make money, and the increased capability of the Xeikon 3300 machine will bring a new dimension to our short-run labelling division, which will make us more profit.

“The increased four-colour speed with inline converting delivers a real productivity benefit to us as lead times from artwork approval to dispatch are now always under three days.  Our workload in 2011 has been getting increasingly erratic and spiky, but that’s the way we like it as our competitors can’t react as quickly as we can!”

“The vibrancy of the colour matching with Xeikon’s QA-I toner is also an attraction, as is the 1200dpi resolution that more than meets the expectations of our market.  By again committing to the Xeikon platform we believe that it gives us a genuine competitive advantage – we run the fastest short-run labelling service in the UK with a 98% on-time in-full (OTIF) performance, and with the Xeikon 3300 we can now also deliver the highest quality print to our customers.  It’s a compelling offer to our 9,000 trade and end-user customers.”

The purchase decision was aided by Xeikon’s continued focus on working with conventional substrates, rather than the extra costs and production time incurred by applying coatings to printing materials, as well as the use of Xeikon’s X-800 workflow technology. “The X-800 system is something that our operational team are already used to, and a solution that works well,” added Dr Steele.

Commenting on the purchase decision by The Mercian Labels Group, Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s Business development manager for labels and packaging products, said: “We are, of course, delighted that a company with such a high profile in the industry as The Mercian Labels Group has confirmed its commitment to Xeikon technology for the production of high quality printed self-adhesive labels. We see this as a vote for Xeikon’s reliability and ability to meet tight deadlines – a point of difference that this customer focuses on.”

 

About The Mercian Labels Group

The Mercian Labels Group of companies are market leaders in the manufacture of LabelLock®™ seals, Gammatex®™ radiation indicators, high volume variable data and barcode labels, bespoke high security label seals and short-run custom printed labels. They operate from two manufacturing sites in the UK and benefit from over 9,000 business customers, exporting to over 20 countries across 6 continents.  The business prides itself on providing loyal customer service, and focuses on three day production turnaround for label orders from its short run labelling division. Mercian Labels is the preferred supplier of short-run labels to thousands of businesses throughout the UK.

For further details visit the www.mercianlabels.com web site or call 01543 431 070.

About Xeikon Label Printing Technology

The unique combination of 1200 x 3600 dpi addressability and 4-bit variable dot density offers rich colour depth and subtle contrasts. Sharp and crisp details can even enable the creation of micro text, an often used anti-counterfeiting tool.

The Xeikon 3000 Series uses the Pericles screening library. The screen ruling can be adjusted for every image element, resulting in images of the highest quality that are pleasing to the eye. An inline densitometer allows users to calibrate the press to ensure uniform and accurate colours and colour consistency between jobs and between presses.

The four process colours plus one of a range of standard or custom-made spot colours provide an extended colour gamut. Our one pass opaque white helps to create immaculate images on transparent and metallic label stock.

For further information on Xeikon products please e-mail infouk@xeikon.com or visit the www.xeikon.com web site.

ENDS

 

About Xeikon

A pioneer in digital printing, Xeikon designs, develops and delivers high-end digital colour printing systems for the industrial, document and commercial printing market segments. These systems are composed of advanced web-fed printing engines using LED-array-based, dry toner electrophotography, open workflow software, exclusive toner and other consumables. Xeikon’s production and R&D operations are based in Belgium and its solutions are distributed and supported through a worldwide sales and service network. Xeikon is a division of Punch Graphix. For more information, visit www.xeikon.com

 

 

For more information on Xeikon products in the UK please contact:

Russell J Hicks

Genesis Marketing Services

101 Hesketh Road

Yardley Gobion, Northamptonshire

NN12 7TX

Telephone: 01908 54 33 58

Mobile: 07885 852 428

e-mail: russ.hicks@genesis-marketing.com

 

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Whats the Tweet about Twitter – Labels & Labelling – September 2011 edition

Whats the Tweet about Twitter

Whats the Tweet about Twitter

The definitive labelling industry Labels & Labelling features an article from Mercian Labels’ on the business use of Twitter in its September 2011 edition.  The 1 page article can be downloaded here.

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Mercian Labels overhauls its short run label printing division website

PRESS RELEASE
23 August 2011
Cannock, UK

Mercian Labels overhauls its short run label printing division website

The short run labelling division of the Mercian Labels Group has overhauled its website in support of its continued aspirations to secure additional market share in the competitive UK custom label printing market.

The new website devoted to custom label printing at www.selfadhesivelabels.com showcases the company’s product range with a fresh and modern look and feel, whilst still retaining the core content that customers find so useful.

The Staffordshire based business operates digital, hotfoil and flexo technology to meet the varied needs of its diverse customer base, with a product range that includes digitally printed food labels , hotfoiled premium packaging labels, beer labels and bottle labels.

Commenting on the new look, Managing Director Dr Adrian Steele said “It is important that as UK market leader in short run label printing we showcase our capabilities properly.  As the biggest and longest standing UK specialists in short run label printing, this new website will support our continued growth as we continue to increase sales, profits and customer base through organic growth when customers find their previous supplier can not meet their expectations, or ceases to trade as a result of the current difficult conditions.

END

Notes to Editors:

Further information available at www.mercianlabels.com

Contact: Lynne Hathaway at +44 1543 431095, lynne.hathaway@mercianlabels.com

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“Stopping the counterfeiters” – Mercian Labels interviewed by Labels and Labelling

"Stopping the counterfeiters"

"Stopping the counterfeiters"

The Mercian Labels Group was interviewed as part of the article “Stopping the counterfeiters” published in volume 3, of Labels and Labelling, 2011.  You can download a PDF of the article here.

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Labels firm hoping to have success all wrapped up

 

Labels firm hoping to have success all wrapped up

Labels firm hoping to have success all wrapped up

Our Label Lock security tape launch was featured in The Business Desk on 1 August 2011.

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Cargo terror bomb spurs new Label Lock launch: tamper evident tape to assist shippers and screeners

PRESS RELEASE
26 July 2011
Cannock, UK

Cargo terror bomb spurs new Label Lock™ launch: tamper evident tape to assist shippers and screeners

Label Lock Tape used to secure a clingfilm wrapped box in transit, showing a clear OPENED message on removal

Label Lock Tape used to secure a clingfilm wrapped box in transit, showing a clear OPENED message on removal

The by now infamous plot to detonate an ink cartridge bomb over the eastern seaboard of the USA has prompted a thorough review of aviation security, and particularly in the area of cargo, freight and parcel shipping.

In turn, this has prompted the latest Label Lock™ product launch.

With increasing calls for more comprehensive ‘known cargo’ screening, Security Labels International, the company manufacturing the famous Label Lock brand, have now launched their unique version of tamper evident security tape.

Hugo Gell, Sales Director, said this week: ‘Clearly there is a need to secure screened cargo between the point of screening and its delivery to airside. Known cargo shippers need to ensure nothing can be added to or removed from the consignments before take-off. Shrink film is just not enough. Regulatory bodies have been looking very closely at this as a matter of urgency, and all forms of international cargo, freight and parcel shippers have been reviewing their procedures and updating them constantly.

‘In order to assist shippers in conforming to regulatory demands, we have announced the launch of a cost effective and quick way of confirming the integrity of scanned cargo as it travels between secured areas. Tape Lock™ can be wrapped around everything from pallets to envelopes, bags, boxes and parcels with ease. A sub-surface unique coded number every 15cms (6 inches) makes tracking and verification easy. If or when the tape is removed, an opened message appears on the packaging and tape, making re-use impossible.

The tape is available in perforated 50m rolls, and application possible with a standard tape gun. Every roll contains unique numbering through its length, making it traceable and removing the need for customisation. This was seen as an important feature in maintaining the highest integrity while keeping the costs to a minimum. Customisation will be available to those who wish to increase their brand awareness or differentiate their cargo quickly and easily.

The new tamper evident tape is an addition to the now famous Label Lock brand of tamper evident security labels.

These No-Residue and Dual Layer labels are a highly secure, very effective yet simple and cheap solution, incorporating a host of features so they cannot be replicated, but are easily monitored. This saves hours of productive time for logistics and security managers, airports, airlines, buildings and perimeter managers – and provides peace of mind for anyone who comes across them. Because the surface of each security seal changes dramatically once removed to display the words ‘OPENED’, these labels have uses for a wide range of items from CD and DVD cases and laptops to aircraft, doors and documents. Whereas a padlock can be picked, or more than one person may have legitimate access, these labels will alert the inspector instantly if someone has gained entry. They can’t be replaced because each one has a unique sub-surface printed number. What’s more, there is no need to drill holes in doors or install expensive monitoring equipment. ‘Just Label Lock™ and leave’.

The website at www.labellock.com explains the rest, and the labels and tape are available globally through a carefully chosen network of distributor partners.

THE SECURITY FEATURES:

Most so-called ‘security labels’ are made from a bulk supplied that usually just consists of a wallpaper ‘void’ text. Such materials are widely distributed, and so easily obtained by fraudulent printers.

Label Lock™ labels have a clear border, and no ‘wallpaper’ void text, making it impossible to construct from bulk rolls of material. The unique serial numbers are encoded and are sub-surface printed to ensure they can be traced but can’t be altered. Every label is unique, but available ‘off the shelf’ in convenient rolls, packed into numbered dispenser boxes. This removes the need for customisation, making life easier, quicker and cheaper. ‘Just Label Lock™ and leave’.

Use ‘no residue’ to protect aircraft, doors, hatches and panels and windows, exits and furniture.

Use ‘dual layer’ for documents, seals, plastic bags and disposables.

Use tape to secure cargo, shrink-wrapped pallets, boxes, bags, packaging and parcels.

Label Lock is manufactured solely and securely by Security Labels International, experts in bespoke tamper evident labelling. For more information on a wide range of security label solutions, please see the websites at www.securitylabels.com and www.labellock.com. Covert and bespoke versions of Label Lock are also available, please email for more information at sales@securitylabels.com, or call +44 (0)1543 431099.

END

Notes to Editors:

Security Labels International is a division of the Mercian Labels Group

Further information available at www.mercianlabels.com

Contact: Lynne Hathaway at +44 1543 431095, lynne.hathaway@mercianlabels.com

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Smart Response – Labels & Labelling – July 2011 Edition

The definitive labelling industry Label & Labelling reports on Mercian Labels’ smart labelling activities in its July 2011 edition.  The 2 page article can be downloaded here.

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Mercian Labels reaches 9,000 business customer milestone in its short run labelling division

PRESS RELEASE
11 July 2011
Cannock, UK

Mercian Labels reaches 9,000 business customer milestone in its short run labelling division

The short run labelling division of the Mercian Labels Group has welcomed its 9,000th customer to the business and reaffirmed its commitment to sustain its position as the UK market leader in short run label printing.

The Staffordshire based business operates digital, hotfoil and flexo technology to meet the varied needs of its diverse customer base and has recently improved its service offering still further, to deliver a 97% On Time In Full (OTIF) delivery performance in 2011 – complete order turnaround within just 3 working days. Over 80 new businesses a month recognise the value in joining Mercian’s customer base.

Sales Director Hugo Gell said “Mercian Labels have built our business around short runs and industry setting lead times, a complex set of criteria in which we have developed a unique expertise. It is reassuring to see some of our competition announcing their exit from the short run marketplace, since it is tough to match the high quality and delivery speed standards that we have set. We remain fully committed to meeting the short run labelling requirements of both our trade and end user customers now and in in the long term with their huge diversity of products and applications.

We have specialised in this marketplace for over a decade now, and despite many businesses trying to match our specialised services, the simple truth is that they find it unsustainable to invest in the lean manufacturing procedures and intensive customer service support needed to consistently deliver a quality service in this demanding area of the label printing market.

Digital printing is a valuable and growing area of the UK labelling marketplace which we are proud to offer, but our diverse capabilities mean that we can also offer best value for our customers by using it in conjunction with other processes such as flexography, as they are faster and cheaper for medium to longer runs, with their more predictable label demands. We offer that all encompassing service because that is what our customers want.

For our 9,000 customers, service and quality are paramount; they are not concerned with how many square meters of material we can put through a press in a given shift. Our continued growth and success shows that fast turnaround, high quality short run labelling is a sustainable business model. Our decade of investing in this is proving its worth.”

END

Notes to Editors:

Further information available at www.mercianlabels.com

Contact: Lynne Hathaway at +44 1543 431095, lynne.hathaway@mercianlabels.com

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Winning back ISO9001 – Barcode labels specialist AC Labels featured in ISO FOCUS+ magazine

The variable barcode labels division of the Mercian Labels Group, AC Labels in Derby, featured in the July-August 2011 edition of the ISO FOCUS+ magazine. You can download the full article here.

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Interview with Mercian Labels’ MD by Insider Magazine

Read an interview with Mercian Labels’ MD by Midlands Insider here (pdf copy here).

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Mercian Labels’ success mentioned in Parliament

On Tuesday 21st June 2011 Hansard recorded the following tribute to the success of The Mercian Labels Group from Mr Aidan Burley, MP for Cannock Chase and Rt Hon George Osborne MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer in the House of Commons, the UK Parliament.

T4. [60800] Mr Aidan Burley (Cannock Chase) (Con): Dr Adrian Steele, the managing director of Mercian Labels in Cannock, has just been named as one of the midlands’ most promising entrepreneurs. His company supplies labels and barcodes to the medical industry and employs 32 people. Does the Chancellor agree that it is small business entrepreneurs such as Dr Steele who will grow our economy back to strength, and will he continue to support manufacturers, who were shamefully neglected by the Labour party?

Mr George Osborne: My hon. Friend is right. Manufacturing halved as a share of our economy under the Labour Government and financial services grew dramatically over that period. Since the last election, manufacturing output is up 4.2% and the private sector has created more than 500,000 new jobs net, which is all good news. The example he brings to the Chamber is just one of many companies that are investing and employing people, and despite a choppy recovery we should celebrate that.

You can watch this on the Parliament TV website here at 43mins 45 seconds.

 

 

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Mercian Labels Group brings potential ‘Smart Label’ innovations to market

PRESS RELEASE
20 June 2011
Cannock, UK

Mercian Labels Group brings potential ‘Smart Label’ innovations to market

The Mercian Labels Group has announced a raft of innovative new technologies related to the emerging Smart Labelling market, following the launch of its Labels Innovations Division.

The UK based group has launched 3 branded smart label products in the past 3 years under the Label Lock® and Gammatex® brands, and is scheduling further launches from its new product development pipeline.

The Group’s new website at www.mercianlabels.com describes some of the innovations the group is working on including printed electronics labels, high performance nanotechnology coatings that could offer ‘self cleaning’ properties, UV a+b blocking coatings, thin film labels without substrates, gas indicator labels and high coat weight flexography.

Dr Adrian Steele, Managing Director commented “The group has invested heavily in technology and upskilling our factories in recent years as we expand into a variety of innovative and complex smart labelling markets. Smart labelling offers a lot more than just RFID, and we are focussed on developing new partnerships with customers and technology providers to identify, investigate and hopefully solve increasing complex smart indicator labelling challenges. I would encourage anyone who has an interest in developments in Smart Labelling to get in touch directly with me or through the new Smart & Innovative Labels LinkedIn group on the subject.”

END

Notes to Editors:

Further information available at www.mercianlabels.com

Contact: Lynne Hathaway at +44 1543 431095, lynne.hathaway@mercianlabels.com

A high quality image of a hydrophilic Titaniaum Dioxide nanocoating that can be applied as a smart label coating to produce an effect similar to self cleaning glass is available for download from http://www.mercianlabels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/nanocoating.jpeg

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Brand Protection Issues relating to Anti Counterfeiting and Tamper Evidence

The worldwide market for counterfeit goods is estimated to be about 5%-7% of global trade. There is a significant demand from consumers for branded goods at cheap prices where the purchaser knows that the goods are fake and, consequently, there will always be a market for such products. However, the more concerning problem is where the purchaser is intent on acquiring a legitimate product but is fooled into accepting a fake. In such circumstances the purchaser may well know that to use a fake product is not cost effective, dangerous, or even life threatening and so does take some care to authenticate their acquisition. Examples of such products include pharmaceuticals, banknotes, critical safety products e.g. aircraft parts, electrical goods, children’s toys, sun creams, fireworks and some foodstuffs.

The battle lines between organisations seeking to prevent their goods being counterfeited (brand owners) and those seeking to produce fake goods (counterfeiters) are complex and constantly moving. For such reasons many different techniques are commonly used by brand owners, in combination, to deter counterfeiters and these are regularly changing as they are overcome and copied.

Brand protection techniques are commonly classified as being at the overt, covert or forensic level:

  • Overt technologies are ones where the user authenticates the features of the product to determine its authenticity. Classically, in banknote technology, techniques like holograms, watermarks, special papers, fractal images, unique numbers, colour shift inks and tactile intaglio print are used. These are so well established that users unconsciously self authenticate the product every time they handle them. Overt techniques are very effective as the supply chain is authenticated on almost every handling operation by culturally accustomed users. Their difficulty is that overt techniques are very limited in number and can take generations to become culturally established and known.
  • Covert techniques allow indicative authentication ‘in the field’ by trained users, commonly with a device of some sort. Examples include printed images invisible to the naked eye but visible under ultra violet ‘blacklight’, microscopic particles that fluoresce at a specific wavelength from a special hand held transmitter and coin reactive inks that change colour after being rubbed by a coin. Covert level techniques rarely offer anything to the user at the point of interaction with the product.
  • Forensic level techniques typically involve the removal of the product to a laboratory for analysis to determine if the product or packaging contains a specified and unique microscopic taggant, commonly using a unique biological DNA profile, a complex random image or unique electromagnetic reflectance profile. Forensic level protection can be rigorous enough to be used in court as evidence of counterfeiting, but offers nothing to the user at the point of interaction with the product.

In recent times the widespread use of the internet has encouraged brand owners in some cases to encourage users to self authenticate valuable products, online, prior to purchase, comparing a unique number on every genuine item to a secure master database via smartphones. Practically, the user would manually enter the number or scan the number in using a smartphone barcode reader, typically using a two dimensional ’2D QR’ barcode symbology. This use is growing but take-up is limited so far.

A separate issue is the reuse of authentic packaging such as pharmaceutical boxes, chemical containers and drinks bottles by counterfeiters to sell on fake product in real containers. To prevent this, brand owners use tamper evident, or tamper proof systems. These include special breakable plastic closures that visibly and/or audibly break on first access and sealing labels and tapes that visibly deform to show a breech has occurred. In this way users self authenticate that they are genuine first time users and the product is not fake.

The UK contributes significantly to the development of brand protection technologies in the battle against counterfeiting. Commercial drivers do however often limit what can be incorporated into commercial packaging as to incur any additional cost to protect a brand is a tacit admission that there is a significant counterfeit market for ones’ products. Historically many brand owners have been reluctant to invest in advanced packaging to protect their brands as it is often seen as a war that cannot be won.

Copyright The Mercian Labels Group 2011

 

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