Hologram Industry News

With industries and government waking up to piracy and counterfeits, the business of holograms has a promising future. Piracy regularly eats into the profits and reputation of big businesses. So much so that goods worth $600 billion are counterfeited every year. International alcohol brands lose approximately $300 million a year due to piracy.

In 2006, India lost $1,250 million to software piracy. This has made several businesses sit up and take steps to protect their interests. The use of holograms is one such measure.

Although the use of holograms in developed countries started in 1947, it started to gain popularity in India in the early 1990s. Brand identification and security were the main reasons behind their use. Each hologram is unique and one cannot recreate the same even with the same manpower and machinery. A hologram cannot be replicated, scanned, photocopied, or printed. That makes it an excellent security proof for brands. Holograms, thus, assure consumers about the quality of the brand. The government of India is one of their biggest users in the country. Voter ID cards, driving licenses, and passports carry security holograms; and with car theft on the rise, holographic security number plates are likely to be used for new vehicles.

Read the complete story at www.dare.com

FT. LAUDERDALE, Florida, February 3rd, 2009 – InkSure Technologies Inc. a provider of covert machine-readable security solutions for the prevention of counterfeiting, fraud and diversion, and a developer of a unique new chipless RFID technology today announced that Mr. David Wallace has joined InkSure as Director of Sales for the Americas.

Mr. Wallace has more than 25 years experience in the printing and security ink industry. He has high level experience in sales, product development and operations.

Don Taylor, VP and General Manager for US Operations, stated that ‘’ Inksure is very pleased to welcome David Wallace to our U.S. team. David has a valuable combination of technical product expertise, sales and customer relations skills that will be a tremendous asset to InkSure and our customers.”

About InkSure Technologies Inc.
For more news visit inksure at http://www.inksure.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New Delhi, February 16, 2009 - Hologram Manufacturers Association of India (HOMAI), recognized as Asia only and world’s 2nd professional society dedicated to advancing the holographic technology is now accepting entries for its 2009 Holography Innovation Awards.

First started in year 2002, the Holography Innovation awards are given to encourage and honor high standards, innovations & techniques in origination, manufacturing and new applications. The competition contributes to the health of the holographic industry and brings recognition to the innovators who are developing tomorrow products.

There are five entry categories – new application (industry segment), new innovative technique in origination, new innovative technique in holographic product, Authentication / security, holographic packaging. HoMAI also give’s an award “ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR” to manufacture for highest growth in holographic product / sales. A committee of judges will evaluate the entries in the aspects of design quality, creativity, mastering technique, user friendly capabilities and the entry’s ability to meet marketing objectives.

As required, all entries must abide by the following:
• Applicant is a HoMAI member
• All hologram should have been produced at applicant’s own works
• All must have the artwork details & registered in Hologram Image Registration
• All must have been produced for a production run of an actual market product.
• All must have the customer’s approval for entry.
The deadline to submit entries is Tuesday, March 31, 2009. Entries must have been created between April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009. The entry fee is Rs 3000.00 per entry. Winners will be announced at HoMAI Annual General Meeting and will also be featured in THE HOLOGRAPHY TIMES – the newsletter of Indian Hologram Industry.

For more information, contact:
C S Jeena
Secretary-HoMAI
+91-9818281116
info@homai.org

About HoMAI:Hologram Manufacturers Association, established in 1998, is a professional society dedicated to bringing all members of the holographic community-manufacturers, suppliers, consumer product companies, institutions and others–together by providing opportunities for the free exchange of technical ideas and discussion of mutual concerns. For more details please visit us at www.homai.org

Download: Application form
application-form.pdf

Lucknow: Following the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet’s approval for implementing the high-security number plate scheme for motor vehicles in the state through public-private partnership, the state government has invited global tenders for the job. It has also arranged a pre-bid conference of manufacturers and vendors on February 7 in Lucknow.

With the total volume of work estimated to be close to Rs 600 crore, the scheme is likely to see most of the 18-odd players, who have been approved by the Centre, attending the conference.

Speaking to The Financial Express, sources close to the development stated the bidding process is likely to be completed by May and the scheme will be started from June this year.

“While all new vehicles, both two and four-wheelers, will have to come equipped with these sophisticated number plates, the job of getting all existing and old vehicles fixed with the new high-security number plates will be completed within two years from the date of implementation of the scheme.”

The scheme, it may be mentioned here, has had a chequered past. After being notified by the ministry of shipping, road transport and highways, the High Security Registration Number Plates (HSRNP)-billed as one of the best anti-theft system for vehicles-underwent many litigations and finally, the Supreme Court gave its go-ahead in May last year.

Now, almost seven months later, the Supreme Court has asked the Centre, the states and the Union Territories to work out the modalities for the implementation of the Centre’s decision to make it mandatory for all vehicles to have high-security registration plates.

The Apex Court said the use of stolen vehicles to commit crimes, especially terrorism-related offences, could be controlled to a large extent by implementing the HSRP scheme.

However, only a handful of states have started conforming to the new system, namely Rajasthan, Karnataka and Meghalaya. “The tamper-proof number plates will sport a uniform font and a unique hologram that cannot be counterfeited and will display the vehicle registration number along with other information such as the engine and chassis number,” an official stated.
Sources: The Financial Express

Download: Tender Document up-high-security-number-plate.pdf