Hologram Industry News

23 September 2009: TSSI has acquired a portfolio of patents for specialist volume and true colour holograms including Biometrigram and HD-3D hologram patents from authentication security technology and consultancy firm Ver-tec.
The move follows the recent launch of TSSI’s Magnetics Solutions Division, which aims to drive growth across TSSI’s document security and brand protection products.
According to TSSI, counterfeiters are becoming increasingly sophisticated, producing highly realistic ID documents. Additional security measures are therefore required to provide the highest level of protection possible and ensure that ID documents such as passports, ID cards and access cards cannot be replicated. Hologram technology provides an effective security solution for all identity documents as each hologram is unique making it impossible to imitate.
HD-3D is a true colour hologram, meaning the images always maintain their original colours from any viewing angle, unlike embossed holograms which exhibit a rainbow effect. Each hologram is unique with different serial numbers and/or bar codes, which can also be encrypted for added security.
The Biometrigram, a volume hologram, can store multiple biometrics as well as analogue images and encrypted digital information. TSSI says these have a higher information density than electronic chips so are ideal for use on ID cards. Each hologram is unique so ensures the correct identity of the document holder and provides an effective security measure in the fight against identity fraud.
“The acquisition of HD-3D and Biometrigram follows the recent launch of our new Magnetics Solutions Division,” says Danny Chapchal, executive chairman, TSSI Systems. “Both of these products are a welcome addition to our portfolio of identity and document security offerings. Our customers want top quality security solutions and these new patents will meet this increased demand for fraud proof identity documents.”
“The creation of the Magnetics Solutions Division and the acquisition of Ver-tec patents along with our back to basics approach regarding contract coating sees us turning a corner,” says Ian Elver, Business Development director, TSSI. “It positions us as a serious contender in the supply of products to help fight counterfeiting and fraud.”
Source: www.securitydocumentworld.com

Specialist publishers, conference organisers and consultants Reconnaissance International has purchased the annual Pan-European High Security Printing Conference and the Asian High Security Printing Conference from the Cross Group and BSC International.

Established in 2001 these conferences have become recognised as leading events within the government and related high-security documents arena. The conferences cover issues relating to banknote production and cash handling, passports, tax stamps, e-passports, e-ID card production and other areas involved in high security printing.

The next four conferences will be transitional, organised jointly by Cross Group, BSC International and Reconnaissance International, as the events are integrated into Reconnaissance’s existing conference business. This includes the Tax Stamp Forum, Optical Document Security, the Global Forum on Pharmaceutical Anti-Counterfeiting and the Holo-pack•Holo-print® conference among others.

Ian Lancaster, managing director of Reconnaissance International, said the acquisitions will be an excellent fit with the company’s existing portfolio.

“These conferences complement our existing operations and fit extremely well between our core currency and authentication activities,” he said.

The 6th Pan-European High Security Printing Conference will be held from 1 - 2 April 2009 in Warsaw, Poland, while the 8th Asian High Security Printing Conference will follow on 13 -15 October 2009, with support from the China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation.

The 7th Pan-European High Security Printing Conference will be held in Berlin, German in spring 2010.
For more about this visit: http://www.reconnaissance-intl.com/

France, Paris, March 16, 2009: Hologram. Industries announced the purchase of 100% of the company ADVESTIGO, a French producer of software specialized in the fight against counterfeiting and the exchange of illicit content. Financing for this acquisition in the amount of €4.5 million will be based fully on cash available at Hologram. Industries which amounted to €10.0 million as of December 31, 2008.

Hologram. Industries designs, manufactures and sells high security optical solutions worldwide within three major markets:
- The authentication of identity documents;
- Vehicle identification;
- The protection of brand-name products.

For Hologram. Industries, this acquisition is part of a horizontal diversification strategy and, besides providing a presence in the high growth market for the fight against numeric counterfeiting, thus provides it:

* Access to a new innovative technology which, in particular, will permit it to widen its offer to authentication solutions and traceability over the internet, aimed at brand-name protection and identity documents.
* A new team of 14 persons of which 9 persons are dedicated to research and development.

Advestigo and Hologram. Industries have previously worked together successfully as partners in the development of the Global Checker product, an innovative solution for on-line verification of the authenticity of identity documents.

The combination of these two entities makes the fruitful collaboration of a promising future core business concrete. Thanks to the strengthened collaboration between experts with different scientific horizons aimed at the same objectives of fighting fraud, this will permit the creation of increasingly innovative products which are well adapted to the market. From a sales and marketing perspective, it will permit Hologram. Industries to carry the Advestigo product offering internationally, thanks to the Group`s know-how and international network.

A French producer of software conceived in order to:
* detect, measure and battle numeric counterfeiting over the internet;
* strengthen the fight against the physical counterfeiting of goods through the
operation of adapted internet based surveillance.

In particular, Advestigo capitalizes on a portfolio of patented technologies for content recognition (text, sound, image or video) based on numeric prints, and integrated software solutions which can respond to its customers` needs.

Its cutting edge solutions AdvestiSEARCH and AdvestiGATE are currently targeted towards the markets for numeric media (on-line music, TV, cinema, games and software….) and for national security (public sector and security services). The
AdvestiSEARCH solution which is used industrially by the main copyright holders in France most notably won the Grand Prize for the “Information Society Technology” under the auspices of the European Commission.

Advestigo, which is based in Saint Cloud, France, is a member of the Microsoft IDEES program, of IBM PartnerWorld and the Cap Digital competitive pole. It`s supported by OSEO Innovation, the SGDN and the DGA, the National Agency for Research and the Ile-de-France Region through the PM`UP program. The SACEM, the SCPP, the National Police Force, the ALPA, the SPPF, Canal+, SonyBMG, Merlin, M6 and France Télévision are among its main customers.

www.hologram-industries.com