Hologram Industry News

JDSU, a leading provider of innovative optical solutions for brand authentication, medical/environmental instrumentation, semiconductor processing, display, etc. has introduced its HoloFuse polycarbonate film, a new highly integrated product that helps protect government-issued identity documents such as passports, national identity documents and driver’s licenses against counterfeiting and tampering.

HoloFuse is the first solution that includes a hologram that is integrated into a polycarbonate film without the use of adhesives. This fi lm in turn becomes the clear outer layer of identity documents, helping to reduce the ability of counterfeiters to separate card layers and tamper with their security. In addition, providing an integrated solution simplifies the manufacturing process for card and identity document makers.

The partially transparent and customized hologram within the polycarbonate film includes overt, covert and forensic security features that make it difficult to reproduce. JDSU’s patented technology also better preserves the hologram, making it brighter and
easier to identify. “The new HoloFuse product is based on JDSU’s years of expertise in optical science and provides a whole new way to protect the integrity of high security identity documents, while simplifying the manufacturing process for card makers,” said Garth Zambory, Document Authentication product manager for the Advanced Optical Technologies business segment at JDSU.

The polycarbonate material is also more environmentally friendly than plastics typically used for the creation of cards such as PET or PVC. JDSU has filed a patent for the new solution and expects to be shipping it during the second half of calendar year 2009.

Source: www.jdsu.com

C S Jeena, homai.org, 11 June 2009

De la Rue Identity Systems has won the tender to produce the UK’s new biometric passports in a 10-year £400m contract. The company announced today that it has been selected as the preferred bidder to design and produce the UK passport for the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), part of the Home Office.

James Hussey, chief executive of De La Rue, said: “As a British company, producing passports and identity documents for more than 50 governments, De La Rue is proud to be selected to bring its expertise to this project.

“This contract further reinforces De La Rue’s strong growth in the identity sector.”

However, the news will come as a blow to the incumbent passport printer 3M Security Printing Systems (SPSL), a division of 3M, which had already been producing biometric passports.

In July last year, 3000 passports were stolen from a delivery van sent out from SPSL..

A spokesman for 3M said: “We remain focused on the current contract, which will continue until 4 October 2010. During this transition period we will continue to provide excellent service and quality to IPS, as we have over many years.”

De La Rue has a long history of passport production having produced its first passport in 1915. Its Identity Systems division has now implemented more than 50 national schemes across the globe.

CHENNAI, October 23, 2008: A major fake passport racket was busted in the city by the Chennai Suburban Police, in which a city-based travel agency is involved. Police smelt a rat after a resident of Ramanthanpuram district tried to board a flight to Toronto with a fake passport. He was caught by the immigration Officials. For more news…
fake-passport.pdf