Growth and development for holograms in 2023 despite challenges

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) will work closely with ICC Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau (CIB) to develop the scope of the Hologram Image Register.

Photos by International Hologram Manufacturers Association

“[We] will be creating new online tutorials and digital marketing materials to support the Hologram Image Register, the ‘jewel in the IHMA crown’, to better demonstrate how it works not just to members, but to better explain its benefits to customers,” IHMA chair Dr Paul Dunn told Commercial Crime Services.

The Register stores details of holograms that exist worldwide. It is updated regularly by IHMA members and operated under conditions of strict confidence and security by CIB.

Photos by International Hologram Manufacturers Association

The Register protects IHMA members and their customers from inadvertent counterfeiting of holograms and copyright infringement.

Growth despite challenges

Dr Dunn said that holograms will maintain robust growth this year despite the global challenges, as countries continue to enhance their anti-counterfeiting strategies.

Authentication and track and trace systems, which feature holograms, will help to underpin international efforts by government and law enforcement agencies to bolster overt and covert protection strategies in the next 12 months, he said.

Dr Dunn sees fake COVID cards, documents and vaccines also remaining a big security threat in the months ahead, so government, law enforcement authorities and global supply chains must consistently review their anti-counterfeiting plans and investment in security resources.

“Counterfeiting is and will remain a massive global threat, continually placing governments, brands and the public at risk - and will continue to be tackled effectively to minimise the impact on society,” he said.

“Despite the economic, social and global supply chain challenges, we expect to see global in 2023 with countries enhancing and bringing forward their anti-counterfeiting plans which feature holograms.”

“These holograms will become even more integrated with other technologies to create intuitive brand engagement programmes while simultaneously, authentication through scanning a QR code on the label acts as a secondary product verification method. This provides a simple unified platform for brands to interact and engage with their customers,” he added.

Authentication tracking

Dr Dunn also sees the hologram on labelling continuing to become part of a wider function to track a product throughout its life, and post-life, cycle in 2023. This combination of authentication and tracking will give brand owners complete visibility and control from sourcing raw materials through to recycling.

This year will also see continued growth in high security print applications as increasingly, holography origination capabilities are brought in-house. This cuts the innovation cycle and enables printers to get their technologies specified for new banknote work.

Anti-fraud technology

Dr Dunn further sees ID document producers similarly adopting hybrid optical technologies to protect against fraud.

“I expect the trend of using colour personalisation and optically variable image devices to protect the secondary portrait on ID and travel documents to continue through 2023 as the threat of portrait morphing becomes more common,” he said.

The next 12 months also mark the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the IHMA. Although itself impacted by the global challenges in recent years, Dr Dunn sees 2023 as a year for growth and development on the back of the organisation’s re-brand.

This will feature a new logo and website improvements with a focus to expand the opportunities for membership among converters and equipment suppliers, as well as producers.

* To find out more about the Hologram Image Register, contact Counterfeiting Intelligence Bureau at cib@icc-ccs.org For more information about the International Hologram Manufacturers Association, visit www.ihma.org