|
DE LA RUE PLC
18 August 1999
BRAND PROTECTION SPECIALISTS DE
LA RUE AND MICROTAG JOIN FORCES WITH LAUNCH OF REVOLUTIONARY
ANTI-COUNTERFEITING SOLUTION
A revolutionary tagging technology capable of full
integration into existing manufacturing processes has been
launched to the Brand Protection industry. The project is
spearheaded by De La Rue Brand Protection - the authority on
brand security - which has joined forces with Israeli based
technology company, Microtag. This new tagging technology is
the most important innovation in tagging for several years and
is thought to be of particular interest to the pharmaceutical
and software industries.
Microtag successfully developed this unique covert, high
security taggant specifically for use in the brand protection
arena - a growth area due to the increasing problem of
counterfeiting. The piracy rate for business software, for
example, was estimated to reach total losses of 38% or $11
billion world-wide in 1998 (Business Software Alliance, May
1999).
The unique, Microtag taggant is machine readable - even
through packaging and is set apart from other taggant
solutions in that it does not employ the more commonly used
methods of either magnetic or optical technologies. The
taggant has also successfully completed stringent field trials
carried out by both De La Rue's own Research and Development
department as well as universities and a number of central
bank laboratories.
The technology can be incorporated into a wide range of
materials - including plastics, paper, metals, glass,
clothing, leather and ink systems and this level of
flexibility means that it can be applied to a variety of
products in a highly efficient way as the technology can be
incorporated into the usual manufacturing process. For
example, this would enable CD replicators and pharmaceutical
companies to print a highly secure feature within their own
manufacturing environment. This enables application to the
packaging or, in the case of CDs and DVDs, directly onto the
product.
The need for these type of solutions is on the increase
with both the software and pharmaceutical industries suffering
from record counterfeiting losses. The Pharmaceutical industry
is being hit hard. The latest report (1999) issued by the ACG
(Anti-Counterfeiting Group) estimates the cost of
counterfeited pharmaceuticals to be 6.1% or £190 million per
annum in the UK alone.
Andy Blundell, Director, De La Rue Brand Protection
commented: "Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are of great
concern to the industry as the real threat lies in associated
liability issues and the damage to consumer
confidence.”
Commenting on De La Rue's latest strategic alliance with
Microtag, he said: "We differentiate ourselves by taking
a solution based approach - working with brand owners to fully
understand their business issues. In our role of systems
integrator - De La Rue can offer the appropriate services and
technologies, irrespective of whether they are in-house or
from external providers. As a result, the Microtag technology
is expected to add significantly to the De La Rue technology
offering."
De La Rue Brand Protection was formed in 1998 to assist in
protecting Brand Owners against counterfeiting and
unauthorised distribution of their products. The business has
received a great deal of interest and success in securing a
number of major blue chip customers in the last few months. In
addition, it has secured further growth to existing business
through product extensions such as the Microsoft account.
De La Rue Brand Protection offers solutions to Brand
Owners, including the latest in banknote anti-counterfeit
technology. The business is increasingly involved in
consultancy projects within Brand Owners' organisations and
offers value added services in areas such as distribution and
tracking services, whilst simultaneously offering source
tagging and tamper evident label products from internal and
external sources.
ENQUIRIES
NOTE TO EDITOR
De La Rue plc
De La Rue Brand Protection is part of De
La Rue plc. The group incorporates three divisions: Cash
Systems; Card Systems and Security Paper and Print.
Established nearly 200 years ago, De La Rue is the world's
leading security provider and banknote printer. Specialising
in currency, security solutions, smart cards and cash systems.
De La Rue Brand Protection
De La Rue Brand Protection
was established in 1999 to provide solutions aimed at
defending brand owners against the counterfeit or unauthorised
distribution of genuine products.
Brand Protection exploits De La Rue's existing internal
technologies and products, such as chips technologies,
holographic materials, security printing and security label
production. The business also has strategic partnerships with
external technology and service providers in order to supply a
one-stop-shop and technology screening service to its
customers. Increasingly, Brand Protection is being asked by
customers to work in a consultancy role within the Brand
owner's organisation. | 
