A holographic device that provides protection for banknotes against counterfeiting, has won an international award from the industry trade body, the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA).
Germany’s banknote and security paper manufacturer Louisenthal’s RollingStar LEAD Mix foil stripe for the Bank of Azerbaijan’s new 50 Manat note took the ‘Best Applied Security Product’ category at the Excellence in Holography Awards 2021, which was presented by the IHMA at this year’s virtual Holography Conference on November 17 and 18.
Reflecting a banknote ‘thriving with the most advanced and attractive security features’, the 50 Manat marks the education of children to university students. Its anti-counterfeiting devices include a metallic surface relief motif ‘flip’ effect, colour shifting motifs and animation, which were created through a combination of micromirrors and unique multi-layer coating colour shift. This delivers protection against currency counterfeiting. The judges were particularly impressed by the combination of design, dynamics and colour shift, which provide eye-catching appeal beside banknote security.
Also marked out for their security related products were Russian-based KRYPTEN Research and Production Company, and SURYS of France.
3D-GRAM CONTRUST – a photopolymer holographic patch with a striking and unambiguous colour change when rotated at 180 degrees – took first place for KRYPTEN (pictured) in the ‘Innovation in Holographic Technology’ category. The feature be applied to paper and polymer-based banknotes as well as ID documents, with the colours and contrast designed to enhance security.
Gold Fish from SURYS’s represents the first application of its Plasmogram Reverso technology on a window in a polymer banknote. The feature, based on plasmonic sciences and nano-technologies, won the ‘Best Origination’ award. It offers a range of optical effects as well as different colours when viewed from the front and reverse of the note, and in transmission, and was recognised by the judges as a real success from an eye-catching design, product integration and anti-counterfeiting perspective.
The Excellence in Holography event recognises achievement in innovative or commercially viable hologram products or techniques over the last 12 months. Involving sector suppliers, manufacturers and end-users, the event, held again online due to the pandemic, saw Dr Paul Dunn, chair of the IHMA, commend the standard of entries, reflecting a strong, resilient and vibrant industry that continues to expand and push commercial and technological security and anti-counterfeiting boundaries.
He said: “The awards reflect year-on-year advancement and achievement in the design, development and technology of commercial holograms, which continue to find new and innovative ways to add value and appeal to products used and enjoyed by billions of people.”
