From knock-off fashion accessories to fake mobile phones, automotive parts and pharmaceuticals, counterfeiters manufacture and sell inferior goods using another company’s trademark, brand name, logo or appearance. Benefiting from rapid developments in technology, these organizations use sophisticated means to duplicate items, making it quite difficult for customers to identify the true source of the products they purchase.
Counterfeiting is a serious crime punishable globally by fines that may run into millions of dollars and imprisonment of up to 20 years. Despite this, the counterfeit industry continues to cost the world economy hundreds of billions of dollars each year.
One of the biggest threats faced by companies is the problem of duplication. Counterfeiting or duplication can take place at any stage of the supply chain. Since the supply chain encompasses different stages, therefore, it is difficult to individually monitor each of them. Moreover, it is manually not feasible to examine loopholes or any errors in the supply chain.
Of late, different kinds of technologies are being used to secure and monitor supply chains. Particularly IT technology in amalgamation with holographic technology is being used by companies worldwide. A good example is the use of barcode or QR code which not just digitally authenticates the products but also links it with different IT-enabled technologies like track and trace, supply chain management, reward management, inventory management, marketing campaigns and other functionalities.
Digital authentication through a QR code and barcode take place on the individual product, pack, case and pallet level. Variable and unique QR codes are difficult to copy and provide security on each level of the supply chain. Holostik is a pioneer of anti-counterfeiting solutions and provides a range of holographic and digital authentication solutions for securing supply chains. Our security holograms enabled with digital authentication solutions helps in providing a multi-layered security approach to the product and the company’s supply chain.
