The Benefits and Advantages of Security Labeling
Industry Need
Brand owners face many challenges in developing and maintaining a positive impression with their customer base. Strategies for product performance, reliability, and value must be carefully developed and flawlessly executed to remain effective. However, counterfeit goods can tarnish positive perception in the marketplace, while gray market redistribution can undermine pricing and profitability. Intermec’s suite of security media products can strengthen defenses against these threats.
Security can have one or several layered attributes to validate chain of custody from a brand owner to the consumer. Serialization from variable information printing, the core of bar code and RFID applications, verifies code synchronization with trading partners. Overt designs convey consumer confidence, while covert features such as small hidden characters or UV fluorescing inks are known only to the brand owner.
Intermec Solution
Intermec products enable improved security through a range of features and functions. The most robust applications commonly employ multiple features for a layered approach
to product security.
Serialization/Chain of Custody
Using bar code and/or RFID, products can be tracked from raw material through manufacturing, storage, and distribution. Verifying that goods do not deviate from established channels greatly reduces access for tampering or gray market distribution.
Tamper Evidence
Checking for the presence and condition of a tamper evident label offers a quick way to verify that a product is genuine (or has not had the terms of its warranty violated). This function can take the form of packaging closures, enclosure seals, or warranty/serial number labeling.
Intermec INdelible VOID Label provides an on-demand printable label that can carry serial numbers, product ID, logos and text. The highly durable label and printed image survive handling, cleaning, and harsh treatment; aggressive adhesive ensures compatibility with a wide range of surfaces. Upon removal, the label face sheet irreversibly splits in a visible void pattern, ensuring the label cannot be applied to another product. Void indicators remaining on the surface provide further evidence of tampering. This material can also be used for case closures to validate terms of warranty claims.
Intermec’s Duratran II Tamper Evident Syntran Label also offers tamper evidence for applications with lower marking durability requirements. This label delaminates and shreds upon removal, ensuring product integrity.
With specialized die cutting, Intermec can also add security slits (tear propagation points) to many other standard label products to enhance tamper evidence.
Covert Security
Covert markings enable trained inspectors to check markers of authenticity that are not visible to the naked eye. Because they are invisible under standard lighting, these features are often missed in the counterfeiting process.
Print that fluoresces (glows) under UV lighting is positive, quick to verify, and requires minimal investment to train and equip inspectors. With the ThermaMAX UV fluorescing ribbon, logos, graphics, text, and serialization can be added on-demand. Alternatively, fixed preprint can be added on-press during the media manufacturing process; further complexity can be added by employing multiple UV fluorescing colors.
Overt Security
Overt security measures are clearly visible to the naked eye, making counterfeiting difficult to undertake and more recognizable when it occurs. Intermec offers labels with holographic patterns to provide instantly recognizable product marking with increased sophistication. Compatible with on-demand text, graphic, and barcode printing, this option offers multiple layers of security in a single product.
The Intermec Advantage
When validation of genuine products hinges on accurate labeling and identification, it is essential that all components of the marking system work together flawlessly. Intermec printers and media are optimized to deliver superior performance when used together. Our rigorous testing and co-engineering ensures maximum print head service life, consistently high print quality, and proven label and tag performance in demanding real-world environments. Intermec printers and media are complemented by our complete line of integrated solutions and services, including rugged mobile computers, RFID systems and advanced scanning technology. Intermec products and services are used by customers worldwide to improve the productivity, quality and responsiveness of their business operations.
