Page 22 - BOSS Today Issue 25

Special Report - Stamping

These have been in the market of security, while the first and Genesius (www.projectgenesius. now dominating the market
for the last five or six years, foremost aspect is the ink org.uk), an ongoing partnership with a combined share of over
and have certainly seen some that is used, the technology between the rubber stamp 80%: Trodat (Austrian, who claim
growth, with all of the major that produces the die is also and printing industries and the over 50% of the UK market),
players producing their own important: “There are neon inks Metropolitan Police to prevent COLOP (also Austrian), MaxStamp
versions, as Bradbeer explains: and UV inks, or inks impregnated equipment and supplies getting (ASAP Stamps Ltd.), XStamper
“It’s a popular product which with certain substances that are into the hands of criminals (Shachihata) and Shiny. There is
people like to use – particularly only visible under certain light to produce false identity very little own label product in
the older generation, who are conditions. Post Office stamps documents. what is still a hugely fragmented,
more security-aware in terms have two characteristics: not custom market.
of identity theft. You can then only are the inks special but all The Stamp Of Ironically, developments in
dispose of the paper without our dies for this application are Disintermediation production technology from
having to shred it, which has engraved on metal. This allows Whereas 12 years ago there were labour intensive hot metal type
some environmental benefits.” us to engrave security features more than 150 key UK rubber machines to desktop-driven
Furthermore, Bradbeer points within the die itself, which are stamp manufacturers, there are photopolymer systems (and the
out there are currently a number hard to replicate.” now probably only c50-60, with emergence of CO lasers as a
2
of other security applications It is important to note that all many of the larger companies credible technology to engrave
for rubber stamps: “Immigration of the major UK rubber stamp having taken over the smaller rubber) have meant that it is
stamps for passport control are manufacturers are part of Project businesses and five major brands now easier for new players to
still a popular application for enter the market. Companies
stamps throughout the world, in other industry sectors (such
and have various security features as engraving) are now able to
which I obviously cannot reveal! produce rubber stamps by using
At Trodat we are also able to use their laser engraving machines.
our laser engraving facilities to Indeed, as Eyre notes, the
produce a multi colour stamp greatest change for this industry
with up to 17 different colours, has been the rise of internet-only
and of course one of those can rubber stamp manufacturers:
be ultra violet. Put a UV ink into “This has been a growth area:
a stamp impression and people some of the newer stamp makers
won’t knowingly be able to copy have set up with a completely
it because they won’t know that online solution, and the
the UV ink is there. That takes it market has become a lot more
into areas like Benefit Offices and competitive in the last 18 months
other areas that use security inks. because of this.”
The use of conductive inks in Certainly, while the major
stamps is also being investigated.” UK stamp makers support the
Indeed, as Kiran Mistry, MD trade and reseller channels,
of COLOP UK, adds, in terms most of the smaller RSMs now

22 BOSS TODAY | December 2014/January 2015

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