Hologram imaging set to foil the fraudsters

Blockfoil has developed Photographix, which it believes will revolutionise the way companies consider block foiling as a security device.

Blockfoil has developed Photographix, which it believes will revolutionise the way companies consider block foiling as a security device.

The new system enables the creation of pictures in a foil for a fraction of the cost of a real hologram and within a time scale of days rather than weeks or months.

"We're not actually after the hologram market with this product," said group managing director Barry Corbett.

"We want those jobs where companies wouldn't consider a hologram because of the expense, and where foil alone does not provide a sufficient security or branding feature.

For example, you would be unlikely to put holograms on football team cards, bit with Photografix you could have a head shot of each player and the cost would not be prohibitive." According to Corbett, the first images were produced using this technology in foil two years ago in the company's research and development department but it has taken since then to refine the process and create a production workflow in the factory that is capable of meeting expected demand.

Blockfoil has seven factories around the UK and claims to be the largest block foiling group in Europe.

The Ipswich headquarters is said to be one of the most sophisticated block foiling plants in the world, and contains the pre-press and diemaking facilities for the other factories, as well as an extensive research and development department.

The new Photographix technology can be used with virtually any type of hot stamping foil, regardless of cost, colour, diffraction properties etc The stock on which the foil is adhered can also be varied, including papers as light as 60gsm, self - adhesive and wet - glue labels, carton board and plastic.

The origination can be a standard colour, or mono print, or a digital file in one of the standard PC or Mac formats such as JPEG or TIFF.

These can be sent either by electronic mail, ISDN or CD, depending upon size.

Trials have been performed taking portraits with digital cameras, producing between 250Kb-750Kb files and the results produced proved to be successful.

It is estimated that on a 250,000 print run, a job using Photografix technology could be around a quarter of the cost of the same job containing a registered hologram.

Corbett believes that there is no reason in principle why the technique cannot be used for images up to A3 in size.

The company can start foiling a job within 48 hours of receiving the artwork, and during production, the operator is not hindered by having to achieve extremely fine register.

Urgent runs can be put on several block-foiling machines simultaneously.

The actual foil stamping is carried our at the same speed as laying down in ordinary foil.

Blockfoil sees several potential markets for its new technology, including the packaging, gift and promotional sectors, plus CD and video producers and those companies looking for a combination of branding and security such as clothing and goods suppliers.

In addition, companies producing documents, cheques, stamps, vouchers or items such as cosmetics would also benefit.

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