Now You See It, Now You Don’t

Latent Image Technology, Ltd. (LIT), an Israel-based company, is partnering with The Tadbik Group, also headquartered in Israel, to bring a new technology to industry that promises a better way to fight counterfeiting.

Tadbik is positioning itself as a packaging solutions provider, according to Eugene A. Matarese, account executive for LogoTech, a Tadbik division that produces pressure sensitive labels in the U.S. Among Tadbik’s other areas of expertise are: pressure sensitive labels made by Tadbik in Israel; labeling equipment supplied by LogoTech and flexible packaging made by its CLP division in Israel and sold in 35 countries.

Latent imaging technology is based on the radiation chemistry of polymers in which a unique chemical and radiation treatment creates images in transparent polymer films. These images are latent—invisible to the naked eye—until viewed through a standard polarizer. The latent images can be embedded in a variety of materials, which can be used on stickers, tags, labels and tickets.

Shimon Niselovitch, president and chief executive of LIT, recently explained the technology and its potential use to Cosmetic Packaging & Design at LogoTech’s offices in Fairfield, NJ.

“We can print on top of the latent image with traditional inks or the latent images can be combined with holograms, or we can place a ‘tear drop’ over it to create a third dimension,” Mr. Niselovitch said. He noted that the technology, which is extremely complicated, is patented in the U.S. and is cost effective. The estimated end user price for the latent images is $.02 to $.05 a square centimeter.

Because product counterfeiters forge labels as well as product, LIT offers a surefire way to authenticate an item.

Diversion of product from approved channels can also be tracked as the latent image can identify where the product was originally distributed. In the cosmetic and personal care industry, LIT can also be used to identify components that are sometimes stolen.

The technology can also be used in promotions in which the consumer receives a coupon and must bring it into the store to find out of it has a latent image that qualifies for a prize.

In Israel, the technology is used to make sporting event tickets that are counterfeit-proof. Ticket takers simply wear a small polarizer on a chain and can quickly check each ticket for a latent image to prove that it is a legitimate ticket.

While LIT is a separate company, independent of Tadbik, the two companies are working together to deliver this leading edge technology to the world market.

The technology is currently availablein the U.S. through Logo­Tech.