Trade Association IOTA set to champion optical security technologies

The rebranding move comes as holography, once the cornerstone of anti-counterfeiting solutions, has evolved and now features within a broader spectrum of optical security technologies.

Technologies continue to advance beyond holography and in the face of expanding market applications, security sector mergers and acquisitions and consolidation among solutions providers. The increased demand for physical solutions is also being felt with customers and end users requiring sustainable solutions, while the challenges themselves grow ever more intricate.

IOTA membership currently embraces all developers and suppliers of security features based on technologies that, in addition to holography, include micro-lens arrays, micro-mirrors, plasmonics, nano-gratings, colour change, caustics, polarisation, photonic crystals, special print-generated effects or a combination of the above.

Indeed, several existing members produce optical security features beyond holography, such as SPARK Orbital by De La Rue, RollingStar micro-mirrors and colour shift features from Louisenthal, plasmonic features by Authentix and SURYS and KINEGRAM® features realised by KURZ.

Transformative era

As the Trade Association stands on the cusp of a transformative era, the transition to IOTA reflects a commitment to ongoing evolving markets and the opening up of new technology frontiers, particularly so in terms of optical security.

IOTA chair Dr Mark Deakes (pictured) stated: “I’m honoured to be part of this transformative moment, building on our legacy, while also embracing a modern identity. Change is never easy, but it’s essential for growth. IOTA is more than a rebrand. It’s a movement to lead the optical security industry into a brighter and more innovative future. We want industry stakeholders to join us.”

Deakes continued: “IOTA will spearhead a new era of authentication, anti-counterfeiting and automation, while always pushing the boundaries of possibility. We will continue to evolve in line with the exciting technologies we represent in order to ensure the interests of members and manufacturers are to the fore and that their voices are always heard.”

Focus of activities

Building on the International Hologram Manufacturers Association’s legacy and global work in highlighting the role played by commercial holography, IOTA aims to create separate chapters or sections and focus its activities on document security, brand protection, packaging, art and the industrial domain.

A series of user-focused webinars are planned this year that will target key optical security sectors, while presentations at several industry conferences will showcase the Association’s work and ambitions.

*Further information is available online at https://iot-association.org/