Technology | anti-counterfeiting With counterfeits making up some 10% of globally traded goods


today it has never been more important to step up product security measures. Peter Mapleston reviews the latest initiatives


Additives take on counterfeits


Practically all original products are counterfeited. From the smallest electronic component to the largest turbine blade, it seems just about anything is game for fraudsters. Experts estimate that counterfeits make up at least 10% of all globally traded goods today. Despite the efforts of enforcement agencies, it is unlikely that counterfeiters are going to go away any time soon so it makes sound sense for players across the plastics supply chain to make full use of additive technologies that at least facilitate the distinction between genuine product and copy. For obvious reasons, companies operating in this


area don’t give very much detail away about the additives they employ, who is using them, and how. But this article presents a flavour of the technologies in use and under development. In October, for instance, speciality chemicals


company Clariant announced that it had joined forces with SICPA – a Swiss provider of security solutions - to


www.compoundingworld.com


launch Plastiward, which is described as a robust integrated protection system for plastic pharmaceutical packaging or medical devices. The two companies already cooperate on the use of special pigments for inks, but this is the first time they have worked together on anti-counterfeit plastics. Clariant says the technol- ogy, initially targeted at the pharmaceutical industry, is likely to be expanded to other sectors once established. Clariant says that the market for portable plastic


pharmaceutical packaging such as insulin pens and inhalators is big and growing rapidly. One report projects a CAGR of 6.5% for the global medical devices market from 2014 to 2020, rising from an estimated $61bn in 2014 to $89bn in 2020. “This strong growth has also attracted counterfeiters


and others dealing in illicit trade,” the company says. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 8% of medical devices in circulation are counterfeits. In one case, in 2009, over two million fake insulin pen


December 2016 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 41


Main image: There are no limits when it comes to


counterfeit products. However, plastics additive


technologies may provide some much needed


protection and security


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92