Security is becoming a crucial part of the packaging process. While product counterfeiting has been an issue for many years, brands are now determined to address the issue head on. The Global Anti-Counterfeit Packaging by Technology study from TechSci Research projects that the global anti-counterfeit packaging market will grow at a CAGR of around 13.85%, in value terms, during 2018–2023. In addition, the new Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), which is currently scheduled to take effect November 27, 2018, requires that there is an ability to track and trace all products in the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain. This act also prepares the market for a greater focus on personalized medicines, since the legacy one-size-fits-all methods are starting to show their limits. Ultimately that means even more need for security in packaging. 

Currently, holograms are being used for basic security, and technologies like RFID and NFC have shown promise and can add additional value. Each of these solutions have already started to find the way into the product supply chain. However, these technologies currently require the application of either a pre-manufactured tag or the use of a post-print embellishment technology. While these technologies have proven to work, there is an additional cost in excess of $.01 per tag in the case of holographic tags—not including the application associated with their inclusion on a label or package—and much higher for RFID and NFC. The security labels market is projected to be worth $26.4B by 2020, according to a study by Markets and Markets.

At the recent RADTECH conference held in Rosemont, Ill., near O’Hare airport, there were some interesting technologies being shown, but this new security application caught my attention. In 2015, a group of researchers from MIT decided to take on this challenge. Matt Hirsch (click here to see a related video interview) was doing research in light field technologies and Tom Baran was doing high performance computational research. They have been working on this solution since 2015 and are now ready to go to market.