Vancouver, BC, Canada (May 26, 2005) – Creo Inc. and XINK Laboratories Ltd. (www.xink.biz) presented a new class of secure flexographic radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna printing inks at the PISEC 6th World Product & Image Security Convention (www.pisec-world.com), held in Vienna, Austria recently. These new covertly tagged flexographic ink formulations target manufacturers and converters producing RFID-tagged smart packaging for use in supply-chains. This type of smart packaging has been mandated by Wal-Mart and, more recently, was recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pharmaceutical counterfeit protection. This new class of flexographic security inks and RFID tags is available exclusively through XINK and its worldwide authorized printing and manufacturing partners. Until now, one of the main concerns of the RFID industry has been the ability of counterfeiters to copy RFID tags by duplicating RFID numbering schemes. The new XINK antenna inks eliminate this possibility by integrating Creo Traceless covert tagging technology, elevating Traceless XINK-printed RFID tags into the same league as currency and security instruments. The forensically-invisible Creo taggant is high-speed machine-readable on production lines, or in remote locations, detected using Creo readers. Creo detection readers are capable of simple pass/fail authentication, or of capturing images of the taggant particle-positioning unique to each tagged antenna (‘taggant image signatures’). To create a counterfeit-proof system, the Creo taggant image signature designates the unique spacing relationship of the taggant particles and assigns an encrypted ID to each RFID antenna. The Creo Traceless taggant is forensically-invisible, because it is added to XINK RFID inks at a concentration of less than two parts per million. This low concentration means that it is nearly impossible to find, much less reverse-engineer, using even the most advanced forensic analysis methods such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). “Adding Creo taggants to antenna inks allows for full authentication of every RFID tag in the field, using a simple, pen-sized reader,” said Kevin Harrell, director, Global Business Development for Creo Security, Brand Authentication and ID Systems. “Combining the world’s premiere tagging security technology with XINK’s advanced RFID antenna inks removes the final doubt about flexographic printed RFID tags,” commented Michael Petersen, COO, XINK Labs. “The RFID tag reading, ink properties, and printing characteristics remain completely unaffected.” The current line of XINK InstantCure and XINK formulations using Creo Traceless technology includes a range of solvent-free, high-conductive silver inks, and ‘tunable’ resistor inks. XINK inks print in a single pass on standard printing presses, require no heat curing, and can be printed on a range of heat-seal paperboards used in pharmaceutical packaging as well as other flexible substrates that would not withstand high temperature heat curing. For more information about Traceless, visit www.creo.com/traceless.