Credit: Diffractive tax stamp paper © Kurz).
Enforcing alcohol and tobacco duty payments using tax stamps is a major source of revenue for governments across the world. The process to make the stamps can often be time consuming and limited to printing firms with specialist equipment. But that could be about to change!
The stamps, or vignettes, often use diffractive effects to protect the stamps from counterfeiting. The process of making the stamps employs several production steps, one of which being the transfer of holographic material onto the label by foil or film application. Thin-film technology experts, Leonhard KURZ has come up with a new line of tax stamp papers that removes this step from the production process, saving time and reducing environmental impact.
Speaking at the recent 11th Tax Stamp & Traceability Forum™ in Tbilisi, Georgia, Thomas Brücklmeier, Kurz’s International Business Development Manager Tax Stamps, explained that by preparing the diffractive label substrate prior to sending it to the printer meant that there were significant cost savings to be had in material usage and production time.
Having joined Kurz earlier this year, after spending 25 years in the security printing industry, Thomas went on to say that in addition to having diffractive effects ‘built- in’ to the paper, other high security features like UV-active fibres, guilloche patterns and micro text can be embedded in the paper supplied to the printer. And because there is no waste foil to be treated, the plastic content can be significantly reduced.
The converting of the paper can be in the two traditional methods of self-adhesive or wet-glue, which can contain the ValiGate® feature from Kurz’s subsidiary – Scribos. ValiGate is a coding solution that provides reliable proof of originality as well as effective counterfeit protection.
Without the costly use of random patterns or fingerprint technology, ValiGate uses the entire QR code to embed the patented security pattern that, the company claims, can neither be copied nor re-engineered. For authentication, the user opens the camera on their smartphone to access the one-click authentication process, which is accessible without an app.
By linking each ValiGate® code to the tax stamp project’s digital platform, every scan can be turned into actionable data for governments to track and trace the goods in the market, analyse tax revenue and interact with consumers.
In related news from Kurz’s Business Area Security, Mr Gerben van Wijk has joined the KURZ Banknote Security Team as Head of Business Area Security, with responsibility for sales and marketing activities as well as for the global and technological strategy for the banknote business.
Mr van Wijk succeeds Mr Peter Mühlfelder, who will take on the role of Executive Senior Vice President for the Business Area Security, which includes the ID document business of OVD Kinegram AG, the card business and the commercial business of Kurz and Scribos.
Mr Mühlfelder is replacing Mr Werner Adel, who will retire from his position at the end of January 2024. Mr Adel’s retirement comes after a 40-year tenure with Kurz.
Throughout his career, he has played a key role in shaping Kurz’s success in the fields of banknote security, document protection and brand and tax stamp security.
We wish Mr van Wijk and Mr Mülhfelder success in their new roles and Mr Adel every happiness.
