A new international trade body, IOTA, has been launched to represent and promote the wide range of authentication, anti-counterfeiting and automation optical security technologies available to global law enforcement agencies, central governments and brand owners.
The International Optical Technologies Association (formerly the International Hologram Manufacturers Association) 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 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 these.
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 by Louisenthal, plasmonic features by Authentix and SURYS, and KINEGRAM® features by KURZ.
As the association stands on the cusp of a transformative era, the transition to IOTA reflects a commitment to ongoing evolving markets and opening up new technology frontiers, particularly in optical security, said chair Dr Mark Deakes.
He said: “I am honoured to be part of this transformative moment, building on our legacy while embracing a modern identity. Change is never easy, but it is essential for growth. IOTA is more than a rebrand; it’s a movement to lead the optical security industry into a brighter, more innovative future, and we want industry stakeholders to join us.
“IOTA will spearhead a new era of authentication, anti-counterfeiting, and automation, always pushing the boundaries of possibility. We will continue to evolve in line with the exciting technologies we represent to ensure the interests of members and manufacturers are to the fore and their voices heard.”
Building on the IHMA’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 industrial.
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.
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