The new trade body representing the international optical security technologies industry has confirmed its first executive board.
Ondřej Fedorčák from Optaglio, Holoflex’s Manoj Kochar, Don Havourd from Hazen Paper Company, Opsec Security’s Jim Keller, and Alexandre Noizet from Surys will be on the board of the International Optical Technologies Association (formerly the International Hologram Manufacturers Association).
They join chair Dr. Mark Deakes at the organisation spearheading the promotion of authentication, anti-counterfeiting and automation optical security technologies to global law enforcement agencies, central governments and brand owners in 2025 and beyond.
Dr Paul Dunn, a former chair of the IHMA, remains in post as a consultant board member.
The news comes as technologies continue to advance beyond holography and in the face of expanding market applications, security sector mergers, and acquisitions and consolidation among solutions providers.
This has led to the creation of IOTA 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.
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.
Confirming the board, Dr Mark Deakes said: “I’m very much looking forward to the challenge of taking the IOTA forward and working with board members and organisations to ensure it becomes a strong advocate and resource for the industry in the future.
“Innovation is pushing the boundaries of what optical security technologies can achieve, and we stand 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.”
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. More at https://iot-association.org/
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The International Optical Technologies Association includes the world's leading holography, microlens arrays, micromirrors, plasmonics, nanogratings, colour change, caustics, polarisation, photonic crystals, special print-generated effects. These technologies are used in banknote security, anti-counterfeiting, graphics and other commercial applications. Member companies actively cooperate to maintain the highest professional, security and quality standards.
