2024 Review - Justifiably Over-Subscribed!

The HSP™ (High Security Printing) conference took place 4 -6 March in Sofia, Bulgaria. It opened with three seminars, one of which was run by identity verification solutions provider Onfido, focusing on document fraud in an online environment and the challenges organisations deal with when trying to authenticate documents remotely.

The other two seminars were organised by the Future of Cash conference looking at how and why cash is changing, whether cash is a public good and/or a basic right and discussion groups on different aspects of what is happening to cash.

Finally, Kerre Corbin of Kerrency told the real-life story of a counterfeiter drawing a large crowd, demonstrating that security remains at the heart of banknotes.

The main conference programme was opened by Petar Chobanov, Deputy Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank. Mr. Chobanov emphasised the importance that the country’s national bank places on international cooperation, as witnessed by his invitation to delegates to join the tour of the National Bank scheduled for the end of the conference. Presentations followed from Plamen Tzviatkov and Sven Busselberg on the art of Oberthur Fiduciaire, Bernadette O’Brian on the ECB’s Product Environmental Footprint, Petia Yordanova on the conceptual design of the new Bulgarian ID Card, and John Winchcombe on cash usage and trends across EMEA regions.

The programme then split into separate tracks for currency and ID.

Focusing on design and security

The next ID session focused on design and security for travel and identity documents, with presentations from Juliette Thomas and Jérôme Boudineau (IDEMIA) on updating eID documents in the field, Amaury Chasseux (SURYS) on large size embedded DOVIDs, Robert Dvorak (IQ Structures) on verification and authentication of identity documents including the use of the company’s IQ Check mobile application, and Zoltán Balla of the Hungarian Banknote Printing Company on the concept of hybrid datapages.

In the currency session Barna Barabas (Jura) reviewed traditional print security features, noting that whilst digital printing has a place on banknotes unique features of this aspect are needed. Patrice Rullier (Oberthur Cash Protection) presented on the role of central banks in reducing cash in transit and ATM attacks. Michael Ritschewald (Hueck Folien) detailed the company’s extensive sustainability work and its portfolio of security features, including its new Optomove® feature based on micro mirrors. Virginie Lang (Seprinto & Partners) closed the session with a presentation on Seprinto’s LaserLine Secure Luna technology, which reduces ink usage by 10-15% and improves print quality non-invasively.

Anti-counterfeiting and technological innovations

The final ID session saw three presentations on document upgrades, fraud, and anti-counterfeiting. This included a paper from Maria Donos of the General Inspectorate of Border Police, Moldova, that explained the country’s actions to reduce counterfeiting of travel documents, followed by a presentation from Richard Perera (Landqart), setting out an ideal upgrade path for datapages and secure documents including the company’s Durasafe® TRAVEL and Certify. Simon Horswell of Onfido closed the session with a review of its Identity Fraud Report 2024.

The currency session featured three presentations on verification technologies, nanotechnology-based inks, and a more sustainable PVD coating process for intaglio plates. Dmitrijs Bobrovs (Regula) presented the first of these, displaying its range of standardised visualisation, verification and analysis tools for use with optically variable devices. Romain Waidelich (Inorcoat) presented the company’s chrome-free PVD coating offering for intaglio plates, which is also utilised in coin production. Àlex Julià-Lopez of Distinkt, detailed the company’s work in creating a new generation of dynamic luminescent inks based on nanotechnology.

…And even more innovations

The final session of the conference saw the currency and ID streams re-joining to focus on technology and innovation. Gabriel Moser (Hunkeler Systems) continued the sustainability theme with a focus on management and recycling of unfit banknotes, Linksmart Technologies spoke on the topic of non-cloneable print, and Astrid Mitchell, CEO of Reconnaissance International, explained the steps being taken by the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) to expand the Hologram Image Register (HIR) to include all types of optical security devices.