ACTIVE HOLOGRAMS

• What is a Hologram?
• Why is using a holographic label a sign of identity and brand security?
• What happens to the products and successful brands which do not use holograms?
• What is a secure hologram?
• In what kind of market can holograms be used?
• Is it expensive to order an original hologram project?
• Why am I not also given the holographic master of the requested holograms??
• Is it necessary for me to pay again for the holographic master when my company needs to order more holograms of the same kind?
• What are the steps to begin the process of ordering and making the purchase?
• Can I see a sample of the holograms before they are produced at large-scale?
• How much time does the whole process take?
• Is a hologram sufficiently secure and safe?
• What kinds of holograms exist?
• What applications are your solutions good for?
• What is the advantage of Active Holograms over other security solutions?
• What are some equivalent technologies that exist today?
• What are some competitive products?
• What are the advantages our holograms?
• How does our solution compare to the industry standard?
• How easy it will be to imitate our solution?
• What it is so difficult to reproduce this technology?
• Can the product be integrated with other security technologies?
• Is this technology easy for the consumer to verify?
• What is the Authentication Method?
• Can this solution be used as a stand alone solution?
• Where can I get the technology-product/information/samples?
• Can you make labels with different sizes and shapes?
• What forms does your product come in?
• Is this technology expensive?
• How do you price your products?

What is a Hologram?

Holography is a very advanced printing technique. It consists of creating stamped images with a three-dimensional appearance. In order to do so, we use a laser on a photosensitive film that projects a 3D image when light comes into contact with it in the appropriate angle. The optical effect generates an hologram: depth, movement and colour, features that entice the most sceptical client.

Why is using a holographic label a sign of identity and brand security?

Nowadays, technology evolves at a vertiginous pace. New systems are continuously appearing, as well as the old ones become obsolete. Modern technologies enable the generation of new products and the introduction of quality improvements to the already existing ones. This revolutionary development is what makes it possible for there to be eventually more "professional" forgeries and adulterations, of such quality, that they are hard to detect for even the best experts.

What happens to the products and successful brands which do not use holograms?

Products that show a more attractive and enthralling image are bound to be irresistible lures for potential plagiarists. Piracy is also an important factor to take into account. Piracy is nowadays at its peak. It is widely regarded as one of the most lucrative crimes and is carried out at a large-scale level. Current figures show that eight percent of the world's turnover. In practically all sectors of industry, almost no company or individual intervening in the manufacturing and monetary value of a product can escape from piracy. All this is happening in a moment when the global market is growing and opening itself, which makes it easier for forgers to access the means of distribution and commercialization needed to take their products to the international markets.
Counterfeiting has become a global issue that weakens the companies' economical strength and risks, most of the times, their security and the "health" of their consumers.
Right in the middle of this situation, holograms are a very valuable weapon in the fight against those kinds of frauds, since it is, undoubtedly, the most difficult and expensive to counterfeit, as well as being impossible to duplicate. We can find a proof in the field of currency. Currency forgers find it impossible to create a perfect duplicate of the original holograms shown in currency sheets.
ACTIVE HOLOGRAMS provides with reliable and affordable methods and techniques for the production of holograms, an indispensable means for boosting the prestige of a company's products and brands, since a hologram:

• Increases the confidence on the product, as it includes a security element which is traditionally associated to currency notes and credit cards.
• It is the first and most important visual security element and can be easily used for further and much more sophisticated security levels.
• It is impossible to reproduce by conventional graphical means.
• It is impossible to duplicate with a photographical device.
• It is impossible to imitate with nowadays' printing technologies.
  

What is a secure hologram?

It is a combination of:

• A masterized hologram, which includes several secret extra security measures.
• A support for the collocation and fabrication of the hologram (aluminized film or metallic film for heat stamping, auto adhesive labels…). All of them produced in an environmentally-friendly way under strict security controls.

In what kind of market can holograms be used?

Holograms can be used in so many and wide areas that it is really difficult to include all of them in just a few lines. Some good examples would be:

• Authentication and branding: Strengthening the company's logo in any kind of product.
• Protection of banking documents such as cheques, credit cards, entrance passes…
• Protection of diplomas, access and identity documents, passports, cards, official writings, driving licenses, event certificates, …
• Discount tickets, vouchers, promotion brochures, chequebooks…

Is it expensive to order an original hologram project?

According to our clients, ACTIVE is a highly competitive organization. What really discourages companies at the time of investing is the master, which can be complex and expensive to produce within any company with not sufficiently advanced technology, which is not our case. Producing a master will pose no problem but your own imagination for your desired design.

ACTIVE HOLOGRAMS has specialised in 2D/3D masters and possesses an exclusive processing system called MASTERWTIN®, which makes it possible to assemble several masters of compatible features in a sole fabrication process. Thanks to this system, those clients not requiring a fast delivery of the product will be able to reduce the production cost and pay only half of the price (although the delivery date may be delayed). This way you will be able to get your original and exclusive hologram, at a price you will only be able to get with us. We find it appropriate to say, though, that the price depends as well on factors like colour and size..

Why am I not also given the holographic master of the requested holograms?

As we said before, an original hologram requires a previous development: the master, which is built from the client's own design. Once the master is finished, it is transferred to a 3D platform, so that it can be processed in the different holographic plates. Such plates will not be delivered for security reasons.
Because of this, it is necessary to produce a secure master in our facilities, although it is also possible (if requested by the client) to destroy it after the production is over. The destruction is produced before a notary.

Is it necessary for me to pay again for the holographic master when my company needs to order more holograms of the same kind?

If a company orders another print run of a former holographic design, there's no need to pay again for the master, as there is no new master to be developed (as long as the previous one was not destroyed, of course).
If the client requests a slightly different version of a former design, it will be necessary to make a full new master, as the masters cannot be altered once finished without damaging them.
We welcome you to make any comments or suggestions about your master to our technical staff. Precisely and carefully given instructions will help the process be more effective, fast and cheap.

What are the steps to begin the process of ordering and making the purchase?

First of all, please contact us:
Our website: www.activeholograms.com
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Our email addresses: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Our phone numbers: +34 93 266 22 86 / +34 90 211 76 36 (???)
A representative of our company will contact you in order to understand your needs and offer you the best service.
Be sure there is a holographic solution for you.

Can I see a sample of the holograms before they are produced at large-scale?

Once we have been provided with the final design for the hologram, and once the order has been fully completed, we will be able to send you a virtual image. Only when your company has passed the design, we will start with the production of the master. It is important to take into account that, once we've got to this stage, no further changes may be done.

It is not usual, but some clients may ask for real samples of the holograms. If this case were to occur, we can provide the client with some samples at an additional cost, but only after an especial agreement with the client. Most of the companies use the virtual sample to easily make the wished modifications if necessary, as it's cheaper, since there is only need to make one master. Otherwise there will be as many masters to be done as sample versions the client wants to see, which will increase the cost.

How much time does the whole process take?

Once we have been given the needed instructions and the required images (Photoshop, Corel, etc) we produce the preview virtual version in 5 working days approximately. The client will be able, then, to assess our work thanks to the virtual version. If satisfactory, depending on the size of the order, we finish the order in about 20 (working) days. This figure may vary depending on the particular demands of every client.

If the client requests real samples of the holograms, the process will take longer.

At last, we proceed and do the printings using the desired support by the client. This process takes about 4 or 5 weeks, depending on the demands or our clients. .

Is a hologram sufficiently secure and safe?

The only company that can forge a hologram is another holographic company, and, of course, no security company will carry out such illicit work.
Holographic industry is a closely-watched industry, safe and strictly controlled. We all share a common register with all the ordered designs, all firms have access to this register and include their own products to it.
If any attempt of duplication is detected, the necessary legal measures are immediately taken for those responsible for it.
Any individual responsible for each project is always identified and registered. Such data are kept, watched and available.
The distinctive aspect and the visual depth is a characteristic unique to holograms. Their brilliant colours and the movements that can be seen when rotated, apart from the three-dimensional feeling the image causes, give authenticity proofs.
Holograms are the only printing way that can achieve these visual features which can be perceived by the naked eye.
They have become more and more popular as they have proved their profitability and usefulness in almost any imaginable area where there's a need to protect, defend and promote a product's image, identity and authenticity against counterfeit.

What kinds of holograms exist?

There are:

• Bidimensional 2D 3D: They display bidimensional images in just one level.
• Three-dimensional Matrix: They display a 3D image as if it was a solid object. Depending on the direction and intensity of the light, different parts of the design may be seen or remain hidden.
• Multi image: They contain two or more images, each of them can be seen in a different way so that, depending on how the viewer is located, he or she will perceive different images, or a mixture of several of them.
• Multicolor or Lenticular: They display colourful images which can also be perceived as three-dimensional, with even different intensities or shapes.

What applications are your solutions good for?

ACTIVE HOLOGRAMS offers EXCELLENT and SIMPLE turn-key solutions for protecting authentic products and documents from any kind of counterfeiting or forgery. From government Tax-Stamps to ID cards, from liquors and cigars to expensive hand bags - we can authenticate any product or document.

Our holographic labels tamper evident and stamping holographic films are the clear ADN of your company, and secure by their own nature. Yet, if requested, we add powerful secrets attributes to cover our solutions and thus make sure that our customers can make sure that their products are not tampered with.

What is the advantage of Active Holograms over other security solutions?

Our first and largest advantage is our Mastertwin(r) proprietary technology and that produces a high quality in produced holograms. Our MASTERTWIN® technology is a unique technology, developed only to us, it can not be imitated. Our second largest advantage is the fact that holograms do not need any device for check or inspectors to verify. The holograms are unique and original.

What are some equivalent technologies that exist today?

There are other systems as as inks of printing invisible. The greatest disadvantage of these technologies is that they are widely known (i.e. available to counterfeiters). Furthermore, with the other technologies the validation instruments are expensive and complicated. Our original holograms are protected by us using special secrets that are accessible to us only. We offer low cost element authentication of easy to verify and not needs device to check.

What are some competitive products?

The most commonly used competitive product is the Hologram.

What are the advantages our holograms?

Holograms are impressive to look at and are an attractive "professional" authentication solution. Used for many years, on products of high potential or to protect documents of counterfeiters. It is not easy to produce holograms and less as our holograms.

How does our solution compare to the industry standard?

We believe that our solution is far superior to the other holographic industry standard or by ink process.

How easy it will be to imitate our solution?

Duplicating our technology will be a major technological development task that will take many years and millions of R&D Dollars to accomplish. Leading-industry organizations have conducted experiments to duplicate us with no success.

What it is so difficult to reproduce this technology?

Principally the complexity of the process, the materials and developed machinery that we use and many others parameters involved in the process.

Can the product be integrated with other security technologies?

Yes. Currently we integrate our Holograms with special labels, tamper evident strip, cards and other products. The hologram can be a powerful anti counterfeiting or be a part of larger security system. For example, one of our clients wanted us to help them prevent counterfeiting, product tampering and provide a latent track and trace means so the customer can quietly investigate sources of inventory deviations.

Is this technology easy for the consumer to verify?

Yes. See the next Q.

What is the Authentication Method?

It is very simple, see it...

Can this solution be used as a stand alone solution?

Yes. Our labels holograms and holographic films are impossible to forge and, if needed, tamper evident. Using our holographic labels as a stand alone solution is a powerful anti-counterfeiting measure that usually does not requires any additional 3rd party solutions.

Where can I get the technology-product/information/samples?

You can contact one of the addresses below or Email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Can you make labels with different sizes and shapes?

Yes. We can make our labels with any shape and size, as long the width does not exceed 6" (inches)

What forms does your product come in?

The Product comes in film or hologram label form or as stamping hot foil. If your solution requires placing the holograms on box, plastic or paper sheets, printed or clear, we can supply this service in foil also.

Is this technology expensive?

Our solution is very cost effective compared to other authentication technologies. In most cases our holograms labels will not cost more than the competition while offering much better security.

How do you price your products?

The price of our labels varies, where the major influencing attributes are the size and shape of labels and the total order quantity. For a detailed quotation please contact one of our offices Tel +34 932 662 286 Fax +34 932 662 286 or by email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   for an exact quote.

There's even more to it. Clients also have the possibility to combine the different techniques and types of holograms as they desire according to their needs. This way it is possible to create any imaginable art design.