Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/797484
tobaccoasia 47 TANNPAPIER clear closure labels applied to cigarette packs exactly," said Stephan Schmidt, managing director of TANNPAPIER GmbH. "While standard pack- aging is relatively easy and cheap to copy, special features - for example microprint on tear tape, holograms and UV-markers - are increasing cost significantly, making the product financially less attractive for copying." The Austria-based com- pany is part of the globally active TANN Group and counts among its customers not only the big multinationals but also many smaller, independent tobacco companies looking for enhanced security features for their cigarette brands. "We are regularly asked by cigarette manufac- turers whether we can offer potential solutions for superior security features as anti-counterfeiting measures for their tobacco products," explained Michael Lindner, the company's technical services manager. "The focus is on 'smart' safety features that we can realize for tipping papers, inner liners and frames and/or tear tapes" Tear tape evolution รก la Germany Likewise a member of TANN Group, TANN Germany GmbH's broad range of tear tapes are ideal carriers for covert security features, such as non-visible UV inks or sophisticated TAGGANTs that can help protect brand integrity. "The TANN Group has developed and pro- vides for the market combinations of overt secu- rity features such as sophisticated print designs including micro text and fine line printing, as well as special inks like 'color-shifting' OVI inks to support brand values and protect brands against counterfeiting and plagiarism," elaborated Ralph Schaffranke, sales manager of TANN GERMA- NY GmbH, adding that these features are ex- tremely difficult to reproduce for counterfeiters. Most commonly using MOPP base film, tear tapes can also be produced from PET base film as per the customer's requirements. All TANN Group-supplied tear tape products guarantee easy application, 100% adhesion to the wrapping film, improved pack appearance, produce no wrinkles on the package and have high tensile strength, ac- cording to Schaffranke. Clear up that label! A new security product range that TANNPAPIER introduced at the recent World Tobacco show in Hamburg, Germany, are closure labels made of clear (i.e. transparent) film material. While Lindner concedes that "unprinted clear closure labels ex- hibit a relatively low level of security as they can be theoretically made of any flat and flexible transpar- ent material like different polymer films," he adds that security can be raised tremendously "if the la- bels are combined with sophisticated and elevated printing effects." There currently exists only a small handful of transparent base materials that are suit- able for special effect printing and it requires enor- mous expertise to actually obtain impeccable print- ing quality on these select few materials. TANNPAPIER offers rotogravure printing, which can realize a wide range of outstanding printing effects on the clear closure labels. Even color changes, thermo-chrome, and UV-active features are feasible. But if holographic or shiny metallic effects are desired, Lindner said hot-foil stamping should be used, "a very common tech- nology deployed in the tipping paper industry." To achieve a higher grade of security on these labels, Lindner therefore recommended: "Whenever spe- cial color or effect pigments are involved, it all gets significantly more complex and difficult [to copy] as all relevant printing parameters are totally dif- ferent from common standard settings." Apart from being able to serve as supplementa- ry anti-counterfeiting measure, clear closure labels aid in the perfect sealing of cigarette soft packs yet make them easy to open. There are self-adhesive and non-adhesive variants and the company offers TANNPAPIER headquarters in Traun, Austria courtesy of TANNPAPIER GmbH courtesy of TANNPAPIER GmbH