Holostik, a supplier of security packaging and labels, displayed its range of solutions at the recently concluded Pack Plus India 2022 in New Delhi and the ProPak India 2022 held from 21 – 23 September in Bengaluru.
It is a provider of holographic products for anti-counterfeiting for several industries and specifically for pharma, FMCG, and automobiles. Its hologram products as well as the security holograms with QR codes and 3D labels and films can connect goods and package with supply chain and loyalty management programs. With ‘Authenticating Supply Chains, Securing Lives’ as its tagline, Holostik helps companies in maintaining complete supply chain visibility.
“We are the anti-counterfeiting experts. These exhibitions are mainly to showcase our expertise and since the industry is growing, we are pleased with the response we are receiving. There were no platforms available like this for a couple of years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As trade is opening up, we are getting very good results. Many companies are asking for solutions. Surprisingly, small companies are also interested in using smart packaging solutions such as holograms or 3D labels to secure their products. Brands understand that when they have secure products in the market, they can automatically enhance their revenue, and improve their prospects in the market,” says, Manish Tripathi, head of Marketing & Communication, Holostik.
R&D leads with manufacturing plants across the country
Holostik continues to invest 5% of its overall revenue in R&D, which is based in Greater Noida. Across India, it has five manufacturing plants – two in Rudrapur (Uttarakhand), one in Greater Noida, and one each in Chennai, and Kolkata. The company has 10,000 plus customers globally with a presence in more than 90 countries. These include Honda, Hero, ITC, Unilever, Patanjali, SBI, Lupin, Asian Paints, Bridgestone, and Bisleri who are among the leading customers they have across 10 major industries.
Tripathi feels that awareness on the end user side is still lacking, which the pioneering company keeps working on as a primary responsibility. He says that according to market insiders, 20 % of the products in India are fake. In the pharmaceutical sector, counterfeiting is almost 10 – 11 %, according to WHO. “You can assume that if a company has a turnover of more than Rs 5,000-10,000 crore, then 20-55 % of their projects are counterfeited. Forget about the revenue model, forget about the supply chain, these fake products cost lives. If I buy the wrong medicine, it can cost me my life,” Tripathi says, adding, “We are a GS1 certified company, so we are able to cater to all the pharmaceutical companies across India.”
New innovations in track and trace
End-users cannot always trust a brand because of the fear that it may be counterfeit. Holostik is planning to implement its own mobile app currently under development. When downloaded on your smartphone, you can just use it to scan and check for authenticity. Its 3D label is basically using embossing and UV technology. The USP of Holostik’s 3D label is that it cannot be copied anywhere. Nutraceutical and protein powders are suffering losses due to counterfeit products and now we are supplying 3D labels to them. An end user can easily differentiate an original from a counterfeit and the brand owners seem to be pleased.
In 1991, when the company started, it was producing simple holograms in the form of a sticker. It is now bringing in a sixth-generation technology called Optashield, introduced just three months ago. “Most of the pharma companies are keen to invest in this technology,” confides Tripathi.
“I think the next couple of years are very important for companies like us and that is why we are very aggressive in the market. We are participating in many exhibitions where we can interact with more prospective customers directly. Although we have our back-end marketing team, this kind of platform is very important where we can strengthen the customer base, discuss our solutions and showcase our products physically,” he adds.
