Anti-counterfeit material from PolyOne ensures brand protection

AUSTIN –Versaflex CE TPE materials in combination with Percept Authentication Technologies are now giving brand owners the protection they need to alleviate counterfeiting, especially for consumer electronics. PolyOne GLS Thermoplastic Elastomers’ material innovation can reduce the risks as a result of fraudulent goods such as phone cases, smart watches, headphones, earbuds and other wearable electronics.

Designing innovative consumer products require innovation to protect brand equity, differentiated offering and overall revenues. Charles Page, director of global marketing, PolyOne GLS Thermoplastic Elastomers said that the company’s new solution combines Percept’s anti-counterfeiting ability with the haptics and durability of Versaflex CE TPEs. “In 2013, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security logged $145 million worth of counterfeit consumer electronics entering the country, and this material was developed to help counteract the trend,” according to Page.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2013 reported that consumer electronics accounted for 20 percent of intellectual property rights seizures – next only to apparel. Another study (Canon Study) indicated that a significant number of U.S. consumers lack a full understanding of the possible safety risks and the true long-term costs of counterfeit electronics.

Percept technologies can be customized to meet a various processing requirements and conditions, end-use applications, and authentication techniques based on overt, covert, or forensic-based approaches. These solutions are now enabling brand owners to readily identify counterfeit products with easy-to-use methods based on additives and unique identifiers called taggants.