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Security CertificationThe IHMA has joined with Intergraf, the European Printers Federation, to provide a certification scheme for secure hologram producers. The scheme is designed to make it easier for customers to recognise those producers that have secure premises and produce their holograms in compliance with secure monitoring and control procedures. The scheme relates to premises, procedures and personnel and certification covers origination, pre-press, manufacturing and finishing.
The scheme, which is a development of the Intergraf security printer certification scheme launched in 2003, is established under the auspices of the Comité Européen de Normalisation (CEN – the European Committee for Standardization) as a CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA). CEN is a participant in the International Standards Organisation (ISO) so the certificate is recognised globally by all ISO affiliated organisations. There are two categories of certification – security hologram producer and high security hologram producer, differentiated by their level of premise and procedures security.
To date, two IHMA member companies have been certified to the high security level – Hologram Industries (France) and MTM (Turkey) and four to the standard security level – Hologram Company Rako (Germany), API (UK), Centro Grafico (Italy) and OpSec (US and UK).
Any hologram producer can apply to be certified, but IHMA members benefit from discounts on the fees. At the core of the scheme are two documents: the Risk Inventory Checklist & Implementation Guide (RIC) available only from Intergraf, and the RIC Hologram Addendum prepared by the IHMA, which specifies, varies or adds to the parts of the RIC that apply to hologram producers.
Applications in the first instance should be submitted to Intergraf for submission to its approvals committee, which will check the legitimacy of the applicant with Interpol and other appropriate organisations, including the IHMA. Once approved, the applicant will receive copies of the RIC and the Hologram Addendum, and when they are confident that they meet the specifications laid down in those documents, they apply to be inspected. If the inspector (accredited to ISO audit standards with supplemental training for the hologram scheme) agrees that they meet the requirements, Intergraf and the IHMA will be instructed to issue the certificate. There will be a ‘maintenance’ audit inspection every three years.
The fees for the scheme are:
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