Printing weapon to beat brand robbers

A local business is doing its part to fight brand theft.

Adhesif Print director Rob Warren says brand theft is the fastest growing form of commercial piracy in the world.

Brand theft occurs when someone copies a product's brand or logo and sells it as their own. Pirated products are often cheaper and of lower quality.

Mr Warren says brand theft can ruin a company's reputation because some copies are so perfect it is almost impossible for distributors and consumers to spot the difference.

Companies that don't take measures to protect their brands against theft expose themselves to costly lawsuits because the pirated copies are so professional, it's impossible to prove they are not their own, he says.

Mr Warren's company has three new printing machines that enable his team to add up to 13 protections on printed labels, making brand theft almost impossible.

The Swiss machines are the only ones of their kind in New Zealand.

Brand-label protection provides a simple brand authentication, such as an intricate watermark or hologram, which is very difficult to reproduce.

He is encouraging clients to opt for the brand-label protection when they have labels printed in his factory.

He urges the public to buy reputable brands from reputable companies.

He says brand theft is becoming more common as technology advances and it is especially dangerous to buy medication and health products from unknown sources.

And Mr Warren warns people to be especially careful when buying products over the internet.

Adhesif Print was founded in 1981 and operates 24 hours a day in plants in East Tamaki and Sydney.

The company employs 75 staff.

- © Fairfax NZ News