Types of security ink used by security printing companies UK

Types of security ink used by security printing companies UK

Security inks are used as an added security measure to protect printed materials from fraud. There are several different types of security ink used, listed below are some of the most commonly used by security printing companies UK. All are highly effective protection against counterfeiting methods.

Magnetic ink

Predominantly used for numbering and serialisation, this ink contains minute magnetic flakes that enable a number to be read and processed by a machine. This ink is commonly used by cheque printers at the bottom of cheque printing paper where the account number and bank’s sort code appear.

Invisible ink

Invisible ultra violet ink is the most commonly used security ink. It is not visible to the naked eye and only shows when placed under a UV lamp. Most often used for cheque printing it’s necessary to initially apply invisible ink to a UV dull substrate or it won’t be visible.

Thermochromic Ink

This temperature sensitive ink is visible only in certain conditions, for instance at different temperate ranges. It can change when rubbed or touched, and is often used on labels or packaging to create a colour change when cooled.

Reactive Inks

Solvent sensitive ink is tamper evident, showing a clear indicator if an attempt to remove or alter information has been made. This ink is most regularly used on cheques or watermarks and shows a clear change in colour if an alteration attempt has been made.

Metameric Inks

Working on the principle of metamerism, these inks combine two colours that match under a single set of lighting conditions and can look different under another. This can show features that are not visible in certain conditions, such as the appearance of a number when placed under a red filter.

Optically variable ink

OVIs contain minuscule flakes of special film which changes colour when viewed at different angles. As an expensive ink, it is generally used only in small areas and is sometimes printed using the silk screen process.

Here at Hague Print, every year we supply billions of security labels that help protect the products and reputations of our clients in different industries. Our range includes tamper-evident seals, asset management labels, integrated security labels and custom-made label solutions. We use highly secure designs and can include measures such as security inks and holograms.

Enquire now to find out more about our security printing solutions and the measures we can take to protect your products.