Covert marker firm YPB unveils plan to buy US printer

Anti-counterfeit company YPB has expanded its business via an agreement to acquire US printer Continuous Forms Control (CFC).

The deal gives Australia-listed YPB a revenue stream from providing printing services to the packaging, fashion label and pharmaceutical sectors as well as a platform that it can use to help roll its anti-counterfeit technologies into the US market and in other markets around the world.

YPB's anti-counterfeit portfolio includes covert tracer compounds, scanners to identify them in the field and a mobile app called Brand Reporter that allows brand owners to track and report counterfeit or divergent products within supply chains or at point of sale.

The company has just announced that it has started shipping supplies of its tracers, master batch and scanners to customers under contracts that could bring in A$26m [$20m] in gross revenues and protect "hundreds of millions, and potentially billions" of items … in China."

Among its clients, YPB has a five-year supply agreement with Shenzhen Shensaier - which supplies the tobacco industry - and Hicap which provides bottle closures.

YPB said the acquisition will allow it to apply its tracer technology to inks used in label printing at CFC, which can then be detected using its scanner technology while Brand Reporter will be used to scan printed codes on packaging. CFC's sales teams will promote YPB's portfolio to existing and new customers.

"With this agreement, YPB has clear sight of ongoing revenues," said the Australian firm's chief executive John Houston, who suggested there is particular potential for new deals among brand name clients in the apparel and fashion sectors."