Nanotech wins security label contract with Concacaf

Canadian brand protection firm Nanotech Security will deploy its technologies to protect official merchandise from Concacaf, the international football association.

Nanotech says it is the exclusive supplier of authentication labels to Concacaf – the  Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football, which is one of FIFA’s six continental governing bodies.

The contract will extend through the Concacaf 2021 Gold Cup, the latest instalment of the biennial international men's soccer championship that is due to take place in July next year – pandemic allowing of course – and is the region’s flagship event.

Last year’s final match between the Mexico and USA men’s national teams was attended by more than 60,000 fans at Chicago’s Soldier Field and was viewed by a record audience of 8.5m people from across the Concacaf region.

The labels providing by the Vancouver-based company will be protected with its LiveOptik technology, a nanoscale optical platform that according to the company can be used to deliver “multi-colour, 3D depth, movement, and image switches” to stripes, threads, and security labels, making them nearly impossible to replicate or reverse engineer.

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Identification markers including serial numbers, covert elements, and other unique identifiers coupled with Nanotech’s technology will be deployed to fight fake merchandise and report royalties from licensees, according to the company.

Only verified Concacaf licensees will be permitted to purchase the labels supplied by Nanotech. It said in a statement.

“Nanotech has a very positive track record in brand protection and this agreement will really benefit Concacaf as we explore exciting new merchandise options for our 2021 Gold Cup,” said Concacaf chief commercial officer Heidi Pellerano.

“It will enable us to protect our products and brands, and it will provide fans with the certainty of knowing that when they purchase team jerseys, memorabilia or other goods at our events, and from our licensed vendors, they will be buying the real thing,” she added.