IHMA sees hologram industry growth this year

Security applications will continue to drive growth in the hologram industry in 2015 as their role in anti-counterfeiting strategies is recognised, according to an industry trade group.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) suggests that holograms are "gaining traction" as part of multi-layered approach to adding security features to products in order to guard against counterfeiting.

IHMA general secretary Ian Lancaster believes that the trend towards layered solutions also means that consolidation will continue to occur among companies supplying security and traceability features as they try to provide broad technology offerings.

Larger companies offering authentication solutions are likely to acquire niche security and security printing hologram producers to offer customers single-source authentication solutions, according to the IHMA.

"There will be growth in all markets but those countries with an emerging middle class will probably see the highest," said Lancaster.

"This includes economies such as India where there's continued expansion, and our industry in India will reflect this with growth of up to 20 per cent, he predicted.