Brand Protection Cast in Plaster.

Knauf Gips KG, based in Iphofen (Germany), is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of construction materials and a corporation with worldwide operations. In recent years, Knauf’s Eastern European commitment has made an increasingly important contribution to the company’s business development. One of the focal areas is the Russian market on which Knauf has been present since 1993. Today the company is one of the major German direct investors in Russia and the market leader with gypsum- and cement-based plaster and tile products.  

That this success has undesirable consequences, as well, was something Knauf’s management came to find out quickly: As brand awareness increased, so did the incidence of product counterfeiting.

An exacting requirement, which Schreiner ProSecure’s specialists successfully addressed in every respect. For authenticity protection of Knauf’s products, they developed an innovative security solution offering a high level of product protection as well as meeting economic requirements. To achieve this, Schreiner ProSecure worked together with the packaging manufacturer supplying all the paper bags for Knauf’s plaster products from the beginning of the project.  

The right combination does it

Schreiner ProSecure’s solution to create Knauf’s authenticity seal is as secure as it is attractive. Its trick is the special combination of overt and covert security features to protect the product and verify its authenticity, including the possibility of customers performing the checks.    

Knauf’s authenticity seal is made of security paper with very good adhesion properties. The second seal generation shows its particular effect in contact with body heat: the thermo-reactive print used for the text. When touching the surface, with a fingertip for example, the resulting increase in temperature will cause the print to change its color. With Knauf’s seal, the change is from blue to transparent. This combination of divers security features gives customers a fascinating product experience and actively involves them in the performance of authenticity checks.

Knauf’s executive Bernd Hofmann confirms that the investment in authenticity protection pays off: “The innovative solution we now have for the protection of our Rotband products helps to safeguard our market share and, for the medium term, improve our sales on the Russian market.