Koenig & Bauer boosts product security in new initiative

Time：2025-09-19 From：News by Hannah Davenport

Koenig & Bauer is spearheading a new initiative to help tackle product piracy and protect brand security through print production.

The ‘protected at print’ scheme will feature security technologies that can be integrated directly into the printing process, which the German press manufacturer added will allow printing companies to expand their customer offer.

The first product launched this week through the initiative is varnish protect ‘aegis’. Using Stegano technology, the tool integrates hidden information like codes or images into the varnish layer of printed products, without affecting product design or existing production processes.

Printing companies can use ‘aegis’ for different customers and print jobs. The tool hopes to tackle product piracy, which Koenig & Bauer said costs companies billions each year.

“In a world where threats to product and brand security are constantly increasing, Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection offers important, innovative and reliable solutions,” said Julian Schubert, CEO of Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection.

“Varnish protect 'aegis' embodies our mission to make protection simple, smart and accessible to everyone. We are directly transferring our extensive expertise from high-security printing to provide other products with unparalleled protection.”

Brands that use the tool in their products can check authenticity using the ‘a verification app-ava’. This platform allows for quick offline verification of euro banknotes and activated packaging.

‘Aegis’ uses ready-to-use varnish plates that, like a standard varnish plate, can be manually adjusted to the print image and integrated into the flexo coating unit. According to the supplier it is compatible with a wide range of varnishes. 

Koenig & Bauer believes the initiative could help provide print companies with a competitive advantage and expand their business model, enabling businesses to move from being “mere service providers into fully-fledged protection partners”.

The firm added that the tool is ideal for protecting goods in markets such as baby food, health products, pharmaceuticals and toys.

Among a wide range of printing press equipment, Koenig & Bauer provides security printing for the production of banknotes, secure documents such as passports, along with tax stamps and tickets.