The company, which is part of the API Group, can also now work with customers to produce specific patterns in addition to its standard circular and hexagon shapes, that show up if the seal is tampered with.

The label bases enable customers to incorporate both tamper evident and holographic security features into self-adhesive security labels to protect their products. The system makes tamper detection easy as it is impossible to re-seal.

The label base material is suitable for over printing and sequential numbering and it can be supplied with chemical markers. It is available in silver, high-refractive index and gold and can be hard embossed with the customer’s own design before a pressure sensitive adhesive is applied and die cut.

API Holographics managing director Stephen Clarke said: "The threat from counterfeiters is growing all the time and they’re showing real ingenuity and have a desire to move into new markets. It means that companies are searching our security label solutions that have the technical quality and absolute consistency to protect their customers and end-users from the potential safety, quality and reliability issues of illegal counterfeit goods."

The £100m-turnover API Group operates 14 facilities worldwide and has over 500 employees. Last week it announced a 123% increase in pre-tax profits to £2.9m in the six months to the end of September.