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A new carbon-based marking, tracing and validation technology developed by Dotz, that it says is virtually impossible to reverse-engineer, has been successfully tested in China.

Dotz, an Australian-listed tech company based in Israel, has developed ValiDotz security markers, which it bills as non-toxic markers that can be easily mixed into plastics, coatings, inks, and varnishes. The company also provides pocket-sized Inspec detectors to authenticate them.

According to Uzi Breier, CEO of Dotz, ValiDotz are resistant to temperature and shear force; can be inserted directly into polymers; feature multiple levels of security; and do not affect tagged products’ properties or appearance. They also require only low concentrations and feature multiple encoding combinations that can be changed if needed, he said.

“The Dotz end-to-end anti-counterfeiting technology is helping manufacturers protect their brands against the global US$2.2 trillion black market. Our taggants are virtually impossible for counterfeiters to reverse-engineer and can be easily adopted and customised for multiple applications,” said Breier.

In an industrial pilot on cigarette boxes in Shenzhen, China, ValiDotz were integrated into the customer’s ink system, which was followed by large-scale print runs on several substrates. The markers were then detected clearly at both covert and semi-forensic levels.

ValiDotz have also been tested in several polymer industry applications, and sold to European, American, and Asian clients.

Food & Drink Business

Turnover and employment are at record levels in Australia’s food and grocery manufacturing sector and exports are also climbing, according to Australian Food and Grocery Council’s (AFGC) latest State of the Industry report. But the figures came with a warning – ongoing pressure on margins and operating costs could weaken the sector’s capacity to invest and grow over the long term.

Woolworths Group reported Australian Food sales of $53.85 billion for F26, up 4.6 per cent, with segment EBIT of $2,953 million up 8.5 per cent on the prior year. Group sales reached $71.5 billion, up 3.6 per cent, with group EBIT before significant items of $3,105 million, up 12.7 per cent. Net profit after significant items was $1,138 million, up 18.1 per cent. 

Dr Mark Krstic, MD of the Australian Wine Research Institute, will be stepping down from his position at the end of 2026, following seven years of leadership and a total of 15 years of service to the Institute.