Lentech Korea, a South Korean security system developer, aims to go global with its new anti-forgery technology called Seegram, which inscribes hidden micro patterns on products to prove their authenticity.

The company said the coated patterns with a thickness of just 0.17 millimeter are never worn-out and impossible to duplicate. So the technology can be used widely not just on products, but also on passports and identification cards.

Combining optical engineering and semiconductor technologies, the 3-D micro patterns are invisible in close proximity but they appear when viewed from a distance. They can be corporate logos or letters depending on clients’ demands.

The company expects Seegram to replace current anti-forgery technologies such as holograms, radio frequency identification or RFID, and micro lenses.

The complicated hologram patterns are hardly recognizable by ordinary consumers, while RFID requires an extra reader. The convex surface of a micro lens can wear away and be duplicated.

Lentech Korea said it has signed supply deals with Korean and global clients, including Japan’s riding ware manufacturer Komine and Korean cosmetics companies.

Talks are also underway with famous fashion houses, including Luis Vuitton, to provide the technology to prevent counterfeit products.

“The demand is growing among global companies as they struggle to fight against fake products,” said Lentech Korea CEO Ahn Byung-hee.

“We plan to launch a new ultrathin product within the year to be used on currencies or identification cards.”

According to Havoscope, a research firm on black market activities around the world, the global market for fake products is growing at the rate of 20-30 percent every year, exceeding $630 billion in 2012. Korea is in the top-10 markets with $26 billion in counterfeit sales.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)