Nassau – A Spectacular Setting for HSP LatAm 2023

Nassau, the Bahamas was the spectacular setting for the 10th HSP (High Security Printing) Latin America conference, which welcomed 250 delegates from 118 organisations and 36 countries, over half from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Following the completion of the Bahamas’ new CRISP Evolution series back in 2021, Nassau seemed like the natural choice to locate this year’s HSP Latin America. Indeed, the event was originally scheduled to take place two years ago, to coincide with the completion, until COVID got in the way.

The conference opened with two seminars, with Regula Forensics running the currency-related one, titled ‘Fighting Counterfeiting and Adulteration of Documents and Banknote Forensics’, which provided an introduction to forensic sciences and the classification of research items related to documents and currency, along with a study of the specialty of criminalistics in this field.

The main programme was opened by Derek Rolle, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of the Bahamas (CBB), welcoming delegates and providing an introduction to the country and its environment, and the role of the central bank in its economy.

Presentations followed from the CBB on highlights of its currency programme and changes across the most recent family of banknotes, and from Landqart (the substrate supplier for the higher denominations and platinum sponsor for the event) on durability and creativity when developing new note series and how it pushed the technological boundaries for the new Bahamian series.

The programme then split into the separate currency and ID tracks, with the currency sessions covering Regional Currency Developments, Production and Print, Substrates and Features and Sustainability and the Environment.

Regional developments

In the first currency track, delegates heard from the Central Bank of Bolivia on how its new series has brought down counterfeiting levels and from the Bank of Mexico on ‘what comes next’, specifically the work undertaken after issuing the new G series (which it completed in 2021). The Bank is now focusing on the automation of counterfeit analysis and the study of raw materials, features and technologies through its Methodology for the Analysis of Security Features (MEAS), which it described in detail. This methodology is being applied to the development of a contingency feature (a micro-optics stripe), which it aims to have concluded by 2024 with the launch of a new housenote.

CCL Secure spoke on the facts behind polymer, with an emphasis on sustainability and examples of successful recycling strategies in Costa Rica and Mexico, both of which are recycling 100% of their end of life polymer banknotes.

A further presentation from the CBB, meanwhile, looked at the experience to date of the Sand Dollar, a digital version of the Bahamian currency and the world’s first Central Bank Digital Currency. It is early days still, with take-up low, but the CBB has a number of initiatives in the pipeline to increase adoption, including integration with government offices so that the Sand Dollar can be used for payments, the development of a functional offline solution and a roll-out in the many islands that make up the Bahamas through community visits and seeding Sand Dollar wallets through giveaways and promotions.

Production and print

The second currency session, on Production and Print, looked at the implementation of lean manufacturing strategies at the Bank of Mexico to increase productivity and standardise processes given increased demand for banknotes in the country.

Canadian Banknote spoke on the topic of ‘embracing choice’ (it was another key supplier for the new Bahamian series) and the innovation that was generated through partnership with other suppliers.

Delegates also heard from Seprinto about the pros and cons of new versus refurbished banknote printing presses, whilst De La Rue’s presentation focused on a celebration of polymer notes in the Caribbean, having in the last few years created new series on SAFEGUARD® for Trinidad and Tobago, the East Caribbean, Barbados and, most recently, Jamaica. A particular emphasis was made on the designs and features in the notes for the visually-impaired, given the high incidence of adults with vision loss in the region.

Substrates and features

The session on Substrates and Features saw presentations from Oberthur Fiduciaire on its new micro-optics thread Pulsar™, combining colour shift and dynamic effects; from Hueck Folien on holographic stripes (with special examples designed featuring Caribbean marine life); from IQ Structures on its use of artificial intelligence to assist (but not, it was at pains to point out, replace) hologram designers; from SURYS on its new generation of plasmonic features based on nano-structures for windows in polymer notes; and from PWPW on the commemorative note recently launched to celebrate the life of the renowned Polish astronomer Nicolas Copernicus.

Sustainability

The fifth session switched to Sustainability and the Environment, with presentations from Louisenthal on combining sustainability, durability and security in banknotes through its Green Banknote initiative, from Hunkeler on sustainability in the banknote destruction process, and from BlendPaper of Brazil, who took delegates through its work on recycling banknote waste (see CN May 2023).

Jura, meanwhile, focused on environmentally friendly intaglio printing solutions, in particular its new S-DLE (Steel Direct Laser Engraving) technology , which it described as a showstopper. Tests have shown that the new material and process dramatically speed up the platemaking process, reduce costs and benefit the environment by doing away with galvanic chroming. All without any loss of quality.

A highlight of the event was the conference dinner in the gardens of the Grand Hayat Baha Mar and the presentation of the Regional Banknote and Regional ID Document of the Year awards.

Reconnaissance is now shifting its focus to the HSP Asia event, which takes place in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 4-6 December. HSP Latin America 2024 will be going to Santiago, Chile next June.