Holostik India Ltd. is a leader in providing customized anti-counterfeiting solutions. Please tell more about your group.
Ankit Gupta: tablished in the year 1991, we are an Indian multinational corporation creating anti-counterfeiting products and solutions using the latest technologies. With innovation, technology, values and sustainability as the core ingredients, we have evolved to be a global leader and thinker of our industry. In the endeavour to protect our customers’ brands and supply chains, we have constantly learnt and created solutions with the potential to change and secure lives.

We believe in the highest level of professionalism and quality, which is visible from the various certifications like IBA (Indian Banking Association), TUV ISO Certifications, Agmark, FICCI, PHD etc. And the countless accolades awarded to us by ASPA, IHMA for innovation in anti-counterfeiting technologies. Holostik has also won the award for being one of the “Most Innovative 100 Companies” in India by Inc. magazine. Some of our products are High Security Holograms and Labels, Wads, Shrink Sleeves and many more. Our Solutions start from authentication and go till complete inventory and supply chain management for our clients.

Over the last 25 years, we’ve reached many milestones be becoming the world’s largest producer of security holograms and serving more than 75 countries on the planet. By continuing our market leadership, we are able to deliver fully integrated customised anti-counterfeiting solutions that address your most important challenges – staying protected and profitable.

What makes 'Holostik India' apart from others/ what is the USP of yours?
Ankit Gupta: The Value system of Holostik differentiates it from the other players present in the market. It is not possible to trust anyone to build the anti-counterfeiting solutions for your brand. It took us more than 2 decades with a clean and proven track record to establish ourselves as industry leaders.

A part of many certifications include ISO 9001, 14001, 18001, & 27001, OHSAS and Indian Banks Association (IBA) to name a few. With a strong sales network in India, Holostik aims to deliver quality services for its customers.

 Over a period of time, we have evolved across many industries gaining strengths and expertise through their diversity. Holostik has own 50 percent of domestic market share and serves more than 75 countries on the planet with its anti-counterfeiting products and solutions

What specific you have for the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector?
Ankit Gupta: Today, India loses about 30,000 Crores annually due to counterfeiting and a majority of that comes from the revenue loss of SMEs. India's growth will come from the SME and today Holostik with a pan India sales network serves more than 5,000 SMEs. We understand that how today’s SMEs are facing revenue and brand loss due to the problem of counterfeiting and with our experience we can help solve that problem for them. We also understand every industry and company is different so we believe in creating customised solutions for each of our customers. We are actively serving more than 14 different industries like FMCG, Pharmaceuticals, Automobile etc., where we are providing customised solutions as per our clients’ requirements.

During the success journey of yours, what were the challenges you had gone through?
Ankit Gupta: Initially, there were many challenges that we overcame in our existence. From 1991 to 2000 it was difficult to make people understand the value and concept of holograms and anti-counterfeiting technologies in our country where people were less conscious about brand security. The other one being sourcing of technologies and raw materials. When we started in early 1990s and till early 2000 working without any data and statistics on this issue was a key challenge. Also, there was no industry at all like "Anti-Counterfeiting or Hologram Manufacturers".   These were broadly the challenges that we faced throughout our journey since 1991 till date.

And how you counter those challenges?
Ankit Gupta: We were the first one in India who took the initiative to organize the industry and became one of the founding members of ASPA – Authentication Solutions Providers’ Association (formally known as Hologram Manufacturers Association of India). Also there was a conscious effort on part of our founder and Chairman to share as much information about technologies and raw materials to encourage the growth of the industry. About a decade ago, it was a major decision for us to invest in the most advanced ERP then, SAP as a SME.

As part of our DNA, our major investments are our R&D centers and of course our workforce. Today, by using advanced technologies for our products and solutions, we provide customized anti-counterfeiting solutions which are impossible to replicate and therefore protect the brand name of our clients and help them to build trust factor for their customers.

Which issues are still challenges for you?
Ankit Gupta: One of the major issues is the acceptance for the problem of counterfeiting. Most of people in our country are not aware that there is something called “counterfeiting”. Lots of reports have been published on the counterfeiting in different industries which shows that it not only risks the economy but many innocent lives too.

Like any other solution provider, technological obsolescence is another challenge for our industry. The pace at which the technological changes are happening, to compete and to survive, we have to have cutting edge technology according to the latest market trends. Similarly, competition has also increased due to globalization. Years ago there were not many players in the industry, but today as the industry is growing, competition is also glowing simultaneously.

Would you like to say something to the government to facilitate this sector?
Ankit Gupta: Today, India comes on 5th position in the world on counterfeiting. The growing market of counterfeiting is not only playing with our economy but also with the life of innocents. We hear every day about fake degrees or fake automobile parts or fake medicines. Government needs to realize that 30,000 Crs. of revenue is lost due to counterfeiting itself apart from creating a bad brand for India as a global manufacturing destination.

Week implementation of the guidelines of BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards), also opens the scope for counterfeiting. Today, there is no set standard as per BIS guidelines which says that a BIS certified manufacturer should put the BIS mar/label in a tamper evident way hence losing its complete relevance. As then anyone including duplicator can use the same BIS Logo.

Also, the campaign by ASPA – "Make Sure India" can be used as a platform to spread awareness about the issue of counterfeiting to the mass audience.

Thanks to young manpower that India is becoming a global destination for different types of manufacturing companies, and this increases the chances of counterfeiting within the system. There are reports by FICCI and KPMG where statistics show that counterfeiting is not limited to a particular industry now, it is growing and spreading across various industries. Be it automobile, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, electronics or any other, counterfeiting is everywhere.

What are your future plans?
Ankit Gupta: Holostik aims to help various industries to protect their brands and products while ensure that consumers get "Seal of Genuineness" for all their products.

We expect to grow by 20% per annum which means more investment on R&D facilities. It will  not only help us to promote IT enabled security for many brands with visible and invisible security features but also make India a more secured and trustworthy destination for manufacturing facilities. With this, we also aim to continue to lead in our industry across the globe.