Carmarthenshire-based Haydale Graphene Industries (www.haydale.com) has filed a UK patent application for its anti-counterfeiting technology.

The company’s PATit technology uses proprietary software codes and a speciality graphene-based transparent conductive ink that enables counterfeiting devices to ‘read’ its unique ink when it has been printed on a product label or other material.

The verification of a product is carried out by smartphone or tablet, using a special API code that allows the reader to identify the encoded graphene-based ink.

Ray Gibbs, chief executive of Haydale (pictured), said: “This patent filing allows us to start commercial discussions with potential customers for the speciality graphene-based inks developed by our Thailand operation.

“The Asia-Pacific region is forecast to be the fastest-growing region for anti-counterfeiting packaging, and we are ideally placed to maximise on this growing market opportunity.

“We are exploring areas of interest to governments and producers seeking to protect brands and reduce the growing incidence of counterfeit goods.

“The immediate targets for licensing our technology will be in markets such as tobacco, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages.”