Packaging Solutions and Brand Protection from MSO

At the forthcoming “Luxepack” exhibition in Monaca in October, they will be presenting their latest offering on brand protection in Packaging, and “track and trace” options for consumer verification and loyalty programmes.

MSO, which employs 300 people between its site in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and its site in Leicester, England, is targeting turnover in excess of £35 million this year. The vast majority of its sales are into the food, pharmaceutical, textile, drinks and health & beauty sectors, but its expansion plans are ambitious – thanks to the development of products for the European luxury goods market, and its unique security offerings which are attracting attention worldwide.

“Over the past three years we have grown our pharmaceutical profile to 30 per cent of our business, and the drinks sector to 20 per cent,” says Mr Christie.

And in the past two years, MSO has developed high levels of expertise in providing anti-counterfeit and brand protection solutions. “This development was driven by our successful efforts to solve particular problems being encountered by our clients on a global scale,” he says. “As a result, we now have a portfolio of security features we can include in any of the packaging we manufacture – and we can provide consultancy and advice to other companies and customers who are encountering problems in this field.”

There is a $1,000 billion global counterfeit market and MSO can clearly help with its labelling and packaging solutions, he adds. “Some of our solutions have allowed our customers to bring counterfeiters to book already, including providing evidence to allow custodial sentences to he handed down.”

In the pharmaceutical sector, manufacturers will have to comply with a whole series of new regulations and legislation on the way over the next two years. “MSO is ideally positioned to provide products such as track & trace technology, forensic taggants, hidden indicia and innovative products such as interactive holograms” says Mr Christie. “Our ability to offer carton, shaped tube and label supply, and to build multi-layered security solutions within this supply, is proving very attractive to many of our blue chip brand owning clients and we are keen to grow this area of our business.”