A FAMILY business based in Barugh Green is hoping to stop the rise in counterfeit goods after receiving a council grant.
JK Machinery, which specialises in the flexographic printing of labels and packaging, is in the process of developing a new type of security label which can be scanned by an app to quickly check if a product is authentic.
The company has already secured a patent for their innovative label design and is now ready to work on perfecting production of the prototype in bulk.
It has invested in a £9,000 printing press for this task – backed by a business productivity and digitalisation grant secured through Barnsley Council’s Enterprising Barnsley programme.
Jack Round, the firm’s technical director, said: “We’re very excited about developing this new type of security labelling for manufacturers and producers whose high-quality goods are often targeted by fraudsters trying to pass off their own fakes as the genuine article.
“The international trade in counterfeit goods has grown massively in recent years and we are keen to help our customers add more robust protection to their products.
“The grant has come at a perfect time to help us to purchase this costly machine which will not only allow us to develop our new product and bring it to market quicker, but also help us to increase production efficiency across the board.
“Everything would have been slower to achieve without the grant.”
Paul Johnson, business support advisor at Enterprising Barnsley, added: “JK Machinery is a great example of manufacturing business in Barnsley.
“Their commitment to advancement and innovation not only benefits their business, but also contributes to the fight against counterfeit goods on a global scale.
“Proving Barnsley is a fertile place where innovation and manufacturing can thrive.”
