Koenig and Bauer introduces a verification app - ava at PS26

Sascha Fischer addressed Print Summit 2026 on 4 February at the NCPA in Mumbai, shifting the industry focus from traditional machine hardware to digital value-addition. His presentation, titled Protected at Print, outlined a shift for printers to move beyond cost-based competition by adopting security technologies previously reserved for high-value currency. 

Fischer argued that by integrating protection into consumer packaging, printers can offer brand owners a business model that protects against counterfeiting, fraud, and the erosion of brand value.

The system's technical foundation relies on steganography technology integrated into the pre-press stage. This involves embedding a specific, invisible pattern into the raster imaging processor (RIP) file before plates are produced. These elements can be integrated into either the primary printing plates or the varnish plate without altering the final artwork’s visual appearance. Because these patterns are embedded at the file level, Fischer noted, they are virtually impossible to reproduce through conventional scanning or copying, providing a ghost-loop of security that remains undetected by the human eye.

Verification of these secure prints is managed through a single mobile platform, a verification app - ava. This application allows consumers and brand owners to scan a product and receive an instant report on its authenticity. 

Beyond simple verification, the digital-to-physical connection provides brand owners with global visibility, allowing them to track where their products are being validated in real time. Fischer emphasised that this system offers a milestone for printers to lead marketing campaigns and augmented reality experiences without relying solely on external digital agencies.

Fischer highlighted India as a primary market for this new certification scheme, inviting local printers to lead the first wave of implementation. 

Supported by its Indian partner, Indo Polygraph Machinery, Koenig and Bauer aims to provide the training and certification necessary for printers to include these security features as a premium added value. The initiative bridges the gap between physical manufacturing and the digital tracking requirements of modern pharmaceutical and luxury goods industries.