The purchasing question
Who needs to authenticate the document, and under what conditions?A visible effect and a machine-readable feature serve different users. Demand depends on the protected document and how it is issued or renewed.
| Compare | Examine | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Public inspection | A visible or tactile feature | Usability within the printed design |
| Equipment-assisted check | A feature read using equipment | Compatibility with the reader and print process |
| Issuance and renewal | Protected documents produced or replaced | A purchasing cycle distinct from population growth |
Begin with the user of the security feature.
SICPA describes overt features that people can inspect directly and features that require equipment. Its security-ink portfolio also spans different printing processes. [1] A security effect is therefore part of a combined ink, substrate, print and authentication system.
Compare the task first: a quick public check, automated sorting or a controlled examination. More sophisticated features do not automatically replace simpler ones; they may serve different users within the same document.
Print compatibility connects the formulation to demand.
The relevant unit is a defined ink used in a defined print layer. Coverage, applied mass, production losses and print runs connect the quantity of documents to the quantity purchased. Document counts alone cannot supply those factors.
Changing a feature can alter the printing operation or reader requirement as well as the formulation. Assess the complete production change before comparing ink prices or estimating substitution.
Renewal creates a different demand clock.
SICPA’s identity-document portfolio includes passport and ID applications, with overt, covert and forensic features. [2] New issuance, replacement and a security-design change can each generate demand, but follow different schedules.
Separate documents newly issued from documents reissued under a changed specification. A one-time design transition can raise orders without establishing the same long-term annual growth.
Use a document-level demand bridge.
Build the opportunity from document type, production programme, adopted feature and qualified formulation. Examine renewal schedules and printer capacity alongside the procurement calendar.
For the buyer, compare authentication function and production compatibility. For the supplier, distinguish the addressable application from the specific programmes for which its formulation is accepted.
Sources & scope
The examples explain feature and application boundaries. Document quantities, formulation consumption and procurement cycles require programme-specific evidence.
- SICPA — security inks
Authentication functions and printing processes; reviewed 3 October 2026.
- SICPA — high security documents
Document applications and authentication levels; reviewed 3 October 2026.
A question about your market?
Discuss the product, application or geography you need the research to cover.
Discuss your research needs