The Fifth International Security Printing Conference – Watermark Conference-2013 – took place in St. Petersburg, Russia, on 25-27 June 2013.
More than 330 delegates from 130 companies and 28 countries participated in the conference.
The Watermark Conference is the only security printing conference held on the territory of Russia every two years.
For the venue of the Watermark Conference we traditionally choose the most interesting Russian cities. The first conference was in St. Petersburg, and then the delegates were welcomed in Suzdal, Kazan and Rostov-on-Don. By popular requests of the delegates the fifth conference was held in St. Petersburg again.
The organizer of the conference is the Russian publishing house – Water Mark issuing the magazine about security products – “Vodyanoy Znak” (and its English Digest Watermark) and the magazine about coins and medals “Gold Chervonets”. Water Mark Ltd. is also the organizer of the international conference on commemorative coins COINS and the international Coin Constellation Contest held annually for mints and coin distributors from all over the world.
The Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Goznak”, Russia, became the General Sponsor of the Fifth Watermark Conference. The Honourable Sponsors were KBA-NotaSys and SICPA from Switzerland. The Silver Sponsor was Atlas-kard, Russia. Among the Sponsors: HoloGrate (Russia), Krypten (Russia), Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga – Security Papers (Russia), Gleitsmann Security Inks (Germany), Double V (Russia), Leonhard KURZ (Germany), OVD Kinegram (Switzerland), ARCONVERT (Italy).
The media partners of the conference were: the Watermark Magazine, the Analytical Banking Magazine, InterCrim-press Publishing and Printing House, the Banks and Business World Magazine, Carte Blanche Magazine, PLUS Journal, the National Banking Journal, Currency News.
Among the topics of the working sessions were the following: the development of security printing and banknotes manufacture industry; the development of banknote security complex; ID-documents and plastic cards; fighting counterfeiting and security features; security printing equipment; devices for banknote counting, packaging, and authentification.
The awarding ceremony of Watermark Banknote Awards was organized for the first time. It is the only contest of circulating banknotes in Russia.
The expert council of the Awards has evaluated the banknotes issued between 2011 and 2013 in 3 nominations: The Best New Currency Series, Harmony and Design showing the national character. The National Bank of Angola became the winner of the nomination The Best New Currency Series. The award for the best design showing the national character was given to the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus. Banque du Liban won in the nomination Harmony.
The delegates of the conference marked the information richness and distinct thematic structure of the 5th Watermark Conference. Each presentation not only covered the topic announced but also logically continued the presentations made before building a comprehensive information picture.
At the first session Arkady Trachuk, Director General of Goznak, told about the history of Goznak’s development through the prism of security features development. His presentation was called «From watermark to digital signature (to mark the 195th anniversary of Goznak)». On this occasion Goznak issued a commemorative banknote demonstrating the latest developments in security printing industry. This banknote was displayed at the exhibition organized within the conference. At Goznak’s booth one could see the plastic cards produced by the company, including the universal electronic card.
Goznak also represented its “non-printing” products, particularly the awarding medals of XXVII World University Summer Games (Kazan, July 2013) minted by the St. Petersburg Mint. The participants of the Watermark Conference could also buy Olympic badges “Sochi-2014”.
There were 15 booths at the exhibition of the 5th Watermark Conference.
Not only Goznak but also the following companies showed their developments at the booths: KBA-NotaSys (Switzerland); SICPA (Switzerland); HoloGrate (Russia); Double V (Russia) and its partners – ARCONVERT (Italy), Leonhard KURZ (Germany) and OVD Kinegram (Switzerland); Krypten (Russia); Mezhdunarodnaya Kniga – Security Papers (Russia); Gleitsmann Security Inks (Germany); Petrel (France); Optaglio Group (Czech Republic); Kugler-Womako (Germany); Cryptotech (Republic of Belarus); ART-Line Projekt (Germany) and Melzer Maschinenbau (Germany). The media partners and Water Mark Publishing House had their own booths at the exhibition.
Traditionally the Watermark Conference is notable for both rich working programme and cultural one. Many participants liked the place of the 5th Watermark Conference and Welcome Cocktail in the Summer Garden as well as the world famous Hermitage Museum and Peter and Paul Fortress where the delegates had a wonderful Gala Dinner on the occasion of the conference closing and the 195th anniversary of Goznak.
