AN anti-counterfeiting specialist has invested £250,000 in new equipment to increase capacity and support future growth.

Washington, Wearside-based OpSec Security Group has also recently made a major investment to support its sales and marketing efforts, and has completed two acquisitions in the last 18 months which this investment will support.

The new equipment will support the manufacture of holographic products which are used worldwide to prevent counterfeiting.

OpSec customers include more than 40 governments and 100 firms and organisations.

Holographic protection is used in the production of passports, concert and sports tickets, banknotes, driving licences and national ID cards. The wafer-thin images help to protect the integrity of the products and deter fraudsters and counterfeiters.

The factory equipment was bought with support from Sunderland City Council, which offered the firm a capital equipment grant.

The council’s business investment team has worked with OpSec since it was set up in 1983. The group now employs 100 people at its North-East plant, with 400 employed globally.

Michael Currie, European financial firector at OpSec Security, said: “The new equipment is a major step forward for the company, as it will improve the speed of our supply times, and boost productivity of our excellent employees. Sunderland City Council has been a great support to the company, advising and assisting us practically and strategically for many years, which we really appreciate.”

Councillor Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “OpSec‘s exporting figures are excellent, and we’re delighted that with this equipment the group can now support future growth at its plant. The news of new contracts and successful acquisitions at OpSec gives grounds for optimism. It strengthens the city’s positive manufacturing sector performance.”