LocatorX launches product certificate authority™ to fight product counterfeiting

LocatorX, which provides accurate, inexpensive and flexible tracking technology to companies across a variety of industries, today announced the launch of its Product Certificate Authority™ (PCA) solution to further help manufacturers, retailers and consumers fight product counterfeiting at every level.

PCA from LocatorX enables companies to enroll and provide the proprietary information necessary within a Certified QR Code to authenticate the legitimacy of their products. This certification ensures that logistics and supply chain partners are shipping, receiving and delivering authentic products in whatever form they’re shipped. PCA works with the LocatorX ProductScan™ smartphone app to authenticate the legitimacy of any product enrolled in its certification program
“Counterfeiting and pirating of commercial goods is a massive global challenge,” said Pat Pickren, Chief Technology Officer, LocatorX. “It’s estimated that roughly $1 trillion in commercial value was lost to counterfeit and pirated goods just five years ago, and that problem could triple by 2022. Not only does this affect a company’s bottom line, but it also damages their reputation and even their workforce.”
PCA can be applied to individual units, boxes, cartons, crates or pallets, with low-cost, low-margin items tagged with unique Certified Quick Response (CQR) codes and higher value products receiving tags containing low-cost chips for added security. Unique CQRs and advanced tracking logic virtually eliminate a counterfeiter’s ability to copy the tags and re-use them.
“The need for authentication of goods is clear, and stakeholders for such authentication capabilities include virtually everyone who makes, transports, buys or inspects the goods in question,” said Scott Fletcher, President and CEO, LocatorX. “Customs agents, distributors, retailers and customers all want to be sure that the items they’re processing, selling or purchasing are what they claim to be.”
LocatorX technology enables brands and consumers to access an item’s current location and audit trail from its origin, protecting against theft, counterfeiting, and product diversion while increasing consumer engagement with manufacturers.