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With the range and breadth of security seals on the market, it can be very challenging for the uninitiated to know which seal to choose to best suit their needs. From the outset, it is recommended that the decision-maker considers the purpose of the security seal in relation to the application. Considering some of the fundamentals from the outset will help to select the right seal for the job…

…why is the user sealing the enclosure in the first place? Is it for loss prevention, safety purposes, product integrity, brand assurance...?

…what type of goods will be protected? What is the value of the goods?

…where is the seal going, and how? Cross-border shipments are subject to customs regulations which will affect the seals that can be used

…what kind of resistance is required? What are the consequences should if the security seal has been broken or tampered with?

…what environment is the seal being used in? What is the operating temperature? How long does the seal need to last for?

Answers to these questions will have a bearing on the material, form, shape, strength of the most appropriate security seal.

It should also be noted that a security seal alone cannot provide an iron-clad guarantee of integrity. No manufacturer anywhere in the world can say with complete certainty that – given enough time, appropriate circumstances, resources, skills and ingenuity – their security seals are undefeatable... but this is also true of safes, door looks, padlocks and alarms. Security seals should always be used as one layer within an ‘onion skin’ of security (view our guide to security protocols).

With this said, below we note some key characteristics of seals you should consider when choosing the most suitable. Try out our handy filtering tools shown on our main security seals category to find a product matching your needs.

Universeal UK has been supplying security seals since 1992, and we are one of the leading organisations in the industry. Please email [email protected] for more information on our range and how we can assist. For advice on using security seals within a wider security program, please continue reading our next article in the series, Security Protocols: Making Security Seals work for You.

This article is the second of four, looking at how security seals can fit within your wider security protocols. View Series below...

1.        What are Security Seals?
2.        Choosing the Best Security Seal for the Job
3.        Security Protocols: Making Security Seals work for you
4.        Glossary – Understanding security seal terminology

Universeal UK is a major manufacturer and distributor of tamper-evident security seals based here in UK; however, we have many other strings to our bow!

We are now a major provider of security and asset labels, identification ties, specialised ferrules and sealing wire for meters, as well as single-trip and reusable security cash and mailing bags.

Further than that, over the past few years we have also worked closely with many customers on developing or sourcing safety lockout, storage and tag solutions for many other types of use.  This includes products for the safe lockout of industrial equipment; inspection tags for incorporation within periodic inspection regimes; tote boxes for archival and retail storage; as well as ties and tags for food-contact applications.

Please take a look below at examples of other product ranges we can help you with:-

	Safety Lockout Products
	Inspection Tags
	Security Labels
	Security Pouches and Mailing Bags
	ALC Storage Tote Boxes & Tote Security Seals
	Food-Contact Ties and Tags

All of our products can be customised with bespoke printed information to suit your particular application and requirements.

Please get in touch on [email protected] or 01829 760000 to see how Universeal UK can help.

Sending parcels and documents, at home and abroad, is always fraught with risks; once it leaves your sight, who knows really who might attempt to access, steal or otherwise interfere with the consignment you are sending?

Couriered parcels are usually handled by many parties, including multiple handlers at local and regional courier depots; third-party drivers; customs inspectors, airport handlers and more. Each step in the process involves the potential for access, tampering or theft. Such access need not necessarily be illegitimate – for example, customs authorities, as part of the controlled flow of goods, are required on occasion to visually inspect the contents of a consignment to check that they conform to the description noted in export paperwork.

The problem is knowing whether or not your consignment has been handled or damaged – and whether inspections of valuable, fragile or sensitive items need to be carried out to ensure that they have not been compromised.

Without actually being there, how can you do this? One way is to secure your consignment is with tamper-evident security labels or security tape. There are many types of security label or security tape, suited to the particular requirements of the item to be sealed:-

		Residue security labels; designed so that when peeled back they leave a mark or residue on the application surface to which they were applied.
		Non-residue security labels; designed so that when removed they visually deform on the labels surface, leaving the application surface clear.
		Residue Security Tape; suitable for sealing cardboard boxes and other containers – it can be used in conjunction with a normal packaging tape dispenser. The tape is marked and leaves a VOID on the sealed packaging upon removal.
		Plain Security Tape; a plain tape which looks visually very similar to traditional brown packaging tape, so as to avoid any unnecessary attention from opportunists. However, once the tape is removed a VOID residue is left upon the box.

Such products can be applied to seal and secure any flat surface, such as inner packaging, cartons, mail bags and envelopes, to deter and minimise the risks of opening. Once applied, such labels or tape act as a quick visual reference for the user as to whether or not sealed items have been accessed: once opened, the product physically and permanently changes state with a VOID message appearing on the surface of the product.

This gives control back to the company or individual sending the parcel: for example, using tamper-evident labels will ensure that customs handlers record checks made on consignments, giving you more information on which items have been opened and handled during transit.

Take a cardboard box for example, lacking any sort of locking hasp to accommodate a plastic security seal, security labels can be placed across a carton’s point of access. This ensures that a handler, for example a custom official, is required to peel back or cut the label.

The incorporation of sequential numbering onto security labels also means that they cannot simply be easily replaced to conceal the opening; when the consignment reaches its destination, it is clear if it has been searched because recorded numbers will not match.

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Of course, security labels aren’t just limited to this sort of application, they can be used in many different ways such as asset identification and to display warranty and servicing information. Some security labels also employ other methods of tamper evidence like the destructible label, which fragments upon removal – meaning that it is impossible to remove and re-instate. 

Asset Labels	Warranty labels	Void polyester labels	Vinyl Destructible Labels

For further information please visit our Security Tapes & Labels area of our website or alternatively you can call us to discuss your requirements.