Which businesses need to use security seals?

If you are regular visitors to the Precintia website, you will have seen that our motto is “sealing the world“. But … which world are we talking about? What “things” require a security seal? What kind of businesses need them? Security seals are tiny passive security devices that may go unnoticed by most people unless we sharpen our eyes a little. However, they play an essential role for many companies. Let’s see what tasks they help them with and which sectors they are most used in. Let’s get started!

1. Security seals in the food sector

The history of security seals begins in parallel with the monitoring rules and regulations of a few key sectors. One such is the food industry, since only proper tracking of the traceability of food guarantees the safety of its consumption by human beings.

Therefore, in the food industry, security seals are widely used, and documenting the manufacturing process is required as a preventive security measure. At the same time, they facilitate the identification of some key products, such as in the case of seals for Ibérico ham: the strap seals and labels that accompany them identify their origin and the type of product as a quality control measure.

2. Security seals in the health and chemical sectors

The healthcare sector shares characteristics with food, and includes the handling of samples, cultures, biological and chemical products, medicines and even organs require extreme security in terms of their traceability and unauthorized handling. The risk of contagion or alteration of such delicate products makes it necessary to use security seals for their identification and to detect possible anomalies in the transport process.

On the other hand, the use of security seals is widespread for the monitoring of emergency first aid medical material since, in extreme situations, they ensure that the rescue aid and support kits are in perfect condition.

3. Security seals in transport and logistics

The logistics sector has become more complex with the increase in international exchanges and the emergence of new technologies in modes of transport and purchase.

In these cases, security seals comply with international regulations that make them compatible in goods trading between different countries and different transport systems.

Their applications vary depending on the type of transport:

Seals on trucks as part of ground transportation

We have security seals for trucks, which are installed on the vehicle doors to prevent their unauthorized opening. But they are also installed inside their machinery; where plug-type seals are integrated into the tachographs that collect information about the activity of the trailer. The objective in this other case is to prevent manipulation of data from these tachographs, which are highly regulated devices.

Security seals on maritime containers

Maritime transport is one of the main international freight modes. The vicissitudes experienced by maritime containers during their journey are complex and involve numerous agents.

The function of the seals is clear then: they ensure maximum protection against the containers being opened. This is why barrier seals are the most commonly used on maritime containers. In addition, they function as an identification method for the goods being transported inside the containers.

Seals in the air transport of both goods and passengers

Air transport, with its limitations and peculiarities, has a wide range of applications for security seals. At first glance, it may seem that the task they perform is similar to in other forms of transport: labelling and protecting merchandise in the hold of the plane, whether it be a passenger or cargo aircraft. And, of course, they must comply with the regulations.

However, applications of security seals are not limited to the actual plane, and we find them on things such as catering trolleys, as well as on cash bags for in-flight sales and on first aid kits and life jackets.

4. Seals to ensure the accuracy of gas and electricity meters

One type of fraud that most complicate life for electricity and gas companies is tampering with the meters that measure consumption. For this purpose, metering systems have been modernized and redesigned including digital technology.

However, even with the new advances, the use of security seals has not diminished, since they remain a key security element in electricity and gas meters. Of course the design of security seals for all types of meters has also evolved, in an ongoing search for effective and ultra-secure formulas. In the end, that little button you can see on the electricity or gas meter is the first obstacle that guarantees the veracity of your consumption information.

5. The relationship between seals and the financial sector

Digitalization has revolutionized the operation of the financial sector, but it has not altered one of the central tasks carried out between banks and organisations: the handling of cash. Such a delicate product requires exceptional security measures. In this sense, security seals are one more cog in the gear, and complement the seals on security bags transporting cash.

6. Security seals in online startups and e-commerce

The rise of online commerce has created specific protection needs that require the use of security seals. These new players are especially e-commerce companies which move high-value products or want to provide extra security to their shipments in order to persuade their most suspicious customers. In some cases they use strap seals in combination with security bags and/or void labels.

7. Industrial security seals

Finally, we must emphasize that security seals in the industrial sector have many different uses due to the great heterogeneity of companies in the fiels. Among them, we can find:

• Sealing all kinds of machinery.
• Protection of intellectual protection and confidential documents.
• Securing kits in transport.

In summary

This list includes the majority of businesses that need security seals for their correct operation. However, the rapid development of the economic system predicts that new applications will emerge. If this is your case, we look forward to modelling and adapting our products to your needs. And while we wait to hear from you, we will continue with our mission of “sealing the world”.