Security Seals throughout History
Since ancient times, people have been concerned with protecting their valuables against tampering and theft. Seven-thousand-year-old intricate stone carvings have been found that were pressed into clay to seal jars containing documents or valuables. Kings sealed their letters and sensitive documents with wax and the insignia borne exclusively on their personal ring as a means of evidencing tampering or premature opening of the sealed document. The signet also proved who the letter was from, or in modern terms, provided brand authentication.
How Do Today’s Security Seals Compare?
Today Security Seals offer some of the same practical uses, although technology has advanced far beyond wax and ring and the relatively simple means of bypassing them. Today’s security seals still provide brand protection, confirming a product’s originality and integrity, but they also offer higher security and make it more difficult for trained individuals to break or bypass the seals and tamper with or steal sealed goods.
Security Seals used in Transporting Goods in 1800s
In the eighteen hundreds the railroad car security seal was developed thanks to the railway robberies we often see in classic western movies. Around the same time, security seals and locks were utilised for mail delivery by horseback. Early advancements in metal smelting bolstered the industry.
Security Seals in the Industrial Revolution
With the industrial revolution in the 1900s came the necessity for a larger variety of seals and a first time capacity to mass produce seals of an even quality. The concept of name brand and company image grew, and with it the essential need for protecting branded goods from tampering. One example of this is corn farmers sealing the container carrying their produce in order to prevent contamination of the crop, protecting the end user and the good name of the company.
Higher Standards and Better Materials for Security Seals
The invention of plastic and the ability to mould and mass produce plastic items further advanced Security Seals, expanding the range, application, and ease of access to the product. As the travel industry grew, so did border customs rules and regulations, and soon an international body was established to provide standards of quality, namely the International Standards Organisation. Seals that complied with ISO rules and border customs rules became the industry standard.
Recent Advancements in Security Seal Technology
The creation of stronger and more complex locks and mixed metals or advanced materials that are more difficult to break but make minor tampering attempts evident also positively affected the industry. Bar-coding and laser marking of security seals made more advanced security practices possible on a large scale. Today we have a vast range of higher security seals, from cable seals to barrier seals, from locked bags to bar-coded labels.
TruSeal Security Seals
TruSeal stays on top of the latest developments in technology to provide quality security sealing products at the right price with reliable service and delivery. TruSeal offers specific seals for a wide range of common applications and we also pride ourselves on being able to design and supply custom security sealing solutions for any application.