Marks of distinction

Watermark excellence

As global experts in security paper, we help produce millions of passports, certificates and secure documents for use in over 50 countries across the globe. That is quite some achievement! In almost each and every one of these documents is a watermark. And watermarks are what we, here at Portals, do best!

Let’s start with the basics. There are traditionally two different forms of paper making and approaches to watermark production

Watermark origination

Watermark origination is a skill – it takes experience and expertise to ensure maximum design clarity and multi tonal three-dimensional effect. Watermarks are miniature works of art, replicated time and time again, across the mould and at every revolution of the cylinder on the paper machine.

Precision, accuracy and consistency are paramount – an effective watermark must also be immediately recognisable to the user – after all, it is one of the only security features recommend by Interpol for use in security documents across the board.

The following describes the watermark origination process step by step – we promise, you will never look at a watermark in the same way ever again.

Design origination

The origination of a mould cover begins right at the start at the design stage and so our Mould Office works extremely closely with our design team.

Design concepts usually start with a photograph of the main subject of the watermark and / or a number of additional background design elements. These images are then converted into a high-definition tonal drawing. This artwork layout is then carefully manipulated, reworked and converted into a 3D digital image suitable for watermarking.

At this stage, the Design team hands over the origination process to our Mould Office team of experts who turn these visuals into the physical moulds that we use on the papermaking machine to create the actual watermark itself.

Engraving plates

The 3D design image is first engraved into brass plates known as die (positive image) and matrix (negative image) plates. Once this is done, the two brass plates will fit together perfectly. They are then used to emboss the watermark image into a bronze wire mesh cloth. The embossed images are made in specific locations in the cloth to ensure the watermarks appear in registered positions in the final paper.

Cylinder mould production

The embossed cloth, known as the face cloth, is reinforced with multiple layers of thicker wire mesh and then the ends are brought together to form a hollow cylinder and a precision welded seam is made. The mould cover is then re-checked and stretched onto an expanding metal cylinder to create a cylinder mould suitable for use in a paper machine.

Quality, consistency and precision

Mould cover origination is inspected repeatedly, both manually and digitally, at every stage of the process, including during paper manufacture.

Mould office refurbishment

The Bathford Mould Office Refurbishment project was centred around three priority goals: to enhance capacity, improve capability and increase operational accuracy, all of which are intrinsically linked to the long-term sustainability and quality mission set out in the mill’s strategy plans.

The personal touch

The last point to make – but also possibly the most important – is that even with all the latest technology and gizmos available in the world at your fingertips, without a team of incredibly skilled, experienced and expert paper makers sitting at the core of it, we simply would not be able to guarantee beautiful, durable, secure and consistent watermarks in your paper.

Some of the processes involved in watermark origination and cylinder mould creation are still best done by hand, including “Electrotype welding”, “Face cloth layering” and “Edging” of the wires as well as “Bow welding” and the joining of the meshes while on the “Seaming Horses”. Sounds intriguing doesn’t it!

At Portals, we have over 100 years of combined experience and expertise in the Mould office alone – a team that are hands on throughout the process of watermark origination, during the entire mould office refurbishment and also everything else paper making too!

Their craftsmanship and insight into how to make watermarks is second to none in the industry and across the globe. Portals’ Mould Office truly is a centre of excellence – and we cannot wait to welcome you in and show you around it!