New Cuban Warranty Seals

[El Presidente]

IMPORTANT NOTICE NEW CUBAN WARRANTY SEAL

As a way to keep updated to our Exclusive Distributors all over the world, it's necessary to notify the changes to be

occurred as regards as to the Cuban Warranty Seal.

From now on, a new Warranty Seal will be gradually introduced in all the packaging where two new elements are

to be added. On the right hand, a hologram as a security item will be added and on the left hand, next to the Cote d´

Arms, a bar code will personalize every package.

New Seals

This label will always be placed from the upper left side of the box or display, leaving 3 to 6 mm from the edge and

to be bending up to the front right over the center of the Cote d´Arms whenever possible.

This Seal has been developed through a base of synthetic paper with special characteristics such as an auto-

destructive feature before any attempts of removal and with several maximum security techniques added.

*Non-transferred label. Any attempt to remove it, will cause invalidation of the seal by self destruction.

*Highly adherence of the paper (plastic) Auto-destructive, Self-destructive

*Scan and Photocopy Protected System

*The holographic band will show a bicolor text in 2nd and 3rd dimension,

*Elements with optical variations attached.

*Also it will enclose a micro dot only visible through laser scanner.

On the other hand, a unique bar code will be applied on every single box thus customizing every packaging. This

information will be saved in a data base allowing the identification of this product everywhere, whom this product

was addressed to as well as the Invoice number, amongst other details.

The fact is that there will always be a time in which both old and new Warranty Seals

designs will exist at the same time in the markets. The length of time in which the two

seals will coexist is not so easy to foresee because it depends on the stocks and on the

rotation of the different products

As a reference please find attached here a file of the aforementioned seal and the proper

way of affixing it on the boxes, in jpg format.

For Proper Placement in Containers

[Tampa1257]

Great news Rob & I am sure that this is an FOH Exclusive because of your relationship with certain Habanos S.A. Officials, Thanks for this up to date news.

[sounddust]

Thanks Prez for the heads up. Good thing we have the Cigar Investigation Unit here at FOH to deal with any incidents of exploding warranty seals. The team is ready for anything.

[Chaki]

First seen on FOH!

Thanks Prez'

[bolivr]

About time they did something to improve security. Then again these are only as secure as the factory store or supplier of them.

It's a scoop though for sure - remember you saw it first on FoH

[Ginseng]

Fascinating! I will look forward to my first box with this new seal sticker. It reads like they really went whole hog on the security features. The cynic in me expects that we'll see this item counterfeited, if not perfectly, within 9-12 months of initial issue. As for the typical "unenlightened" buyer (read happy purchaser of counterfeit Habanos) I don't suppose the presence or absence of the new seal will have any real significance. I suppose one question I have is how and who will be in a position to verify the information encoded in the barcode?

Wilkey

[FlyFishingDude]

Wow Prez,

This is really good. Definite step to prevent counterfeit or suspect CCs. I really like the "micro dot", hopefully they will come out with cheap home user version of the laser scanner.

Mike

[rckymtn22]

The problem is a gradual introduction. Really they should be introducing this at the beginning of a specific month to each newly produced box coming out of each factory so we know when to start looking for the new Seals.

[Jesuscookies]

Interesting. Hopefully, it will slow down the counterfitters for a bit.

[El Presidente]

The problem is a gradual introduction. Really they should be introducing this at the beginning of a specific month to each newly produced box coming out of each factory so we know when to start looking for the new Seals.

I think you will see a fairly rapid introduction.

This has been a long time coming (2004) and it is a massive endeavour to have the back of house technology to meet the promises. They have it.

HSA takes a kick here from time to time (mostly from me ) but in this case I take my hat off to them. There was a lot of opposition from some quarters to the introduction of these seals.

Well done

[genevapics]

Great information, Prez. Nice to see HSA taking this step.

[Jimmy2]

GREAT INFO...

[thschrminm]

Very interesting to see how they are finally going to implement the barcodes and anti-counterfeiting marks on the warranty label!!!

Great information Rob and I am glad to see Habanos implementing these measures...

Do you believe the main purpose of developing these new labels to be for counterfeiting problems or for tracking distribution of product or both???

Like Ginseng mentioned, it will be interesting to see who (distributors, retailers, etc...) will have the magic scanners to read them!!!

Wonder if distributors will still be able to cross lines for resale of product when these are fully implemented?

Good post El Prez!!!

[mkz]

Thanks for posting prez.

Looks like an major improvement of buyer safety.

[El Presidente]

In terms of the Parallel market, the bar codes of the seals could be blacked out or cut off. However, the question is whether you (or the General public) would purchase such a tampered product.

Some will, the majority probably will not.

I see this in part as protection for when the USA market opens up. Operations such as ourselves who sell one on one will not be affected. However if I were to open a distribution warehouse in say Miami with PCC product (hence subverting the official US distribution system) then I will be in some difficulty. It would tke a short period of time for HSA USA to work out my 200,000 boxes in the warehouse comes from the Asia Pacific. Licenses would be threatened. Checkmate.

There are other elements I like. Perhaps for the first time we have a Warranty Sticker which will be nigh "impossible" to fake. As I understand it (and to be confirmed) the stickers will be placed at the HSA warehouse and under tight security. This should reduce the risk of authentic Warranty Stickers "leaking" to the market.

There will no doubt be teething problems but lets give them whatever help they need to get it done and done properly.

[Colt45]

Thanks, RA. I also hope there will be tight implementation of these things from factory to retailer and all points in between.

And yes, good work HSA.

[Colt45]

However if I were to open a distribution warehouse in say Miami with PCC product (hence subverting the official US distribution system)

Pirate.

[El Presidente]

Pirate.

.....purely hypothetical. I have never given it a thought previously

[Mr. Japan]

Thank you Rob, great info.

[FlyFishingDude]

.....purely hypothetical. I have never given it a thought previously

I'll believe that when " me **** turns purple and rainbow turds fly out me ass"......

[Tone_NY]

Thanks for the first look at these. We appreciate getting all the latest information from you!

[sinnyc]

IMPORTANT NOTICE NEW CUBAN WARRANTY SEAL

This Seal has been developed through a base of synthetic paper with special characteristics such as an auto-

destructive feature before any attempts of removal and with several maximum security techniques added.

*Non-transferred label. Any attempt to remove it, will cause invalidation of the seal by self destruction.

*Highly adherence of the paper (plastic) Auto-destructive, Self-destructive

Thanks for the info Rob. A minor point to be sure but I've always loved the look of the warranty labels and I'm just curious as to how their aesthetics will be affected once cut. Do you know if the "auto-destructive" feature will manifest itself by making the labels appear significantly "damaged" when they are cut? It would be too bad if every box opened ends up with some sort of ugly blotchy label stuck to it.

- Tim

[daklugs]

Greeat information and post!!!

A member posted this picture on cigarasylum on the 16th. Was curious about it since there had been discussion over the years about finally making a warranty seal that allowed provenance trackiing.

These were brought back from Cuba this week.

[Shelby07]

...if I were to open a distribution warehouse in say the midwest, then the first thing I'd do is contact Shelby and see if he wants to run it for me.

Well, maybe if you twist my arm...

[toracubed]

That's why I come here...first hand and first class information!!