Specialist publishers, conference organisers and consultants Reconnaissance International has purchased the annual Pan-European High Security Printing Conference and the Asian High Security Printing Conference from the Cross Group and BSC International.

Established in 2001 these conferences have become recognised as leading events within the government and related high-security documents arena. They are well-attended by a wide spectrum of organisations involved in currency, document and product protection including central banks, banknote printing works, security printers, government departments and major industry suppliers. The conferences cover issues relating to banknote production and cash handling, passports, tax stamps, e-passports, e-ID card production and other areas involved in high security printing.

The 2009 and 2010 Cross Conferences will be transitional, organised jointly by Cross Group, BSC International and Reconnaissance International, as the events are integrated into Reconnaissance's existing conference business. This includes the Tax Stamp Forum, Optical Document Security, the Global Forum on Pharmaceutical Anti-Counterfeiting and the Holo-pack.Holo-print® conference among others.

Based in Shepperton, UK, with a full-time office in the USA, Reconnaissance International is a specialist publisher, conference organiser and consultant for the authentication, brand and document protection, holography and currency industries. 

Reconnaissance International's publications include the Holo-pack.Holo-print Industry Study and Market Report and The Authentication Connections Directory, while newsletters include Holography News, and Authentication News. Currency Publications Ltd, its joint venture with Currency Research Ltd, in which it holds the majority stake, publishes Currency News and The Directory of Currency Suppliers.

Ian Lancaster, managing director of Reconnaissance International, said the acquisitions will be an excellent fit with the company's existing portfolio. "These conferences complement our existing operations and fit extremely well between our core currency and authentication activities. We look forward to working closely with Cross Group and BSC International to build on their existing expertise and expand our presence and operational activities in a specialised sector of the conference and events market. Recognising the success of the Cross Conferences we plan to retain this name, so they will continue to be known as 'Cross Conferences'."

The Cross Conferences are a joint operation between the Cross Group (based in Ripley, UK) and BSC International (based in Overton, UK). The companies' expertise in high security paper and printing began in the 1970s and includes working backgrounds with Bradbury Wilkinson, American Banknote, Harrisons and Portals among others.

Annie Cross said Cross Conferences and Reconnaissance International both have excellent reputations for organising and managing well supported events. "The conferences have been very successful and have become 'must-attend' events by all involved in the high security printing industry, where the important issues are presented and debated. I'm confident of their continued success and indeed believe they will grow as Reconnaissance International brings its specific expertise, market know-how and skills to bear in developing new opportunities."

The 8th Asian High Security Printing Conference takes place on 13 -15 October 2009, with support from the China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation. The 7th Pan-European High Security Printing Conference will be held in Berlin, German in April 2010.

Click here to visit the Cross Conferences website