Optical Security to join with Applied Holographics

Optical Security Group (OpSec; Denver, CO), a maker of optical coatings for security, will merge with Applied Holographics plc (Washington, Tyne and Wear, England). Applied agreed to offer $7 per share for all shares of OpSec stock. Mark T. Turnage, president and COO of OpSec will become a director of Applied. Richard H. Bard will resign as chairman and CEO of OpSec and become an adviser to the Applied board of directors. Bard said the merger will position the new, larger company to compete in the growing global industry of authentication security. OpSec's optical coatings and imaging technology are used in tamper-evident packaging labels, in threads and tags for protecting product brands, and for authentication of machine parts and pharmaceuticals.