Brammer warn of fake MRO products
BRAMMER, Europe’s leading supplier of maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products, are implementing a pan-European campaign to warn customers about the dangers of counterfeit MRO products currently finding their way on to the European market.
The move follows an initiative by bearing manufacturers SKF and Schaeffler Group, who in the last few weeks have pooled resources to track down and destroy some 40 tonnes of counterfeit bearing products to the value of €8 million, discovered in the Franconia region of Germany. The bearings involved carried counterfeit logos for INA, FAG, and SKF.
Timken are also seeking to guard against any fraudulent use of their logo and are investing heavily in anti-counterfeiting measures and technology, as are NSK, another global bearings brand. Brammer, however, are the first major distributor to add their voice to the campaign.
‘The issue of counterfeit bearings can have extremely serious consequences for companies who purchase them,’ said Brammer’s chief executive officer, Ian Fraser. ‘We feel it is as much our responsibility as our supplier partners to draw our customers’ attention to this problem and its potential repercussions.
‘For those who use such products either knowingly or otherwise, the risks are much greater than any short-term savings they might make. They have no redress to the product manufacturers, and have to take on board all related costs, liability and claims when the products fail.’
He also warned that the impact of using counterfeit products does not end in production line inconvenience and the economic consequences. In some applications the use of failure-prone counterfeits can risk catastrophic results.
‘Using counterfeit products also means putting employees’ and, in some cases, customers’ health and safety at risk, which is entirely unacceptable,’ said Mr Fraser. ‘Our pan-European programme will ensure that our customers are fully aware of these issues and work with us and our suppliers to try to eliminate such serious risks.’
