Brammer, the UK’s leading supplier of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) products and services, has issued a stark warning to UK manufacturers about the dangers of buying through unauthorised sources following a further major discovery of counterfeit parts in Europe.
The latest incident saw 6,500 counterfeit bearings, imported to Sweden and packaged as SKF products, seized by police.
Jeremy Salisbury of Brammer commented: “The probability of receiving counterfeit spares increases significantly if a company is not vigilant about where it is sourcing its products from. The only way to guarantee that genuine parts are being received is to buy through an authorised distributor.
“Counterfeit parts may look identical to the real thing but that is where the similarities end. They may have a lower initial purchase cost, but the potential costs that can be incurred down the line far outweigh any initial savings achieved. They are likely to fail more quickly, leading to unplanned downtime with all the costly ramifications that can create.
“Meanwhile, extreme cases have seen counterfeit bearings cause extensive damage to machinery, with manufacturers unable to claim through either their warranty or insurance as they have not used a genuine spare part.
“Heath and safety risks to production operatives are also increased, with companies liable for both legal and medical costs if a member of staff is injured as a result of an incident caused by a counterfeit product.
“Quite simply, buying through unauthorised sources is a risk not worth taking for any company which is serious about maintaining plant operational effectiveness, production line integrity and, even more importantly, employee health and safety.”
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