(November 29, 2010)

CANTON — In a global marketplace, there’s always room for counterfeit products.

Knock-offs.

However, counterfeits are not limited to purses and movies. The industrial bearing community is fighting the sale of fraudulent products.

For example, in 2009, more than 1 million counterfeit bearings were confiscated in raids by authorities in China. Police were assisted by the World Bearing Association.

Through the WBA, Timken Co. and its six major competitors have launched a worldwide campaign to raise awareness that counterfeits are illegal and unsafe.

“The more we look for, the more we find,” said WBA spokesman Scott Lynch.

Clarke Van Dyke, global coordinator for counterfeit response team at Timken, said fraudulent bearings can be dangerous. They are low quality, made with substandard materials and labeled with brand names.

“Those bearings have shorter lifespans, fail quickly and cause equipment downtime,” he said. “Consumers are not getting what they paid for.”

Lynch said most people assume car garages and shops install legitimate products on their vehicles. That’s not always the case. If they don’t, your vehicle may have inferior parts on it. In a worst-case scenario, the vehicle could crash.

“People can get killed,” Van Dyke said.

Lynch said some businesses know they bought counterfeit products; others do not. This awareness campaign is for them.

These businesses “are looking for the best price. It should be a red flag if the price is far below the average cost,” he said.

“Premium brands are bought for a reason, because they offer superior performance,” Van Dyke said.

Van Dyke said it is difficult to “visually” determine if the bearing is genuine or counterfeit, so companies should buy from trusted sources or authorized dealers.

“You know Timken has a strong brand history in Canton and a history of quality and durability. Illegal activity of this nature harms the brand and everyone,” he said.

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