Counterfeit products have a great impact on an OEM’s credibility in the marketplace.
The war between original vs fake has been now raging on throughout the globe for times immemorial. Authorities raid several itsy-bitsy establishments that manufacture identical products including, spare parts for your vehicle. There are n number of such outlets dotted all over the country (and worldwide) which serve customers and offer enticing deals for their spare parts at bargain deals. This might, at first, seem like a no-brainer for many who might wonder why they need to pay many times more for something that does the exact same job as the cheaper alternate. The simple answer to that “no-brainer” is, safety. OEMs pump in millions on R&D just to make sure that their products and equipment work flawlessly. Obviously, these fake outlets do not.
In quite a brassy move, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) recently conducted a raid, infiltrating several of these outlets that produce and sell counterfeit parts. This raid was conducted in conjunction with the Rozzers (police) at various shops, traders, packaging and manufacturing units across northern India and seized over a thousand items. According to M&M, the most popular duplicates include air filters, oil filters, clutch plates and pressure plates. Interestingly enough, fake labels and packaging for these counterfeit items were also discovered.
Hemant Sikka, chief purchase officer, automotive and farm equipment at Mahindra said, “The biggest concern is safety, since counterfeit parts can wreak havoc in a vehicle, from braking failure to triggering a fire. We will actively continue our action against proliferation of these parts in the market.”
Counterfeit parts in automobiles have been known to cause fires and other hazards in the past.
In September of 2014, Competition Commission of India, often called just the ‘watchdog of competition’, called for car-makers to make the availability of their spare parts more accessible and widespread within the after-sales market. The ‘watchdog’ feared an increase in more of these bogus and unauthentic parts floating around the world’s 6th largest automobiles market and their direct impact on safety.
Source – Reuters