The scale of the fake bearings problem has been highlighted with the discovery of around 23,000 counterfeit NSK packages and labels at a plant in Hebei Province, China
A follow-up raid at another factory owned by the same offender revealed over 90,000 counterfeit bearing boxes plus 10 imitation printing plates covering not just NSK but three other major bearing companies too.
NSK remains keen to protect customers by excluding illegal players and their products from the market: counterfeit bearings have the potential to fail prematurely and worse, they present an inherent safety risk. NSK says that its aim is to eliminate the counterfeit syndicates, suspend counterfeit manufacturing operations and distribution channels, and take legal action against the perpetrators. A big part of this effort involves ongoing co-operation with the authorities in China, as well as partnering with customs and border control agencies to protect against the outflow of fake bearings. To complement these efforts, raid activities are also conducted by central and local government organisations.
Technology has a major role to play in the fight against replica bearings, says NSK. A good example is the recently developed ‘NSK Verify’, a free app which allows customers to assess the authenticity of machine tool bearings by using their smartphones to scan a unique 2D barcode found on the box. The company also highlights the fact that that it has joined forces with the WBA (World Bearing Association) to create a new app that is applicable to multiple manufacturers, ‘WBA Bearing Authenticator: WBA Check’. The WBA works globally to enforce the law on counterfeiters and eliminate fake bearings – including through app development. This non-profit and unincorporated industrial association promotes the common, lawful interests of the world’s bearing industry and NSK is an active member.
Similar in function to NSK's own ‘Verify’ app, the WBA Check app assesses the bearing authenticity of WBA member companies by scanning a compatible 2D barcode, making it easier for customers who use bearings from multiple manufacturers. Furthermore, if an unregistered bearing is detected, the app automatically notifies NSK. While apps are good for identifying fake bearings that have already arrived at the end user, the company says that a more preventative way of combating the counterfeiters is to buy exclusively from Authorised NSK Distributors and Dealers. Such outlets obtain original NSK products directly from the NSK group and add value through the provision of advice, aftersales service and warranties.
In tandem with all of these efforts, NSK regularly promotes the value of its brand to the market via brand protection activities, along with the provision of educational programmes for distributors and colleagues. The WBA Check app can be downloaded from the official WBA website at www.stopfakebearings.com/#buysafely