SPARES & ACCESSORIES
Counterfeit or sub-standard parts are a false economy, and could cost you dear in the long run, says Kevin Glass, managing director of Bitzer UK.
The real deal I
f you own a high-performance car, developed and refi ned over decades with millions spent on R&D, it goes without saying that it would be unwise to use sub-standard parts to maintain it.
The false economy would almost inevitably result in a loss of performance and reliability, and could potentially aff ect the safety of the vehicle and its occupants. The same is true for high performance refrigeration components such as compressors. In the case of my own company, today’s machines are the result of 90 years research and development, and the combined expertise and resources of an organisation that spans the globe. Every element of compressor design and engineering,
down to the microscopic crystalline structure of the metal casting, has been refi ned to perform at its best. The result of this painstaking cumulative eff ort is an outstandingly effi cient product that has earned a deserved reputation for reliability. In the internet age, however, with universal access to
‘anything, anywhere’, the temptations of the black / grey market are all too real. With counterfeit and sub-standard parts just a click away, the trade needs to be constantly aware of the potential risks of sourcing products outside offi cial channels, whether intentionally or by accident. Due to the use of lower quality materials and poor engineering, non-original parts are associated with a number of risks: ■ Loss of performance: Fitting counterfeit or sub-standard parts may reduce the ability of refrigeration systems to achieve design conditions, compromising cooling perfor- mance and risking the quality of the end user’s product or process.
■Reduced energy effi ciency: Reduction in performance can result in higher energy consumption, increasing running costs and carbon emissions. With today’s eye-watering energy bills and pressure to minimise environmental impact, this can be a serious cost-penalty. ■ Shortened working life: The extended operational life of modern equipment depends on every component of a system, including gaskets, oils and fi lters, working as specifi ed in perfect harmony. Fitting a sub-standard part introduces a weak link that can throw the whole system out of balance and compromise its working lifespan.
■ Equipment breakdown: In addition to the inconvenience and direct repair cost of machine failure, the consequential losses arising from interruption of industrial production, food processing or retail sales can be extremely high.
■ Safety: With high-pressure refrigeration systems now mainstream, vulnerabilities introduced by use of low-quality parts risk catastrophic failure, with infrastructure, staff and the public put at unnecessary risk.
■ Reputational damage: As the saying goes, a good reputation is hard to build and easy to lose. Contractors and service companies owe it to themselves to have a policy of only fi tting original OEM parts to ensure the best possible result for their customers. The problem of counterfeit products doesn’t just apply to
spares and components. There have been examples of fl agrant copies of whole compressors being placed on the market. Although rare in the UK, this is a problem in certain overseas markets. For example, Bitzer’s head offi ce reported that at one stage it was monitoring no fewer than 14 Chinese companies suspected of producing fake compressors, mainly for sale in Asia.
The fraud extended to fake technical manuals, and, in one
egregious example, company literature with Bitzer’s company history rewritten, accompanied by a picture of the off ending company’s boss in place of Bitzer’s owner and then CEO Peter Schaufl er.
26 July 2024 •
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