INDUSTRY FOCUS AUTOMOTIVE Is your product a counterfeit?
he problem of counterfeiting is growing worldwide at a rapid rate. In fact the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association reports that the global automotive industry loses $12bn annually to counterfeiting. Not only can counterfeiting of automotive products inflict serious damage on the brand names and bottom lines of major manufacturers, but it can harm or even kill. This is a problem that has been
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around for some time and is only getting worse. As an example, back in 2012 the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a consumer safety advisory to alert vehicle owners and repair professionals to the dangers of counterfeit airbags. The NHTSA seized nearly 1600 counterfeit airbags that looked nearly identical to certified original parts, with leading manufacturers’ branding marks. Fortunately, the automotive industry has started to recognise the importance of protecting customers, intellectual property and brands.
Tim Congdon, European business development manager at CCL Design UK, looks at how to deal with the sharp rise in counterfeit products within the automotive industry
counterfeit products can be discovered – these can include misspellings on the product or its packaging, codes that don’t match, and part-specific requirements such as humidity may be missing. It is also important to analyse the
impact of counterfeits within your own business (or within sub-contractors) as it is inevitable that one will make its way to a test, inspection or assembly station. Having reliable and comprehensive design and process data
will allow for a thorough analysis of how the fake got there, and how it should have been prevented sooner. In short, why has this happened, and how can we stop it from happening again?
BRAND PROTECTION AND AUTHENTICATION One way in which counterfeiting can be reduced is by using brand protection and authentication. For instance, the Global smart label market was valued at $5.68bn in 2017, and this market is expected to double in size to reach a value of $11.34bn by 2023. Alongside this, there are other things automotive manufacturers can do to limit their exposure. For instance, those exporting out of the UK can consider working with Customs and Border Protection to register their Intellectual Property Rights. It is also worth providing guidelines to customers on how to detect counterfeit products. These could include a list of authorised automotive parts resellers, and details around the security aspects of the product. Examples could also be supplied to customers of ways in which
24 JULY/AUGUST 2018 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS
OVERCOMING THE PROBLEM Automotive manufacturers can work with specialists to develop innovative ways to design labels, ranging from tamper evident box seals to highly complex multi-layer authentication labels. Decorative brand labels can also
Videomark is a highly overt security feature that has several covert layers built in. Here, a photopolymer film is utilised during the bespoke manufacturing process, which allows us to create 3D images and depth that cannot be achieved with traditional holographic techniques. As such, there have been no successful attempts at copying the Videomark product by counterfeiters. Security Labels (Overt/Covert). These range from a box seal to a label with up to 20 different overt and covert security features. We use customised manufacturing equipment to produce complex products in volume. When searching for a manufacturer to provide an anti-counterfeiting solution, you need to ensure that all their products are designed, developed and manufactured within a secure facility, ensuring all materials are closely controlled. The actions we have taken
“The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association reports that the global automotive industry loses $12bn annually to counterfeiting. Not only can counterfeiting of automotive products
inflict serious damage on the brand names and bottom lines of major manufacturers, but it can harm or even kill”
double as both identifiers and functional anti-counterfeit solutions – by including both overt and covert security features built into the design. Essentially, products must remain easy to authenticate, but almost impossible to copy. Some examples of these products
include Videomark and Security Labels (Overt/Covert).
to comply to this level of security has ensured that there have been no successful attempts at copying our more advanced products on the black market.
CCL Design UK
www.ccldesignelectronics.com
* CCL recently acquired Fascia Graphics, the producer of membrane keypads and graphic overlays.
One way in which counterfeiting can be reduced is by using brand protection and authentication. For instance, the Global smart label market was valued at $5.68 billion in 2017, and this market is expected to double in size to reach a value of $11.34 billion by 2023
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