FEATURE Supply chain, packaging & logistics
Coping with the rise in counterfeit
Coping with the rise in counterfeit components and products
components and products By Robert Campling, Senior Manager at TÜV SÜD, a global product testing and certification organisation
C
ounterfeit products are more than just “fake goods”, as their unintentional or intentional use means they can be dangerous
and, at worst, deadly. While it is common practice for manufacturers and retailers to anywhere in the world, companies that buy directly from manufacturers outside the UK and the EU can’t rely on their supply chain to take on the compliance burden of proof. They may have directly checked the quality of their immediate supplier’s operations, but how can they be assured that component manufacturers further down the chain are as rigorous in their quality control? Not only can products and components be counterfeit, their testing and compliance documentation can be, too. As the value organisations are also on the rise. There are reports of “agents” claiming to be able to assist manufacturers in attaining the EU’s which would normally take weeks or years to complete.
Businesses that are eager to increase the worth of their products and to meet international demands may be lured by these be genuine victims of malpractice. It is therefore recommended that a business services company, checks their credentials.
24 June 2024 | Automation
They should be accredited according to established accreditation standards, recognised by relevant government authorities, and provide clear information a publicly-accessible platform, such as a website.
The ideal scenario of fully and regularly auditing all the suppliers in the chain realistic approach is to create a supply chain suppliers with which there have been issues in the past.
Another issue in the supply chain is are not the same as those ordered. For may subsequently require a reduction in production costs to win a big order and this its components, and a degradation in the original sample.
Those importing electronic products and components should therefore go beyond just gathering evidence to ensure that their supply chain complies. They must validate that the evidence is correct, paying close Ideally, testing should be done before the
product is shipped to provide the evidence that it complies with all functional and regulatory requirements, and the buyer should insist that this be a condition of sale.
Factory inspections can also be carried out to check the authenticity of a manufacturing facility as sometimes the quality of products in mass production are not of the same standard as those submitted for testing and
One important tip is to save valuable time by selecting products that have pre-production samples and compliance documentation for evaluation. Such products may carry a price premium, but they will help to protect brand’s reputation and save costs further down the line, when validating the evidence becomes more burdensome.
It is also important to ensure that any factory you deal with outside the EU or the UK has a Quality Management System in place, such as ISO 9001, and is regularly audited by an independent third-party. Pre-shipment and post-shipment inspections before taking delivery. Before the products are sold in the EU or UK markets, samples should be sent for a ‘spot-check’ so that they, and their test and being compliant. Ensuring the correct testing and inspections are completed at an early stage minimises the risk of consumers complaining about a product and enforcement authorities insisting on it being withdrawn from the market.
automationmagazine.co.uk
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