SKF, recognised globally for its exemplary bearing manufacturing, has taken a proactive stance against the mounting concern of counterfeit bearings.
In Australia’s mining industry, machinery efficiency is paramount. Bearings play a pivotal role in the optimal functioning of these machines, significantly influencing operational success.
However, a pressing concern has emerged: the rise of counterfeit bearings in the market. Addressing this challenge requires an industry-wide focus on quality, awareness, and vigilance.
SKF’s dedication to excellence is evident in its rigorous approach to ensuring the authenticity and reliability of its products in the Australian sector and beyond.
SKF brand protection manager Saim Manto has highlighted the presence of counterfeit industrial products in various markets, including the Australian mining sector.
“The visual appearance (e.g. package printing, product marking) is getting closer to genuine items, and it takes a trained SKF specialist to tell the difference,” he said.
“A customer may not be able to see the difference with the naked eye, but their plant equipment will definitely feel the difference, as counterfeits are highly unreliable.”
Manto’s remarks serve as a sobering reminder of the intricate nature of modern counterfeiting methods, which often blur the lines, making it increasingly challenging for end-users to discern genuine products from counterfeit ones.
Delving deeper into the implications of using fake bearings in demanding sectors like mining and quarrying, SKF has highlighted the setbacks caused by counterfeit consumer goods and the severe consequences in the industrial domain.
“While the failure of a counterfeit consumer product might result in mere inconvenience, in the industrial world, counterfeit bearings can lead to catastrophic outcomes,” Manto said.
“Their use can cause not only significant machinery damage but also extensive downtime, with costs far surpassing that of the counterfeit bearing itself.”
Further elaborating on the risks, Manto said there may be problems with mounting or unexpected premature failures.
“In demanding applications, which are common in mining and quarrying, a malfunction stemming from a counterfeit bearing can be both dangerous and economically damaging,” he said.
“If installed in critical machinery, the counterfeits are akin to ticking time bombs – they fail unexpectedly and, in some cases, catastrophically, bringing plant operations to a complete halt.”
To counteract the infiltration of counterfeit products, SKF adopts a multipronged strategy. This involves a blend of legal actions against unscrupulous suppliers, collaborations with global authorities, and the creation of innovative tools to assist customers in product verification. One such initiative is the ‘SKF Authenticate’ app, which Manto said is a pivotal tool.
“The SKF Authenticate app empowers our customers to verify product authenticity directly, ensuring they receive the quality and reliability SKF is renowned for,” he said.
Education remains another cornerstone of SKF’s strategy.
“SKF has focused on creating awareness about this problem. The company regularly organise training sessions for SKF employees, authorised distributors, and end users. We even leverage video conference sessions in today’s digital age to ensure everyone remains vigilant and informed,” Manto said.
While the issue of counterfeiting casts a global shadow, SKF’s robust efforts in the Australian mining and quarrying sector aim to curb its impact.
In a recent case in Queensland, a mining operator contracted a service company to install large size, heavy duty SKF bearings into their mining machinery. The products were acquired through a third-party seller, with no affiliation with SKF.
When the goods arrived, a verification was done of the goods via the SKF Authenticate app, and SKF could confirm within 24 hours that all the goods were in fact counterfeit. The mining operator finally decided to source genuine bearings from an authorised supplier in Australia, and a potential safety hazard was avoided.
“As this happened in one mine, we sensed there could be other cases in the market. We decided to contact the Mines Inspectorate, Queensland, who followed up with a safety bulletin highlighting the risks,” Manto said.
“The responsibilities for actors in the mining sector to ensure safety are paramount. SKF’s relentless commitment to quality ensures that industries continue to operate efficiently, safely, and confidently, free from the disruptions that counterfeit products might cause.”
For more information on how the ‘SKF Authenticate’ app can assist users in verifying the quality of bearings, visit the SKF website.