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22/06/2009 - INDUSTRY MUST UNITE!
AAAA member company Fulcrum Suspensions has sent an urgent call to the Australian automotive aftermarket to unite against the manufacture, distribution and selling of counterfeit automotive aftermarket parts. This call to action was made in the wake of several major automotive aftermarket incidences of blatant product piracy, with clearly inferior and dangerous imitation parts finding their way into automotive workshops and ultimately to Australian family cars and commercial vehicles across the nation. One of Fulcrum Suspensions' most popular aftermarket suspension bushes, the SuperPro SPF2339K front bar to chassis mount bush to suit late model Holden Commodores, was recently illegally copied and distributed to Australian automotive repairers by an Australian company. Fulcrum claims that these inferior copies are prone to short-term failure affecting steering control and could potentially contribute to major accidents. According to Graham Scudamore-Smith, Managing Director of Fulcrum Suspensions, as this is an aftermarket industry wide problem, the industry has to work together to deal with this serious issue. "There have been many individual efforts by companies to end the practice of product copying and distribution in the automotive aftermarket, but as a major Australian industry, the automotive aftermarket has to present a united front to deter such dangerous practices. Make no mistake, whenever imitation products enter the aftermarket, the quality and integrity of our entire industry is affected," Mr Scudamore-Smith said. "It isn't just about sustaining our business profitability. The practice of producing dangerous imitation automotive parts has a direct safety effect on motorists and their passengers driving on Australian roads. The entire automotive aftermarket industry has a major responsibility to ensure that Australians are driving safe and reliable vehicles that have been fitted with reliable and at minimum, OE equivalent replacement parts," he added. Legal action instigated by Fulcrum Suspensions continues in relation to this repeated incidence of counterfeit product manufacture and distribution. In the most recent case the extent of the product imitation even included the SuperPro part number, creating confusion amongst aftermarket repairers between the original Australian made product and the inferior imitation product. "The Australian automotive aftermarket industry needs to present a united front against the dangerous and costly practice of product piracy so individual companies do not become Lone Rangers when it comes to fighting this ever present illegal practice. "This can act as a stronger deterrent to the small time rogue operators who seek a quick buck from organising and engaging in such illegal and dangerous practices," Mr Scudamore-Smith said. Fulcrum Suspensions also pointed out that a high level of responsibility also exists with automotive repairers with regard to their replacement parts purchasing decisions. Fulcrum claims that any deviation from the mainstream and recognised industry suppliers runs the risk of acquiring products that are not premium quality and Australian made Fulcrum Suspensions products. The suspension company claims that automotive workshop owners and managers need to ensure that all of the following questions can be confidently and positively at the time of purchase: Will the supplier be there to assist if there is a warranty issue? Will you be required to do the repair work again under warranty? Is your workshop compromising customer safety? Is the part offered at least as good as the original? Will your customer be interested in the few dollars saved when the car has not been repaired correctly?
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