Cummins has introduced a new leading-edge parts label system featuring hologram technology to help customers confirm they are buying the genuine product.
“Counterfeit parts are increasingly being sold as ‘genuine Cummins parts’ across the globe,” Cummins aftermarket business development manager for mining in Asia Pacific Kyle Miller said.
Due to the magnitude of the problem in Australia, Cummins has recently engaged Australian Border Force to help identify and stop shipments of counterfeit parts entering the country.
Sophisticated reproductions of original parts have made it incredibly hard for even the trained eye to distinguish real from fake. These illegal imitations of engine components, oils and lubricants manufactured from inferior materials can lead to serious safety and product issues.
To put the cost into perspective, counterfeit goods are estimated to be a $US500 billion-per-year industry.
“Counterfeiters have become so sophisticated that even their labelling, packaging, barcodes and QR codes appear authentic, so many consumers are misled into thinking they are buying the genuine article,” Miller said.
The development of holograms, whose effects cannot be completely replicated or simulated by normal reprographics methods, has introduced a new level of brand protection.
To differentiate from counterfeit products, Cummins’ new labels feature a Cummins-specific hologram as well as a verification website. Customers can scan a QR code on the label to reach the site (see link to site below).
The new labels are expected to be fully implemented by the end of 2024, although parts that were labelled prior to the implementation will not be relabelled.
To verify the authenticity of Cummins products using the new label, visit www.cummins.com/genuinepartsauthentication
Customers can also visit a Cummins branch or authorised Cummins dealer for confirmation.
“Cummins genuine parts sourced from the extensive network of Cummins branches and authorised Cummins dealers across Australia and New Zealand are the only parts approved and warranted by Cummins,” Miller said.