124
Turning the wheel against product piracy
At Practical World the Organisation for products meet or surpass the CEN standards of produce the counterfeits.
Safety of Abrasives, which has a recognised safety requirements for abrasive products, Pinkerton, a subsidiary of Securitas,
safety symbol (oSa
®
) in the abrasive which through stipulated testing procedures
has four offices, in Honk Kong, Shanghai,
materials sector, highlighted the issues of and conditions ensure that these standards are
Guangzhou and Beijing. Willo Lai, manager
product piracy and the effect they are also maintained, and which accept the
in charge of Pinkerton, explained how it
having on user safety. Will Lowry reports on inspections laid down by oSa. Fulfilment of
approached the problem of finding and
the oSa® presentation. these requirements gives members the right to
exposing the counterfeiters. “We started
The oSa® was founded in 2000 by 15 mark their products with the oSa label.”
working with oSa in July 2007 and conducted
European manufacturers concerned with Pierre went onto explain that when
promoting safety in abrasives. Now there are companies apply for membership it is the
a three-month market survey in various
45 members from countries around the world whole
regions of
including Germany, Spain, Italy, France, China, manufacturing
China and
Korea, Israel, Turkey, Hungary and South Africa, procedure that
found a
supplying approximately 70% of the world is audited not
number of
wide market with abrasive hand tools. just the product. Chinese
“Leading producers of high grade abrasive “Each company manufacturers
products came together in this international has to carry out producing
organisation to document the high safety the production
copies which
standards of their branded and quality accompanying
were being
products”, explains Pierre Balian, president of inspections
sold around
oSa. “The sole purpose was to ensure that the themselves, as
the world.”
quality of their products remains consistently ultimately every
Pinkerton discovered that not only were
high in the interests of abrasive product users.” delivered product has to be as safe as possible.
the counterfeiters using the oSa trademark but
The oSa monitors this with independent on-site
inspections. First the applicant sends a large
were also using the company trademarks of
number of test samples to an independent test
the various members of the oSa. This led to
institute. Then during the actual audit, a further
the oSa and its members acting as a group
intensive inspection is carried out. Finally,
when taking action against the counterfeiters,
subsequent audits can also be ordered at any
rather then individual companies.
time if there is any reason for complaints.” “Counterfeits and product imitations
By becoming a member of the oSa frequently fail to observe fundamental
companies are highlighting the high standards requirements for device and product safety,”
that they adhere to, to make sure that their
says Klaus. “Users who purchase and employ
products are of the highest quality.
copied or fake products are therefore
Unfortunately counterfeit abrasive products with
potentially exposed not only to financial losses
oSa marking have entered the market, even
but also, in some cases, to a high risk of
though the product and manufacturer don’t
accidents and injury due to the counterfeit
meet the requirements for membership.
abrasive discs/wheels disintegrating whilst in
“The majority of these counterfeit products
are coming from China”, explains Dr Klaus
use.”
Werner, secretary general. “Due to this problem
The oSa plans to continue its ‘Against
we have launched our “Against Product Piracy”
Product Piracy’ campaign and its registration in
campaign, in which we want to communicate
China, which it hopes to have by the end of
Pierre Balian, president of oSa
directly with the industry and trade, with the
2008, will help it with its aim to stop the
By becoming a member of the oSa central message being that original technology counterfeiters.
companies are entitled to place the oSa symbol with an oSa audit pays
on their abrasive products, which allows the because it protects
user to know the products are produced in users’ health. The
compliance with the European safety standards biggest asset we have is
for abrasives. The safety standards define the value and reputation
specific requirements for abrasive products and of our brand and these
describe the test methods by which these counterfeit copies are
requirements can be obtained. The three safety affecting this.”
standards which are relevant to abrasives are To try and combat
EN12413, Safety requirements for bonded the problem the oSa
abrasive products, EN13236, Safety appointed Pinkertop
requirements for superabrasives and EN13743, Consulting Services
Safety requirements for coated abrasives. (Shanghai) Ltd to
At the press meeting Pierre Balian explained investigate the
the process that companies have to go through counterfeits and find out
before they can become a member of the oSa. which distributors are
“Membership is open to all companies whose getting companies to
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154