Komatsu takes action against counterfeit parts
Intermat 2009 – In 2008, Komatsu took action to protect customers against the use of
counterfeit parts. The use of these inferior quality parts that don’t meet Komatsu
engineering standards leads to premature wear and tear, and results in huge repair costs. It
is also an infringement against intellectual property (i.e. Komatsu trademark, trade name
and logo)
Worldwide sales of counterfeit products keep rising, with China as a major production
base. These transactions are however not limited to the Asian market, and counterfeit
parts are shipped all over the globe.
The safest guarantee to receive genuine Komatsu parts is to order them directly from an
official Komatsu distributor or from the Komatsu dealer network.
However, as of March 2008, Komatsu has also started to add new hologram labels on all
genuine parts and parts packages.
The hologram is a small silver ribbon on the right side of the label and includes several
unique features. By overlapping a special transparent filter card, a set of Komatsu logos
appears. They seem to move in different directions as you slide the card over the
hologram.
Another feature includes the text “Genuine Parts, visible as mirror and that appears dark
in contrast in nearly all viewing positions. “Genuine Parts” will also appear in bright and
colourful letters, blinking on and off at various viewing angles. By tilting the label left to
right, small images of an excavator, of a dozer and of a dump truck will show up, bright
and colourful.
The implementation of these new labels will be a gradual process, as it is unrealistic to
replace all the parts labels on existing stock. However, in Japan the label is being applied
to all new items warehoused and packed since March 2008. At the Komatsu European
Parts Distribution Centre at Vilvoorde, hologram labels are applied since June 2008. In a
next stage, efforts will also be made to come closer to a global unified packaging style.
With these new measures, Komatsu’s clear goal is to protect customers, and safeguard
the high quality and performance of its equipment.
Old label
New hologram label
Komatsu Genuine Parts hologram
Information in press releases is current on the date of the announcement and is subject to
change without notice.
Contact:
Kevin Broman
Komatsu Europe International N.V.
+32 2 255 24 58
[email protected]