Counterfeiting isn’t restricted to producing forged Cup Final tickets and bank notes.

It affects everything from drink to appliances. Even the pills we take. The electrical industry is not immune. Copying electrical products is an insidious, sizeable ‘business’ - globally. Firm action is needed to combat the devious ‘masterminds’ behind this growing ‘industry’.
‘Copy cat’ electrical products include plugs, sockets, fuses, lamps, cables, MCBs, MCCBs, connectors and appliances. Sophisticated production techniques mean it is often difficult to distinguish counterfeit from genuine. Some copies are complete replicas - including product design, branding, packaging, internal components, and external appearance. Others are of patents, trademarks, and safety marks. Most are sold at ‘too good to be true’ prices.
Annually, an estimated £30 million worth of counterfeit electrical products reach the UK. The consequences of counterfeit electrical accessories entering the supply chain are damaging for everyone: Loss of revenue and reputation for manufacturers.  For consumers it’s safety - these inferior quality products could cause fires, explosions, injuries/fatalities. Reputations of wholesalers, contractors and specifiers are at stake if counterfeit products not meeting the required standards are supplied/installed.

Positive action
There has been a marked change in the brand profile of the most popular counterfeit products due to some brands changing from labelling to embossing of trademarks. Also, counterfeiters have been reluctant to continue with consistently raided brands. 
If the trademark is in the mould, then moulds can be seized as well as products, making it a more expensive loss for the counterfeiter.
BeamaInstallation has been successful with its anti-counterfeiting drive. Working with European Federation Orgalime we encourage co-operation between the EU and other countries to stamp out counterfeiting. There are also moves to join up with ANIE, the Italian federation, in a combined initiative against counterfeiters. Bticino, Italy’s largest accessories manufacturer, has already joined the raid action.
It is hoped industry groups in the USA (including UL), Canada and Spain will soon join the campaign, to increase the impact globally. New presentations have been made to product groups at the EU, in China, at Orgalime, Capiel, Cecapi, Nema (US) and CSA (Canada) meetings, plus the Celma Strategic Forum (European Lighting Association). 
The campaign continues to develop with several active projects in progress.  These include direct action projects in China, Kuwait, Jordan and the UK. There are new actions in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) and others planned in West Africa. 
BeAmaInstallation’s working group has also masterminded direct activity in China, Dubai and Yemen, and advised members on activity in Oman. However, more action by inspection firms and governments is essential.
While free trade zones, as in the Gulf, are very useful for facilitating trade in products, WTO agreements (including Trips) still apply. These free zones should take care they don’t become clearing houses for dangerous counterfeits. Local authorities and inspectors must get tougher. More controls are required to combat counterfeiting.
With lives at risk, countries lacking effective controls, like some in East and West Africa, must guard against becoming dumping grounds for unsafe counterfeit products. Smuggled, low-price counterfeit goods also mean significant loss of revenue for countries with import tariffs. Reduced prices and duties arising from copied electrical accessories impact on countries’ economies. China remains a problem area as 95 per cent of counterfeit products that potentially could kill are made there. There have been several successful ‘Electric Dragon’ campaigns involving up to 12 brands. Counterfeit products are still being found in large numbers.
Stricter penalties must be introduced to discourage criminals from profiteering from this trade here and in the Middle East and Africa.

Middle East, Africa
In Dubai, potentially lethal ‘circuit breakers,’ which are just push button switches, and in Yemen 600A ‘fuses’ with copper straps instead of fuse elements were discovered.
In Kenya, seized containers of counterfeit electrical products have been destroyed, while Yemen has seen a huge reduction in counterfeit products finding their way onto the marketplace. The largest distributor reported a massive upturn in business concerning genuine products.
It’s not just UK brands - all well-known brands are targets. For example, 70,000 copycat Italian style socket-outlets and 80,000 American-made circuit breakers have been found by ‘accident’ during raids. Throughout the Middle East, BeamaInstallation-designed anti-counterfeiting posters have appeared in every electrical shop. The message: counterfeit products are dangerous and it is a criminal offence to trade in them.

Ramped up
The campaign against counterfeit products has been ramped up by making our hard-hitting ‘Counterfeit Kills’ film widely available on CD. An updated version will soon be available on DVD.
Over 20,000 of the CDs have been issued to electrical contractors, distributors, specifiers, consultants, local authorities and housing associations.
This six-minute-long CD graphically highlights the potential dangers - fire, death, injury - and impact on reputation of specifying or installing inferior quality ‘copycat’ electrical products. We don’t hold any punches.
Our team also regularly visits the Middle East Electricity Exhibition in Dubai where our ‘Counterfeit Kills’ film was premiered. We have since produced an Arabic version.
The film plays a pivotal part in the fight against the large-scale manufacture of counterfeit products, which are not just threatening jobs and eroding market share of bona fide British electrical installation manufacturers, but are often such poor quality that they are potentially lethal.
Targeting electrical trade and related audiences, the film has been distributed worldwide. It receives a positive response and we’re continuing to show it in presentations to groups of UK contractors, wholesalers, and industry associations.
We must keep communicating the message in the UK, Middle East and globally, that product counterfeiting is a danger to consumer safety and a serious threat to the British electrical industry.

Vigilance
Everyone in the supply chain must ensure the authenticity of the products they buy or install. The alternative could be extremely costly to them - and kill people. A new European Directive seeks to enforce intellectual property rights with retailers facing jail for knowingly selling counterfeit or copied goods
The EU is preparing to consult on new proposals, under which those found guilty of peddling fake goods, and potentially jeopardising public health, would face a minimum prison sentence of four years, and fines up to 300,000 euros.
To counter the problem, manufacturers should register their logo and brand. Country of origin and brand name should be stamped - embossed is more effective - on the products. This ensures crucial evidence if counterfeit tooling is discovered. Products with branded adhesive labels are no deterrent. The counterfeiter produces them separately from the product and the labels are then added in the market country.
If anyone is in any doubt about a product’s authenticity they should immediately check with the manufacturer. The best solution is to purchase products only from an authorised supplier/distributor. The responsibility for ensuring that only genuine quality products are used lies with all those specifying, purchasing and installing electrical equipment.
Our campaign aims to stem the flow of counterfeit products at source – in the marketplace and transit - to ensure the UK and European markets do not suffer from a flood of these dangerous products as has happened elsewhere.
No action is not an option. Your support is needed. If you are a counterfeiter in China, the Middle East, Africa - or elsewhere - watch out, we’re on your trail!

*Beama stands for the British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers’ Association (celebrating its centenary in 2005)
BEAMAInstallation was recently created following the merger of EIEMA (Electrical Installation Equipment Manufacturers’ Association) and Besa (British Electrical Systems Association).
As the leading, independent, incorporated association of electrical equipment and cable management product manufacturers it represents 95 per cent of the industry and comprises 66 firms from small-owner managed niche market firms to UK divisions of large multi-nationals.
 It is represented on committees and councils and provides a strong point of contact between the industry and government departments and EU bodies etc. It plays a key part in the preparation of national, European and international standards, working closely with committees responsible for safety and performance and environmental impact.