In co-operation with the WBA (World Bearing Association), NSK has developed a new app to help combat the ongoing issue of fake bearings. In recent years, the company has been working closely with the WBA, JBIA (Japan Bearing Industry Association) and authorities around the world to enforce law and order on counterfeiters, and eliminate bogus bearings from the marketplace.
With a history that dates back over 100 years, NSK is today recognised around the world for producing high quality and reliable bearings that are deployed in a plethora of important industries, including automotive. As a result, NSK has become a target brand for counterfeiters. Discreditable operators who make their money from copycat bearings not only place their own businesses at risk – by unscrupulously sourcing and selling inferior quality bearings – but that of unwitting end users, who think they are getting genuine bearings at a bargain price. In addition, counterfeit bearings have the potential to fail prematurely, perhaps catastrophically, therefore presenting an inherent safety risk.
In light of these issues, NSK engages in multifaceted efforts to combat fake bearings, recent results of which include the ‘NSK Verify ’ app. NSK Verify permits customers to assess the authenticity of bearings by scanning a special 2D barcode found on the box.
As the next step in NSK’s efforts to eliminate fake bearings, the company has collaborated with fellow major bearing companies to develop another new app ‘WBA Bearing Authenticator: WBACheck’. This latest app is capable of assessing the bearing authenticity of WBA member companies, again by scanning a 2D barcode. Such a quick task makes it easy for customers who acquire bearings from multiple companies to ensure originality. Furthermore, if an unregistered bearing is detected, the app will automatically notify NSK. The new WBACheck app is available to download from the official WBA website at www.stopfakebearings.com.
Ultimately, the task of apprehending counterfeiters is a time-intensive, high-cost exercise. However, NSK continues undeterred in its hunt of these deceitful traders in fake bearings to ensure that customers worldwide can keep purchasing and using NSK products with confidence.
