Fake bearings seized

A raid by West Yorkshire Trading Standards and members of the SKF Bearing Brand Protection team has resulted in the seizure of a stockpile of fake bearings, weighing around 1.5 tonnes, along with other bogus automotive components.

“Counterfeit industrial products like bearings are a major concern for our UK customers who purchase in good faith, believing them to be the genuine article,” says Paul Dysiewicz, SKF’S engineering manager. “Customers who accidentally purchase counterfeit products are being cheated financially, risk damage to their machinery and incur expensive downtime as a result. They may also be liable to third party damages.”

Fake bearings have become such a problem around the world that the seven largest producers have formed the World Bearing Association and set up the stopfakebearings.

com website to raise awareness.