The biggest anti-counterfeiting operation in Hypertherm history took place in Changzhou Province late last year.
In four separate raids five executives were arrested and tens of thousands of dollars of fake Hypertherm consumables seized, says the industrial cutting systems and software manufacturer.
The raids followed more than a year of investigative work and the involvement of law enforcement from two Chinese provinces. In addition, police were able to seize a list of companies conducting business with the illegal manufacturers.
“Like nearly all companies, Hypertherm is concerned about the impact and safety risks of counterfeit product on our business and customers and is committed to disrupting the illegal manufacture of products that adversely impact the performance of our systems,” said Brett Hansen, Hypertherm’s Intellectual Property Manager. “Our consumables are manufactured to strict specifications and often contain patented technologies that are difficult to correctly replicate. As a result, customers who unknowingly purchase these counterfeit products will not achieve the same consumable life or performance as the genuine product and are at risk.”
To ensure you do not fall victim to counterfeiting, Hypertherm recommends customers only buy product from approved and authorised distributors, and exercise caution when coming across abnormally low prices for “genuine” consumables and software especially when purchasing online. In addition, carefully check the appearance of consumables and packaging for discrepancies. Though counterfeiters are often very good at mimicking the exact appearance of original products, mistakes are sometimes made. Another warning sign is poor or inconsistent consumable performance compared to what you are used to.
A list of the authorised distribution partners is available on Hypertherm’s website at www.hypertherm.com.
