UFI Filters, a leading company in the world of filters and thermal management, is at the front line in the fight against the sale of counterfeit spare parts both via conventional channels and e-commerce. By registering its brands and filing patents at an international level as well as implementing patented technologies, UFI Filters has blocked almost 5 million euros of potential revenue from illegal goods in the last two years.
This important result was achieved thanks to the Brand and Product Protection activities carried out by UFI Filters’ Legal Division and Intellectual Property Department. In collaboration with CONVEY, a Turin-based company and leader in Internet Intelligence and Brand Protection services, almost 2.5 million illegal transactions have been blocked on the Internet.
6,125 offers have been identified, reported and completely eliminated from 19 different marketplaces online. The complete removal of these illicit advertisements from e-commerce platforms has significantly reduced the amount of counterfeit products reaching the spare part market place. These products are of poor quality in comparison to the originals developed by UFI.
UFI Filters has also implemented a preventive strategy. Its main aim is to eliminate the sources of supply of counterfeit products by stopping them from being distributed on the original product market. This is mainly done through ads posted on Turkish or Chinese, as well as international e-commerce, platforms. By doing this, UFI Filters protects the original goods market, aftermarket customers and end consumers.
Since 1972 UFI Filters has taken action to safeguard its products and trademarks through the registration of brands and patents on the main global markets, and through customs protection by registering the Group's intellectual property assets with the customs authorities in individual countries. UFI has registered 233 patents and utility models to date. This starting point has enabled the Group to work closely with CONVEY on Internet Intelligence & Product Protection on the main e-commerce platforms.
In the traditional channel, UFI Filters also offers a direct service for its own distribution network, with training sessions to help workers learn how to tell the difference between an original and a counterfeit product. This is especially pertinent for products that are most widely copied on the market, such as the "H2O", "ONE" and high-filtration water filters, which are the result of exclusive UFI technology.
UFI Filters’ strategy to fight inappropriate use of the brand and the violation of its patented technology is further strengthened by the use of labels attached to the packaging in particularly high-risk markets, such as the Far East. These labels have a QR code and are made using printing techniques that make them very difficult to reproduce. Shortly, they will be used in the European market too.
Luca Betti, Business Unit Aftermarket Director for the UFI Filters Group, said: “The UFI Filters Group constantly strives to fight fake spare parts. This is demonstrated by the financial figures for the two years since we started working with CONVEY. We have blocked a highly significant potential revenue from illegal goods, which could have damaged both the industry and the vehicles on the roads. We are, therefore, proud to renew our partnership with CONVEY. To protect the market, we ask our distributors, as well as spare parts dealers and mechanics, to use only the official sales network. Be wary of very low prices and notify us immediately if they think that they have come across any potential counterfeit goods”.
Account Director
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