STIHL is the heart and soul of what "Made in Germany" stands for; it is also a manufacturing company (Andreas Stihl invented the chainsaw in 1926) with manufacturing jobs in Germany.
You might ask yourself why talking about chainsaws?
Chainsaws? Big deal
These counter fits will directly impact manufacturing jobs in Germany and perhaps the US. Logging is still a significant business and it appears the counter fits target commercial chain saws.
About two years ago I heard about thus and the Bureaucracy seems ineffective in addressing it.
I think the G7 should bring it up directly to mainland China and demand (yes demand) to address the issue.
Stihl warns about counterfeit chain saws
Romanian Times
Chain saw producer Stihl has warned that up to ten per cent of chain saws with its brand for sale in Romania are counterfeit, the company said today (Tues).
Stihl said its products had a 40-per-cent market share in Romania, with turnover (that means sales) of an estimated 70 million Euros, well above that in Hungary, the Czech Republic or Bulgaria but below that in Ukraine.
The company said that the counterfeit saws would work for only for one-to-two years, while real saws were guaranteed for 15 years.
The company reported a decline in turnover of 20 per cent to 20.8 million Euros in 2009 because of the economic crisis, down from 26 million Euros in 2008.
Police in Burgenland, Austria warned people recently against purchasing smuggled Asian chain saws being sold on the street by Eastern Europeans, mostly Romanians, as Stihl products.
STIHL Incorporated Company Profile
Products from STIHL Incorporated create a lot of buzz. The company, which is the US arm of Germany-based STIHL International, makes chain saws, edgers, leaf blowers, saw chains, trimmers, and other landscaping tools and components. STIHL Incorporated markets its products, which are protected by more than 1,000 patents, through a dozen corporate distribution centers and independent wholesalers. Its tools are sold by some 8,000 independent tool and hardware retailers (you won't find them at big box home stores) throughout the US and exported to more than 80 countries. The US-based marketing and manufacturing unit was established in 1974.
STIHL warns about imitations
Take care: what looks like a bargain may turn out to be very expensive, as the low price of counterfeit chain saws goes hand in hand with shorter life, less power and reduced safety.
But counterfeits are not always offered at low prices, though. In many cases the prices are only a little lower than the original product prices. This is done to create the impression that they are original STIHL products.
Counterfeits are a big source of hazards
Whereas STIHL products are characterized, among other things, by strict quality and safety standards, this is not the case with imitations. In many cases the machines break down after only a short time in use, and as spare parts are not available they cannot be repaired. Moreover, safety-critical devices may be faulty or totally absent. For example, the hand guard for the automatic chain brake - the most important safety device on a chain saw - was found to be broken when one counterfeit saw was unpacked.
STIHL chain saws have become a focus of attention for imitators. Most of the counterfeits come from China and they look like the original STIHL products, especially with their orange/light grey color scheme. Furthermore, consumers are taken in by forged stickers with the 'STIHL' brand name, and in some cases familiar model designations like 'MS 440' are marked on the saws as well. Apart from their colors and the model designation, these chain saws have nothing in common with the original STIHL chain saws.
How can you protect yourself?
Street vendors, flea markets and car boot sales are always a sure sign of counterfeit, inferior, risky products. The same applies to new products offered for sale on the Internet.
STIHL distributes its products exclusively through authorized dealers, thus guaranteeing original products, service and advice. At your STIHL dealer's you can be sure of getting full STIHL quality, and not some cheap imitation.
Campaign targets fake products
A counterfeit Stihl-chainsaw from China (plagiarius.de)
Image Caption: A counterfeit Stihl-chainsaw from China (plagiarius.de) ()
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Justice Minister Christoph Blocher has launched a nationwide campaign to raise public awareness of the damage counterfeit products cause to the economy.
Switzerland is a hub for cheap imitations and illegal copies of trademark goods transiting between European Union countries.
Blocher called for increased efforts to inform consumers and punish producers and traders of imitations at a news conference at Zurich airport on Tuesday.
All too often it is considered a minor offence to deal in counterfeit products, such as watches, or to download illegal copies of music and videos from the internet, Blocher added.
He said Switzerland is used primarily as a transit country to move illegal imitations of branded goods across Europe.
"Fake products are not being manufactured in Switzerland," Blocher said.
About five per cent of all such goods confiscated by EU customs have passed through Switzerland. China tops the list with 84 per cent, according to EU statistics.
The piracy of brand products causes an estimated SFr2 billion ($1.6 billion) in damages to the Swiss economy.
"The sales of fake goods often help to finance other criminal activities, drugs, human trafficking, prostitution and terrorism," Blocher warned.
Customs checks
Blocher said the planned amendments to the law on patents - currently under discussion in parliament and due to come into force next year – would allow the customs authorities to increase checks on transiting goods and confiscate illegal products.
The watch industry warned of job losses as a result of product piracy, while the music industry appealed on consumers not to let down their favourite artists.
The Swiss had to become aware of health hazards if they bought imitation drugs or life-style products, Blocher said.
The initiative, dubbed Stop Piracy is a joint effort by the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property and the Swiss chapter of the International Chamber of Commerce.
A billboard campaign, due to be begin in the nine largest cities across the country on Thursday calls on consumers to bear in mind the potential risks of counterfeit wares.
However, the posters will only be printed in German and French, but not in the third national language, Italian.
"We had to concentrate our efforts," Felix Ador of the Federal Institute of Intellectual Property told swissinfo.
He also regretted that neither the machinery sector industry nor the food industry, are taking part in the campaign.
swissinfo, Andreas Keiser and agencies |
