Beware of Counterfeits and Cheap Alternatives
Beware counterfeits and cheap alternatives when it comes to your kitchen cupboards (and BICs).
09/12/2022
PG Bison has a long-standing
reputation, for producing high-quality products,
achieved over many years. Continuously investing
in world-leading technologies, manufacturing
facilities, product ranges, marketing materials
and relationships has helped build its brand,
while ensuring people can depend on its products
to perform as expected. But, as with most
market-leading branded products, there is always
the lure of cheaper alternatives and
counterfeits.
For some time, cheap
alternatives and counterfeit decorative board
products have been available in the South
African market. Although PG Bison has warned
consumers against buying knock-off PG Bison
products, the company has again been made aware
of instances where homeowners have been deceived
into having counterfeit products installed –
particularly gloss-finish cabinets – under the
pretext of it being genuine product, only to
then have the product fail after a few months.
Failures include colours fading or changing,
especially in sunlight (particularly gloss
whites, which turn yellow), bowing, and boards
demonstrating low-performance characteristics
(for example, screws and hinges pulling loose
due to sub-standard board used for the
substrate).
PG Bison boards are manufactured in South Africa and adhere to stringent international quality standards. "Our boards must conform to precise international parameters, such as internal bond strength (IBS). IBS is a property that determines screw-holding and ensures the cabinetry doors do not pull off their hinges. We have had a few calls in the past few months from people who have experienced various product failures and have been misled into thinking they had purchased PG Bison MelaWood SupaGloss. When we inspected the kitchen, we discovered it to be counterfeit product," says Justin Berry, Executive: Marketing and Strategic Development at PG Bison. "It's tragic for the homeowner to invest in improving their kitchen, and value of their home, only to experience product failure. We strongly recommend that homeowners, installers and designers double-check product stamps and labels to ensure they get legitimate PG Bison products."
How to identify the real deal
Berry says there are several
things to look for when purchasing PG Bison
products that can potentially assist in
preventing customers from becoming victims of
passing off (somebody falsely representing their
goods or business as that of another person).
"Across our product ranges, the board edges are
stamped with our brand names. Boards will always
carry the specific PG Bison brand, whether
MelaWood, Formica LifeSeal Worktops (this is
printed on the underside of the worktop),
BisonLam, SupaMatt, SupaTexture or SupaGloss,"
he says.
"While not failproof, another
thing to look for is board size. Our decorative
boards come in standard sheet sizes, the vast
majority of which are 2750mm x 1830mm (9ft x
6ft). Some imported decorative boards are 2440mm
x 1220mm (8ft x 4ft) or 2800mm x 2050mm. But
that is not to say you will not find a
counterfeit board that is 2750mm x 1830mm in
sheet size. PG Bison boards also are a standard
thickness of 16mm, while imported products can
range from 15mm to 18mm. We often find 15mm
board sold as 16mm board; this impacts the hinge
potholes and screw depth, thus ultimately
impacting the finished door quality," says
Berry.
"Another way to identify PG Bison
boards is by checking the colour on the back of
the board. PG Bison's boards will always be the
same colour on the reverse as on the front side
of the board, while some imports or counterfeits
have a white backer. It is also worth checking
the finish," says Berry. "On our SupaGloss
boards, we use our Peen texture, which is a
lightly stippled texture, and on our SupaMatt
boards, we use our Natural Touch texture on the
reverse side, which is a soft matt finish. On
some counterfeit products, the reverse side is
very smooth with a silky satin finish. That's
not a finish we use on our decorative products."
PG Bison urges contractors and homeowners to
check the boards supplied against the samples
provided in the PG Bison sample boxes to ensure
the surface finish and colour they ordered match
the PG Bison product they selected.
Why counterfeiting is a problem
Copying the
trademarks, brands and colours registered and
owned by a company is illegal. Buying
counterfeit products supports criminal activity
– essentially the theft of a brand or trademark.
But beyond this, counterfeit products pose
several risks to various stakeholders. "As we
have seen with the homeowners who call us after
a product failure, there are quality risks when
you buy knock-off products, which are usually
inferior to the real deal," says Berry. "The
homeowner has no recourse if the product is a
fake, whereas when you buy a genuine PG Bison
product, we stand by our products and their
quality."
Buying PG Bison products
ensures product availability and colour and
design consistency, whereas customers who have
purchased counterfeited products may struggle to
match their boards should they ever need repairs
or extensions.
There is also a risk to
the reputations and businesses of installers,
contractors, and retailers if they are found to
have used or sold counterfeit products.
"Buying counterfeits has long-reaching consequences," says Berry. "At PG Bison, we continuously invest in our manufacturing facilities, product ranges, marketing material, technical support and customer relationships to ensure our products remain the trusted brand across Africa. When our trademarks, brands and products are counterfeited, it places our customers at risk. If the counterfeit market continues, it will also put our investments, local jobs, and the local manufacturing economy at risk. If you have any doubt about whether a board you have purchased is a genuine PG Bison product, do not hesitate to contact your local PG Bison sales representative, and we will help you confirm if it is the real deal. PG Bison's regional sales contact details can be found on www.pgbison.co.za."
