Saudi Minister of Finance Dr. Ibrahim Al Assaf (left) and Saudi Customs Director General Saleh Al Khilawi are welcomed to the Al Jazirah Vehicles Agencies Co. and Ford stand by Al Jazirah Vehicles Central Region Manager Eng Salman Al Kalthami during the opening ceremony of the three-day 3rd Arab Forum for IPR Protection at the InterContinental Hotel Riyadh which concluded yesterday (Tuesday). AL JAZIRAH Vehicles Agencies, Co. (AJVA), the Ford and Lincoln importer-dealer in Saudi Arabia, and Ford Middle East are taking the issue of counterfeit spare parts head on as it continues to prove a major concern throughout the GCC for the industry as a whole but most importantly for consumers. As the Kingdom continues spearheading the fight against counterfeit products, Al Jazirah Vehicles Agencies Co. sponsored the 3rd Arab Forum for IPR Protection as Diamond Sponsor that ended Tuesday, further extending its support to the matter. According to various US government agencies and industry sources, counterfeiting is estimated to cost the automotive industry $12 billion in lost sales annually and as many as 200,000 lost jobs. Customers expect that parts bearing the manufacturer's trademark have been tested to ensure a high level of quality and durability. Counterfeit parts are not designed, engineered and tested to meet the same quality standards as the original manufacturer's parts, and lack the warranty assurance from the manufacturer. “Al Jazirah Vehicles Agencies Co. takes the issue of counterfeit parts very seriously, and we are pleased to be supporting this important initiative from the Saudi government to raise awareness of this concern and fight it,” said Sheikh Abdullah bin Fahad Al Kraidees, AJVA's president. “We are committed to providing our support in the fight against this crime that not only puts the lives of unsuspecting customers at risk but also ultimately hurts their wallets and the economy. This is a massive task and it is the civic duty and responsibility of all companies to do their part in educating the consumer of the risks associated with counterfeit products.” John McEachern, Ford Middle East's Country manager for Saudi Arabia, said: “Nothing beats an original. Genuine parts are designed and manufactured to strict specifications, they have undergone extensive laboratory and on-the-road testing, and built to maximize vehicle performance and most importantly, provide the confidence that the repair will be done right the first time, and the peace of mind that the parts come with the manufacturer's warranty.” “It is crucial that customers know what they are buying. Counterfeit parts unfortunately cost much more over the long run as they won't have a long life span, and in some unfortunate cases could lead to accidents or fatal crashes,” he added. During the forum, Ford and AJVA representatives held demonstrations and presentations in an effort to educate attendees on some of the latest developments in this field. Ford Middle East and its dealers continue to work relentlessly with local and international authorities in the fight against counterfeit spare parts and to prevent them from coming into the region. The most recent achievement was recorded just a week ago, when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided warehouses of counterfeit auto parts in New Jersey. Three persons were arrested for repackaging counterfeit products and selling them to the public and repair shops as genuine automotive parts. Part of these counterfeit products was also destined for re-export to the Middle East. “Criminals are finding better ways to trick customers into buying counterfeit parts while thinking they are genuine from the manufacturer,”
McEachern further said. “As they use smarter ways to fool the customer's judgment, it is very important for consumers to understand that the best way to ensure they are getting original parts is to purchase them directly from the authorized dealer. “Ford Motor Company follows strict processes in controlling its parts distribution system from around the world through to our regional Parts Distribution Center and to our dealerships here in the Middle East, to ensure full integrity. Our dealers are in turn expanding their parts distribution outlets across the region to ensure genuine Ford and Motorcraft parts are easily and readily available to our growing customer base,” McEachern noted. – SG
