UFI Filters strengthens its anti-counterfeiting measures

• The company has worked to reinforce measures designed to combat the circulation of illegal goods, as part of a global phenomenon which affects many economic sectors
• Its experience of recent years has enabled global surveillance measures to be extended
• Dedicated customs training with a specific focus on ‘ONE’ high water separation filters

UFI Filters, a leading company in filtration and thermal management, is continuing its fight against counterfeit spare parts by tightening its surveillance measures and further extending its Internet Business Intelligence activity globally in partnership with CONVEY, a leading Turin-based internet and brand protection services provider.

Monitoring activities carried out by CONVEY and UFI Filters to date have resulted in the interception of more than 2.5 million illegal parts transactions on the major marketplaces at global level. The system for monitoring and suppressing these illegal activities enables them to be nipped in the bud, thus minimising the risk of a further increase in illegal transactions. Thanks to an ever-expanding surveillance service which covers all marketplaces globally, UFI Filters has succeeded in removing more than 8,000 commercial advertisements posted on 33 e-commerce platforms, preventing a potential turnover of more than €5 million in counterfeit goods sales.

Since 1972, UFI Filters has been committed to protecting its products through trademark registrations and filing new patent applications (numbering 268 to date) both on the main world markets and through customs surveillance – specifically, by registering the Group's intellectual property assets with the customs authorities of individual countries. These measures have been further strengthened by specific training sessions delivered at the most sensitive customs agencies, focusing in particular on products that are subject to the greatest counterfeiting activity, such as those from the ONE family of UFI Filters.

The filters in the ONE family are essential in protecting engines from water residues in diesel fuel. Indeed, UFI Filters products are chosen by 95% of vehicle manufacturers worldwide for this very reason. ONE filters are also available in the company’s Aftermarket catalogue, offering the same quality to aftermarket customers. Underlining this commitment, UFI Filters is a member of the ISO committee for establishing and updating filtration standards.

In light of the importance of the ONE product family, UFI Filters has prepared a data sheet highlighting the differences between a UFI Filters 24.ONE.01 diesel filter and the counterfeit filters on the market for Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Fiat, Ford, Lancia, Opel, Peugeot and Vauxhall vehicle applications.

Although the presence of water in diesel fuel is regulated by European standard EN 590 and must not exceed the maximum value of 200ppm (parts per million), in reality, the amount and size of water particles that need to be separated from the diesel fuel can differ, and may vary from application to application. Relying on a manufacturer like UFI with a long-standing historical presence in the original equipment market provides an additional guarantee, assuring customers that the filter has been developed to maintain the highest standards of water separation, even in conditions that are more severe than the regulations require. The principle applies not just to 'bad fuel’, but also to biofuel. UFI filters are designed and produced using exclusive FormulaUFI filtering materials, and are conceived, developed and manufactured to an advanced technological level that also meets the highest standards with regard to bio-components in fuels; such as B30 PME biodiesels which contain up to 30% palm oil, as recently introduced in South East Asia.

Substandard or even counterfeit filters which use pleated paper filter media or other unsuitable materials do not perform the function of separating the water from the diesel, or do so inadequately. UFI Filters filtration systems use only the most advanced materials that are resistant to so-called ‘bad fuels’ and biodiesels, and are manufactured using the very best raw materials and technologies. For this reason, buying a poor quality filter to save money can seriously compromise the fuel injection system, risking increased vehicle downtime and the related financial losses, especially for those who use their vehicle for work.

Luca Autelli, Chief Legal and Human Resources Officer at UFI Filters, comments: “We are pleased with the results that we have already achieved in the fight against counterfeiting, but we must continue our efforts and ensure that we remain on high alert. I would also like to take this opportunity to make our customers, and motorists in general, aware of the need for caution. Even today there are still reports of diesel pumps delivering fuel with considerable water residues, which are harmful to injection systems. Genuine UFI Filters products can really make a difference in such situations, ensuring the best performance in separating water from diesel. We therefore urge everybody to rely on genuine UFI Filters products by using the official distributor network, as specialists in filter materials.”