Counterfeiting Survey Results have been released by ESFI.

Press Release Summary:



Results of Electrical Safety Foundation International's (ESFI) 2014 Counterfeit Electrical Products Survey, which measures awareness and response to presence of counterfeit electrical products among several sectors of electrical industry, show 96% of respondents believe counterfeits pose at least moderate threat to public safety. Only half of respondents reported counterfeit electrical product upon discovery, and majority said they have no process in place to report counterfeit products.





Original Press Release:



ESFI Releases Results of Industry-Wide Counterfeiting Survey



ROSSLYN, Va.—The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) has released the complete results of its 2014 Counterfeit Electrical Products Survey, which was developed to measure the awareness and response to the presence of counterfeit electrical products among several sectors of the electrical industry. The results reveal critical information about the observations, attitudes, and perceptions of those who manufacture, distribute, install, and inspect electrical products.



Over the past decade, U.S. seizures of counterfeit products have increased more than 325 percent. Consumer electronics were the top commodity seized in 2011, with a value of nearly $40 million. Counterfeit electrical products pose significant safety hazards if left undetected, and have been known to cause deaths, injuries, and substantial property loss in the home and the workplace.



ESFI developed the survey to effectively gauge this issue and utilized partner organizations to provide a balanced sampling across all sectors of the electrical industry including the International Association of Electrical Inspectors, National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), Independent Electrical Contractors, National Association of Electrical Distributors, and National Electrical Contractors Association.



“Counterfeit electrical products don’t just have serious implications for the electrical industry, but they also endanger everyone who uses electricity,” said ESFI President Brett Brenner. “We developed this survey to better understand this complex problem so we could mobilize the electrical industry to work toward a solution.”



An overwhelming 96 percent of respondents believe that counterfeits are at least a moderate threat to public safety, yet only half reported a counterfeit electrical product upon discovery.  Further, a strong majority of respondents reported that they do not have a process in place to report a counterfeit product.



“Effectively combating the counterfeit electrical product problem will require a collaborative effort among stakeholders from all industry sectors as well as cooperation from consumers,” said NEMA President and CEO Evan R. Gaddis. “We commend ESFI for spearheading this important effort and for uniting industry stakeholders to help champion this important cause.”



The complete results of ESFI’s 2014 Counterfeit Electrical Products Survey can be viewed on ESFI’s website at www.esfi.org. The survey kicks off ESFI’s “Zero Tolerance for Counterfeits” campaign that aims to educate and enhance awareness of counterfeit electrical products among the public and industry stakeholders.



NEMA is the association of electrical equipment and medical imaging manufacturers, founded in 1926 and headquartered in Rosslyn, Virginia. Its 400-plus member companies manufacture a diverse set of products including power transmission and distribution equipment, lighting systems, factory automation and control systems, and medical diagnostic imaging systems. Total U.S. shipments for electroindustry products exceeds $100 billion annually.



National Electrical Manufacturers Association

Visit our website at www.nema.org

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