Can you afford aftermarket replacement parts?

By William Reich, CFPS

When was the last time you performed design qualification testing on your IBC tote fleet? Never? If you aren’t using genuine replacement parts or certified replacements, you may very well need to. Your totes were originally designed and tested as an integrated system to insure compliance with the applicable UN/DOT safety standards. If you are using imitation parts without having the proper testing completed, you could be held liable for any environmental impacts resultant from using these products. Failure to do so can put you in an indefensible position should you end up in court

Most insurance companies will immediately deny any claims arising from the use of imitation parts, and the OEM is sure to deny any warranty coverage. If you are using imitation parts on your tote fleet, it would be wise to inquire into your particular insurance carriers position on this subject, before any accident occurs.

Imitation parts can very well cause major safety problems for you and your fleet. They are sometimes marginally less expensive, but as the old saying goes, “You usually get what you pay for.” Recent testing has shown that there can be significant differences between aftermarket and genuine OEM components. When you purchase genuine replacement parts, you are getting parts made with the same engineering requirements, materials, construction methods, and tooling as the original. Typical aftermarket parts are produced through a reverse engineering process and are typically not tested to comply with the UN/DOT requirements. You wouldn’t want to replace the ceramic brake pads on your car with ones made of wood, would you?

No one likes to be cheated, but counterfeiters make it their life's work to rip you off over and over again. Did you know that almost six percent of the world's trade (from designer clothing to furniture and car parts) is fake? Be smart and safe. Protect yourself from possible liability by proper preventative maintenance using certified parts instead of inferior imitations.