As a proud authorised distributor of SKF products in South Africa, B2K is committed to providing our customers with genuine, reliable components for their industrial needs.

Late in 2023, SKF, in collaboration with relevant authorities, conducted a successful raid on a well-known bearing supplier in Cape Town. The operation resulted in the seizure of over 15 pallets of various types and sizes of counterfeit SKF bearings. This supplier had been distributing counterfeit SKF bearings to numerous customers in the region, and had been under SKF’s surveillance for some time. 

Lynette Nieuwenhuizen, SKF’s brand protection champion in South Africa, highlights the importance of vigilance and collaboration in combating the proliferation of counterfeit bearings in the market. 

“Counterfeit bearings not only jeopardise the safety of businesses and end-users but also introduce significant risks,” shares Lynette.

“Opting for counterfeit products might seem like an economical choice or a means to improve lead time at first glance. However, these substandard products are infamous for failing prematurely, leading to operational downtime, production setbacks, and escalated maintenance expenses.”

At B2K, we recognise the detrimental impact that counterfeit bearings can have on our customers’ operations. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing only genuine products across all the brands we supply. 

Ross Trevelyan (Managing Director, B2K) adds, “SKF deserves recognition for its relentless efforts in educating the market about the dangers of counterfeit products. SKF’s dedication to safeguarding customers and Authorised Distributors against the dangers of counterfeit products remains unwavering.”

Customers play a crucial role in identifying and reporting suspected counterfeit SKF products. 

“By remaining vigilant and adhering to the highest standards of integrity, we can collectively safeguard the integrity of the supply chain and ensure that only genuine SKF products are used in industrial applications,” says Lynette.

B2K continues to lead initiatives to create awareness and educate our customers about the risks of counterfeit bearings. To avoid falling prey to counterfeit products, we strongly advise our customers to be cautious of ‘too good to be true’ offers from untrusted suppliers. Furthermore, we encourage our customers to verify the authenticity of their SKF bearings by using the SKF Authenticate App and to purchase only from authorised distributors.

Please contact us to learn more about the risks associated with counterfeit bearings and how to avoid them. Additionally, we offer a service to audit our customers’ stores to ensure that all bearings are authentic. Should you come across any suspicious-looking parts, please let us know.