Michelin goes on the attack against counterfeit truck tire makers

PARIS — Michelin, the world’s largest tire maker, is urging the European Commission to take action against a flood of counterfeit truck tires, according to the Financial Times.

The company’s joint chief executives have written to the European Union’s trade commissioner, and commissioner for enterprise and industry, requesting a meeting as soon as possible to deal with the arrival of fake truck tires, largely from Asia. The group also has sent letters to 5,000 tire distributors throughout Europe and North America warning it will take legal action if it finds counterfeit tires being sold under the Michelin brand.

Michelin says the level of fake imports is still “anecdotal,” at an estimated 50,000-70,000 counterfeit truck tires sold in Europe over the last 18 months, in a market estimated at 20 million tires a year. However, it wants European authorities to develop an action plan to stop the influx of fake truck tires, which are being sold for half the normal retail price.

“We are very concerned not to have these tires on the road,” said Philippe Verneuil, head of Michelin’s European truck tire business. “They can create a danger to drivers and the road.”

Verneuil warned that the counterfeiters were attempting to take advantage of the pressures on truck operators to cut costs given high fuel prices.

The group has also launched legal action against a distributor in the United States and another in China, which were found to be selling counterfeit products. Verneuil said counterfeiters were faking Michelin’s patented tire tread, the serial numbers identifying categories of tires, and the documentation that would normally guarantee authenticity.

“Purchasers of tires need to be very careful about appearances,” he said. “The performance of the tire is not just the tread but the architecture and the materials that are used.”

— Via Truckinginfo.com