DuPont Refrigerants has issued a press release in which it urges members of the HVACR industry to increase their awareness of and action against counterfeit refrigerant activity.
“This problem is real and it is growing, and the impact can include significant injury and tragic loss of life,” said Greg Rubin, global business manager, DuPont Refrigerants. “Counterfeit refrigerants also have the potential for significant business impact, especially in emerging regions.”
In 2011, DuPont continued its efforts to combat counterfeit activity. This included continuing our diligence on removing internet store-front listings of counterfeit refrigerants, conducting investigations, training customs officials, assisting law enforcement in conducting raids and seizure of refrigerant goods in multiple regions, and establishing product identification methods and technologies of DuPont branded refrigerants.
“We have taken a variety of steps this year to combat the problem of counterfeit refrigerants globally and will prosecute these cases to the fullest extent allowable,” said Rubin. “DuPont will continue efforts to educate the industry on the problems posed by counterfeit refrigerants in the marketplace and will be vigilant in our investigations to uncover the source of counterfeit materials.”
DuPont has developed a multi-faceted program to address counterfeit refrigerants including education of customs officials and overt and covert tactics to ensure the authenticity of DuPont refrigerants.
“Our DuPont Brand Assurance Anti-Counterfeiting Initiative is an area where we will concentrate resources globally in the coming year,” Rubin continued. “We’ve seen evidence of counterfeiting in virtually every region and across multiple product lines. The best defense against the threat of counterfeit refrigerants is to buy refrigerant from a reputable, known supplier. DuPont urges its customers to purchase refrigerant gas products from our network of preferred DuPont distributors in your region. In addition, if you see suspicious activity in the marketplace, contact DuPont directly.”
DuPont is a leading global supplier of refrigerants, using science and technology, market knowledge and global reach to provide sustainable materials and solutions to enhance personal comfort, enable food preservation, improve industrial processing and reduce environmental footprints. For more information, please visit refrigerants.dupont.com. For information on DuPont Brand Assurance Anti-Counterfeiting Initiative, please visit refrigerants.dupont.com/genuine.