Stop fake bearings
Product piracy hurts
4.2
trillion
US$ drained from the global economy
5.4
million
jobs worldwide at risk
39
percent
of fakes posed danger to lives
We help to identify counterfeit products
Don’t let fake bearings break your business. If you suspect that you may have purchased or distributed counterfeits, contact the World Bearing Association (WBA) immediately.
Together, we can find a way to avert greater damage to you and your customers. All our members have specialists on board, who can help you reliably recognize counterfeits, reduce the legal consequences and finally eliminate the fake products.
Our advice:
Detect fake bearings:
Be aware of product piracy
Sometimes they are badly refurbished originals no longer meeting quality standards, sometimes they are just fake. Tons of low-quality bearings are labeled with false brand markings to justify a higher price. They look like, and are marketed as, genuine, premium brand products. Even the packaging is skillfully imitated. So let’s face it: fake bearings are difficult to detect. They won’t be scratched, rusty or dirty. They won’t necessarily even be cheaper. But still, beware of those “too good to be true” prices that are below market value and have unusual availability.
One effective way to identify counterfeit bearings with certainty is with the help of premium brand manufacturers. Companies participating in the WBA assist you and local law enforcement with information and identification of counterfeits, to help find and prosecute counterfeiters.
And please keep in mind: All suspicious activities need to be communicated first to the premium brand manufacturer and the authorities before you contact your distributor or supplier. Sharing suspicions with them may lead to destruction of evidence and hiding of information, putting investigations at risk.
New: Check for counterfeits with the WBA app
Recognize fake bearings in just seconds
Fake bearings are a threat to the safety of both people and equipment. They are the cause of costly downtimes and repairs; destroying productivity and incurring huge expenses. The “Stop Fake Bearings” initiative of the World Bearing Association (WBA) helps you recognize fake bearings thus helping you to protect your employees, your equipment and your reputation.
An app for revealing fakes
It isn’t easy to spot fake bearings. They can look like original products and their packaging is often an exact copy. But there is now a way to easily perform a quick initial check: The WBA Check app is recommended by leading international manufacturers such as JTEKT (Koyo), NACHI, NTN, NSK, Schaeffler (INA/FAG), SKF, and Timken.
Activate the app, and scan the code on the bearing’s packaging. You’ll get a response from the app immediately showing one of these icons:
The code is correct and is contained in the manufacturer’s database.
Caution: the code is known but has been scanned numerous times. To be on the safe side, follow the manufacturer’s recommendation in the response.
Warning: this is an unknown code. The bearing is a suspected fake and must not be used under any circumstances without confirming with the manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation in the response.
Protect yourself:
Don’t let illegal trade break your business
When you decide to buy brand premium products, you have high expectations for quality, durability and dependability. But when you pay for premium and get average, or even downright faulty or old refurbished products, you’re not getting what you paid for. And fake bearings not only harm your finances but they can also pose danger to operations and human lives.
In addition, a faulty, counterfeit bearing has legal consequences for you as a buyer and/or distributor. Counterfeiting is a crime in many countries, plain and simple. It not only puts lives and property at risk, but also means theft of intellectual property, such as patents and trademarks, and reputation. These are crucial concepts in modern economy, enabling growth based on good ideas and innovations.
The best way to protect yourself :
Always turn to trusted sources for all your bearing purchases.
Danger to operations
Fake bearings can degrade and fail quickly. At best, this will only lead to equipment downtime and repair.
Lives at risk
Imagine fake bearings installed in hospital equipment. You see, counterfeits can not only cause shutdowns in mills and production facilities, but also serious accidents.
Criminal prosecution
Not only suspected manufacturers but also dealers can face criminal prosecution, in addition to civil litigation. When you purchase or sell fake products, you become part of the counterfeiting trade!
Buy safely:
Use trusted sources
Premium brands are subject to counterfeiting, worldwide. Everywhere. Every minute. To protect yourself, your business and the public from fake bearings, always turn to trusted sources. The WBA represents the leading global bearing companies. All our participating companies are associated with impeccable engineering and superior quality. To find a trusted partner, click on the company logos below the map to get more details on individual company initiatives.
The brands INA and FAG belong to the Schaeffler Group, a German based global automotive and industrial supplier. Top quality, outstanding technology, and exceptionally innovative spirit form the basis for its business success.
The company has assessed and certified sales partners worldwide. This ensures that only original products are traded through these sales channels. Any suspicion of counterfeiting can be reported to the Schaeffler Brand Protection Team.
Anti-counterfeiting information:
The Timken Company designs a growing portfolio of engineered bearings and power transmission products. The leading authority on tapered roller bearings, and with more than a century of knowledge and innovation, Timken continuously improves the reliability and efficiency machinery and equipment to move the world forward.
Headquartered in the United States, Timken employs more than 18,000 people globally, operating from 35 countries.
JTEKT Corporation unifies all business brands to JTEKT. Bearing brand ‘’KOYO’’ changes to ‘’JTEKT’’ in April 2022. JTEKT’s headquarter is in Japan. Its engineering and manufacturing capabilities range from super large bearings with outer diameters of seven meters to miniature bearings with inner diameters as small as one millimeter.
JTEKT offers innovative solutions to both original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket.
Established in 1916 and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, NSK is a world-class manufacturer of motion and control products. NSK produces and distributes a wide range of rolling element bearings, linear motion and automotive component products for a variety of industries and applications.
NSK has a global network spanning the Americas, Europe, Asia and Japan. Operating 64 production sites in 13 countries, 120 sales sites in 29 countries and 14 Technology Centers in 9 countries.
Anti-counterfeiting information:
SKF’s headquarters are based in Gothenburg, Sweden. SKF is operating 140 production sites worldwide. The company supplies bearings, seals, lubrication systems, maintenance, power transmission and condition monitoring systems.
Its 15,000 worldwide distribution locations encompass 130 countries around the globe.
Founded in 1918 and headquartered in Osaka, Japan, NTN is a leading manufacturer of a comprehensive range of bearings, constant velocity joints, wheel hub assemblies, and other precision industrial and automotive components. NTN operates more than sixty manufacturing plants worldwide, where it engineers and manufactures products for a diverse range of demanding applications across a variety of automotive and industrial market segments.
NTN is recognized for having some of the most stringent quality standards in the industry, and its premium brand portfolio includes SNR, Bower, and BCA. With NTN authorized distributors across the world, dependable NTN products are never hard to find.
Anti-counterfeiting information:
As a comprehensive bearing manufacturer, Japanese Nachi-Fujikoshi Corporation produces miniature to large bearings with high performance in the automobile, electronics and machine industry.
Worldwide all types of NACHI ball bearings and roller bearings display among the highest load capacity and service life.
We are there for you
The WBA and its participating companies assist local law enforcement with information and identification of counterfeits, to help find and prosecute counterfeiters. We are frequently involved in raids and investigations of suspected counterfeit operations. This helps buyers, distributors and end users.
WBA is a non-profit and unincorporated industrial association. It was founded in 2006 by three major, regional bearing associations: The American Bearing Manufacturers Association (ABMA), the Federation of European Bearing Manufacturers’ Associations (FEBMA) and the Japan Bearing Industry Association (JBIA). All together, we promote the common, lawful interests of the world bearing industry, such as open economic engagement, sustainable development and the protection of legal rights.
Stay informed:
Read about our current initiatives
All our members work hard to keep counterfeits away from the market. On a daily basis we help identifying plagiarism, and prosecuting fake manufacturers.
The World Bearing Association Launches Its Bearing Authenticator App in China
The World Bearing Association (WBA), a non-profit organization serving the public interest, announces the release of the WBA Bearing Authenticator app in China. This app is an industry solution that allows users to identify legitimate bearings from seven premium brands -- JTEKT, Nachi, NTN, NSK, Schaeffler, SKF, and Timken.
“Aktion Plagiarius” – Awards for most brazen counterfeits in 2022
Since 1977, the anti-prize "Plagiarius" is granted to those manufacturers and distributors, whom the jury has found guilty of making or selling "the most flagrant" imitations. The goal is to denounce the unscrupulous business practices of counterfeiters.
Code checked – counterfeits detected – success!
The consequences of counterfeit bearings are manifold: unplanned downtimes, hazards for people and machines and the environment as well as financial losses and reputational damage. The remedy? Use the available apps to identify suspicious parts! Joint action from Schaeffler and its sales partner SKAMA shows that joint activities are needed to tackle the sale of counterfeits.
Global training, tools and awareness efforts help thwart bearing counterfeiters targeting public transit
End users, distributors and customs officials are more skilled than ever at identifying fake “Timken” bearings before they put people and companies at risk. Ongoing seizures of counterfeit Timken packaging and products globally kept fake bearings from being sold and used.
JTEKT Remains Vigilant In 2020, Despite the Global COVID-19 Pandemic
Although the global COVID-19 pandemic has caused many disruptions in 2020, JTEKT continued its focus on identifying and seizing counterfeit goods throughout the world.
Counterfeit bearings – How can we spread the word?
Counterfeit bearings are a risk for all parties in the supply chain, like manufacturers (brand owners), distributors and end-users. There are several possibilities to fight against this risk. The most successful still is – and probably always will be – to prevent customers from buying counterfeit products.
Spread the word:
Download and share this information
Awareness comes before action. Help your associates, customers and friends to protect themselves against counterfeits by letting them know about the problem.
WBA is more than happy to provide communication materials for this purpose. We are dedicated to informing about problems with counterfeiting of premium brand bearings and to assisting supplier, distributors, and supplier law enforcement agents in the identification and eradication of product piracy.
Let’s work together and take action to raise awareness and stop fake bearings. Use, save, print or send the following materials to your customers, friends and associates.
World Bearing Association (WBA)
