|  UL takes ongoing anti-counterfeit measures to protect the reputation of the UL Mark and manufacturers of UL-Certified products. (See Asia On the Mark, Spring 2004.) Apart from efforts such as cooperation with various governments and customs departments and education to retailers and consumers, UL’s Field Representatives can also help stop counterfeiting at the manufacturers level.
Early this year, Huang Lei, a UL Field Representative from UL’s Inspection Center in Guangzhou, successfully identified a batch of counterfeit UL labels from a lighting products manufacturing facility in Zhongshan, China. During the visit, Huang was alerted to the problematic numbering format and inferior quality of the UL Recognized Component labels attached to a batch of wire. On completion of the inspection, Huang submitted the samples he collected to UL’s headquarters for verification. It turned out that the problematic labels were counterfeit. The 20,000-feet of wire was seized and destroyed; the certification status of the manufacturer concerned was withdrawn. Huang and the Guangzhou Inspection Center were commended for their meticulous effort in containing the incident. “UL maintains a zero-tolerance policy on those manufacturers that print, obtain and/or apply counterfeit UL labels to products. UL subscribers that engage in counterfeiting activities will no longer be permitted to do business with UL and reinstatement of UL service will not be reconsidered. UL will do whatever is necessary to protect the integrity of the UL Mark,” said Michael Hopfinger, Director of Inspection and Field Services. “Huang did an outstanding and professional job. It takes a trained person with remarkable attention to details to be able to detect suspicious UL labels, given the technology used by counterfeiters today is so advanced.” “Thanks to the built-in inspection procedure and training; field representatives like myself are equipped to play a role in preventing unsafe products from reaching the consumers,” said Huang.  | 
