This month’s cover story is about counterfeit parts in the heavy-duty truck aftermarket. It was written by our associate editor and has been reviewed by our editorial staff. But, please note, I am responsible for the editorial content of this magazine. Any comments, compliments, complaints and concerns should be directed to me. For your convenience, you can reach me at the numbers and e-mail listed above.
Truck Parts & Service has treaded the waters of counterfeit parts before, with both positive and negative feedback. The pool temperature ranges from tepid to boiling. There are varied opinions on this issue, and the staff at Truck Parts & Service and I are aware of that.
The opinions are polar, ranging from the view that counterfeit parts are an industry plague to a non-issue. We have collected comments from both sides for this month’s cover story. And we have polled recipients of this magazine to gauge awareness, opinions and attitudes on the subject.
Truck Parts & Service is not in the business of sourcing parts or selling parts. Our job is to keep you up to speed on what’s happening in the marketplace and help you most effectively distribute components and provide service to end users.
I have heard both sides, and I know we’re not selling Louis Vitton handbags at flea markets. No reader has ever, to my knowledge, willingly sold a part that caused an accident or made a customer fall out of DOT compliance. But we reach 25,000-plus in a very diverse marketplace. Counterfeit parts is an issue that demands definition, as well as direction.
Distributors choose the lines they represent and end users choose the distributors they do business with based on their belief that the distributor has their best interests in mind. Ideally, quality, durability and performance are the guiding factors. That is the hope. Some want the original spec component, others want a lower-cost alternative. That is the free market, and that, in my opinion, makes our industry the dynamic and interesting marketplace that it is.
Choice is the backbone of the economy, aftermarket or otherwise. This, I believe, is supported by this month’s guest columnist, Bill Wade.
