Metso warns of ‘pirate’ parts in mining equipment

Fake or counterfeit parts in essential mining equipment could result in potentially catastrophic consequences, according to one South African expert

The proliferation of non-OEM, fake or counterfeit parts for crushers and screens has created the perception in some procurement departments that short-term savings can be achieved without risk to customers or equipment, said Francois Marais, sales and marketing director at Metso distributor Pilot Crushtec.

This is simply not the case, he said, as every ‘saving’ on an inferior part is likely to cause extra expenditure – if not catastrophic results – at a later stage.

“Fake parts will compromise worker safety, as there are normally a number of people in close proximity to this equipment who could be affected by a failure,” he said.

“A business that buys and fits pirate parts runs the risk of sending a negative message to its operators – that saving money is more important than the safety of crews on site.”

Marais said genuine parts for crushers and screens are an essential part of the promise that OEMs make to the market to keep their customers’ projects profitable and their businesses sustainable.

“OEMs like Metso spend decades developing and supporting technologies that provide customers with reliable and high performance solutions for crushing and screening,” he said.

“However, this work is quickly undone when non-OEM parts are installed in our equipment, supposedly to save a few rand in maintenance costs.”

He said the performance of Metso’s high-tech equipment is based on its design and engineering – which includes various components and wear parts that must be replaced from time to time.

Copied parts from other sources do not carry this technical heritage, and simply undermine performance and reliability, he noted.

It also erodes the value of the relationship that OEMs work hard to build with customers, according to Merja Tyyni, vice president aftermarket distribution management, Metso.

“Our customer relationships focus on the whole process of delivering value to their operations,” said Tyyni.

“We pay attention to the end-product value, where we can supply not only the appropriate capital equipment, but also the follow-up trouble-shooting, repairs and overall technical advice.”

The quality of these solutions and services is based on years of research, development and testing, as well as continuous investment in the necessary technical infrastructure and capability to respond quickly to customer needs.

However, these efforts are compromised when customers place non-OEM parts into their machines as the quality chain is only as strong as its weakest link, noted Karima Dargaud, head of aftermarket Europe, Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, Metso.

“Our OEM spares are an essential aspect of the support we provide, so customers can reliably meet their production targets and avoid costly penalties,” said Dargaud.

“Customers build their reputations on this consistent performance, by producing the right results safely, on time and within budget. Using non-OEM spares only puts this reputation at risk, as machines then become unreliable.”