26.02.2009

Counterfeit Demags

Terex Cranes has identified eight lattice boom crawler cranes as counterfeits of its products in the Henan Province of China and is undertaking legal action in cooperation with Chinese government authorities.

The cranes were being sold as used Terex Demag models. However the serial number plate, dated 1998 has Terex Demag at the top, in spite of the fact that Terex had nothing to do with Demag until mid 2002 – a possible giveaway.

In recent months, in a similar way to the counterfeit Tadano and Kato cranes that have shown up in the Middle East and Australia.
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One of the cheap copies of a Terex Demag CC2500

Terex says that while it is concerned with possible misappropriation of intellectual property, and potential damage to its corporate identity, its first concern is that of safety. It believes that the counterfeits pose a serious safety hazard due to their mix of different design features and unmatched components.
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The serial number plate stamped 1998

Buyers of cranes being sold as used in China or further afield should check the authenticity and seek the support of Terex Cranes as the Original Equipment Manufacturer. It takes more than checking serial numbers as those are easy to forge. A physical inspection and careful evaluation of photographs along with serial number verification is necessary for official authentication.

See Counterfeit Cranes
See Fake cranes in OZ

Vertikal Comment

If these copies are anything like the fake Tadano truck cranes that turned up in Australia a very quick inspection by any moderately experienced crane person will highlight the fact due to appalling quality dreadful welding and stupid mistakes.

What it does do is highlight the importance of carrying out a physical inspection on any used crane that you are buying. Paying for a used crane sight unseen is a no no unless you like being cheated.

Terex highlights the major problem that we should all be concerned about, that of safety, The weld quality on the fake Tadanos was as bad as it gets as was the steelwork, it is hard to imagine that a failure would only be a matter of time. This latest trend is suicidal and will end in tears with if the authorities in China do not act fast.