Customer Experience
HINO Motors, Ltd.
FORGE GUARD® label is directly onto filter body
A comment from Mr. Hiromichi SUEMOTO, Manager, Diesel Equipment Engineering Group, Functional Component Design Dept., Engine Engineering Division:
For several years we recognized the urgent necessity of measures against counterfeit products for automobile parts in the Chinese market and made a plan to attach the anti-counterfeit label directly onto the fuel filter. Unfortunately all the security labels we tested at that time came loose from a filter due to tough usage condition such as the high temperature at 120 to 200 degrees Celsius and getting fuel and water on the label. At certain moment we met FORGE GUARD® and it was designed to stand with high durability of those tough usage environments and had successfully fulfilled our evaluation criteria. Therefore we decided to introduce FORGE GUARD® onto the fuel filter. In this way we always work with Fujifilm and plan to take measures to the other automobile parts and extend further to the Asian markets besides China in the near future.
To protect HINO brand and reduce sales loss in China
In the Chinese market, there were a lot of counterfeit products of automobile parts. Customers purchased counterfeit products without knowing that they were fake ones, which affected the sales of genuine products. When counterfeit products are installed to an automobile, the engine troubles sometimes might occur. This problem also might damage HINO brand. So the measures against counterfeit products were highly needed.
High durability and difficulty to copy FORGE GUARD®
We planned to attach something directly onto a fuel filter by which customers can judge whether genuine or fake ones with their eyes when they purchased it and afterwards. So high heat resistance was required to the security labels we were looking for. In this regard, FORGE GUARD® does not loose the color image even under high temperature and keep the high anti-counterfeit performance, which makes us decide to introduce the FORGE GUARD® as the countermeasure.
Sales increase of genuine product and quick action to customer
As a result of introduction of FORGE GUARD® to cope with counterfeit products, the sales of fuel filter in the Chinese market have greatly increased. Even when problems occur in the Chinese market and we need to deal with them, we can easily figure out if the products are genuine or fake, which leads to an enhanced HINO brand.
Expansion to the other Asian countries after success in China
We have realized the effectiveness of FORGE GUARD® as an anti-counterfeit measure from the introduction result in the Chinese market. So we plan to expand FORGE GUARD® installation to the other Asian countries besides China, to fuel filters and to the other automobile parts.
Company: HINO Motors, Ltd.
Products: Fuel Filter for Automobile
YONEX
A comment from Mr. Takeharu Yoneyama, Wear Department General Manager:
It was the best timing that I found the Fujifilm FORGE GUARD® since I was just thinking of replacement of the old security tag by the new one. Fujifilm made us various proposals and responded quickly to our requests in a short term, which made me happy. Fujifilm works in research and development in many fields. So I often discuss my ideas with their sales representatives.
Introduction background: To offer genuine products to customers and protect brand image from counterfeit products.
While YONEX sells more than 10 millions of sportswear a year, I was worried about counterfeit products especially in the Asian market. As for sportswear, it is hard to tell whether the sportswear is genuine or not simply by looking at. And the distribution of counterfeit products would cause a lot of problems to customers. So I felt that the strong countermeasures must be introduced to stop those problems. Moreover I was concerned about not only lost opportunities for genuine products, but also brand damage. Although YONEX had used a security tag with special types of ink since 2006, the ink became unavailable and we could easily foresee that a counterfeiting ring would make a fake security tag almost identical to a real security tag. Therefore, YONEX needed the new security countermeasure.
Why FORGE GUARD®?: High authenticity, anticounterfeit feature, heat resistance and water resistance
When I first saw FORGE GUARD®, I was surprised to see full-color image appear through a proprietary viewer when the viewer was placed directly over the FORGE GUARD® label, which was well received in my office and I soon started considering introduction of FORGE GUARD®. Since FORGE GUARD® is produced by Fujifilm proprietary technologies from the material development to the finished products, I confirmed that FORGE GUARD® would not be imitated by anyone else for the time being and thought Fujifilm was a reliable partner. Technical requirements to introduce FORGE GUARD® to sportswear are washing durability, pressure bonding during the manufacturing process, heat resistance against drying and sewing adaptability. FORGE GUARD® overcame those test items conducted by YONEX, Fujifilm and an independent third party, so I became confident about the quality of FORGE GUARD® and made a decision to introduce FORGE GUARD® to sportswear.
Results: Improved customer's satisfaction and elimination of counterfeit products from shops and increased sales.
In overseas markets, there were many shops which sold counterfeit products. However, the number of counterfeit products has dramatically decreased because it is a sign of genuine products for FORGE GUARD® to be attached to them. It seems that the counterfeit-product manufacturers have given up, so I think FORGE GUARD® has a strong deterrent effect on counterfeit products. FORGE GUARD® has contributed to the decrease in the number of counterfeit products, so sales of genuine products of sportswear have increased in the Asian market.
Future development: Expansion to other products besides sportswear.
YONEX is going to work with Fujifilm to further improve a security tag and to meet customers' demands. I also would like to expand to other products besides sportswear such as socks, wristbands and so on to attach FORGE GUARD® to and hope to eradicate counterfeit products.
OLYMPIC Co., LTD.
A comment of Mr. Kazuki NOMURA, Manager, Planning and Development:
Several alert against counterfeit products were discussed in annual exhibitions of fishing and golf last years. Recently we have introduced FORGE GUARD® to all the new fishing rods because of its easy verification feature even for our customers by themselves. We hope that FORGE GUARD® will be widely accepted as the high security label among people. We also believe that FORGE GUARD® on our products gives our customers more reliability to our products and to OLYMPIC brand.
To reduce brand damage
Last years we found lots of counterfeit fishing rods in the market and the amount was increased. When customers purchase and use counterfeit products without knowing, firstly we loose the sales opportunities of our genuine product. When customers recognize and do not satisfy with the counterfeit products, it also damage OLYMPIC brand. When we expand our business to outside Japan, the countermeasure in advance is certainly needed for some countries.
A high anti-counterfeit feature and an outdoor durability of FORGE GUARD®
FORGE GUARD® is a high anti-counterfeit product based on Fujifilm's unique technologies. Also FORGE GUARD® has a high durability for outdoor usage that is very important requirement to fishing rods and golf shafts for their nature. For these reasons we have decided to introduce FORGE GUARD®.
Brand protection realized
We introduce FORGE GUARD® to all the fishing rods and golf shafts and promote this action in the products brochure and in the exhibitions. We believe that the anti-counterfeit activity by OLYMPIC will protect our brand and get more appreciation from our customers.
Offering further reliability to the customers
We continue to protect OLYMPIC brand by using FORGE GUARD® and continue to give safe and secured OLYMPIC products to our customers.
Company: OLYMPIC Co., LTD.
Product: Fishing Rods and Golf Shafts