PITTSBURGH … Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton is hosting a panel discussion on the dangers of counterfeit electrical products that pose threats to safety and result in lost productivity for customers and legitimate manufacturers. Rich Holder , president, Eaton’s Electrical Components Organization, is moderating the forum at Electric West 2010 at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Wednesday, March 17, from 2:30-4:30 p.m., in room 204/205. He will be joined by Brett Brenner , president, Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI); Tom Grace , manager, Anti-Counterfeiting Initiatives, Eaton’s Electrical Sector; Brian Monks , vice president, Anti-Counterfeiting Operations, Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL); and Clark Silcox , legal counsel, National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). Eaton is also exhibiting in booth #333 through Thursday, March 18.

The panelists will discuss how manufacturers’ associations, supply-chain partners and government agencies worldwide are coordinating efforts to raise awareness of counterfeit electrical products, and to enforce anti-counterfeiting measures.

“I am pleased to facilitate this session featuring such a distinguished panel of experts and industry leaders,” said Holder. “Their insights will provide attendees with critical information about emerging anti-counterfeiting technologies and programs to protect customers and reduce the economic impact of sub-standard goods in the global economy.” 

Worldwide, counterfeiting costs the electrical products industry $600 billion annually. In the United States, that figure is $200-$250 billion. Because of revenue lost by lawful companies, counterfeiting reduces U.S. employment by 750,000 jobs each year, according to the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition ( www.iacc.org ).

In 2008, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported that seizures of counterfeit electrical products increased 43 percent over 2007 levels, which indicates counterfeiting is a persistent problem. More than 80 percent of counterfeit products originate in Asia and find their way to markets worldwide.

Electric West is the largest independent trade show and seminar that serves the electrical design, construction and maintenance markets. The event, which runs through Thursday, March 18, has attracted about 3,500 industry attendees.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is a non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety at home and in the workplace. ESFI was founded in 1994 as a cooperative effort by NEMA, UL and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Each year, ESFI sponsors National Electrical Safety Month during the month of May, and engages in public education campaigns year round to reduce the number of electrical fires, injuries, and fatalities due to electrical accidents each year.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) is the trade association of the electrical manufacturing industry. Founded in 1926 and headquartered near Washington, DC, its approximately 450 member companies manufacture products used in the generation, transmission and distribution, control, and end-use of electricity. NEMA also provides a forum for the development of technical standards that are in the best interests of the industry and users, advocacy of industry policies on legislative and regulatory matters, and collection, analysis, and dissemination of industry data.

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent product safety certification organization that has been testing products and writing Standards for Safety for over a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems annually with 20 billion UL Marks appearing on 72,000 manufacturers’ products each year. UL’s worldwide family of companies and network of service providers includes 64 laboratory, testing and certification facilities serving customers in 98 countries.

Eaton’s electrical business is a global leader in power distribution, power quality, control and industrial automation products and services. Eaton’s global electrical product lines, including Cutler-Hammer®, Moeller®, Powerware®, Holec®, MEM®, Santak®, and MGE Office Protection Systems™ provide customer-driven PowerChain Management® solutions to serve the power system needs of the data center, industrial, institutional, government, utility, commercial, residential, and OEM markets worldwide.
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2009 sales of $11.9 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 70,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com