Fake COO on packaging

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: wymi516
Date of 1995 on the sticker!


That's just the copyright for that version of the ACDelco logo. The label on the box looks legit.

Originally Posted By: KGMtech
the electric motor is made in China, the blower assembly and /or the plastic surround is made in USA - perhaps.


This is my guess, or some sort of supplier change and the label didn't get updated.

Often times there will be a correct GM part number on the part somewhere, but not always.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: stephen9666
I'm a COO nerd, so I've done tons of reading on this.

"Made in the USA" and phrases with the same meaning are pretty strictly regulated by the FTC.

The labeling rules for imported items are regulated by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Here's a very simple, easy-to-understand website that spells out the rules for items to be labeled "made in the USA,"
http://www.business.ftc.gov/documents/bus03-complying-made-usa-standard
Quote:
What is the standard for a product to be called Made in USA without qualification?

For a product to be called Made in USA, or claimed to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits on the claim, the product must be "all or virtually all" made in the U.S. The term "United States," as referred to in the Enforcement Policy Statement, includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories and possessions.

What does "all or virtually all" mean?

"All or virtually all" means that all significant parts and processing that go into the product must be of U.S. origin. That is, the product should contain no — or negligible — foreign content.



Originally Posted By: Miller88
From what I understand, the box has no legal bearing. It's the case of the item / body of the item that matters.

This. I assume most of these "the box is made in the USA" comments are jokes.

Originally Posted By: KGMtech
the electric motor is made in China, the blower assembly and /or the plastic surround is made in USA - perhaps.

If that were the case, it would seem reasonable to me that it would be a violation of the "all or virtually all" rule. The motor is a huge portion of the content and cost of this item.

It may be a total mistake, outdated sticker, etc.

If anyone wants to report violations of the FTC rules, here's how you do it. Someone on Garage Journal has used this to report violations and he got a response and eventually submitted photos and more evidence.:
Quote:
What if I suspect noncompliance with the FTC’s Made in USA standard or other country-of-origin mislabeling?

Information about possible illegal activity helps law enforcement officials target companies whose practices warrant scrutiny. If you suspect noncompliance, contact the Division of Enforcement, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580; (202) 326-2996 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

If you know about import or export fraud, call Customs’ toll-free Commercial Fraud Hotline, 1-800-ITS-FAKE. Examples of fraudulent practices involving imports include removing a required foreign origin label before the product is delivered to the ultimate purchaser (with or without the improper substitution of a Made in USA label) and failing to label a product with a required country of origin.


We export stuff and will be reporting country of origin for some products soon. It's a huge liability, because you never really know when dealing with used equipment ,but have to do it to pass customs.

 

[javacontour]

As an aside, we have similar parts numbering issues in the computer business. The service part number for something like a DIMM or an Ethernet adapter is different from the new install part number.

Of course, in the case of Ethernet cards, they may come with numerous brackets you don't get with the service part. The assumption is you swap the bracket from the old part, should you need to and go on about your business.

I can see it both ways. How much would it cost to just stock the new parts with all the brackets vs stocking two different P/N's?

Mistakes and confusion are bound to happen with thousands of parts in the pipeline.
Originally Posted By: BHopkins
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
I'd be more troubled with the fact that the numbers on the box and the numbers on the blower don't match.

Does the blower appear to be the correct part?


Also not a big deal. The part numbering system used by GM (and almost all other OEMs) assigns one part number for a part that is used in production, and a different part number for the very same part, when it is shipped as a service part.

While this may seem stupid, the different part numbers have a purpose. When we ship a part to the assembly plant, it is shipped in a bulk container. There may be 10 parts in a reusable plastic container, and 16 containers to a pallet. This works great on the production floor.

When we ship the same part for use as a service part, it is shipped to a service parts distribution center. This time the same part is individually boxed, typically in a cardboard box. Also included in the box may be an instruction sheet, and perhaps some fasteners. Since the part is the same as that which is shipped to the assembly plant, it has the same label on the part. But when it is boxed, it is shipped as the service part number.

If GM ordered the same part number for both production and service, then the parts distribution center would receive the same bulk shipment of parts that the assembly plant orders. This would not work at all. The assembly plant orders in multiples of whatever is on an entire pallet. For example, if there are 160 parts on a pallet, they will order in quantities of 160, 320, 480, 640, etc. When the parts distribution center orders, they may order in any quantity, even a single piece if needed.

this can be confusing to the amateur do-it-yourself type. But I am sure the shops are entirely accustomed to seeing this, and think nothing of it.

 

[artificialist]

A few weeks ago, I got a pleasant surprise.
I needed a PCV Valve, and the only one I could get had "Made in Taiwan" on the box. As soon as I pulled the part out of the box, it said "Made in the USA"

I thought I would never see that.

 

[zzyzzx]

Where is that picture of the mislabeled bearings when you need it!