A counterfeit conspicuity sheeting ring that was about to flood the South African road safety market with underperforming products was recently uncovered.

To eliminate the risk of these 3M-branded counterfeits, which do not feature patented tried and tested reflective and adhesive technology, from entering the market and risking the safety of other road users, 3M, together with the SAPS and SARS, seized and destroyed a 472-box shipment.

Studies and tests conducted by the Technical University of Darmstad, Germany, show over a 10 year period that trucks clearly marked with highly-reflective material are 30 times less likely to be involved in an accident than unmarked trucks. Original 3M reflective conspicuity sheeting is designed to clearly outline the rear and sides of a vehicle, making it visible for up to 1 000 metres at night, significantly reducing the risk of an accident resulting from poor visibility.

Cynthia Bulekiwe, Sales Executive, 3M Traffic Safety Systems, says, “Cheap counterfeits do not provide the same quality of retro-reflective performance obtained from original 3M tape, which can lead to low visibility of the vehicle to other road users when they need it most.”

“Original 3M tape also complies with SABS ECR 104, which is legislated by law to be fitted onto all vehicles with a gross mass exceeding 3 500 kg, or longer than 7 metres, as well as trailers, caravans, minibuses, etc. Using counterfeit material renders the vehicle or caravan non-compliant, which is a finable offence.”

Lennon Phillip, General Legal Counsel, 3M South Africa, adds, “We encourage our customers and distributors to only purchase from an authorized 3M Distributor. Furthermore, should anyone have questions regarding our products or come across suspicious activity, we encourage them to report this directly to us and in the case of the latter report it to the local authorities.”