Detroit - General Motors Service Parts Operations (GMSPO), Ford Motor Company's Automotive Consumer Services Group and the Mopar Parts Division of DaimlerChrysler Corporation are leading the creation of a Global Industry Network to protect against counterfeit activity.

The three automakers are cooperating in efforts to share their learnings on tracking down and seeking prosecution of counterfeiting perpetrators. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the impact of counterfeit activity has resulted in: Lost sales of $12 billion worldwide for the automotive industry; 210,000 lost automotive related jobs; Compromised customer safety; Loss of brand reputation and consumer confidence, and Loss of opportunity for automakers to grow their respective businesses.

Over the last few months, GM has raided 14 counterfeit retailers and four printing operations in the Middle East. As recently as Sept. 5, 2001, an automobile glass factory in China's Guangdong Province was raided and several automakers' branded glass windshields, including GM's, were confiscated. Most of the glass was being exported throughout the world and contained no shatterproof safety elements to protect passengers involved in accidents.

In Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, Ford Motor Company has recently identified several dozen counterfeiters producing and trafficking everything from wheel covers to suspension parts to air filters.

European car brands are in contact with Pretection to define a brand protection strategy. Pretection's Online Sales Monitoring Services have indicated that various brands suffer from extensive online counterfeit sales, especially counterfeited wheels. Pretection identifies the person or organisation behind these websites and delivers this valuable information to the automakers. Detection and removal of these counterfeited car parts from the Internet will help restore the brand reputation, consumer confidence and the respective business.