Traceability at serial-number level makes maintenance, warranty and channel management easier.
Implementation
Grafex places an invisible signature into the existing design of equipment and spare-part packaging, labels and printed documents — one whose copy cannot pass verification. Printing happens on the existing line; the look of the packaging and the production line do not change. Purchasing, warehouse or field teams can verify authenticity by scanning the packaging with the mobile app.
Industrial equipment consists of products that work in the field for many years: pumps, valves, bearings, seals, filters, control boards and hydraulic components. In these products a counterfeit or out-of-specification part can cause production downtime, workplace accidents and unexpected maintenance costs. Because machines need spare parts and service throughout their lifetime, the counterfeiting risk does not end with the first sale; it continues through the whole maintenance and repair cycle.
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Data
Estimated value of global trade in counterfeit goods in 2021 (2.3% of world imports)
Source: EUIPO and OECD, Mapping Global Trade in Fakes 2025 press release, 2025Estimated value of counterfeit goods trade into the EU in 2021 (4.7% of EU imports)
Source: EUIPO and OECD, Mapping Global Trade in Fakes 2025 press release, 2025Risks
In bearings, seals and pressurised components, copied parts may resemble the original at first sight but fail to meet strength and tolerance values. Failure of these parts can turn into cascading damage and an occupational safety risk.
If the origin of a part fitted during maintenance is not on record, determining liability and assessing warranty claims after a failure becomes difficult. For equipment operating at remote sites or abroad, that uncertainty grows further.
Spare parts can be sold as if original through intermediaries outside the authorised dealer network. The buying company cannot verify at the moment of delivery whether the part really came from the manufacturer's supply chain.
Equipment labels, declarations of conformity and user manuals can be copied and presented alongside other products. When it cannot be verified which equipment a document belongs to, a false sense of confidence forms about the product's history and conformity.
Regulation
Replacing Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC from 20 January 2027, the regulation requires manufacturers to mark products with a serial number or another element allowing identification. The EU declaration of conformity and the instructions for use may be provided digitally under certain conditions; this makes the link between equipment identity and its documents more important.
A digital record holding product, component and material information, linked to the physical product through a data carrier such as a QR code. Iron and steel and aluminium are among the first product groups expected to be brought into scope in stages; product-level identity and record infrastructure can support this preparation.
From 18 February 2027, every industrial battery with a capacity above 2 kWh will have a battery passport holding information specific to the battery model and to the individual battery. For equipment containing an energy storage unit or battery, a unique product identity can support this preparation.
In force since 12 March 2021, the law covers all products placed on the market; it defines the responsibilities of manufacturers, importers, authorised representatives and distributors separately and requires actors in the supply chain to keep records of whom they bought a product from and whom they sold it to. Chain-of-custody records at part and equipment level can support preparation for these obligations.
This section is for information only; official sources prevail for current obligations.
FAQ
Yes. Verification is done with the mobile app on a smartphone. The customer's maintenance team, the dealer, field service and auditors can all use the same method; no separate reader device or special authorisation is needed.
Unit-level numbering may be preferred for safety-critical or high-value parts, and batch-level numbering for high-volume consumables such as seals and filters. The choice is made according to the part's value and the risk its failure would create.
Other industries
Meeting request
The first meeting reviews your product, sales channels and the risks you face, and recommends a suitable method.
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