Tips on the Go: identifying a counterfeit PG Bison board (and why it’s important to use the real deal)

Tips on the Go is a PG Bison series aimed at helping companies who work with our products every day (like contractors, suppliers and installers) to improve the way they do business. In this blog post, we’re looking at why making a good first impression matters for your business, and tips for impressing your clients from the first time you engage.

PG Bison has a reputation for producing high-quality products. But, as with many leading brands, people can be tempted to try alternatives and counterfeits (products that aren’t the real brand, but are labelled as though they are).

Although PG Bison has warned consumers against buying knock-off PG Bison products, we still hear from consumers who thought they were buying genuine PG Bison products, only to find they bought counterfeit products that fade in colour, bend and have screws and hinges falling out.

"It's tragic for the homeowner to invest in improving their kitchen, and value of their home, only to experience product failure. We strongly recommend that homeowners, installers and designers double-check product stamps and labels to ensure they get legitimate PG Bison products," says Justin Berry, Executive: Marketing and Strategic Development at PG Bison.

When this happens, the companies who installed the counterfeit products also have their reputations damaged, which is why it’s important to make sure you are installing the original PG Bison products in your customers’ kitchens and homes.

So how will you know it’s the real deal? There are several things to look for when purchasing PG Bison products that can help stop customers from becoming victims of passing off.

1. Spot the brand

The edges of PG Bison boards are stamped with our brand names and will say which PG Bison brand they are: MelaWood, Formica LifeSeal Worktops (this is printed on the underside of the worktop), BisonLam, SupaMatt, SupaTexture or SupaGloss.

2. Check board sizes

Our decorative boards come in standard sheet sizes, most of which are 2750mm x 1830mm (9ft x 6ft). Some imported decorative boards are 2440mm x 1220mm (8ft x 4ft) or 2800mm x 2050mm. But you may still find a counterfeit board that is 2750mm x 1830mm in sheet size, so use this along with our other tips.

PG Bison boards are manufactured in a standard thickness of 16mm, while imported products can range from 15mm to 18mm. Often, 15mm board is sold as 16mm board. This impacts the hinge potholes and screw depth, thus ultimately impacting the finished door quality.

3. Check the colour

PG Bison's boards will always be the same colour on the back and front of the board. Some imports and counterfeit products have a white backer.

4. Look at the finish

Check that the finish on the board is correct. On PG Bison SupaGloss boards, we use our Peen texture, which is a slightly rough texture, and on our SupaMatt boards, we use our Natural Touch texture, which is a soft matt finish, on the reverse side. On some counterfeit products, the reverse side is very smooth with a silky satin finish. That's not a finish we use on our decorative products.

5. If you’re not sure, ask us!

If you have any doubt about whether a board is a genuine PG Bison product, don’t hesitate to contact your local PG Bison sales representative, and we will help you confirm if it is the real deal. PG Bison's regional sales contact details can be found on www.pgbison.co.za.

We urge contractors and homeowners to check the boards supplied against the samples provided in the PG Bison sample boxes to make sure the surface finish and colour they ordered match the PG Bison product they chose.

Quick checklist