Beware Of Deceptive Marketing Practices Being Used By Unscrupulous Laboratory Furniture Dealers.

PRLog (Press Release) - Sep 19, 2009 -
Why is this a concern?

This is a problem for several reasons:

1st of all, claiming to be a manufacturer (when you’re not) is unethical.

If Architects are specifying products by a dealer or “brand” rather than a manufacturer; this creates an uneven playing field for the legitimate dealers who are providing quotes on the project, and puts the buyer at risk. Reputable dealers will quote products made by manufacturers that are known entities, so the quality and specifications of the product can be verified by the designers and owners. When specifying a “brand” a dealer can often provide a lower bid than its competitors, and then purchase the product from any manufacturer who is willing to let that dealer put their name on it. This can result in the purchaser receiving an inferior product with no manufacturer’s warrantee.

How to determine if a manufacturer is legitimate:

1.   Ask the dealer where the product thy represent is made.
a.   All legitimate manufacturers will disclose the location of their facilities.

2.   Check with The Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association (SEFA)
a.   SEFA is universally recognized as the organization that sets the standards for laboratory furniture manufacturers. We strongly recommend that you only buy lab furniture from manufactures that are executive members of SEFA (manufacturers and fabricators) a list of SEFA members can be found on the SEFA website at http://www.sefalabs.com