International steel pipe producers from all over the world have met to pledge to work together in the fight against counterfeit steel products.

The meeting between representatives of 18 steel producers took place in Dusseldorf, Germany with the ultimate goal of developing joint working plan of action to combat the presence of dangerous, uncertified, counterfeit steel on global markets.

It was the first organised as part of ‘Fight Fake Products Initiative’ established in December 2015 to tackle the issue.

During the meeting members shared plans to establish an official entity to represent their common interest of. Members also shared experience and knowledge of the legal actions necessary to discourage and prosecute counterfeit steel producers.

Andrey Burtsev, vice-president of sales Middle East and North Africa, Interpipe said: “The presence of counterfeit steel is growing problem in the Middle East. Uncertified steel products, which are widely used in civil engineering in this region, may have negative implications on safety and structural integrity. Counterfeiters may copy certificates and production documents, but they cannot copy quality. This is a very real threat, and as a part of this initiative we aim to work closely with suppliers, official authorities and government to ensure the steel industry remains a safe and fair place to do business. ”

Michael Kremmel, sales director for the Middle East and Asia, Erne Fittings, said: “We are here to make customers, legal authorities, as well as governments aware of this issue so they can work with us to take the necessary action. Surely, producers do it in on day-to-day basis, checking certificates, verifying the documents. But it is not enough. As an organized group we will be in the position to address these cases by any means.”