Special Edition New Test Mark

KNOWLEDGE MAGAZINE BY TÜV RHEINLAND
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Editorial Information
Publisher:
TÜV Rheinland AG, Communication,
Am Grauen Stein, D-51105 Cologne
Phone: +49 221 806-4314
Fax:
+49 221 806-1760
Internet: www.tuv.com
Responsible:
Hartmut Müller-Gerbes
Coordination:
Gabi Kimura
Editing, design, production:
S+L Partners GmbH, Cologne
Printing:
Druckhaus Ley + Wiegandt, Wuppertal
Photos: Lothar Wels (p. 2, p. 10-12, p. 14-15, p.
18-19); TÜV Rheinland AG (Back cover, p. 2, p. 4,
p. 6-7); Ralf Bille (p. 3); PROBilder/Fotolia (Title);
Logostylish/Fotolia (p. 8); Ildogesto/Fotolia (p. 9);
E.May/Photodisc/gettyimages (p. 13); interfalz/obs
(p. 16-16)
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MARKETS OF TOMORROW
THE NEW TEST MARK
INCREASES THE BRAND'S VALUE
MANAGERS OF TODAY
MANFRED BAYERLEIN ON TRUST IN
THE GLOBAL MARKETS
SAFETY AT ALL TIMES
PRODUCT PIRACY IN THE SIGHTS OF
BRAND PROTECTION SPECIALISTS
SPECIAL EDITION NEW TEST MARK
02
Content / Editorial
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BACK TO THE FUTURE
MANY COMPANIES SPECIALIZE IN ONE CORE BUSINESS, such as automotive or aircraft construction or shipbuilding. We are specialists in inspections. In this regard, nearly no other company is as
versatile as TÜV Rheinland. A total of six business streams cover almost every aspect of life with their
inspection services – on every continent and while always staying on top of the very latest developments. In doing so, there is one essential symbol that keeps us connected with you, our customers and
end consumers, across all borders: the TÜV Rheinland test mark.
Our test mark is the visible indication of the highest possible quality in testing products, services,
systems and processes in all sectors. For many people it represents TÜV Rheinland as a company. Our
previous test mark only partially met this high standard. And, just as the company has further developed in recent years, becoming more competitive for the future, our new test mark will make a great
leap forward in its appearance, giving a clear signal for future-oriented, successful economic orientation. This change, however, is not just cosmetic or restricted to design only: In future, TÜV Rheinland
will present itself with a new unique and globally uniform test mark. This special edition of contact
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10
18
03
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is therefore intended to inform you about the background to this
decision, including its preparation over many months, and
describes what in particular will change for you, our cherished
customers, service providers and end consumers.
Learn what components make up our new test mark and what
the classification system behind it is (page 4). In interviews, CEO
Dr.-Ing. Manfred Bayerlein and Chief Technology Officer Volker
Klosowski describe the strategic context, the changes, advantages and effects the new test mark will bring. You can also read
about how companies can take action against product counterfeiters (page 13).
We hope you enjoy reading this magazine!
Hartmut Müller-Gerbes
Head of Corporate PR and Media
TÜV Rheinland AG
Yours,
KNOWLEDGE
04 Cover story:
Square & New
Our new test mark
benefits your company
13 High-tech sets the tone
Invisible and yet
successful. Forensic
protection of products
16 Defending the brand!
Specialist for color standards RAL successfully
acts against product
counterfeiters
SPOTLIGHT
08 Trend research, QR codes,
Certipedia
PEOPLE
10 The mark of good times
to come
Dr.-Ing. Manfred Bayerlein
on the great benefits of the
little mark
14 On the hunt for counterfeits and pirated copies
Protecting against product
piracy with the new
TÜV Rheinland test mark
18 The future used to
be better!
Dipl.-Ing. Volker Klosowski
on the additional benefits
that customers offer
their customers
04
Knowledge The new test mark
Allow me to introduce
myself. I am your new
TÜV Rheinland test mark.
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The new test mark Knowledge
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SQUARE
PRACTICAL
NEW
SINCE JANUARY 2013,
TÜV RHEINLAND HAS PUT
EVERYTHING INTO ITS
NEW TEST M ARK. NOT
ONLY ITS LOOK HAS
CHANGED. AN OVERVIEW
EXPLAINS THE TESTING
PHILOSOPHY BEHIND IT.
SQUARE, MODERN AND UNMISTAKABLE: The new
appearance of the TÜV Rheinland test mark catches
the eye right away. Its modified style and shape subtly
makes it stand out from other test marks and its predecessors. At the same time, it cuts a great figure in the
media – this applies equally to websites, advertisements
or product packaging.
The new test mark appeals thanks to its clear shape.
The relaunch, however, is not restricted to the design
alone. For this purpose TÜV Rheinland has optimized
the individual components that make up the test mark,
which include the service catalog, the keywords and
the certification database Certipedia. Moreover, the QR
code is a crucial addition to the new test mark.
One brand, one appearance
"A brand must have a uniform appearance in order
to emphasize its value," says Gabi Kimura who, as
Senior Marketing Manager International, coordinated
the internal introduction of the test mark at TÜV
Rheinland. "In the past, the large number of different
TÜV Rheinland test marks meant that we weren't able
to fully exploit the brand's potential". Instead of over
one hundred variants in different sizes, colors and
fonts, TÜV Rheinland will from now on award a single
test mark which is identical all over the world and for
all business streams. This improves brand recognition,
increasing the value of the test mark, which, in turn,
also increases the value of the products and services
that carry this test mark. All tests and test marks previously awarded remain valid. Of course companies
can switch to the new test mark immediately and start
benefiting from its advantages right away.
A core component of the changes is the new service
catalog, which was developed in parallel to the new test
mark. It puts forth a binding requirement that governs
which inspection services have to be rendered in order
to award the test mark, in addition to prescribing which
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Knowledge The new test mark
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TEST MARKS & EXTENSIONS
1
3
www.tuv.com
ID 1000000000
2
keywords the test mark ultimately carries. Furthermore,
the catalog categorizes all tests and determines whether and under what conditions the TÜV Rheinland test
mark is awarded and what is written beneath the TÜV
Rheinland logo: "Tested", "Inspected", "Certified"
or "Listed" (German: "Geprüft", "Überwacht" or
"Zertifiziert" for the German market). Important: None
of the inspection services previously offered will be
dropped in the future!
Reading material for the consumer
The QR code, ID number, keywords, external test marks
and year rings have all been added to the test mark. The
QR codes are able to deliver important additional information about the product within a matter of seconds
using any commercially available smart phone. This
offers effective protection against counterfeits. The ID
number also provides access to the certification database Certipedia, fromerly TUVdotCOM, which has
been revised as well. The keywords explain the scope of
our inspection services. Additional external test marks
such as the GS mark may also be used. Year rings have
been implemented for periodically recurring tests.
Given the constant technological, economic and social
changes, it is only natural that the inspection services
demanded should change as well. TÜV Rheinland
therefore updates its service catalog on a regular basis.
2
Money isn't everything
Feasibility and profitability are no longer the sole criteria for including inspection services in the catalog; ethical principles are becoming more and more important
too. Ethical guidelines provide mandatory regulations
on what has always been the case; in future, only tests,
inspections and certifications for products and services
shall be carried out which adhere to our values and
the principles of the Global Compact platform of the
United Nations. Global Compact is an international
network of companies and organizations that works for
human rights, fair labor standards and environmental
protection, while combating corruption at the same
time. The uniform global appearance of the new test
mark is one of the decisive reasons for the relaunch. The
components ultimately included in the test mark depend on the respective service and on the contractual
agreements between TÜV Rheinland and the customer.
The picture above describes the possible elements.
The new test mark Knowledge
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4
5
1
Management
System
ISO 9001:2008
www.tuv.com
ID 1234567890
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1 QR code:
The QR code (QR stands for 'quick response') has
been added to the test mark at the request of
customers. Scanning it with a smart phone provides direct access to the certification database
Certipedia by TÜV Rheinland – a service that
no other provider of inspection services offers at
the moment. Here you can find comprehensive
information about products, manufacturers and
tests. Direct access helps to detect product and
test mark counterfeiting more quickly, thereby
increasing security. The database was extensively
revised during the relaunch. Consumer-friendly
bonus offerings such as photos, videos and
descriptive texts also generate a promotional
effect for TÜV Rheinland and the customer alike.
2 ID number:
As before, you can access the web page of the
newly revised certification database by entering
the ten-digit test ID number on Certipedia.
Those who wish to learn more about the test
can find even more comprehensive details on
Certipedia than before.
2
3 External test marks:
Test marks such as the GS mark are an integral
part of the TÜV Rheinland test mark.
4 Keywords:
The number of keywords has been reduced, which
does not affect the depth of information as the
keywords are the same worldwide. They no longer
describe the content of the test, but the results –
for example, "Tested quality" or "Certified
management system ISO 9001:2008." In defining
the wording, we put a strong emphasis on clarity
for the final consumer. A test mark without limiting
keywords will only be awarded for complete safety
tests in future.
5 Year rings:
The date of the periodically recurring tests is
shown by the year rings.
07
08
Spotlight
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EDGING OUT THE CIRCLES
Easily recognizable, simple
and functional: This is how
the design of the new test
mark by TÜV Rheinland
can be described in just
a few words. These
features are exactly what
customers all over the
world are looking for:
no coincidence, as TÜV
Rheinland performed an in-depth analysis on what
they wanted in advance. A large study in August
2011 provided valuable insight. TÜV Rheinland and
a renowned international market research institute
conducted a joint survey of existing and potential
customers in Germany, Spain, China, Japan and the
USA. Those questioned confirmed unanimously that
the test mark plays a vital role in the success of their
business: because on the one hand it proves that
statutory requirements and standards are adhered
to, while on the other it acts as a marketing instrument, convincing the consumer of the product's
quality. Another result: Along with criteria such as
expertise, customer service and costs, the name and
its familiarity in the sector are decisive in whom a
company chooses as their provider of inspection
services. In the study, companies rated three
different test mark variants: two circular designs and
the newly-introduced square shape. The new test
mark prevailed by a long way.
QUICKI CLICKI
You can find them on billboards, in magazines and
on brown bags: QR codes are everywhere. From now
on, TÜV Rheinland will be harnessing the benefits
of the black-and-white speckled square for its test
mark – the first provider of inspection services to do
so. QR stands for 'quick response.' The name says it
all: When you scan the code with your smart phone,
you are redirected to the incorporated web address
immediately without the inconvenience of having to
enter it manually. A simple click with the
camera and you are provided
with the content stored on the
web. The maximum volume
of information that a QR code
can hold is nearly 3,000 bytes,
which corresponds to almost
4,300 alphanumeric characters
(letters and numbers). Generally, the more dots the code
contains, the more information it holds. By the
way: If you think
the speckled square was invented solely for smart
phones, you are mistaken! It has been in use since
1994 and was originally conceived as a means for
labeling in the logistics department of Toyota. By
incorporating the QR code for its test mark, TÜV
Rheinland aims to achieve two primary goals:
security against counterfeiting and user-friendliness.
After all, direct access to the respective page in our
certification database Certipedia is not only convenient, but also serves to detect fake product and
test marks. Of course, you can also
access the site by entering the tendigit test ID number – it's just not
as quick.
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Spotlight
FUTURE-ORIENTED SERVICE
13 years ago, the TUVdotCOM.com certification
database was born. A nice birthday to celebrate, you
might say? But no: for an online platform in this fastmoving age, in which IT products, software and hardware become obsolete at a rapid pace, the number
13 is neither lucky nor a reason to celebrate.
100 years ago, sabers, porcelain or medals were
true status symbols and were held in families for
generations. Today, the average lifespan of the status
symbols of the 'like buttons generation', including software, hardware, smart phones, tablets and
PCs, is around two years. TUVdotCOM.com is a data
platform and work tool rather than a status symbol;
it is more of a symbol of prudence. But it has been
continuously filled with information since its birth
13 years ago and, on the basis of IT technology from
2000, is not really able to keep up with the times. The
need for action is even more urgent as the flood of
data and its corresponding growth has been steadily
increasing in recent years. With TUVdotCOM.com,
there was also the issue of confusion due to the similarity in spelling with the global corporate website,
tuv.com. Here, on tuv.com, customers, journalists
and all interested parties can obtain fundamental
information on our company.
Certipedia
offers useful information and data on
services and testing
provided by TÜV
Rheinland, as well as
on the products and
manufacturers tested
– for both authorities
and end customers.
In contrast, TUVdotCOM.com is a company-owned
certification database. This aging certification database is now being revised both visually and in terms
of content. A new database has therefore been created that is not only equipped with the latest technology of today, but also fit for the future. And a new
development deserves a new name: Certipedia.
Certipedia will offer increased functionality, greater
clarity and more word combinations, and will generally be more user-friendly than its predecessor. The
name Certipedia alludes to both certification and
a well-known online encyclopedia. In future, our
database will be able to hold more comprehensive
information on the desired product, our certificates
and their validity period. You can find our new certification database under Certipedia.com – pay us a visit
and put us to the test.
09
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People Dr.-Ing. Manfred Bayerlein
THE MARK OF
GOOD TIMES
TO COME
CEO DR.-ING. MANFRED BAYERLEIN
ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TÜV
Ü
RHEINLAND BRAND AND WHY THE
"CARRY ON" MENTALITY SOMETIMES JUST ISN'T ENOUGH.
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Dr.-Ing. Manfred Bayerlein People
HOMESICK FOR A
FARAWAY PLACE!
Dr.-Ing. Manfred Bayerlein studied Material
Sciences and Information Technology at the
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. The man from
Bayreuth in Upper Franconia has been CEO of
TÜV Rheinland since September 2011. His goal
for the years to come: To grow internationally!
TÜV Rheinland expects considerable benefits from
the new test mark – for its customers and its own
position on the market alike. Aren't you expecting
too much?
Let me put it this way: Last year we celebrated the
140th anniversary of TÜV Rheinland – a true success
story which we are very proud of and intend to continue. We wouldn't be able to sustain this success if
we were still operating in the same way as 140 years
ago. Thousands of new products and services emerge
every day around the globe, and testing them is both
important and the right thing to do. We stand for
independence, neutrality and expertise, and so does
our test mark. The new test mark lays a solid foundation for expanding further on our success in the years
to come, as it makes our services more unique, more
counterfeit-proof and more valuable. In doing so, its
shape and appeal present all the positive characteristics and messages that make up our success: momentum, strength and stability.
Why does this little test mark in particular hold such
great significance?
It's in the nature of our company. As a provider of
inspection services, we don't manufacture tangible
products. The test mark is the visible part of our work.
It stands both for our services and for our company as
a whole. TÜV Rheinland has always enjoyed an excellent reputation with companies and consumers alike,
and this trust in our test mark is what really makes
the difference in terms of value. Market research has
proved this, and our employees experience it on a
daily basis, too. We strive to maintain and make use
of the trust that people have in us. At the same time,
we must not be afraid of changes or what the future
may hold. Those who become complacent or rest on
their laurels are bound to miss the boat. As we have
done throughout our history, we therefore have
to reevaluate what we do and face new challenges
boldly. That's why it was time for a new signal, a
new test mark. And we have now successfully met
this challenge in my opinion.
You just mentioned that it is time for a change. Why
now, exactly?
Fortunately, we have been experiencing a strong
phase of growth and global expansion in recent years.
This simple fact brought about an abundance of special regional and in-house developments. And it is
our stated aim to grow even further internationally.
The problems caused by the many different test mark
looks would have become even more clearly visible.
Due to the high number of existing test marks that
threatened to dilute the TÜV Rheinland brand, we
were forced to react. A brand has to be easily recognizable and unmistakable. Only then can it thrive. Every
successful company follows this principle. We may
not be Apple, Coca-Cola or Mercedes, but the TÜV
Rheinland brand has a strong appeal for our customers. This appeal increases as the brand becomes better
known. And of course, a uniform test mark gives an
additional boost in terms of awareness.
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People Dr.-Ing. Manfred Bayerlein
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"THE VALUE OF A BRAND IS
INEXTRICABLY LINK ED TO THE
TRUST THAT CUSTOMERS AND
CONSUMERS HAVE IN THE
QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS"
extensive catalog or contact us to find out whether
a suspect test mark is genuine or copied.
So you're saying that the TÜV Rheinland label
must also match the content in terms of quality?
Exactly. Anything less would make customers and
consumers unsure of the brand, and nobody would
be able to identify with it. The value of a brand is
inextricably linked to the trust that customers and
consumers put into it, because they then automatically regard the product as valuable in every sense
of the word. If we transfer this idea to TÜV Rheinland, it is essentially absurd that we have been assigning test marks in totally different shapes, colors and sizes up to now. Why should companies in
China, Brazil or the USA apply a test mark to their
products which they want to sell in Germany, India
or Australia if this test mark isn't even known in the
respective target countries? Thanks to our new test
mark, we are able to differentiate ourselves clearly
from the competition while also investing in our
brand. This benefits us just as much as it does our
customers, as well as offering companies, consumers
and of course authorities much better orientation.
Can the relaunch of the test mark also be regarded
as a change in strategy?
Our goal is to position ourselves as the best sustainable and independent testing and inspection corporation. Some things that we took for granted in
the past have now, in the process of the relaunch,
been differentiated, formulated and discussed, and
improved where necessary. Take, for instance, the
fact that our everyday life has long since been dictated online. People are used to being able to call
up all sorts of information at any time. That is why
we developed a test mark whose features meet these
expectations and are ideally suited to multimedia
use. Furthermore, with its additional elements, the
new test mark provides information in a clear and
understandable manner – a characteristic that is
becoming ever more important in a world flooded
with information.
You say the new test mark also takes the fight to
product piracy?
That is correct. TÜV Rheinland is a global player
and internationality has long been both a pleasing reality and a great challenge in the everyday
life of our company. Just like our customers, we are
increasingly affected by product counterfeiting,
which is not limited to copying goods or services,
but also includes safety codes and safety test marks.
In the future, customs officers or authorities in any
country on earth will not have to search through an
What is the role of the service catalog in the context of the relaunch?
The service catalog guarantees our customers that
the services we provide offer the same high quality
all over the world. It creates transparency and leaves
no room for gray areas. In addition, the service catalog sends a clear signal: TÜV Rheinland doesn't sell
test marks, but services – with a test mark as proof of
successful completion. A small but vital difference
that I believe underlines the credibility of a provider
of inspection services.
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Product piracy Knowledge
HIGH-TECH SETS
THE TONE
THE GERMAN SUPPLIER Louis Renner GmbH,
who produce parts for the interiors of pianos made
by renowned manufacturers such as Steinway,
Bechstein, Bösendorfer and Schimmel, sometimes fell silent when customers complained
about the poor sound quality of the musical instruments. The reason for this was not faulty parts
from their own production, but counterfeited
products from the Far East put into circulation by
middlemen. However, the problem was proving
this, with more than 6000 parts in every single
piano, some of which are very small indeed. The
solution came in the form of a forensic procedure
developed by Polysecure, a start-up company
from Freiburg, Germany. It coated the over 6000
individual parts of the piano mechanism with
extremely fine ceramic particles that are made
luminescent using an appropriate device, thus
making it possible to prove whether the mechanism complained about is genuine or counterfeit.
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Knowledge Product piracy
ON THE HUNT FOR
COUNTERFEITS AND
PIRATED COPIES
ONLY GENUINE WITH THIS MARK
Saskia Roth has been tracking down counterfeiters at TÜV Rheinland for
many years now. Her summary: A well-made copy can be recognized
in that nobody can recognize it. Even experts reach their limits in this
regard. It is therefore wiser to prevent copies instead of hunting them.
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Product piracy Knowledge
15
THE DANGER OF BEING TARGETED BY PRODUCT PIRATES
IS HIGH. TÜV RHEINLAND IS DOING ITS PART TO COMBAT
COUNTERFEITERS – THE NEW TEST MARK HELPS TO ACHIEVE
THIS GOAL. SASKIA ROTH, AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD, ON THE
SUBJECT OF COUNTERFEITING:
Where does brand piracy begin?
When goods are imitated down to the tiniest detail.
Oftentimes this occurs in conjunction with the illegal use of the real brand name. These products
are thus considerably cheaper, but most of the time
the quality is inferior to that of the original product.
The definition also includes deliberate brand name
confusion. Here, packaging is used that resembles
that of the original, or similar-sounding names are
employed so that the customer finds it difficult to
distinguish the fake from the real product. There are
overlapping areas when a manufacturer offers an
original product but with a falsified safety certificate. This is also an illegal way of misleading buyers who have to assume that this product has been
tested by an independent provider of inspection
services. The product may even be original. This
offense, however, is just as punishable as counterfeiting products themselves.
What kind of protection does TÜV Rheinland offer
in these cases?
We award test marks, depending on the scope of
the inspection required, for our services such as
product testing. This mark is clearly visible on the
product or the outer packaging. It has been revised
this year and is being used in this new, uniform
shape all over the world. This makes it easily
recognizable for authorities and customers alike.
Furthermore, we have incorporated safety-relevant
data. For example, it is now possible to use QR
codes to store product-specific data and to retrieve
and check this data globally with any commerciallyavailable smart phone within a matter of seconds.
The goal here is of course to track down any form
of fraudulent use in tandem with manufacturers.
What additional protection is there?
The most effective protection against product counterfeiting is clear, counterfeit-proof marking, as well
as preventing the outer packaging, for example,
from being opened or manipulated by unauthorized
persons. We do not believe that invisible security
markings alone are enough, because they remove
deterrence from the equation. After all, in the end
it's about money, about investments, and they
should not be in vain. The bigger the obstacles, the
more expensive the plagiarized product and the
greater the danger of being caught. This may deter
counterfeiters at first, but unfortunately they have a
high level of creative potential that requires anticounterfeiting solutions, technologies, and strategies to be modified all the time.
Which industries are most affected?
Based on our observations, every industry is affected. We even discover products that present no
recognizable economic gain to the counterfeiters.
In the traditional sense, there are four main kinds of
product piracy:
> Exact copies. These are perhaps products from overproduction, or even fakes from a highly skilled workshop. Not only do they look the same as the original,
but they are also comparable in content and quality.
> Fakes that strive to imitate the original as much as
possible. The content and the packaging look deceptively similar to that of the original. The content,
materials, and craftsmanship are often inferior, with
promised ingredients not being present or being
replaced by cheaper variants or, in the worst case,
even by variants that pose a health risk.
> Counterfeits bearing a slightly changed brand name
on products not even produced by the original manufacturer, or at least not in this form. This is where you
see anagrams, or SONY becoming SQNY or
McDonald's becoming McDnoald.
> Pirated copies are illegal copies of copyrighted materials. The entertainment industry is most affected
here. This includes CDs and DVDs of films or music.
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Knowledge Product piracy
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DEFEND YOUR BRAND!
THE WORLD IS FULL OF STANDARDS and norms.
This is, after all, useful and reasonable – and uniquely
important in the vibrant world of colors. If you are talking about a product's specific color with customers or
service providers in Buenos Aires, Amsterdam, or Tokyo,
then you have to be clear that everyone is talking about
the same color. After all, if product parts come from several suppliers, the colors still have to be absolutely identical in the end. For this purpose, RAL assigned uniform
numbers and names to different colors, thereby creating a common language for the world of colors.
It was, for example, important to be on the same page
when it came to colors at the Ferrari World event in Abu
Dhabi, where one of the world's biggest metal roofs
was painted in RAL 9006. RAL is a company based in
St. Augustine in Germany. They have been setting color
standards for industrial, architectural, and design purposes for over 80 years and are a global market leader
in this field. The 2328 RAL colors are available in five
product lines with different color guides, registries and
atlases, as well as digital versions and an app for smart
phones. People all around the world
rely on the precision of RAL colors.
Product counterfeiters have picked
up on this and are copying the color guides. For example, the standard
product that is the "RAL K7" color
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guide costs around 10 euros, but counterfeiter workshops offer it for much less. Not a big deal, right? Actually, for a worldwide sales network like RAL color guides,
it is. Most counterfeits come from China. This is particularly troublesome because China is also the company's
biggest single market. "We have to defend our brand,"
emphasized RAL gGmbH CEO Dr. Wolf D. Karl, adding,
"Therefore, we decided to start adding security stickers
to each of our products from the beginning of 2013.
In this way we can document the authenticity of our
products in order to provide the buyer with clear
evidence about it."
Product piracy Knowledge
17
18
People Dipl.-Ing. Volker Klosowski
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"THE FUTURE
USED TO BE
BETTER!"
VOLKER KLOSOWSKI ON NEW SHOES AND
FALSIFIED TEST MARKS.
"Never change a winning team" is an old football
proverb. TÜV Rheinland has been winning continually for the past few years – it has acquired
new customers, increased sales and boosted its
global prominence. So why introduce a new test
mark if things are going so well?
It's not like we're substituting the entire team. If
anything we're just giving them better boots. The
new test mark is not just change for change's sake,
but rather a necessary step if TÜV Rheinland is to
stay on the winning track in the coming years. Our
customers will also benefit thanks to added security, transparency and advertising appeal. As Karl
Valentin once said, "The future used to be better."
I would like make an amendment for us and say:
"The future will be better sooner." This means the
competition never sleeps, and if we don't take action regarding our future now, we will look back
and regret not having acted sooner. We are certainly doing well and enjoying a leading global position. If not now, when are we going to get ready for
the future? The test mark makes a small yet significant contribution to the success of the company,
so it was time to act here, too.
And how does a test mark create more security?
By helping to detect counterfeit products and test
marks better and in good time. Product counterfeiters are out for easy prey; they don't want to
invest much. Our test mark makes it harder and
riskier for counterfeiters, who have to worry about
being caught more easily, making it impossible for
them to sell their products. This makes life difficult
for counterfeiters and deters them. To achieve this,
we started with the appearance. The uniform global design puts an end to the test mark confusion
which companies, authorities and consumers have
sometimes complained about. Some of the test
marks in circulation were only available in certain
countries and completely unknown on an international level. These types of test marks not only
weaken brand recognition; they make things easier
for counterfeiters, too. The second improvement is
the QR code and the expanded certification database. The detailed information on product and
testing accessible via smart phone scanning complicates the work of counterfeiters tremendously.
You just hold the phone over the QR code and,
within seconds, the data stored about the product
will appear on your screen. By the way, TÜV
Rheinland is the only provider of inspection services who offers this service. Companies can also
use this function to inform their customers better.
How did the design of the test mark come about?
Ultimately, it was our customers and potential customers who decided on the design. In our market
research, this variant exhibited the best results
in all categories and across all countries. The app
design served as an inspiration during the design
process. This was done deliberately to show that
we have entered the digital age. Furthermore, we
wanted it to be ideal for use both digitally and in
print. It was also important for us that the "TÜV
Rheinland" label be clearly legible, which is popular with our customers, too.
Can you understand that, in spite of all the
arguments in favor, some customers still feel
uncertain?
Of course. To stick with the football metaphors,
new shoes always take some time to wear in.
But I'm convinced that our new test mark will
ultimately benefit us all.
contact special edition new test mark
Dipl.-Ing. Volker Klosowski People
19
THE MAN FOR ANY
(TEST MARK) CASE
Graduate engineer Volker Klosowski
studied Chemical Engineering at TU
Dortmund University. Since January 2012,
he has been Chief Technology Officer and
Head of the Industrial Service and
Systems business streams at TÜV
Rheinland. Prior to this, the man from
Westphalia was Managing Director of
TÜV Nord AG.
KNOWLEDGE MAGAZINE BY TÜV RHEINLAND
contact
Editorial Information
Publisher:
TÜV Rheinland AG, Communication,
Am Grauen Stein, D-51105 Cologne
Phone: +49 221 806-4314
Fax:
+49 221 806-1760
Internet: www.tuv.com
Responsible:
Hartmut Müller-Gerbes
Coordination:
Gabi Kimura
Editing, design, production:
S+L Partners GmbH, Cologne
Printing:
Druckhaus Ley + Wiegandt, Wuppertal
Photos: Lothar Wels (p. 2, p. 10-12, p. 14-15, p.
18-19); TÜV Rheinland AG (Back cover, p. 2, p. 4,
p. 6-7); Ralf Bille (p. 3); PROBilder/Fotolia (Title);
Logostylish/Fotolia (p. 8); Ildogesto/Fotolia (p. 9);
E.May/Photodisc/gettyimages (p. 13); interfalz/obs
(p. 16-16)
Print
compensated
Id-No. 1327684
www.bvdm-online.de
MARKETS OF TOMORROW
THE NEW TEST MARK
INCREASES THE BRAND'S VALUE
MANAGERS OF TODAY
MANFRED BAYERLEIN ON TRUST IN
THE GLOBAL MARKETS
SAFETY AT ALL TIMES
PRODUCT PIRACY IN THE SIGHTS OF
BRAND PROTECTION SPECIALISTS
SPECIAL EDITION NEW TEST MARK