SPECIAL EDITION NEW TEST MARK

MARKETS OF TOMORROW THE NEW TEST MARK INCREASES THE BRAND'S VALUE

MANAGERS OF TODAYMANFRED BAYERLEIN ON TRUST IN THE GLOBAL MARKETS

SAFETY AT ALL TIMESPRODUCT PIRACY IN THE SIGHTS OF BRAND PROTECTION SPECIALISTS

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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)

Print compensatedId-No. 1327684

www.bvdm-online.de

Content / Editorial02

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BACK TO THE FUTURE

MANY COMPANIES SPECIALIZE IN ONE CORE BUSINESS, such as automotive or aircraft construc-tion 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 develop-ments. 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 devel-oped 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 orienta-tion. 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

contact special edition new test mark

04

03

KNOWLEDGE

04 Cover story: Square & New Our new test mark benefi ts your company

13 High-tech sets the tone Invisible and yet successful. Forensic protection of products

16 Defending the brand! Specialist for color stan- dards 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 benefi ts of the little mark

14 On the hunt for counter-feits 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 benefi ts that customers offer their customers

Hartmut Müller-GerbesHead of Corporate PR and MediaTÜV Rheinland AG

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, advan-tages and effects the new test mark will bring. You can also read about how companies can take action against product counter-feiters (page 13). We hope you enjoy reading this magazine!

contact special edition new test mark

Yours,

04 contact special edition new test markKnowledge The new test mark

Allow me to introduce myself. I am your new TÜV Rheinland test mark.

05contact special edition new test mark The new test mark Knowledge

SQUARE, MODERN AND UNMISTAKABLE: The new appearance of the TÜV Rheinland test mark catches the eye right away. Its modifi ed style and shape subtly makes it stand out from other test marks and its prede-cessors. At the same time, it cuts a great fi gure 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 certifi cation 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 pre-viously awarded remain valid. Of course companies can switch to the new test mark immediately and start benefi ting 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

SQUARE

PRACTICAL

NEWSINCE 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.

06 contact special edition new test markKnowledge The new test mark

keywords the test mark ultimately carries. Furthermore, the catalog categorizes all tests and determines wheth-er and under what conditions the TÜV Rheinland test mark is awarded and what is written beneath the TÜV Rheinland logo: "Tested", "Inspected", "Certifi ed" or "Listed" (German: "Geprüft", "Überwacht" or "Zertifi ziert" for the German market). Important: None of the inspection services previously offered will be dropped in the future!

Reading material for the consumerThe 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 infor-mation 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 certifi cation da-tabase 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.

Money isn't everythingFeasibility and profi tability are no longer the sole crite-ria for including inspection services in the catalog; eth-ical 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 certifi cations 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 de-pend on the respective service and on the contractual agreements between TÜV Rheinland and the customer. The picture above describes the possible elements.

www.tuv.comID 1000000000

TEST MARKS & EXTENSIONS1

2 2

13

07contact special edition new test mark The new test mark Knowledge

www.tuv.comID 1234567890

Management SystemISO 9001:2008

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 pro-vides direct access to the certifi cation database Certipedia by TÜV Rheinland – a service that no other provider of inspection services offers at the moment. Here you can fi nd 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 certifi cation database by entering the ten-digit test ID number on Certipedia. Those who wish to learn more about the test can fi nd even more comprehensive details on Certipedia than before.

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 "Certifi ed management system ISO 9001:2008." In defi ning the wording, we put a strong emphasis on clarity for the fi nal 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.

2 2

154

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 confi rmed 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 instru-

ment, 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.

EDGING OUT THE CIRCLES

You can fi nd them on billboards, in magazines and on brown bags: QR codes are everywhere. From now

on, TÜV Rheinland will be harnessing the benefi ts

of the black-and-white speckled square for its test

mark – the fi rst 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). Gener-

ally, the more dots the code

contains, the more infor-

mation 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

certifi cation database Certipedia is not only conve-

nient, but also serves to detect fake product and

test marks. Of course, you can also

access the site by entering the ten-

digit test ID number – it's just not

as quick.

QUICKI CLICKI

08 contact special edition new test mark Spotlight

09contact special edition new test mark Spotlight

13 years ago, the TUVdotCOM.com certifi cation

database was born. A nice birthday to celebrate, you

might say? But no: for an online platform in this fast-

moving age, in which IT products, software and hard-

ware 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', includ-

ing 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 fi lled 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 fl ood 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 simi-

larity 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.

In contrast, TUVdotCOM.com is a company-owned

certifi cation database. This aging certifi cation data-

base is now being revised both visually and in terms

of content. A new database has therefore been cre-

ated that is not only equipped with the latest technol-

ogy of today, but also fi t 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 gener-

ally be more user-friendly than its predecessor. The

name Certipedia alludes to both certifi cation and

a well-known online encyclopedia. In future, our

database will be able to hold more comprehensive

information on the desired product, our certifi cates

and their validity period. You can fi nd our new certifi -

cation database under Certipedia.com – pay us a visit

and put us to the test.

FUTURE-ORIENTED SERVICE

Certipedia offers useful infor-mation 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.

10 contact special edition new test markPeople Dr.-Ing. Manfred Bayerlein

ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TÜV RHEINLAND BRAND AND WHY THE "CARRY ON" MENTALITY SOME-TIMES JUST ISN'T ENOUGH.

THE MARK OF

GOOD TIMES

TO COMEÜ

CEO DR.-ING. MANFRED BAYERLEIN

11contact special edition new test mark Dr.-Ing. Manfred Bayerlein People

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!

HOMESICK FOR A FARAWAY PLACE!

TÜV Rheinland expects considerable benefi ts 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 con-tinue. 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 founda-tion 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 characteris-tics and messages that make up our success: momen-tum, strength and stability.

Why does this little test mark in particular hold such great signifi cance?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 excel-lent 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 spe-cial 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 recogniz-able 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 custom-ers. This appeal increases as the brand becomes better known. And of course, a uniform test mark gives an additional boost in terms of awareness.

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 automati-cally regard the product as valuable in every sense of the word. If we transfer this idea to TÜV Rhein-land, it is essentially absurd that we have been as-signing test marks in totally different shapes, col-ors 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 benefi ts us just as much as it does our customers, as well as offering companies, consumers and of course authorities much better orientation.

You say the new test mark also takes the fi ght to product piracy?That is correct. TÜV Rheinland is a global player and internationality has long been both a pleas-ing 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 offi cers or authorities in any country on earth will not have to search through an

extensive catalog or contact us to fi nd out whether a suspect test mark is genuine or copied.

Can the relaunch of the test mark also be regarded as a change in strategy?Our goal is to position ourselves as the best sustain-able and independent testing and inspection cor-poration. 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 dic-tated 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 fl ooded with information.

What is the role of the service catalog in the con-text 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 cata-log 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.

12 contact special edition new test mark

" THE VALUE OF A BRAND IS INEXTRICABLY LINK ED TO THE TRUST THAT CUSTOMERS AND CONSUMERS HAVE IN THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS"

People Dr.-Ing. Manfred Bayerlein

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, some-times fell silent when customers complained about the poor sound quality of the musical in-struments. 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 fi ne ceramic particles that are made luminescent using an appropriate device, thus making it possible to prove whether the mecha-nism complained about is genuine or counterfeit.

HIGH-TECH SETS THE TONE

13contact special edition new test mark Product piracy Knowledge

14 contact special edition new test markKnowledge Product piracy

ON THE HUNT FOR COUNTERFEITS AND PIRATED COPIES

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.

ONLY GENUINE WITH THIS MARK

Where does brand piracy begin?When goods are imitated down to the tiniest detail.

Oftentimes this occurs in conjunction with the il-

legal 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 defi nition 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 fi nds it diffi cult to

distinguish the fake from the real product. There are

overlapping areas when a manufacturer offers an

original product but with a falsifi ed safety certifi -

cate. This is also an illegal way of misleading buy-

ers 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 counter-

feiting 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-specifi c data and to retrieve

and check this data globally with any commercially-

available 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 coun-

terfeiting 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 fi rst, but unfortunately they have a

high level of creative potential that requires anti-

counterfeiting solutions, technologies, and strate-

gies to be modifi ed all the time.

Which industries are most affected?Based on our observations, every industry is af-

fected. We even discover products that present no

recognizable economic gain to the counterfeiters.

THE DANGER OF BEING TARGETED BY PRODUCT PIRATES IS HIGH. TÜV RHEINLAND IS DOING ITS PART TO COMBAT COUNTER FEITERS – THE NEW TEST MARK HELPS TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. SASKIA ROTH, AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD, ON THE SUBJECT OF COUNTERFEITING:

15contact special edition new test mark Product piracy Knowledge

In the traditional sense, there are four main kinds of product piracy:

> Exact copies. These are perhaps products from over-

production, or even fakes from a highly skilled work-

shop. 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 de-

ceptively 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 manu-

facturer, 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 ma-

terials. The entertainment industry is most affected

here. This includes CDs and DVDs of fi lms or music.

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 talk-ing about a product's specifi c 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 sev-eral suppliers, the colors still have to be absolutely iden-tical in the end. For this purpose, RAL assigned uniform numbers and names to different colors, thereby creat-ing 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 pur-poses for over 80 years and are a global market leader in this fi eld. The 2328 RAL colors are available in fi ve 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 col-or guides. For example, the standard product that is the "RAL K7" color

DEFEND YOUR BRAND!

16 contact special edition new test markKnowledge Product piracy

17contact special edition new test mark Product piracy Knowledge

guide costs around 10 euros, but counterfeiter work-shops offer it for much less. Not a big deal, right? Actu-ally, for a worldwide sales network like RAL color guides, it is. Most counterfeits come from China. This is partic-ularly 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."

18 contact special edition new test mark

"Never change a winning team" is an old football proverb. TÜV Rheinland has been winning con-tinually 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 benefi t thanks to added secu-rity, 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 ac-tion regarding our future now, we will look back and regret not having acted sooner. We are certain-ly doing well and enjoying a leading global posi-tion. If not now, when are we going to get ready for the future? The test mark makes a small yet signifi -cant 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 counter-feiters 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 diffi cult for counterfeiters and deters them. To achieve this, we started with the appearance. The uniform glob-al 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 inter-national 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 certifi cation da-tabase. The detailed information on product and testing accessible via smart phone scanning com-plicates 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 ser-vices 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 cus-tomers 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 pop-ular 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.

People Dipl.-Ing. Volker Klosowski

VOLKER KLOSOWSKI ON NEW SHOES AND FALSIFIED TEST MARKS.

"THE FUTURE

USED TO BE

BETTER!"

19contact special edition new test mark Dipl.-Ing. Volker Klosowski People

Graduate engineer Volker Klosowski studied Chemical Engineering at TU

Dortmund University. Since January 2012,

he has been Chief Technology Offi cer 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.

THE MAN FOR ANY (TEST MARK) CASE

SPECIAL EDITION NEW TEST MARK

MARKETS OF TOMORROW THE NEW TEST MARK INCREASES THE BRAND'S VALUE

MANAGERS OF TODAYMANFRED BAYERLEIN ON TRUST IN THE GLOBAL MARKETS

SAFETY AT ALL TIMESPRODUCT PIRACY IN THE SIGHTS OF BRAND PROTECTION SPECIALISTS

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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)

Print compensatedId-No. 1327684

www.bvdm-online.de