Partnering to protect you against “knock offs” with measures that range from invisible to interactive

1. Northwire Designs Next Generation Anti-Counterfeit Technology
Into Your Products
Partnering to protect you against “knock offs” with measures that range from invisible to interactive
Osceola, WI, March 21, 2014 – Released March 21, 2014 by the Minneapolis online marketing
agency, Brandography: Cable engineering company, Northwire, Inc., (NWI) deploys anti-
counterfeit technology to protect customers against the flourishing counterfeit wire industry. Their
next generation of verification tools safeguards consumers against hazards that can range from
injury to revenue loss. The sophisticated multi-billion dollar global “gray market” demands
cooperative efforts between OEMs, distributors, resellers, consumers, watch-dog organizations
and government entities; NWI’s newest anti-counterfeiting measures demonstrate another layer
of commitment to its valued customers.
Counterfeiting can cause physical injuries, negatively impact revenue, and damage a carefully
built reputation. Protection against counterfeiting starts with education, and that is precisely the
foundation of Northwire’s collaborative efforts with customers. NWI’s warnings to consumers
about inherent health and safety risks associated with imitation products are paramount in their
efforts. Continuing the educational theme of risk avoidance, NWI also provides tips and techniques
so consumers can identify “knock offs” before purchase.
The wire company’s proactive approach employs a more aggressive strategy with a
comprehensive series of anti-counterfeit offerings. “Working closely with NWI R&D, strategic
supply chain partners and our product development engineers, we have designed a dynamic range
of capabilities. From covert to overt, our anti-counterfeit measures suit a wide variety of

2. applications,” states Brad Steege, Technical Sales Manager and industry veteran of 15 years.
“Invisible to the human eye, our authentication technology cannot be detected by a general
physical examination. Depending on the customers’ preference, this covert capability offers four
distinct layers of detection to select from,” explains Steege.
Meanwhile, overt examples of authentication range from less sophisticated, like a custom legend
with a product specific UL listed part registered to the OEM or customer, to more advanced
authentication measures, including custom designed over-molded printed circuit boards and smart
chips that validate the OEM or customer. Essentially, it is a serial number that uniquely identifies
the product and traces its supply chain path to the OEM.
While NWI’s anti-counterfeit mechanisms can prove effective in the battle against the prospering
piracy industry, it is vitally important to emphasize the counterfeit cables’ countless risks.
Northwire warns customers about the Top 10 Hazards:
No. 10 Severe environmental and property damage
No. 9 Electrocution due to lack of standard safety mechanisms
No. 8 Risk of electrical fires, toxic smoke, and catastrophic combustion damage
No. 7 Liability, fines, and potential criminal prosecution
No. 6 Shorter cable life span
No. 5 Greatly reduced signal integrity
No. 4 Slow network systems speed with disproportionate downtime
No. 3 Poor reputation for your brand and products
No. 2 Loss of revenue, company certifications or standings among competitors
No. 1 Loss of life due to electrocution, fires, smoke and combustion
Stay vigilante and learn to identify counterfeit goods before you introduce them to your valuable
supply chain. NWI reminds customers to always confirm the following when selecting a cable
manufacturer:
* Is the manufacturer authorized to produce this type of cable?
* Have you verified all trademarks, service marks and copyrights?
* Is the price “too good to be true”?
* Can you request a Certificate of Conformance (C of C) from the OEM?
* Has the cable undergone full testing?
* Are material indicators solid?
* Can you sample before you buy?
Northwire is a woman-owned small business (WOSB) with two strategically positioned regional
locations providing rapid service to North America and international markets. Cost-competitive
solutions are designed and manufactured with pride in the USA. Driven to deliver service
excellence, the cable manufacturer excels in producing custom technical solutions as well as
contract engineering. Offering contract manufacturing in addition to 8,000 standard wire and cable
products, NWI is dedicated to continual improvement and increasing its customers’ competitive
advantage.
Forging ahead, NWI features a broad range of engineering disciplines and complimentary service
offerings. Northwire’s innovative capabilities include technical wire and cable, retractile cords,
cable assemblies, connectors, harnesses, custom cable creation and contract manufacturing for

3. diverse applications in life sciences, aerospace and defense, industrial and energy markets.
NWI invests heavily in company-wide professional certifications in Six Sigma, lean, Project
Management and American Society for Quality to achieve the highest quality and the fastest lead
times for any volume. Additionally, Northwire has earned certifications to ISO 13485:2003, ISO
9001:2008 and SAE AS9100C:2009. The company’s quality control laboratory is qualified by CSA
International to ISO 17025. Working collaboratively with third party testing, NWI maintains
various UL, ANSI, CSA, cUL, cULus, CE, NEC, IEEE, NPFA, SAE, ABS, OSHA, MSHA approvals and
more.
NWI is the top partner for success and field-proven with over 42 years of design, testing,
development and manufacturing experience. Rely on Northwire cable supplier’s subject matter
experts to navigate complex domestic and international standards, agency compliance,
environmental regulations and electrical, mechanical, ergonomic, aesthetic and end-user
requirements.
Protect consumer health and safety and your business from liability by procuring cable solutions
from Northwire (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or an approved distributor. Learn more about
anti-counterfeiting measures or report a suspect product to cableinfo@northwire.com or click Live
Chat on www.northwire.com.
About Northwire (www.northwire.com)
Cable manufacturer Northwire, Inc., celebrating over 42 years of innovation, is a registered
woman-owned small business (WOSB) with corporate headquarters, manufacturing and
engineering in Osceola, Wisconsin and wire and cable manufacturing in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
The cable engineering company is the premier partner for the design, manufacture and contract
services of custom technical products including wire and cable, retractile cords, cable assemblies,
connectors, harnesses, injection molding, over-molding, and contract manufacturing and is an
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) for diverse applications in life sciences, energy,
aerospace, defense, mil spec, industrial, machine vision, architectural lighting, underwater, harsh
duty cord and more.
Northwire is a member of Life Science Alley, NDIA (National Defense Industrial Association), NCMA
(National Contract Management Association), RIA (Robotics Industries Association), AIA
(Automated Imaging Association), Fieldbus Foundation, ODVA (Open DeviceNet Vendors
Associations) and WAI (Wire Association International), among others.
For more information, visit www.northwire.com.
Contact:
Cathy Kirschner
Northwire, Inc.
110 Prospect Way
Osceola, Wisconsin 54020
1-800-468-1516
pr@brandography.mobi
http://www.northwire.com
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