SGS Engineering

[SteveW]

Apologies if this post breaks the rules (if so, please delete), but I thought that the following might be of interest/value to our UK members as it refers to an experience that I have had with a company called SGS Engineering based in Derby.

In brief, I was in need of a compressor so started to shop around. For reasons that I will not go into, I wanted to buy one that was manufactured relatively locally (meaning, ideally within Europe/UK) and I spoke to the SGS sales rep about this. He assured me that their compressors met this requirement so I bought one. It arrived the other day and it was clearly made in the PRC (the steel manufacturers plate welded to the pressure vessel was something of a giveaway as was the label on the box which stated 'Made in the PRC'!). I sent them an e-mail to query this discrepancy but, unlike the immediate responses that I was getting when I was buying something, I've had no reply (2 days and counting). I've yet to test the quality of the product, but that's not the point.

Basically, they secured a sale by misrepresenting the country of origin (and I'm being kind in my use of words here). I will never use that company again.

They have already lost one future sale because I was going to buy my air hoses, water filter and an air powered sander from them as well, but not now.

[Duncan M]

That is frustrating. Just going by the description on the SGS website I would have been suspicious.

"SGS has a selection of air compressors for sale, all hand built by our expert engineers to the highest standard of quality and European CE marked for product safety. SGS compressors are ideal for DIY, hobby and semi-professional use and combine quality and reliability with great value for money. We also supply Hyundai, Nuair and Fini professional and industrial compressors."

"our engineers" being the people in PRC making them for them. "European CE marked" meaning some sort of EU safety approval of the design.

[bloodysalmon]

Hi Steve, I too have searched high and low to find parts not only for my MG's but also for my normal running car; for the house; sports gear etc etc ... and all but if not most items tend to be manufactured as source in the PRC.
You don't get over 1,000 billionaires from nothing(US only 700). This is a trend we will ultimately regret as over more time ALL manufacturing will be China centric ... that's a powerful and frightening thought which nothing is going to stop it unless we ensure of buying elsewhere. Does destroying the atmosphere bother China ... no!
There are so many things that China are doing to the world, its frightening ... stripping wildlife from Africa, dredging the Oceans clear; digging up Australias' natural resources at an epic rate ... because they can afford it and will continue to dominate manufacturing

Something has to change as China dominates everything ... even our health, you know what I mean!!!

[i.thomson]

It always strikes me as a bit naive to expect a saleperson to tell the truth. After all he is a part of this wonderful knowledge/ service economy which relies so much on making things where it is most economical to do so while we, the clever ones, design them on our side of the world. As a result he will surely be on a bonus system while trying to hit a target by which he keeps his job. We all agree with performance related pay, right? We can't have scroungers after all. And let's not forget that foreign made goods are commissioned/ imported by people in this country who go to the producer with the lowest price while we, the end "consumers" congratulate ourselves on paying well beneath a fair price. We have homes full of foreign made goods while voting to keep the producers of these goods out of "our" country. There is a word for this... No wonder car spares are of such poor quality. Blame the sellers.

[Ray White]

This is something that is happening everywhere. I am having difficulty in finding anything that is not made in China these days. I get the impression that sellers are trying to hide their china manufacturing links by plastering the Union Flag all over their adverts and saying things like "UK Seller". They must realise that, given the choice, there are many customers like me who would opt for anything BUT China.

I recently paid a higher price than I might have done for some countersunk bits because I believed the sales pitch that they were made here. When I got them the label read "made in China".

That was not as bad as when I paid over the odds for a brake servo because I believed the spiel that it was made here. Fortunately I found out in time that it was a Chinese copy of the original Lockheed and I cancelled before they sent it. I found a British company called 920 engineering who are manufacturing original spec Lockheed servos and I bought one of theirs.

Some of us believe that China are politically responsible for the Pandemic however, we will never know the truth.