21st Century Steel Mill, Inc.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer warned of importers claiming that their angle bars are legitimate when in fact they are underweight, undersized and uncertified.

Ma. Victoria Padilla, executive director of the Philippine Product Safety and Quality Foundation Inc. (PPSQF), and Ramon Tan, vice president for external relations of Steel Angles, Shapes and Sections Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc., yesterday warned against buying angle bars from unscrupulous importers.

They said that some suppliers would show bogus papers to retailers claiming that their products already secured an import commodity clearance.

“This clearance is required for the importing of mandatory products which can affect life, property and safety, such as steel angle bars.”

LOGO MARKINGS
Consumers should make sure that the angle bars have embossed logo markings of manufacturers accredited by the Department of Trade and Industry – Bureau of Products Standards (DTI-BPS). They indicate leg length dimension, and a slash sign signifying the grade of the steel angle bar.

Padilla also said that it is “possible the raw materials used for these products are not billets but just wire rods, which are used to make nails and pose a great danger to those using them for billboards or roofing.”

Consumers who doubt the marks on the steel bar or the manufacturer?s logo can call the DTI-BPS at (02) 7513139 to check on their authenticity.