Circuits Assembly Online Magazine - Aerospace Counterfeit Program Continues to Grow

WARRENDALE, PA -- The Counterfeit Avoidance and Accreditation Program has expanded its scope to include distributors.

Based on AS6081, "Fraudulent/Counterfeit Electronic Parts: Avoidance, Detection, Mitigation, and Disposition – Distributors," industry leaders involved in CAAP have developed new audit criteria, called AC7402, to recognize companies who are committed to eliminating counterfeit parts in the supply chain.

“Counterfeit is a serious issue in many industries, none more so than in aviation, space and defense, where lives are literally on the line," said Joe Pinto, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Performance Review Institute, the not-for-profit organization that administers CAAP on behalf of the industry. "The companies involved in CAAP are demonstrating not only commitment to quality and authenticity on an industrial level, but also to safety for the end-user."

Crestwood Technology Group of Yonkers, NY, is the first company to gain CAAP Accreditation for Distributors. To gain this accreditation, Crestwood Technology Group was audited by an industry expert, using the audit criteria developed by industry experts involved in the program, including the Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin and the US Defense Contract Management Agency, among others.

“In our line of business, quality has to be our first priority. The integrity of our products directly affect the safety of our families, our communities and our soldiers worldwide. Earning the industry-managed CAAP accreditation indicates the depth of our unyielding dedication to prevent, detect and respond to counterfeit threats.” Joe Mancino, Chief Executive Officer, CTG. Any company who is interested in gaining an accreditation for CAAP should contact Jim Lewis (jlewis@p-r-i.org), Program Manager at the Performance Review Institute. Alternatively, visit the CAAP webpage for more information.

CAAP is a cooperative industry effort to mitigate the risk of introducing counterfeit parts into the supply chain and the cost for compliance throughout the aviation, space, and defense industries. CAAP is administered by the Performance Review Institute (PRI).