Standard Organisation seals Chinese warehouse over substandard aluminium coils

Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Saturday sealed up the warehouse of a Chinese firm, ``Three Friends International'', over low quality aluminium coils. Bede Obayi, the Head of Inspectorate and Compliance of the organisation, led a task force on an enforcement exercise to the aluminium coil warehouses in Lagos.

Obayi said that the company stocked aluminium which quality was below the Nigerian Industrial Standard (NIS) minimum specification of 0.4 millimetres. He said the organisation was determined to rid the country of substandard products. He explained that the team was on routine inspection to ensure that the company complied with the NIS minimum requirement for aluminium roofing sheets.

The minimum standard for aluminium sheet is NIS 487 and 486. Obayi said that the company used quality plain coil of about four layers to cover the low gauge coated coils. He noted that some unscrupulous importers indulged in such sharp practice to evade payment of complete duty.

“The duty on colour coated aluminium coil is 20 per cent while plain coil is five per cent. ``We must ensure that what the consumers want is commensurate with the value of products they are getting so that they are not cheated.’’ He advised that importers and dealers should sell the right products at the right quantity and quality.

"Your 0.50 mm, should be 0.55 mm. Anybody who wants to buy aluminium roofing sheet should go to the right source with expertise for standard measure.’’ He stressed that SON would confiscate any roofing sheet that fell below 0.4 millimetres. He appealed to Nigerians to give relevant information on any company or individuals involved in illicit businesses.