A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Membrane Companies: Don't Fall for the “Thick Paper Roll” Scam by Unscrupulous Sellers—Stop Paying the “IQ Tax”!

Preface 

“ Why does this batch of film keep breaking as soon as it’s put into the machine? ” Zhejiang Something General Li stared at the debris on the production line, seething with anger. This batch... “ High toughness PE Protective film ” After opening it up, the core turned out to be solid, thick kraft paper, with only a thin film wrapping the surface. —— This is the third time he’s stumbled. “ Thick paper roll ” On the scam, direct losses exceed... 20 Ten thousand. 

“ Thick paper roll ” It's a cancer in the membrane industry, Unscrupulous merchants Using low prices as bait and disguising materials with thick paper and waste plastics, this scam not only causes businesses significant financial losses but also risks triggering downstream complaints and damaging the brand’s reputation due to substandard membrane materials. This article dissects the scam’s deceptive tactics, provides you with precise tips to avoid falling into the trap, and explores effective solutions for addressing this issue. 

I. Unveiling the Scam: “ Thick paper roll ” of the 3 The great disguise trick—impossible to guard against. 

“ Thick paper roll ” Carefully disguised, it’s deceptive in both appearance and weight, making it easy for novice buyers to fall for the trap. 

(1) Visual Camouflage: “ Gorgeous on the outside, rotten inside. ”

The core is “ Make a big deal out of the surface. ” Deceiving the naked eye and preliminary testing: 

• Surface coated with a qualified film Wrapped in thick paper rolls 5-10 The counterfeit membrane is visually indistinguishable from the genuine product; only by examining the surface layer can one detect subtle defects. 
• Custom counterfeit packaging Imitating the packaging of well-known brands, printing false labels and specifications, forging quality inspection reports, and disguising... “ Genuine product ”；
• Refine edge details Press and seal the joint between the paper and the film with tape; when viewed from the side, it looks identical to a roll of pure film. 

(2) Fabricating weight: Use “ Gain weight ” Cover up “ Material shortage ”

Membrane materials are often priced by the kilogram. Unscrupulous manufacturers compensate for the missing membrane material by adding weight with thick paper, ensuring that the total weight matches that of the genuine product. 

• Increase weight with high-density, thick paper : Use 300g/ Made of kraft paper rolled into a paper core, weighing over ㎡. 20-30 kilogram, wrapped 5 After the qualified membrane is weighed in kilograms, the total weight is close to... 50 Kilogram of pure film roll; 
• Fake weight for miscellaneous items The paper rolls are mixed with steel bars, cement blocks, and even lead weights to ensure they pass the weight check. “ Meets weight requirements ”；
• Falsely reporting parameter omissions : To put 50 μm Surface membrane report for 100 μm Using a false thickness to mask insufficient film coverage. 

(3) Setting up scenarios: deliberately choosing... “ Urgent order “” Small order ” Beginner 

The unscrupulous factory precisely targets high-risk procurement scenarios with an extremely high success rate: 

• Urgent Purchase Order When membrane companies replenish supplies, they tend to focus heavily on price and speed, easily overlooking verification. 
• Small-batch trial order Luring new customers into placing trial orders at low prices, gaining their trust, and then launching large-scale scams to swindle money. 
• Orders from remote areas Leveraging the high costs of logistics and rights protection, scammers block victims and cut off all communication after defrauding them. 

II. Escalation of Harm: “ Thick paper roll ” Not only does it swindle money, but it also damages the brand. 

“ Thick paper roll ” The harm is a chain reaction that could bring down membrane enterprises. 

(1) Direct economic loss: Visible and tangible “ Real money and silver ”

It consists of three parts: first, loss of goods payment (ranging from several thousand yuan to hundreds of thousands of yuan); second, loss due to production line shutdowns (with each line incurring daily losses amounting to tens of thousands of yuan); and third, the premium cost for urgent restocking. 

A certain small membrane company was once due to 10 Roll “ Thick paper roll ” , leading to 3 Line shutdown 3 Heavens, the loss is huge. 15 Wan nearly had to pay a huge penalty for late delivery. 

(2) Indirect Credit Crisis: The Invisible One “ Brand attrition ”

If the surface film is mistakenly used in production, it will trigger a downstream quality crisis: 

• Packaging film damaged The food packaging film lacks sufficient toughness, making it prone to bag rupture during transportation and triggering complaints about spoilage. 
• Protective film failure Building materials and electronic protective films are prone to peeling off, leading to scratches on the product. 
• Brand reputation collapses The downstream side questions quality control, terminates the cooperation, and suffers irreparable damage to its reputation. 

(3) Industry-wide ripple effects: Disrupting market order 

“ Thick paper roll ” Low-price circulation severely disrupts market order: 

• Triggering low-price competition Legitimate enterprises are forced to lower prices, squeezing profits and impacting R&D efforts. 
• Undermining industry trust Mutual suspicion among enterprises is intensifying, and the costs of testing and communication are rising. 
• Foster gray chains A small number of companies follow suit in falsifying data, creating... “ Bad money drives out good. ”。

III. Avoiding Pitfalls Precisely: When Procuring Membrane Materials, Be Sure to Do This. 5 That's enough steps. 

End-to-end verification can effectively help you avoid pitfalls; procurement needs to focus on doing this thoroughly. 5 Step. 

(1) Selecting Suppliers: Rejection “ Three Nothings ” Prioritize on-site inspections. 

Choosing the right supplier is the first step to avoiding pitfalls: 

• Verify qualifications Request the business license, production permit, and other documents to verify legal qualifications. 
• Preferred reliable channels Select suppliers with long-term cooperation records through industry associations and trade shows. 
• Must-do field trip New suppliers must visit the workshop and quality control processes; if they refuse to visit, they will be disqualified. 

(2) Inspect the appearance: “ Look first, touch second, smell third. ” Distinguish between true and false 

When receiving goods, first make a preliminary assessment through your senses to quickly identify any abnormalities: 

• Look Check whether the film roll is uniform, whether there are any abnormalities at the edges, and whether the packaging labels are clear and complete. 
• Touch : Check whether the film thickness is uniform. “ Thick paper roll ” The surface tends to have an uneven, bumpy texture at the joints. 
• Hear A qualified membrane should have only a slight plastic odor; if it smells like moldy paper or glue, it’s highly likely to be... “ Thick paper roll ”。

(3) Nuclear weight: Calculate accurately. “ Theoretical weight ” Avoid weight-gain traps. 

Calculate the theoretical weight using a formula, then compare it with the actual weight to uncover any discrepancies or hidden weight increases: 

Theoretical weight ( kilogram ) =  Membrane width ( m ) × Membrane length ( m ) × Film thickness ( micrometer ) × Material density ( g/cm³ ) ÷ 1000 

Example: PE Membrane density 0.92 g/cm³ ，1m Wide, 1000m Long, 50 μm Thick PE Membrane, theoretical weight is 1 × 1000 × 50 × 0.92 ÷ 1000 = 46 kg . If the actual weight 50kg However, if the parameters don't match, be cautious of counterweights. 

(4) Spot-check testing: Don't just check the surface—go much deeper! “ Deep sampling ”

After sensory verification, sampling inspection is mandatory; the core point is... “ Deep sampling ” Anti-surface trap: 

• Stratified sampling Take samples from the surface layer, middle layer, and inner layer of the membrane roll, avoiding sampling only from the surface layer. 
• Basic testing Measure thickness, tensile strength, and other parameters, and compare them with the contractual specifications. 
• Emergency Testing In case of emergency, place the sample in. 120℃ Oven, PE The membrane is considered qualified if it softens without cracking; it is unqualified if it burns or emits an unusual odor. 

(5) Sign the contract: Clearly define responsibilities and retain evidence for protecting your rights. 

The contract is key to protecting your rights and interests; it must clearly specify three core clauses: 

• Quality standards List membrane material parameters, with citations. GB/T 10004-2023 Wait for the national standard; 
• Acceptance Terms : Agreement “ Acceptance is granted only if stratified sampling is qualified. ” Clearly specify the testing agency and associated fees. 
• Default Clause Counterfeiting will result in double compensation for the goods and liability for losses due to production stoppages; the dispute resolution method shall be clearly specified. 

IV. Industry Reflection: How to Address the Root Cause “ Thick paper roll ” Chaos? 

“ Thick paper roll ” The chaos has exposed the industry’s shortcomings, necessitating coordinated governance by enterprises, the industry itself, and regulators. 

(1) At the corporate level: Solidify the bottom lines of quality control and integrity. 

Legitimate membrane manufacturers need to strengthen internal controls: establish a rigorous supplier准入 mechanism and regularly eliminate unqualified suppliers; increase investment in quality control to achieve 100% inspection; and uphold integrity by refraining from engaging in low-price competition. 

(2) At the industry level: Strengthen self-regulation and information sharing. 

Industry associations should build bridges by: drafting self-regulatory covenants and publishing a blacklist of companies found to be engaging in fraud; establishing information platforms to encourage the exposure of scams; and organizing training programs to enhance the ability of small- and medium-sized membrane enterprises to identify fraudulent practices. 

(3) Regulatory Level: Strengthen Enforcement and Deterrence Measures 

Regulatory authorities need to strengthen law enforcement: launch a special crackdown on membrane materials to strictly combat counterfeiting; improve the reward mechanism for reporting violations; and promote a traceability system for membrane materials to achieve full-chain supervision. 

Conclusion 

“ Thick paper roll ” Scams erode industry trust and threaten downstream safety. Membrane manufacturers’ practice of conducting multiple rounds of careful procurement and rigorous testing is a responsible approach—both to themselves and to their customers. 

The healthy development of the membrane industry relies on corporate integrity and rigorous procurement practices. We hope this article will help more membrane companies avoid pitfalls and jointly promote the standardized development of the industry. 

Have you ever encountered scams in membrane material procurement? What tips can help you avoid falling into these traps? Feel free to share your experiences in the comments—let’s help our peers steer clear of common pitfalls!