Real-world examples that prove quality doesn’t always come from the label on the box
You’re Already Doing This Every Day (And Loving It!)
Picture this: You walk into Coles or Woolworths, grab the store-brand pasta sauce for $1.50, then notice the “premium” Leggo’s right next to it for $4.20. You might think you’re compromising on quality to save money. But here’s the secret the supermarkets don’t want you to know — they’re often made in the exact same factory, by the same people, using the same recipe.
Sound familiar? That’s exactly what’s happening with equipment parts.
When you buy ENCOPARTS Original Equipment Supplier (OES) parts instead of branded OEM parts, you’re making the same smart choice you make every week at the grocery store — getting identical quality without paying for fancy packaging and marketing.
The Supermarket Secret Australia Already Knows
Same Factory, Same Recipe, Different Label
Australian food safety recalls have exposed what industry insiders have known for years. When Smith’s chips were recalled for plastic contamination, ALDI’s Sprinters chips were recalled the exact same day for the exact same problem. Same factory, same production line, same issue.
The same happened with Leggo’s pesto and Woolworths-brand pesto — recalled simultaneously for identical peanut contamination. Because they came from the same production line.
The Paul’s Dairy Example Every Australian Understands
Walk down any dairy aisle in Australia and you’ll see Paul’s milk for $4.50, right next to ALDI’s Simply Nature milk for $2.80. Industry workers have confirmed: they’re the same milk, from the same farms, processed in the same facilities. The only difference? The packaging and the price.
One Reddit user who worked in the industry revealed:
“ALDI dairy products are Paul’s, just in different packaging. I bought ALDI yogurt and found Paul’s brand packaging on the lids underneath.”
This is exactly what ENCOPARTS does with equipment parts.
Real Examples That’ll Make You Think Differently
The Bulla Ice Cream Reality Check
A food industry worker explained how production really works:
“These three different ice cream products all come off the exact same production line — same factory, same equipment, same workers. The only difference is what label gets stuck on the box and what price gets charged.”
That’s your equipment parts industry right there.
The Flour Mill Eye-Opener
A Manildra Mills worker shared this story:
“We were running Coles-branded flour when the Woolworths reps showed up unexpectedly. They rushed to swap out the bags… it’s all the same flour, right down to Black & Gold.”
Same grain, same mill, same quality standards — just different bags.
The Bacon Truth
As one industry insider put it:
“Bacon is bacon. When you buy the premium branded bacon or the no-name brand in the same supermarket, it’s often the same product from the same processing plant.”
Why This Happens (And Why It’s Actually Better For You)
Economies of Scale Work For Everyone
Think about it logically:
- Would Coles or Woolworths risk their reputation by selling inferior milk under their brand name? Absolutely not.
- Do they have their own dairy farms and processing plants? Of course not.
- So where do they get their milk? From the same dairies that supply the branded products.
The exact same logic applies to equipment parts:
- Would ENCOPARTS risk our 30-year reputation selling inferior parts? Never.
- Do equipment manufacturers like Caterpillar® make every single component themselves? Definitely not.
- So where do they get their parts? From the same suppliers that ENCOPARTS works with directly.
The Australian Automotive Parts Reality
The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association confirms what mechanics have known forever:
“It is common for these same component suppliers to also sell parts under their own brand — same part, same factory, different box.”
Car manufacturers don’t make most of their own parts — they’re made by specialist suppliers and put in boxes with the manufacturer’s logo. Sound familiar?
The Workshop Floor Reality Check
What Your Mechanic Already Knows
Ask any experienced mechanic in Australia and they’ll tell you: some of the “genuine” parts they fit come from the same suppliers who make “aftermarket” alternatives. The difference? One comes in a fancy box with a premium price, the other comes in a plain box at half the cost.
A mechanic on Reddit explained:
“You know what’s crazy? We’ve got 30 different cabin air filters for basically the same job. Most are just a few cm different but cost wildly different prices depending on the brand on the box.”
The Mining Site Truth
Walk onto any mining site in the Pilbara and you’ll find operators who’ve learned this lesson the hard way. The smart maintenance teams have figured out that the $200 “genuine” hydraulic seal and the $80 OES seal from the same supplier perform identically because they’re manufactured to the same specifications in the same facility.
The only difference? One subsidises marketing campaigns and dealer margins.
Your “Aha Moment” Checklist
Questions Smart Buyers Ask:
- In the supermarket: “Is this Coles milk really different from branded milk, or am I just paying for advertising?”
- With equipment parts: “Is this branded part really different from the OES version, or am I just paying for marketing?”
The answer in both cases: You’re paying for marketing.
What Quality Actually Comes From:
- Manufacturing standards and processes (not the brand name on the box)
- Supplier certifications and testing (not marketing budgets)
- Production facility quality control (not dealer markup)
- Raw material specifications (not fancy packaging)
Making The Smart Choice With Confidence
For the Maintenance Team:
When your supervisor questions why you’re recommending OES parts over branded ones, show them the supermarket analogy:
“It’s like choosing Coles milk over Paul’s milk — same dairy, same quality, better value. The OES part comes from the same supplier that makes the branded version. Same specifications, same testing, same performance — just without paying for someone else’s marketing.”
For Procurement Managers:
You already make smart sourcing decisions every day. When you choose value suppliers for office supplies, cleaning products, or catering, you’re not choosing inferior quality — you’re choosing smart purchasing.
OES parts are the same principle applied to equipment maintenance.
For Fleet Managers:
Your KPIs are about uptime, reliability, and cost control. OES parts deliver on all three:
- Uptime: Same quality as OEM means same reliability
- Reliability: Same suppliers, same standards, same performance
- Cost Control: 20-50% savings without compromising the first two
The Bottom Line That’ll Make Your CFO Smile
The Numbers Don’t Lie:
- Coles brand pasta sauce: $1.50 (same factory as Leggo’s $4.20)
- ENCOPARTS hydraulic filter: $180 (same supplier as branded $320)
The savings pattern is identical — and so is the quality.
What This Means For Your Operation:
If you’re comfortable buying Coles-brand milk knowing it’s the same quality as Paul’s milk, you should be equally comfortable buying ENCOPARTS OES parts knowing they’re the same quality as branded OEM parts.
The only difference is the size of the savings.
Your New Superpower: Seeing Through Marketing
Next Time You’re At The Supermarket:
Look at those identical products with different prices and remember: this is exactly what happens in the equipment parts industry. The smart shoppers know the secret — quality comes from the manufacturer, not the marketing department.
Next Time You Need Equipment Parts:
Remember the Paul’s milk sitting next to ALDI milk. Remember the Leggo’s pesto recall that also affected Woolworths pesto. Remember that smart purchasing isn’t about paying more — it’s about understanding where quality really comes from.
ENCOPARTS: Same suppliers, same quality, smarter pricing.
The next time someone questions your choice of OES parts, just ask them if they’ve ever bought store-brand groceries. When they say yes, smile and say:
“Then you already understand why ENCOPARTS makes perfect sense.”
About ENCOPARTS
Just like how Coles doesn’t own dairy farms but sources from the same suppliers as branded milk companies, ENCOPARTS doesn’t manufacture parts but sources directly from the same suppliers that make components for major equipment brands. Same factories, same standards, better value.
ENCOPARTS is not affiliated with Caterpillar Inc. We supply Original Equipment Supplier (OES) parts manufactured by the same suppliers that produce components for Caterpillar® equipment. All trademarks are property of their respective owners.