Original Equipment Manufacturer.
Does the company design, engineer, and build its own equipment (an OEM) or does buy generic products other companies manufacture and affix their own label (not an OEM)?
See this thread for some discussion about whether or not it is important to buy from an OEM.
Note: Non-OEM's can share similarities with those who sell clones or "knock-offs", but the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Non-OEM's sell products made by others, while clones and knock-offs are blatant copies of successful products produced by well-known manufacturers.
Does the company design, engineer, and build its own equipment (an OEM) or does buy generic products other companies manufacture and affix their own label (not an OEM)?
See this thread for some discussion about whether or not it is important to buy from an OEM.
Note: Non-OEM's can share similarities with those who sell clones or "knock-offs", but the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Non-OEM's sell products made by others, while clones and knock-offs are blatant copies of successful products produced by well-known manufacturers.