I feel like I got blasted on this water pump issue.
I have no interest or stock in AutoZone. Just suggested where he could get one and the price.
To my knowledge, the OEM has to supply vehicle parts for 10 years labled as such. If anyone thinks that the OEM is going to keep the machinery to build parts after any part is obsolete to the engine that is currently in production has got another guess coming. That machinery to manufacture any given part is either scrapped out, rebuilt for the newly designed part or sold to an aftermarket parts manufacturer. That parts manufacturer can build, lets say a water pump, for any number of different third party entities. If it's a marked Brand, then it is licensed by that particular OEM.
If it's made in a different country, then the packaging has to be marked as such, not neccesarily on the part.
Just like I got a rebuild kit for my turbo. Garrett Engine Boosting Sytems. ASSEMBLED IN MEXICO FROM FOREIGN COMPONENTS. No tag or lable on any of the 12 parts, only on the box they came in.