Use approved cable or die!
That's the message from some in the industry. The reality may be different, as Jon Herbert explains.
There’s been a lot in the press recently
about the choices facing the cable
buyer regarding approvals, foreign
cable and quality issues.
Many customers are starting to switch off
from these warnings in the same way that
very few smokers take notice of the
warnings on cigarette packets. It’s
important for both customers and suppliers
in light of this scaremongering to sort out
fact from fantasy.
The fact is there is plenty of excellent non-
BASEC (British Approvals Service for
Cables) approved cable out there which
people should continue to buy. In some
cases it’s better quality than some of the
‘approved’ products!
One of the difficulties we have in the UK
is the way the standards and approvals
system works. For example, you could set
up an extruder in your back garden to
produce a 3 core flex and provided it had
brown, blue and green / yellow cores it
would meet the BS colour code. The same
could be applied to the conductor stranding
meeting BS6360. This means you can sell
your cables as conforming to a variety of
British Standards.
Many people will be taken in by this,
assuming it is a sign of quality. It’s not. It
merely shows that some elements meet
some standards.
Fire alarm cables are a good example.
+++ Metal Prices +++ Metal Prices +++ Metal Prices +++
10th March 2008
COPPER £4,165.43
ALUMINIUM £1,536.74
SILVER £9.74
NICKEL £16,168.30
All prices per 1000kg except silver per oz. Exchange rates apply at time of trade
+++ Metal Prices +++ Metal Prices +++ Metal Prices +++
Several manufacturers claim off the record
they have tested a number of competitors’
products and some have actually failed.
This comes as no surprise as some
manufacturers / suppliers may submit
product for testing that bears little
resemblance to the product they sell on the
market. Generally it costs a lot of money to
get a cable tested but once the cable has
been approved no further independent tests
are carried out.
This allows manufacturers to modify
designs – normally to cut costs, without
re-submitting cable for re-testing.
This is wrong.
If we are serious about maintaining quality
standards, product should be purchased in
the open market by the test house– not
submitted by the manufacturer – and tested
regularly. Yes it will cost money and yes this
will eventually work through to the customer
but it will substantially reduce the sharp
practices in the market.
There is also potential for confusion
between BASEC as an approval
organisation and its role as an IS09001 and
14001 auditor. For example, I recently
heard one manufacturer remark they were
considering getting BASEC to assess them
for ISO9001 as many customers would
assume this meant they were BASEC
approved! This is yet another example of the
uncertainty and ambiguity surrounding the
approval system in the UK.
The BSI (British Standards Institution) are
the people responsible for writing the
standards but the costs of buying copies is
phenomenal. Unfortunately this means that
most customers simply don’t bother.
One of the many problems BSI face is the
time it takes to get a standard approved,
particularly as they normally have to tie up
with a European harmonization document.
This means that many standards lag behind
the market requirements and end up being
a ‘lowest common denominator’. Where
does this leave the cable industry, and more
importantly the customer?
2nd January 2008 Change %
£3,362.34 23.88%
£1,193.00 28.81%
£7.64 27.49%
£13,367.64 20.95%
Spring 2008 Issue 4
Continual scaremongering is creating uncertainty in the market place
The first question to ask is, what do you
want the installation to achieve? If there are
statutory requirements, for example fire
alarms, you will obviously have to conform
to these standards and approvals are a
good way of demonstrating a commitment
to meeting them.
However, if it is a signal or data application
it may be purely the commercial and
technical requirements that have to be met.
In these cases some of the standards and
approvals may be totally irrelevant and even
misleading.
With so many types of cables available
there are many that simply don’t have
applicable standards. In these cases you
may have to use normal buying procedures.
Technical data sheets, experience and good
old gut instinct – do the people you’re
talking to know their subject?
The fact is the electrical installation as a
whole is critical and cable, although
important, is just one element. A bad
installation using the best products is still
more likely to hurt than a good installation
using one or two substandard products.
Certification bodies are not helping the
issue by promoting uncertainty and fear of
‘rogue foreign cables’ which borders on
xenophobia.
Most of the UK cable production has been
lost over the last 20 years for a number of
reasons ranging from bad management to
uncompetitive production costs. The latter
ironically is often due to maintaining high
quality standards. A ‘head in the sand’
attitude towards product development and
new markets has compounded the decline.
At FS Cables we are committed to sourcing
top quality cable on a world-wide basis to
ensure that our customers are protected
from these market uncertainties. Ultimately
we will be judged by you the customer
and that is the benchmark of quality we
strive to achieve.
In this issue
• Rogue cable
• What's in a Cable? - Part 2
• Telephone Cable
• KIOGE 2007
• Editorial from Jon Herbert
• Yellow Reply Cards
• We've moved
• Q&A - Charlie Gardiner

In Brief
The Little Red
Book - on CD
The CD version of the Little Red Book
is proving to be very popular. More and
more customers are asking to receive it in
this format rather than in print.
The main advantage of the CD is it can be
easily copied onto a work computer or a
laptop if taken on site. It’s not just an
image scan either – it’s fully searchable
by product or part number and contains
full technical specifications and images of
our product range.
As with the printed version, it also
features technical tables with current
ratings and AWG / Metric conversion and
stranding charts with American, European
and UK colour codes.
To get your copy, simply fill in the
enclosed pre-paid reply card and send it
back to us, specifying a CD copy in the
comments box. Don’t forget, our full
product range can also be viewed on our
website at www.fscables.com
Cat 5 boxes
now in stock
Large stocks of Cat 5 / Cat 5E / Cat 6 UTP &
FTP boxes are now available from stock in
PVC or Low Smoke Halogen Free versions.
Boxes contain a metre marked 1000ft
(305m) length offering convenience, easy
storage and great value.
The addition of Cat 5 / Cat 6 boxes to stock
compliments the existing range of structured
wiring cables that are stocked in duct grade
and armoured versions.
For more information, prices or a catalogue,
please contact our sales team.
Copper
on the rise
Copper has steadily risen since Christmas
showing an almost mirror image of price and
movement over the past five months when
compared to the same period in 2006/7.
The signs are copper will go higher still and
with a strengthening US Dollar and Euro the
outlook is bleak. Add to that high oil prices
and inflation in the Far East, cable prices are
likely to increase significantly.
With large stocks and close, long term
relationships with our manufacturers we
will do our best to keep price rises to a
minimum and insulate our customers where
we can.
What’s in a Cable?
Part 2 - Insulation
Telephone Cables – Talk to us
There is a growing need for telephone
cables which are able to function in a
variety of environments and installations. FS
Cables hold large stocks of BT styles and
other popular types in a range of screening,
armouring and insulation options.
The screened and armoured
CW1128/1179/1198 range is ideal for
external connections of telephone systems
and other communications equipment and
is available in either 0.5mm or 0.9mm, and
in 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 or 100 pair
configurations. The aluminium screen offers
high levels of EMI protection, while the
armour makes it suitable for direct burial or
exposed installations. It also benefits from a
petroleum jelly filling to prevent the ingress
of moisture.
We also offer a non-screened armoured
version of the CW1128/1198 for
installations where mechanical damage
could occur, or simply an external version
for outdoor installations where armouring is
not necessary. This is a lightweight yet
durable solution for cables that have to
withstand a variety of weather conditions
due to its tough, UV and sunlight resistant
polyethylene sheath.
For installations where the safety of people
or property is critical we offer Low Smoke
Halogen Free (LSHF) versions of CW1308
(PVC also available), CW1044 Functional
Earth, and the CW1600 Limited Fire
Hazard. The latter features the added
protection of a fire barrier tape on cables
with more than 6 pairs.
In addition, we can also supply telephone
line cordage and dropwire directly from
stock. The CW1311 type flat line cordage is
available in either 4 core or 6 core options
and offers flexibility and durability while
being easily stripped and terminated.
This issue’s instalment of ‘What’s in
a Cable’ covers insulation.
Insulation is a non-conductive
material used to coat the conductor
to keep the electricity flowing to its
intended destination. In the case of
a transformer or motor armature
this may be a simple enamel
varnish but in most cables and
wires thermosetting or elastomeric
compounds are normally used.
With the exception of overhead power
lines, conductors are normally insulated
within a cable to ensure the electricity,
whether it is data, signal or power, only
goes where you want it to and doesn’t
jump from conductor to conductor.
Insulation types vary enormously in range
and application. Here are the popular types.
Thermosetting compounds. This
includes PVC, Polyethylene and many Low
Smoke Halogen Free (LSHF) materials.
Thermosetting compounds are defined as
materials that can be melted in an extruder
and, when cooled, reform with the original
properties unaltered. The compounds are
supplied in bulk in granules about the size
of a match head.
The advantage of these compounds is that
they are relatively easy to work with and
the equipment needed in manufacturing is
generally fairly simple. It is also quite easy
to change colours within a material type.
However the cost of the compound varies
BT style dropwire to CW1411 (2 pair) and
CW1417 (4 pair) feature steel strainer wires
to provide self-support when linked from
pole to building or building to building and
are available on standard 350m reels.
For more information or stock availability,
why not use your telephone line to speak to
our sales team today on 01727 840 841.
Telephone Trivia
• It took 75 years for telephones to be
used by 50 million customers, but it
took only four years for the Internet to
reach that many users.
• It was Thomas Edison who suggested
the word 'hello' as a uniform greeting
when answering a telephone.
Alexander Graham Bell thought the
phone should be answered with ‘Ahoy,
Hoy’ – some ideas don’t catch on!
Extruding PVC insulation over a bare copper conductor
significantly with high performance LSHF
compounds costing up to five times that of
basic PVC.
Elastomeric or Curing compounds. This
group includes rubbers and materials that
are altered after extrusion by a catalyst, for
example by cross-linking the molecules to
improve the performance of the material.
XLPE is commonly used for signal and
power cables.
In the case of silicone rubber, the silicone is
squeezed out of the extruder cold, like a
putty and then enters the curing process –
normally a steam tunnel or through salts at
very high temperatures.
Taping. Taping is not as popular as it used
to be, although some products are still
insulated by winding a tape around the
conductor. Paper taping is used for some
power cables and PTFE is used for heat
resistant and high performance wires. One
FSC Global returns to Kazakhstan
For the second year
running our export
division FSC Global
exhibited at the KIOGE
2007 oil and gas show
in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Daniel Butterfield spoke
to Wired about his experiences at the show,
including a brush with royalty.
“It was great to be back” said Daniel. “It’s
been a busy year for us and it seems like
only yesterday we were last here.”
Since FSC Global last exhibited in 2006 the
Prince Andrew, Duke of York visited us at KIOGE 2007 - we're still waiting for the order!
advantage of taping is the conductor is
central or concentric within the insulation.
In the case of PTFE the insulated wire is
then subjected to extreme heat for a very
short time (sintering) to fuse the edges of
the tape together and stop it unwinding.
Mica tape is often used to ensure circuit
integrity during a fire. Mica is a naturally
occurring substance which is bonded to
an inert substrate that is wrapped
PVC granules ready for extrusion
show has grown significantly, with more
visitors through the door and the addition of
a new pavilion.
“We were one of 578 exhibitors. Many of
the companies we recognised from last
year but there were also a lot of new faces
– 120 companies were exhibiting for the
first time. The way the show has expanded
in size really reflects this changing and
dynamic oil and gas market, as well as the
development of Kazakhstan itself.”
The key products FSC Global supplies to
this industry are oil, gas and marine cables
around the conductor prior to the
insulation being applied.
Editorial
Lapping or braiding. These are now
mainly used for heat resistant cables
working over 250°C. Glass or ceramic
fibres are wound around the conductor,
normally in two layers in opposite
directions with a glass fibre braid overall to
hold it all together. These cables are stable
at high temperatures (up to 750°C) but are
not suitable at normal ambient
temperatures where there may be
moisture. Most of the products are silicone
varnished to ease handling during
installation but the varnish burns off at a
high temperature.
As you can see there are many different
types of insulation each with a specific job.
PVC and XLPE are the most common and
offer great all round properties in terms of
flexibility and cost. Other materials are
crucial for high performance applications The big news for this issue is our
such as fire alarm cables where it is move to larger premises. After 7
important a cable can carry on functioning
years in London Colney we are
even in the event of fire.
moving a few miles up the road to
When choosing insulation it is important bigger single unit in St. Albans. In
to establish what the cable or wire is true corporate speak ‘we’re all really
expected to do. Temperature, voltage, excited about it’.
electrical characteristics, flexibility,
performance in the event of fire and
other physical factors all need to be taken The aim of the move is to give us
in to account when specifying. better office accommodation and
storage. At 52,000 sq. ft. it’s over
With literally hundreds of different grades
of PVC, eighty-plus grades of silicon and
17,000 sq. ft. bigger than our present
practically every other compound being units and all situated in one high
able to be split into subgroups, there are eaves warehouse. This allows for
insulations to meet practically every need. considerable more stock holding.
This should work through over the
next year or two to an even wider
product range and larger stocks for
next delivery.
but there is great demand for high-spec
products in Low Smoke Halogen We’ve included a sticker with the
new details which fits the address
Free types, often with fire resistant or
hydrocarbon resistant properties. Such are panel on the back of the catalogue,
the demands of the industry, many of the although please feel free to stick it
products supplied are now bespoke.
anywhere you fancy! Just so long as
“That’s very much the way the market is you have the number handy.
changing and we are starting to define
ourselves as more of a service provider The move went relatively smoothly
than a product provider. Customers are
looking for us to provide solutions.” with everyone lending a hand and
doing their bit. A big thanks to the
Prince Andrew, Duke of York paid a visit many customers who accepted a
to the stand in his role as the UK’s 2-3 day delivery service – it allowed
special representative for trade and
investment. He came to outline his long-
us to get straight and resume next-
term strategy for technological assistance
between the UK and Kazakhstan.
day delivery by Thursday following
the weekend move.
“His presence certainly created a buzz
Our biggest headache was BT failing
around the place and it bodes well for
to put on a change of number
future relations and trade between the two
countries” said Daniel. announcement until Wednesday
morning, in part because the person
“Kazakhstan is a key market for us” he
added. “Its experience and competence
at BT who dealt with that decided to
in extraction, not only from its own oil have a few days off.
and gas fields but also from the north
sea is seeing it push towards being one Who said people don’t matter!
of the top 10 oil producing countries in
the world.”
Regards,
“As always it was a great opportunity to
meet customers face to face, old and new, Jon
to discuss their requirements and ways in
which we can better meet their needs.”
jon@fscables.com
Q&A
with OEM Sales’ Charlie Gardiner
Left to right - Charlie Gardiner, Nasar Khan, Laura Martin and Stuart Beagle
What’s the purpose of having a
dedicated OEM sales team?
The OEM sales team was set up
to cope with the varying and
unique demands of the original
equipment manufacturer. In other
words people that use cables in
the things they produce. That could
be harnesses or leads right through to
a tunnel boring machine or water
purification system.
Along with me we have Nasar Khan,
Stuart Beagle and Laura Martin. Laura
has recently joined the company and
is settling in very well. She is already
getting some great hands on
experience with the product as in her
first week she helped us move stock
over to the new building!
YELLOW REPLY CARDS
More and more customers are telling us what they think of our service by using the yellow
reply cards we send out with consignments. These cards are one of the best ways for us
to improve our service to you.
They are your chance to let us know what you
think about the service we provide, the way the
order was packed and the reliability of the
delivery. It’s all very well the product looking
great when it leaves us but we want to know
what it looks like when it reaches you.
As a result of your comments we have recently
switched to sturdier boxes in some sizes, to
protect orders from being damaged in transit.
We need you to let us know where else we can
improve so please take a moment to fill them
in and post back to us – they are postage paid.
Even if everything is great we still like to know.
You can also use the cards to request
additional copies of ‘The Little Red Book’.
What kind of service do you provide?
We try to put the customer first and
work out what is important to them.
For example, product consistency is
often critical. Once a customer has got
used to a product they don’t like
change. What may seem like a small
difference in product may actually alter
the way a machine works, and can
impact 3 months down the line. We
don’t like nasty surprises so we try to
keep them to a minimum.
Our customers also need to know that
they have a contact at the end of
the phone and that we understand
their individual needs – they don’t
want to have to rehash the same
requirements every time their stock
needs replenishing.
Alban Point, Alban Park, Hatfield Road, St. Albans, Herts AL4 0JX
General Sales: 01727 840 841
Fax: 01727 840 842
www.fscables.com
sales@fscables.com
What are the most popular cables ?
We tend to concentrate on signal, data
and control. So much of the focus is on
coax, twisted pairs or multi-cores but
high temperature cables including
silicones and PTFEs are very popular.
Interestingly it’s often the customer
that drives innovation in new product
development. Some of our more
popular lines are products we made
specifically for a customer once, and
then kept in stock. Over time they
become part of our regular range.
Who do you see as competition?
Everyone and anyone – from the local
wholesaler to the multinationals that
offer ‘total solutions’. A lot of
customers have been buying from the
likes of RS, Farnell and Arrow but
prefer the flexibility we offer in things
like pack size or colour. If 100m
doesn’t suit we can cut to any length
you want and if you want an unusual
colour code or jacket colour we can
sort it, sometimes for quantities as low
as 1000m.
What is delivery like?
If it’s a stock product we ship the same
day we receive the instruction to be
with the customer on the next working
We’ve moved premises!
Although front page news for a lot of
companies, we almost hope you haven’t
noticed that we have moved premises. The
new building isn’t far, only about 3 miles up
the road.
It’s substantially larger than the total of the
two units we leave behind - about 52,000
sq. ft. plus mezzanine. This means you will
be able to order an even wider range of
products for next working day delivery. We
will also have a better collection facility and
the capacity to handle drums up to 8 tons.
The move will also enable us to hold larger
stocks for call-off orders. Many customers
are choosing the ‘order and call off’ option,
where they can order in bulk and ‘call off’
lengths of cable over a pre-determined
period, often up to 12 months. This gives
guaranteed supply, consistency of product
OEM Sales: 01727 849 801
Contractor Sales: 01727 849 802
Credit Control: 01727 849 827
Purchasing: 01727 849 805
Marketing: 01727 849 806
day. If it’s to a customers design we try
to fit in with the customers needs. We
work very closely with the production
units so sometimes delivery can be as
little as 2 weeks but if time allows we
prefer a more relaxed 8 weeks, or
longer if it is coming from a Far East
factory. The main thing is to match the
customer needs and be honest – we
always give realistic delivery times.
Do you hold much stock?
Yes, and with the new building even
more so. As well as our own regular
stock lines we also hold a lot of stock
dedicated to individual customers. A
customer will give us an order of say
10km and can call it off at 1km per
month or as they need it over a year. It
helps their storage issues if they have
them and means they can be confident
the cable will be with them when they
want it. This works for either standard
or custom made products.
What do you think sets you apart
from other distributors?
I really enjoy the relationships I have
with my customers and it’s true for the
rest of the team. I have been dealing
with some people for so long now they
have almost become partnerships. At
the end of the day, we are here to
provide a service, not just a product.
and enables you to enjoy bulk quantity
discounts.
If you happen to be in the area and would
like to have a look around the new building
or simply pop in for a cup of tea, please feel
free to drop by. You can also meet the sales
people that look after your account.