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- FSC Global return to Kazakhstan

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?

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.

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 significantly with high performance LSHF compounds costing up to five times that of basic PVC.

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 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 around the conductor prior to the insulation being applied.

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 such as fire alarm cables where it is important a cable can carry on functioning even in the event of fire.

When choosing insulation it is important to establish what the cable or wire is expected to do. Temperature, voltage, electrical characteristics, flexibility, performance in the event of fire and other physical factors all need to be taken in to account when specifying. With literally hundreds of different grades of PVC, eighty-plus grades of silicon and practically every other compound being able to be split into subgroups, there are insulations to meet practically every need

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. 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

The key products FSC Global supplies to this industry are oil, gas and marine cables but there is great demand for high-spec products in Low Smoke Halogen Free types, often with fire resistant or hydrocarbon resistant properties.

Such are the demands of the industry, many of the products supplied are now bespoke.

“That’s very much the way the market is changing and we are starting to define ourselves as more of a service provider than a product provider. Customers are looking for us to provide solutions.”

Prince Andrew, Duke of York paid a visit to the stand in his role as the UK’s special representative for trade and investment. He came to outline his long-term strategy for technological assistance between the UK and Kazakhstan.

“His presence certainly created a buzz around the place and it bodes well for future relations and trade between the two countries” said Daniel.

“Kazakhstan is a key market for us” he added. “Its experience and competence in extraction, not only from its own oil and gas fields but also from the north sea is seeing it push towards being one of the top 10 oil producing countries in the world.”

“As always the show was a great opportunity to meet customers face to face, old and new, to discuss their requirements and ways in which we can better meet their needs.”

What is 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!

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.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 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.

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’.

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 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.

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

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 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.

The big news for this issue is our move to larger premises. After 7 years in London Colney we are moving a few miles up the road to a bigger single unit in St. Albans. In true corporate speak ‘we’re all really excited about it’.

The aim of the move is to give us better office accommodation and storage. At 52,000 sq. ft. it’s over 17,000 sq. ft. bigger than our present units and all situated in one high eaves warehouse. This allows for 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.

We’ve included a sticker with the new details which fits the address panel on the back of the catalogue, although please feel free to stick it anywhere you fancy! Just so long as you have the number handy.

The move went relatively smoothly with everyone lending a hand and doing their bit. A big thanks to the many customers who accepted a 2-3 day delivery service – it allowed us to get straight and resume next-day delivery by Thursday following the weekend move.

Our biggest headache was BT failing to put on a change of number announcement until Wednesday morning, in part because the person at BT who dealt with that decided to have a few days off.

Who said people don’t matter!

Regards,

Jon