PECM Issue 35 2018 | Page 56

CABLES STAMP OF APPROVAL ELAND CABLES WHAT MAKES A BSI KITEMARK TESTED CABLE DIFFERENT? When specifying a cable, whether for use within equipment you manufacture or for projects you have commissioned, what do you look for? What distinguishes the best from the rest? In a competitive marketplace where everyone says they have the stock availability and speed of delivery, how do you make sure you have also balanced the demands for quality and compliance? The BSI Kitemark TM has long been a trusted quality certification mark identifying products and services that have been successfully assessed against a demanding list of criteria. It’s recognised both in the UK and around the world. It’s also now used as a stamp of approval on certain cables, tested rigorously under the BSI Cable Batch verification programme, helping cable buyers to identify verifiably high performance, high quality products. BSI Kitemark testing on cables requires testing on a very granular level – that specific manufacturing run is put through a battery of tests, examining each component layer in turn from the conductor at the centre to the sheathing material on the 56 PECM Issue 35 outside. These constructional layers are measured against relevant British and European standards in a UKAS accredited laboratory, with every core and size configuration included in the testing regime. It’s only once the cable has been proven to meet these standards that the Kitemark is applied and it is released for sale. In an industry with ever-growing compliance regulations, and where that responsibility reaches throughout the supply chain, if this level of assessment exists then surely it’s logical to at least investigate further? As it stands, Eland Cables is the sole holder of this BSI Kitemark, with their Veriflex® industrial automation cables all tested as standard. Additionally, The Cable Lab®, their ISO 17025 UKAS facility, tests a wide range of cables on a project basis giving the option for all cables to be tested under the scheme. What does using a BSI Kitemark tested cable mean to people? That USP differs according to your place in the supply chain. As the specifier, Kitemark testing offers consistency and continuity to a project; whilst within your wider organization it demonstrates that due consideration has been made to meeting performance safety standards which in turn gives reassurance of reliability. To BSI it is a ‘new benchmark in cable compliance’, pushing their message of quality and safety another step further. And importantly, to your customers it can simply be the additional credibility needed to push through selection of your products over those of another supplier. So what makes a BSI Kitemark tested cable different? The answer is straightforward: verified quality. It’s the difference between good and great. Eland Cables Global supplier of power, control, data and instrumentation cables and accessories www.elandcables.com [email protected] 020 7241 8787