Manufacturer Case Study: British Cables Company

Evidencing quality

The manufacturer’s comprehensive product offering includes copper twisted pair cables, optical fibre cables, BMS (Belden Equivalents) and low voltage power cables used in a variety of different applications.

Another key sector that British Cables Company specialise in is cabling for the railway industry. Having recently been named as a chosen cable supplier to Network Rail, they are dedicated to producing cable products that evidence high levels of quality to assure end users and meet the stringent health and safety demands of the railway sector.

Nicholas Bowman, Sales Director at British Cables Company comments;

“Our company core values are quality, choice and service. We work closely with several major clients and have built strong relationships by providing cabling that has been rigorously tested by BASEC as our third-party testing and certification partner, to ensure the products meet the requirements set in relevant standards and is quality assured. This provides us with impartial results to demonstrate that conformity has been met and provides peace of mind back to our customers that the cables are fit for purpose to install into their projects in the UK and around the world.”

Demonstrating compliance

British Cables Company has partnered with BASEC for over 30 years, initially for quality management systems certification and more recently to facilitate product approval requirements to help expand the manufacturers’ product portfolio. Management systems certifications currently held include ISO management systems 9001, 14001 and 450001. In terms of product approvals, BCC hold certifications for their low voltage power cables range, including approvals against BS EN 50525-3-41, BS 6004 and BS 8436. Looking to the future, the company is working towards expanding the range further to include additional low voltage power cable and fire-resistant families.

BASEC also supports BCC by undertaking their Construction Products Regulation AVCP Systems 1+ testing and surveillance, as well as ensuring all manufactured items hold UKCA conformity. Opting for the higher CPR classification rating in fire safety involves a stringent inspection of the manufacturing facilities and processes, in addition to an in depth fire testing schedule to assess factors such as heat release, smoke production and flame spread in a fire scenario.

Market recognition

Key reasons behind British Cables Companys’ decision to partner with BASEC to facilitate their cable testing and certification requirements include the strong brand reputation that BASEC holds, combined with the wide recognition established in the cable industry.

James Glenn, Technical and Business Development Manager at British Cables Company comments;

“We have been working with BASEC for many years now to meet our cable testing and certification needs and help to raise the profile of BCC further to our customers. BASEC’s stringent testing and audit processes as experts in the cable sector helps us to raise the profile of our products in the market as cabling that will be safe and durable in its application. The team support us throughout the entire process to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible. Making sure we have the right approvals in place for our products and facilities is key to driving the business forward. Third party approval from BASEC provides assurance back to our customers such as BT that the cables have been thoroughly assessed and can evidence the levels of quality required for use in their end application and meet the future needs of the market.”

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