The rising price of copper, daily spiralling on the London Metals Exchange, has brought a stark warning from the British Approvals Service for Cables (BASEC) about the possible effect on quality of products coming onto the market.
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| Jeremy Hodge |
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BASEC Chief Executive Jeremy Hodge says wholesalers and contractors should be aware that some unscrupulous producers - including importers of cable - may cut corners and use less copper in the manufacturing process as costs continue to rise.
He said: “It is not until the cables are installed and tested that this may come to light, and by then it is too late. We want to warn wholesalers, and in particular contractors that they need to make all the necessary practical checks of products.
“We, like everyone else in the industry, are concerned at the staggering rises in the copper price and the effects it has on the industry and on purchasers through the supply chain.
“Whilst we are all affected, there are certain measures we can take to at least ensure the impact is not any worse than it has to be. I know that BASEC’s approved manufacturers would not dream of letting this affect quality and safety, which are benchmarks of the electrical industry.”
Copper is used widely in cables because it is such a good electrical conductor. Undersized conductors may overheat and cause fire, or reduce the level of safety against electric shock.
The copper price on the London Metals Exchange has gained as much as 75 per cent this year and has increased more than five-fold from cyclical lows in 2001 on strong demand, especially from China and India, tight supply and increased fund speculation.
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