The Approved Cables Initiative (ACI) two year campaign to stamp out counterfeit cable enters a new phase as it heads to select committees and influential MPs in Westminster.
The campaign has already focussed on the different levels of the supply chain – typically specifier to contractor and distributor as it aims to educate and inform those involved in the identification of counterfeit, substandard and defective cable.
To date, the campaign has successfully raised the profile of the ACI amongst the top influencers in the electrical industry.
The ACI now want to step up the campaign to stamp out the continuation of the supply of counterfeit cable despite the message being perfectly understood within the industry.
Peter Smeeth, Spokesperson for the ACI said
“It’s two years since we launched our campaign and our message is perfectly understood in the market. It is time to ratchet up the investigations and present the authorities with cases that show what lengths some will go to in the pursuit of profit with blatant disregard for public safety.”
The ACI are aware of a number of distributors and contractors within the UK who are involved with the reselling of cable products that fail to meet the UK's safety standards.
Methods such as these listed are commonly found in the supply and distribution of counterfeit cable:
ordering overseas manufacturers to produce under specified (insufficient copper) cable and then sell it on to the UK market
mis sell data cable, notably Cat5e, for Copper Clad Aluminium (CCA) cable
purchase inferior product from overseas and then sell it unmarked as it will be untraceable
misuse Trademarks to fool the naive
sell short lengths (confusing metres with yards, or not even designating the measurement).
The ACI hopes that by by obtaining the support of MPs, the campaign will be kept in the minds of those who can influence real change.
For more information on this and the ACI, visit the website HERE