Described by BSI as “a new benchmark in cable compliance” the BSI Kitemark for Cable Batch Verification is a new programme regulated and under the rigorous surveillance of the British Standards Institute.
It sees cables extensively tested against British, European and international standards in a UKAS-accredited laboratory. The BSI Cable Batch Verification Kitemark has been achieved by one company, Eland Cables. The technical experts in their ISO17025 accredited facility, The Cable Lab®, have worked with BSI to develop the scheme over the last two years, during which time the wider cable market has become more and more focused on compliance.
BSI CABLE BATCH VERIFICATION KITEMARK TESTING
Compliance is determined by testing the individual components – the conductor, the insulation and other constructional layers – elements that are themselves bound by British and European standards. For example, conductor resistance needs to meet the requirements of BS EN 60228.
For the Kitemark to be applied, each batch of cables (in that core configuration and cross-sectional area size) has been examined and tested. BSI Kitemark approval gives demonstrable evidence that cables meet these underlying standards, as well as the overall cable standard where applicable.
The Kitemark is widely recognised with 82% of UK adults believing it stands as a mark of quality, safety and trust. Alongside that, testing must be undertaken in a UKAS accredited facility: the United Kingdom Accreditation Service is the highest certification for a testing facility, assessing the impartiality and validity of its test methodologies. They have strict criteria to meet with equipment carefully calibrated, and so having an ISO17025 UKAS facility is an enormous achievement in itself. What it means to customers is that the company and the cable carry the trust of these two important third-party certification bodies.
A NEW RANGE OF KITEMARK TESTED CABLES – VERIFLEX®
To mark the launch of the Kitemark, Eland Cables is launching its own range of industrial automation cables, called Veriflex®, which includes SY, CY, YY, Servo, PUR and fieldbus cables. With BSI Kitemark testing it allows the company to verify the quality, safety and performance of these cables against relevant British and European standards. For Eland Cables it’s about continuing its drive to provide consistency and continuity and putting compliance at the top of the agenda in every conversation.
The extensive testing and the confirmed compliance also sees Eland Cables provide an extended warranty on the Veriflex® range, pushing an industry-standard 12 month guarantee out to 24 months for LSZH cables and 36 months for PVC cables. It’s one more way they have underlined the commitment to compliance that is core to their operation
Eland Cables is known for its customer service too, so the Veriflex® range doesn’t disappoint here either. Available direct from UK stockholding for next-day delivery to UK mainland, and within 48-72 hours for most of mainland Europe, there’s an availability and speed of supply that makes these cables an attractive proposition compared to a marketplace where the traditional lead-times are 5-7 days.
FINAL WORDS FROM BSI
Paul Turner, Certification Technical Expert at BSI said: “As the first company to achieve the BSI Cable Batch Verification Kitemark, Eland Cables sets a new benchmark in cable compliance. The rigorous and extensive testing programme they undertake in their UKAS laboratory, under our ongoing surveillance, tests the cables to British and international standards for key safety criteria. The BSI Kitemark is one of the most recognised symbols of quality and safety and by certifying their cables against the scheme, Eland Cables can demonstrate that its cables meet the highest standards.”
For more information on the BSI Cable Batch Verification Kitemark and the Veriflex® range of cables, please visit elandcables.com