EuroWire September 2021

Focus On UK

Wire rope, fittings and ready-made cable assemblies

Sta-Lok is a UK manufacturer specialising in the design, manufacture and supply of stainless steel wire rope fittings and structural tie rod systems for marine rigging and architectural applications. For more than 48 years, its UK-manufactured and assembled solutions have been used in many different market sectors and projects around the world. The company began in 1973, when founder Ivor Barfield introduced a new design of wire rope fitting terminals. His system simplified the termination of wire rope and quickly became established in the sector. The company is now run by Terry Barfield alongside several long-term employees and family members. The extensive range of hardware for stainless steel wire rope includes self-fit terminals, swage terminals, turnbuckles and tensioners. Permanoid – one of the few independently owned cable manufacturing companies in the UK – has been producing cables for more than 70 years. The company’s experience in cable design, manufacture and polymer technology has enabled it to develop a wide range of standard and bespoke cables used throughout the electrical, electronics and construction industries. These range from small equipment wires to complex multi-core cables, such as the BS5308 control and instrumentation cables used in the oil and gas sector. Permanoid also supplies, and continues to develop, niche products in fields such as audio, medical, EV automotive, agriculture and aviation. Commercial director Oliver Hingston said, “We continue to work with cutting-edge companies in existing and emerging industries looking for bespoke cable products. These are typically highly specialised products with lower volumes which cannot be made elsewhere.” One growing market is EV automotive, where the demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric

▲ Sta-Lok designs and manufactures stainless steel wire rope fittings

In addition to its manufacturing capa- bilities, Sta-Lok is a supplier of stainless- steel grade 1.4401 (AISI 316) wire rope, distributing a wide variety of sizes and constructions from its dedicated UK warehouse. Conforming to international standards, all wire is certified and fully traceable, in line with quality systems and ISO 9001 accreditation.

Sta-Lok can supply wire, fittings or ready- made cable assemblies, for which the in-house rigging team can create wire rope arrangements for clients’ projects. Once the team has helped to define the components and confirmed the required lengths, the manufacturing and rigging staff assemble the bespoke products. Sta-Lok Terminals Ltd www.stalok.com

Developing niche cable products for the market

vehicles (PHEVs) has doubled in the last two years. This is set to continue to rise as they become cheaper to own and more cost effective to run. “We see an increase in the need for both cables for the internal wiring of vehicles and also charging stations over the next five years,” explained Mr Hingston. The company also supplies the medical sector, where there

▲ Permanoid carries out testing in-house

was an increase in demand for specialised products during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included internal wiring for ventilators and bespoke products used in medical laboratory testing. Conversely, the aviation sector was hardest hit: projects came to a standstill in 2020, although there are signs of recovery, with projects picking up again in the autumn. Permanoid’s flexible in-house production facilities enable the company to develop bespoke products and offer a comprehensive service to its customer base, both in the UK and worldwide.

A three-acre plant in Manchester allows Permanoid to provide a substantial manufacturing capability. Its quality system is certified to the requirements of ISO 9001, and all cable is inspected at each stage of manufacture. Many products are covered by third-party certifications such as BASEC, UL and CSA. Cable is tested in-house and samples are regularly sent to the approvals bodies to ensure compliance with the relevant standards. Permanoid Ltd www.permanoid.co.uk

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September 2021