from
LSF vs LSHF - There is a Difference!
See the cigarette lighter test for yourself
Buying LSF data cables is like
buying Viagra on the internet – you
have no idea what’s in it, you don’t
know how it’s going to perform and
in very extreme circumstances it
could kill you.
We have seen confusion from
contractors recently surrounding the
difference between LSF (Low Smoke
and Fume) and LSHF (Low Smoke
Halogen Free) cables.
LSHF cables are those that, when
exposed to fire, emit no more than
0.5% hydrogen chloride. They are
not the same as LSF cables.
LSHF Cable when exposed to flame
Customer Feedback Survey - The results are in!
Wired would like to say a big
thanks to all those who took part in
the customer feedback survey we
ran in the last issue.
We received nearly 600 responses
across a range of industries which has
given us some incredibly useful
information about what matters to you
the customer, the service we provide
and ultimately how we can be a better
supplier to you.
Service
Respondants valued customer service
as the best aspect of FS Cables
service with 48.79% describing it as
+++ Metal Prices +++ Metal Prices +++ Metal Prices +++
4th December 2009
COPPER £4,295.17
ALUMINIUM £1,287.58
SILVER £11.29
NICKEL £9,721.97
All prices per 1000kg except silver per oz. Exchange rates apply at time of trade
+++ Metal Prices +++ Metal Prices +++ Metal Prices +++
LSF cables, in the case of data, signal
and control cables, are often made
from a modified version of PVC and
can still give off large amounts of
dense smoke and hydrogen chloride
gas when burned.
Ordinary PVC emits approximately
28% hydrogen chloride when burned
and, while no specific standard exists
for their emissions, LSF cables can still
give off a massive 22% hydrogen
chloride and still be sold as LSF.
To demonstrate the difference, Wired
has filmed a very simple cigarette
lighter flame test using a piece of
unscreened data cable in both LSF and
LSHF versions and put it on YouTube.
The results are startling. The LSF cable
(top right) very quickly begins to burn
and give off black smoke.
By contrast, see how the LSHF cable
(bottom left) gives off negligible smoke
when exposed to the same heat
source. The sheath swells and will
eventually burn through in the same
‘excellent’ and 40.48% as ‘good’.
95.16% of respondents described our
product range as ‘excellent’ (46.46%)
or ‘good’ (48.70%).
Price is an area a few of you told us we
need to improve on and 14.51% rate
price as ‘excellent’, 27.98% as
‘satisfactory’ and 50.43% ‘good’.
The Electrical Industry
87% of respondents said they were
optimistic about the current state of the
electrical industry, with 81% confident
business will pick up next year.
However, 43% of people admitted they
were buying less cable than they were
this time last year.
1st September 2009 Change %
£3,844.80 11.71%
£1,133.12 13.63%
£9.23 22.39%
£11,471.76 -15.25%
Winter 2009 Issue 8
LSF Cable when exposed to the same flame - note the dense black smoke given off
way as LSF but it is only producing a There is a joke in the cable industry
tiny amount of white smoke and that LSF actually stands for ‘Loads of
almost no flame. Smoke and Fumes’ and not ‘Low
Smoke and Fume’. The only way to
guarantee you know what is being
As a rule of thumb, if the application
calls for a data, signal or control Cable used on an installation is to specify a
‘Low Smoke Halogen Free cable’.
in LSF, question it.
Don’t just take our word for it –
If it’s a public access building such as see the video for yourself. Visit
an airport, a hospital, a prison, or a www.fscables.com/flametest.php
hotel, or indeed anywhere that the
evacuation in the event of a fire may
be restricted you will almost certainly
need a LSHF cable.
How you see us
We asked respondents ‘what animal
In this issue
would FS Cables be’ to gain an • LSF vs LSHF - There is
emotional response about how you view a Difference!
us as a company.
• Customer Feedback Survey
Big cats were your most popular • FS Cables Goes Green
answers. The majority of customers
• KNX Cable Approval
working in the defence sector compare
• TNT Deliveries
us to a cheetah while wholesalers and
OEM customers compared us to a lion. • Q&A with Bob Barnard
• Pricing
Interestingly the majority of electrical
contractors thought we would be an • In Brief
elephant while security installers saw • Editorial
us as dog!
 reduction in paper and postage as well as
In Brief offering greater convenience to our
customers.

Over the coming 12 months as part of our

CY Cables
In response to your feedback FS FS Cables ongoing continuous improvement, further
reductions in our energy wastage are
planned. These include replacing the
sodium low bay lighting in the warehouse

Cables have increased stocks and
looked at pricing on the CY control
cables range. Unlike many on the
market, our CY cables feature an
overall foil around the 70% braid
screen for added protection.
We hold good stocks of 0.75mm2 to
2.5mm2 in a range of core and colour
or number coded configurations in
1000m drums ready to be cut to
length.
We really believe this is top quality
cable at very competitive prices. Try
us against your current supplier.
LMR Connectors
A full range of LMR connectors are
now in stock. This means FS can now
to offer a complete solution when
supplying cable to the RF
transmissions industry.
‘Goes Green’
ISO 14001 Accreditation
FS Cables are proud to have been
awarded ISO 14001 environmental
accreditation.
This achievement represents many
months of hard work and has taken the
best efforts of all members of staff.
ISO14001 is an environmental
management system aimed at reducing
our environmental footprint through
a range of measurable improvement
actions. It has helped us identify areas
where our environmental footprint can
be reduced.
The ISO standard sets out the framework
for an environmental policy which looks at
monitoring our impact on the environment,
planning and implementing change, taking
necessary corrective action and a
management review.
We have introduced a number of
measures ranging from setting up a
recycling programme for all office and
commercial waste to car sharing and staff
cycling to work.
We have switched all external lighting from
linear tungsten lamps to metal halide
lamps which we estimate achieves an
energy reduction of 60%.
A large number of transactional
documents such as invoices, statements
and purchase orders are now being sent
out electronically providing a huge
with movement detecting T5 fluorescent
lamps.
Additionally, we are working with all parts
of our supply chain to continue to reduce
wastage and make improvements in
packaging materials.
At FS Cables we believe our commitment
to reducing our impact on the environment
provides not only environmental
advantages but also benefits our
customers and suppliers.
Through reduced costs, reduced wastage
and improved efficiencies, we aim to
continue to provide high levels of service,
quality and delivery.
Importantly, by using FS Cables our
customers are now also able to
demonstrate environmental compliance in
their own supply chain.
Jon Herbert, a director of FS Cables
commented that “instead of an uphill
struggle to get staff on board, people
responded really positively and were
looking at ways in which they could make
a difference. It made the whole process of
achieving the standard so much easier, so
a big thank you to all those concerned.”

Ideal for installations on microwave

antennas or mobile phone masts, the
FS LMR range are manufactured to
the highest quality and is a fantastic
Customer Feedback Survey - continued
alternative to Times LMR – both in KEY: Technical Expertise Product Range
quality and price. Excellent Good
1% 8% 3% 1%
Satisfactory Poor
Call us today and we’ll send you a
sample of both cable and connector.
Customer Service
6% 1%
44% 47%
49%
48%

51%

New Arrivals 42%

There have been some new additions

to the workforce recently. We are
pleased to welcome Laura Martin The Electrical Industry We asked you your feelings on the state of the electrical industry this year and for 2010...
back from maternity leave and Lee
Ypey has rejoined the company
following 18 months travelling in Asia. Audio
Consultants & Specifiers
The purchasing and marketing Defence
departments have grown as well with Electrical Contractors KEY:
the additions of Tom Barrett and Chloe Government 2009 2010
Rimmer respectively. Both are settling
OEM
in very well and are looking forward to
Security
the year ahead.
Wholesaler

1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

Pessimistic Fairly Pessimistic Fairly Optimistic Optimistic
KNX Cable
Approval
FS Cables have joined the KNX
association as a KNX certified cable
supplier.
KNX is an ideal solution for consultants,
specifiers, designers, installers and end
users as a flexible, user friendly and
energy efficient system.
What is KNX?
Buildings that are energy efficiently
designed are becoming increasingly
popular. Most modern buildings
incorporate some form of Intelligent
Building Technology (IBT) ranging from
automatic lighting and climate control to
door entry and security systems.
The KNX standard is an internationally
recognised system for home automation
and building control combining ISO/IEC
(14543), CENELEC (EN50090) and CEN
(13321). It also combines and replaces
previous Bus systems – EIB, EHSA and
BatiBus.
The harmonisation of these standards
and systems offers designers, installers
and end users a flexible, versatile and
‘problem-free’ solution combining
certified devices across a range of
approved manufacturers – ensuring
conformity, interoperability and quality.
All KNX certified equipment has been
tested and certified to this high standard
and only equipment meeting this can
carry the logo. This ensures the quality,
reliability and guaranteed compatibility
of all KNX devices and equipment.
KNX is ‘Green’
With the increasing demand for ‘green’
buildings, KNX systems can contribute
to significant energy savings over time.
The operation of heating, lighting and
blinds among others can be aligned with
TNT - for those really urgent jobs
When you need cable urgently, we
find TNT does the job. Collecting
nightly from our distribution centre,
TNT deliver ‘next working day’ as
standard to most of the UK
mainland.
FS Cables Delivery Menu
Next Day Delivery on orders over £100
Collection of orders over £100 from local depot
Orders under £100
Pre 12.00am
Pre 10.30am
Pre 9.00am
Saturday AM
Tel: 01727 840 841 email: sales@fscables.com
external climate conditions or adjusted
by an interface to pre-set levels.
For example, lighting can be altered
depending on the amount of natural light
detected or people present in the
building. Heating, cooling and ventilation
can be measured by temperature
sensors and adjustments made where
necessary.
Substantial energy savings can be
achieved through efficient building
technologies.
Using a KNX shading control system for
example can achieve energy savings of
40%. A KNX individual room control can
offer savings of up to 50% and a KNX
lighting or ventilation control system can
provide as much as 60% savings over
traditional building management systems.
KNX also offers advances in home or
building security. For example, motion
detectors, alarm systems and shutter
control can all be automated and
controlled through the same Bus
network.
Notwithstanding the complex technologies
it controls, a KNX cabling system is
actually remarkably simple with devices
and systems interconnected using a
single twisted pair cable. This simplicity
is one of the many benefits to designers,
installers and end users.
FS Cables twisted pair cable
FS Cables as part of its growing product
range now offers a KNX certified cable.
This features two twisted solid conductor
pairs with a foil screen in a green jacket.
It has been tested and certified as being
suitable for use in KNX systems and
bears the KNX logo.
For really urgent jobs there is the
option of timed or Saturday deliveries
and we have no cut off time for orders
placed. Last month 99.8% of stock
orders were shipped the same day
they were received. Orders over £100
are carriage paid next working day.
FREE
FREE
£6
£12
£18
£25
£45
TNT collect nightly from our distribution centre north of London
As you would expect from an FSC cable
it also benefits from being low smoke
halogen free throughout making it ideal
for installations where the safety of
people or sensitive property could be
compromised in the event of fire.
A quad version of the cable is also
available although this is not yet
certified.
What are the benefits of KNX?
The main benefits of the KNX system are
twofold. Firstly, the interoperability of
devices across a range of manufacturers
and regions and secondly, quality
assurance whereby product quality is
ensured through testing and
certification.
KNX is particularly attractive to
consultants and specifiers at the design
stage where the flexibility of an entirely
open solution allows for the creation of
simple installations right up to complex
building management functions.
Installations are made easier through
clear and simple wiring and with a
KNX certified cable installers can be
confident of a hassle free installation.
For the end user, a KNX system
represents a modern, cost effective
and ‘barrier free’ solution to home
automation and building technology.
Tremendous flexibility is offered as any
changes or upgrades to the system over
time are possible without the need for
rewiring.
Further information about the KNX
standard can be found at
www.knxuk.org
If it’s easier for you we can also
arrange for you to collect from your
nearest TNT depot from 8.00 am.
You’ll just need some ID and the
consignment note number.
Editorial
There is quite a bit in this issue about the
customer feedback survey and I’d like to
add my thanks to all of those that took part.
It’s always good to read positive comments
but the real reason for doing it was to
improve our service. It’s much easier to
learn from people who tell you where you
are going wrong and where you can
improve than it is from compliments -
although we do like receiving them!
A great many recommendations were
made by customers ranging from ‘increase
the product range’ through ‘make it clearer
when you have a new catalogue’ to ‘better
labelling on drums’.
Price was an area of concern for several
customers. We work hard to keep prices
low and we want to provide good quality
and excellent service as well as great
prices. We believe this adds up to the best
value for money for customers. If we fall
down on any of these points – quality,
service or price – please let your sales
contact know. Call me or drop me an email
and let’s see if we can correct it.
My thanks also go to all those who have
enabled us to get ISO14001 accreditation.
Green issues often provoke strong feelings
at both extremes with indifference in the
middle. I am delighted to say it hasn't been
a struggle to get people on board and staff
at FS Cables have responded really
positively looking at ways we can all make
a difference.
At the end of the day, cutting down waste
and reducing landfill is just good old-
fashioned common sense. After an initial
teething period we have settled down into
separating waste and compacting
polyethylene and it all seems remarkably
simple now that recycling has become
second nature in the company.
The only downside I can think of is the cost
of waste bailing equipment and the storage
space needed for recyclable waste.
If you’re interested in getting ISO14001 for
yourselves please contact me – we’ll be
happy to go through our experiences which
may be useful to you.
Best wishes
Jon Herbert
jon@fscables.com
Q&A
With Quality & Environmental Manager Bob Barnard
What’s your role at FS Cables?
I work externally for a few clients including
FS Cables and I’m responsible for assessing
and managing both the quality and
environmental management systems.
I’m delighted that FS Cables have recently
achieved their ISO14001 accreditation. It’s
been a long time in the making and has
taken the best efforts of all members of staff.
Tell us a bit more about ISO14001 and
what it covers.
ISO14001 is a framework for an
environmental management system which
enables an organisation to operate in a more
environmentally sustainable manner. As with
ISO9001 it is about identifying areas of
weakness, implementing strategies for
improvement and then continually
measuring this improvement over time.
What made FS Cables decide to work for
ISO14001 accreditation?
I think all organisations need to recognise
that they have a part to play when it comes
to protecting the environment. There is a
social responsibility attached to commerce
and the way waste and energy are
managed. We are all going to have an
environmental footprint of some sort but
there are lots of ways in which we can
reduce it.
An important aspect for any business also is
that any reduction in waste is going to make
Pricing
Over the past 12 months we’ve
reduced hundreds of prices by
looking critically at the supply chain
and where possible cutting out costs
without reducing either quality or
service.
One key area is working with product
managers to calculate optimum
manufacturing quantities for individual
products. In some cases this means we
hold up to a year’s worth of sales in stock,
which not only drops the price (in some
cases significantly) but also cushions us
against sudden large orders and limits
‘out of stock’ situations.
a company leaner and more efficient. There
are also cost savings to be made by being
‘green’. These are all benefits to businesses
and ultimately customers too.
It also means that customers can say that
they are using an ISO14001 accredited
supplier which helps with their own
compliance. The upcoming Olympic work is
a good example of this where we are
increasingly seeing contractors being asked
to demonstrate sustainability within their
supply chain.
We shouldn’t forget that ISO9001:2008
was also attained.
That’s correct – although the company has
held ISO9001 status for a number of years
now. Regular audits are necessary though to
ensure that company is performing as it
should be.
Continual improvement is a requirement of
ISO9001 and new methods for reducing
errors and improving efficiency are being
introduced where appropriate. One initiative
implemented recently is to get every picking
note triple signed prior to dispatch. This
enables us to catch any snags before they
leave us and has a significant impact on
reducing the number of goods returned.
While we can take verbal orders from
customers ordering from site or where they
really have no way of getting an order over,
we prefer to receive written or emailed
orders. This avoids situations where the
The second great saving comes from
getting factories to pre-pack cable into
popular lengths, namely 100m, 200m
and 500m reels. This reduces double
handling and saves on wages and
packing materials.
We still hold large reels to cater for ‘cut to
length’ requirements but far more
products are arriving pre-packed from
the factory.
Cutting margins and becoming more
efficient at all aspects of the business has
helped us offer you even better value for
money while continuing with the service
levels you need.
Alban Point, Alban Park, Hatfield Road, St. Albans, Herts AL4 0JX
General Sales: 01727 840 841
Fax: 01727 840 842
www.fscables.com
sales@fscables.com
customer thought they asked for 1 x 200m Ultimately FS Cables want to be the
but we thought they asked for 2 x 100m. customer’s first choice and we will have a
better chance of achieving that if the
How long has FS Cables held ISO9001?
customer’s needs are being met.
The very first quality audit took place in the How else is feedback measured?
mid 90’s. FS Cables have come a long way
since then and there has been a strong Feedback is monitored regularly through the
emphasis on quality ever since.
yellow cards which go out with each order.
They give customers a chance to tell us how
You seem to have had a good response
their goods arrived – hopefully on time and in
to the feedback survey?
good condition!
It was great to get so many positive
Currently around 99% of orders are received
responses and there were many examples
of really constructive criticism which have on time, correct to the customers order and
helped identify areas of improvement to in good condition. This is obviously no
bring greater levels of customer satisfaction. consolation to the remaining 1% but we are
never complacent and are always looking to
While monitoring customer feedback is a improve. The cards are a great way of
requirement of ISO9001 this survey was catching any issues as they arise. It’s also
really about getting a better understanding worth mentioning that all emails to
of what is important to customers and how feedback@fscables.com are read by a
they perceive the company. director.
gs
s o n s Greetin
S e a ish warm
like to w
ould ers.
y, F S Cables w all our custom
Fina ll st o
greeting look
ess and next year.
season’s u r bu sin
yo you aga
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We reall to working with Year!
forward a Ha ppy New
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Merry C
ables
om all at FS C
F r
OEM Sales: 01727 849 801
Contractor Sales: 01727 849 802
Credit Control: 01727 849 827
Purchasing: 01727 849 805
Marketing: 01727 849 806