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Top 5 cable manufacturers
Choosing the best power cable: the most reliable cable manufacturers
Author: Stepan Kagner
The powerful cable industry, inherited from Russia and the post-Soviet space "inherited", is a serious plus, but not with an infinite shelf life. When choosing a standardized cable, in theory, one may encounter a difference not only in price, but also in quality. This is not surprising - the author, having had time to work in the repair shop of one of the country's cable plants, had to make sure in his experience how outdated equipment is often used in industry, and sometimes it is necessary to restore its working capacity using artisanal methods. What kind of quality stability? Yes, and the GOST current to this day are often outdated, finding still more space on the Brezhnev tunic. So the time of work on the profile and rich history for the plant does not always go to the number of advantages - the enterprise is recently open, but initially equipped with modern equipment, can sometimes offer much better quality of the produced cable.
Finally, progress does not stand still. Of course, for a certain number of years it is good to bring the production of any cable to the MCRP to perfection, but who needs it now, when there are much more advanced and durable insulation materials, besides, fireproof ones? Here is another reason when choosing a cable manufacturer to turn to someone for whom “modern technologies” is not a common phrase in an advertising booklet, but a reality implemented in life.
Since July 2016, the project “Cable without danger” has been implemented by the forces of the Association “Electrocable” and Rosstandart, which consists in the constant monitoring of product quality on the market. And not without results - a few dozen manufacturers and suppliers of cable products have already “burned out” on non-compliance with the standards. In our rating we will try to figure out how to choose a good power cable and which cable is better to use for wiring and other purposes.
Top Cable Manufacturers - Top 5
| Category | A place | Name | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| The best cable manufacturers are subsidiaries of global concerns. | 1 | Nexans Russia | 9.9 / 10 |
| Best Russian cable manufacturers | 1 | OAO Sevkabel | 9.9 / 10 |
| 2 | LLC Kamkabel | 9.8 / 10 | |
| 3 | OJSC Electrocable Kolchuginsky Plant | 9.7 / 10 | |
| 4 | OOO Tatkabel | 9.6 / 10 |
The best cable manufacturers are subsidiaries of global concerns.
|
Nexans Russia
The history of the French company Nexans began in the XIX century, and since then it has grown into a transnational concern, which is in second place in the world for the production of cable products. Since 2008, Nexans products are not only imported to Russia, but also produced at a factory in Uglich in the Yaroslavl Region, which required investments of 45 million euros. Well, this is a serious advantage of global companies - they can afford such investments.
The company’s product line includes a huge number of cable types, ranging from household electrical networks to high-voltage overhead lines. Undoubtedly, the modern series of low-smoke fire-protected cable of the ALSECURE line are interesting, used in the most critical backup power supply, fire alarm and fire extinguishing systems at large sites that involve a massive crowd of people: in particular, Nexans cable was purchased at Sheremetyevo Airport. For the installation of "home" wiring (even in an apartment, even in a private house), it makes sense to look at cables like NYM / NYY - high-quality, durable and reliable, moreover, due to the localization of production cheapened. Main advantages:
Minuses:
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 9.9 / 10
Rating
Reviews
A good choice for important objects, the quality of the cable is confirmed by certificates and personal experience. |
Best Russian cable manufacturers
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OAO Sevkabel
The roots of this particular company actually became the basis of the Russian cable industry even in imperial times. Founded in 1879 in St. Petersburg, the Siemens and Galske manufactory experienced a great deal, changing its name, but never ceasing to develop. In 1914, production, like the others belonging to German capital, was nationalized, and after the revolution the Northern Cable Plant became a key element of the country's electrification plan. In fact, all large Soviet-era power facilities have since been provided to some extent with the products of this enterprise. In the post-Soviet time, the plant turns into a holding, absorbing more and more enterprises of the cable industry, including neighboring countries. As a result, the Sevkabel brand remains to this day one of the most popular in Russia, and the products under it are supplied to the largest customers - Rosenergoatom, Gazprom, the Ministry of Defense, and so on. In fact, whatever cable you need, you will find it in the catalog. As for modern developments, it is enough to say that “under the wing” of the company is its own research institute and engineering center, and this is already the level of the world's largest manufacturers. The scale allows the company to seriously invest in production, without harassing outdated Soviet machines, but by purchasing equipment from German Niehoff GmbH and SKET Verseilmaschinenbau GmbH, Swiss Maillefer, and so on. Considering the fact that lately the share of Chinese equipment in imports for domestic cable production has increased from 37% (2013) to 85% (2016), this is a good indicator of the company's capabilities. We especially note that recently the manufacturer began to seriously pay attention to the fight against counterfeiting in the retail segment - for example, direct deliveries to the Leroy Merlin network have begun. But, of course, it is still the retail network that remains in our country the least protected from counterfeit, and it would be worth to wish the company to increase the number of authorized partners in this market segment. Main advantages:
Minuses:
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 9.9 / 10
Rating
Reviews
In terms of quality and prices, the brand is completely satisfied with us, all the more convenient since the cable assortment with a margin covers our needs. |
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LLC Kamkabel
Founded in the fifties, the Perm plant not only survived the collapse of the Soviet Union, but was able to develop steadily, becoming one of the leaders of the domestic cable industry and "lit up" on the Forbes lists. Three years ago, he even took the first place in the country in terms of recycled volumes of copper and aluminum. At the same time, the plant does not forget about the fight against counterfeiters in the retail market, although, it would seem, on such a scale even small wholesale is of little interest. In particular, Kamkabel launched a program to open retail outlets for its franchise, became one of the initiators of the project “Cable without danger”, publishes algorithms for express assessment of cable quality on its website. The product range includes more than 55 thousand items and sizes. The plant has mastered modern low-toxic, fireproof cables, expanding the production scale on a scale from “home” cable to the needs of large-scale power engineering. In general, the purchase of Perm cables from authorized representatives will be a reasonable step - an acceptable price level and decent quality will not disappoint you. Main advantages:
Minuses:
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 9.8 / 10
Rating
Reviews
We buy the cable all the time, including for responsible work, there have never been any problems. |
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OJSC Electrocable Kolchuginsky Plant
For the plant located in the small town of the Vladimir region, the history began in the 19th century, but the rebirth and the beginning of the present development had already happened in the post-war years, when, after the evacuation of production, it had to be literally re-assembled into pieces. Part of the equipment provided Leningrad "Sevkabel", part of the newly assembled machines was American-made, part delivered from German trophies. A more serious question arose with personnel — but, if the Soviet Union had enormous resources for the displacement of labor, now for the fifty-thousand population of Kolchugino the “personnel hunger” is known not by hearsay.
However, in the nineties, the plant survived and retained production space, in the two thousandth it was able to commission new workshops and expand the production of cables in a plastic sheath, and since 2012 fiber-optical products have been manufactured. A workshop for the production of high-voltage cables with insulation of cross-linked polyethylene was built, Maillefer, Rosendahl machines and Troester extrusion lines were purchased. Among the new products of the enterprise is the branded line of fireproof cables “Kolchuga”, demining wires and much more, the catalog can be browsed for a very long time. Opportunities for production thanks to modern equipment are considerable: for one Chinese business center "Park Huamin" in Moscow, the company delivered about two hundred kilometers of various cables, they would be enough to reach Moscow from Kolchugino itself. There are enough cables in the company's assortment for a real town-planning simulator - from a power station through a chain of lines and power lines and substations to individual apartments. A competent specialist will find in the catalog a suitable version of the cable for almost any occasion. Main advantages:
Minuses:
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 9.7 / 10
Rating
Reviews
The company clearly fulfills its contractual obligations, the cable supplied in quality and price fully meets our requirements. |
|
OOO Tatkabel
Despite the “frivolous” format of a limited liability company, Tatkabel, a member of the INVENT group of companies, in less than ten years since the start of production has become one of the key for the Russian energy industry. The plant was initially equipped with modern equipment and aimed at a serious scale - suffice it to say that its lines allow to produce cable with a cross section up to 2500 mm2 (for round monozhil it would mean a diameter of 28 mm) and for voltage up to 500 kV. The company has its own engineering and testing centers, offers training services for employees of electrical companies. Proprietary patented developments include modern cables such as ApvPng (A) 2g-HF, PvPng (A) 2g-HF, ApvP2g-HF and PvP2g-HF, sealed, flame retardant, insulated with cross-linked polyethylene. The benefit of its release is deployed nearby, in Naberezhnye Chelny, which reduced the dependence of production on imported raw materials. The company's participation in the largest construction sites of recent times has allowed it to develop even more actively - and this, by the way, with a minimum number of employees (several hundred people). However, we note that the firm is specialized in large-scale power engineering: if you need cable products for low-power circuits, then for Tatkabel this will not be the same scale. Main advantages:
Minuses:
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 9.6 / 10
Rating
Reviews
For the replacement of power cables for substations, they have one of the best offers, the quality fully satisfied us during installation. |
Cable quality
A cable is not just a set of lived in isolation, its right choice is a serious thing. Especially in the retail network - we have repeatedly mentioned in the rating that even with the best cable manufacturers, work with retail customers is weak. As a result, the cable presented in a particular store where you came for a purchase can go through a whole chain of intermediaries, and its “biography” will be completely dark. A poor-quality cable is both an understated cross-section (and, therefore, overheating under a seemingly normal load, voltage drop), and insulation that quickly loses reliability, and an uncured composition of the alloy from which the cores extend, up to the “secondary” copper - oxidation extra resistance.
As a result, a poor-quality cable can not only initiate a fire, but also support it, introduce additional danger with smoke that occurs during insulation burning - and the list of substances contained in it can surprise the combat chemistry specialist. But, if there is no exactly known authorized dealer of a verified manufacturer nearby, only one option remains - “test purchase”.
For the purchased cable, at a minimum, it is necessary to check the mass of the wires per meter, their diameter and the thickness of the insulation, comparing them with those given by the standards. “Underweight”, underestimation of the diameter of the cores is a clear sign of counterfeit materials that do not meet the standards. And, therefore, the “economical” producer could also use low-quality copper, and in the same way save on the insulation material. Have you ever seen how a wire that survived a couple of winters in the cold literally breaks in your hands? Cheap low-quality cable and not such "surprises" can teach.
And finally - a general recommendation: it is better to avoid Chinese cable definitely. No, of course, large Chinese state corporations provide world-class quality, but the problem is that it’s difficult to find their products here. And all sorts of "sunchay" of unknown origin, which constitute a large part of the Russian market (and almost a quarter of its volume is occupied by Chinese cable), are often sinned in violation of the standards, so that the eye involuntarily begins to twitch.
5
Updated: 11.05.2019
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