Draka has been manufacturing cable on the Derby site for nearly 80 years, and the current offering is a comprehensive array of low voltage and special purpose cables. Such is the current throughput of the Derby site that, in 2006, it consumed: 12,000 tonnes of copper; 2,000 tonnes of insulating materials; 3,500 tonnes of steel wire; and 60 tonnes of speciality tape. The company is part of Draka Cableteq, a division of Netherlands-based Draka Holdings NV, one of the worldís leading specialist cable companies, which has over 9,000 employees worldwide and a global turnover of 2 billion Euros.

A modern Draka cable comprises some or all of the following elements: the essential conductor; stranding; insulation; lay-up, fire barriers and screens; armouring; and the final sheathing. The conductor is, arguably, the most critical element due to its ability to carry a specified electric current between two points, and copper, being a good conductor of electricity, is widely used in electrical wiring. To manufacture cables, Draka converts 8mm copper rod into wire by what is known as the wire drawing processes. The copper is pulled through a series of dies of reducing diameter until the required size is achieved. To create the maximum cable flexibility, these wires are then twisted together in a process known as stranding.

To ensure that these conductors do not come into contact with one another in multi-core cables, or come in contact with metal that could divert or short circuit the current, a non-conductive insulating material is used to totally isolate and encapsulate each conductor. Today, thermoplastic and thermosetting compounds, applied by extrusion, are the most common solution. This is achieved using a rotating screw that is contained within a heated barrel that progressively forces the plastic through a die to form an annular covering over the moving conductor. Heavy rotating machinery is then used to reduce the size of the final cable, and form it into a neat, compact circular construction. This process is known as lay-up.

Fire barriers and screens are achieved by using combinations of a Mica glass tape over the uninsulated conductor, additional tapes over the assembled cores, and carefully selected grades of insulation and flame-retardant sheathing. This enables Draka to comply with a wide variety of international fire survival standards. These tapes are applied by helically wrapping the tapes around the moving conductor or assembled cores. Screens are used primarily to protect against electro-magnetic influence, and this is most commonly achieved by using aluminium / polyester tape with a tinned copper drain wire to provide 100 percent screening. Other popular forms include copper wire braids, copper and aluminium tapes, extruded lead sheath or steel / annealed brass braids.

Armouring is applied to British Standard power cables, and galvanised steel wire is used to provide excellent mechanical protection. Again these are applied helically with large rotating machinery applying the galvanised steel wires.

The final stage in the cable manufacturing process is the application of the cableís outer sheath to provide protection from abrasion and climatic or environmental factors that can occur during and after installation. Thermoplastic and thermosetting compounds can be used, the selection depending on the working environment and the overall performance requirement.

To truly justify its claim to be ìthe worldís most trusted cable brandî, Draka attaches great importance to the consistent quality of its products. Drakaís research and development team is renowned throughout the industry and its testing regimes meet, and in many cases exceed, the cabling industryís most stringent criteria for circuit integrity, flame propagation and acid, gas and smoke emissions; such is the companyís commitment to ensuring that every metre of Draka cable is of the highest standard, able to withstand the rigours of any potential application. However, to underpin its own meticulous quality assurance procedures, all Draka cables ñ in addition to complying with the most stringent international standards ñ are third-party approved.