CANFORD COUNTS ON DRAKA CABLES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF PRODUCTION PROS DURING THE BIGGEST LIVE SPORTS EVENT ON THE PLANET
Amsterdam, IBC2012, September 7, 2012 – (Virtual Press Office) - Prysmian Group, world leader in the energy and telecom cables and systems industry announces that its UK partner Canford specified and delivered over 8,000 metres of Draka HDTV video cable together with an estimated 50,000 metres of screened digital/analogue audio cables to support broadcasters for the games in London. Draka manufactured cables were deployed across multiple London site broadcast facilities to meet live broadcast production needs for all of the key venues.

A leading UK provider of professional audio, video and broadcast equipment, Canford had less than 2 weeks notice, prior to the event, for ‘the biggest volume in a single order for multiple outdoor deployable broadcast cables’.

Iain Elliott, founder and a director of Canford says “This was an exceptional, unpredictable cable deal, 10 days before the main sporting events began and without any forewarning. It’s greatly due to our longstanding relationship with Draka that we met requirements for all production facilities and venues. It worked because of the trust, long term relationship with Draka and our belief in the products.”

For outside broadcast and studio production facilities, more than 90% of cables delivered were Draka, including all video and audio cables. Central to the ability to meet this challenging cable deadline was the close, flexible working relationship between Canford and Draka, which goes back some 30 years.

It helps that Canford is next door to the Draka manufacturing plant in Washington, NE England. “Being able to go over the road to consult with Draka engineering people is an advantage.” says Iain Elliott. “In our business we’re used to the logistics of this type of last minute, high volume cabling request, but it’s a feat to predict requirements. You can’t second guess exactly what the needs for this scale of event may be, although we always increase stock holding to prepare for it.”

Owner of Canford, Elliott is also a dedicated cable designer, working with Draka engineers to fine-tune cables to Canford high local standards. “It’s testimony to our trusting relationship that Draka is happy to take our design suggestions into consideration”, he says.” In some ways, cable design is a black art, but a major consideration is how the customer wants the cable to handle in the field. Handling characteristics are essential, as we put our customers first.”

To beat the security cordon, Canford’s fast track London logistics assured VIP delivery for broadcast cables throughout the games. As game sponsors, Canford shipping partners have exclusive rights to enter the security area. As an added advantage, Canford could therefore offer final mile cable handover within the Broadcast Centre compound.

Draka studio cables, deployed in TV, radio, broadcast and film studios worldwide, underpin many of this year’s amazingly successful international live broadcast events. Prysmian Group’s Draka broadcast cable technology expands the horizons of both copper and fibre worlds. Award winning Draka Triax HDTV connectivity allows camera crew up to 2 kilometres of mobile camera freedom for live HDTV broadcast events. And the latest hybrid HD camera cables with BendBright bend-insensitive fibre combine the power of fibre with the ruggedness and reliability of trusted copper cable.

The Canford Group
Canford, a privately owned company,is a leading provider of professional audio, video and broadcast equipment market leader in the UK. Canford’s founders, still majority owners, came from careers in broadcasting. Over the 30 years since the business started they have gathered a team who reflect a wealth of experience across the whole spectrum of audio, video and data hardware and infrastructure products for which the company has gained such a widely respected reputation. Canford has embraced the last three decades of change in the audio visual industry fully, whilst recognising that the rate of change varies from customer to customer. It is here that the core of Canford’s success lies – an understanding of, and sympathy with, customer needs. Over a quarter of Canford’s output is exported and over 40% is manufactured in house Where specialist or large-scale processes are required, long-term partnerships have been forged with leading European manufacturers to produce equipment and components of the highest quality. Information www.canford.co.uk.

Prysmian Group
Prysmian Group is world leader in the energy and telecom cables and systems industry. With sales of some €8 billion 22,000 employees across 50 countries and 97 plants, the Group is strongly positioned in high-tech markets and provides the widest range of products, services, technologies and know-how. In the Energy sector, Prysmian Group operates in the business of underground and submarine power transmission cables and systems, special cables for applications in many different industrial sectors and medium and low voltage
cables for the construction and infrastructure industry. In the Telecom sector, the Group manufactures cables and accessories for the voice, video and data transmission industry, producing optical fibres, optical cables and connectivity. Prysmian is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange in the Blue Chip index.
Information: www.prysmiangroup.com

Media Relations
Lorenzo Caruso
Communication Director
Ph. 0039 02 6449.1
lorenzo.caruso@prysmian.com

Investor Relations
Luca Caserta
Head of Investor Relations
Ph. 0039 02 6449.1
luca.caserta@prysmian.com

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