German cable manufacturer Helukabel’s Johannesburg branch has moved to larger premises to allow for greater stockholding to keep up with the demand for its cabling and related products used in solar and wind power projects in South Africa.

With a multitude of projects under way for wind and solar energy projects, the company’s growth strategy involves supplying these projects with a full range of products for power transmission, control instrumentation, data, security, medium voltage, telecommunications and torsion cables, says Helukabel South Africa MD Doug Gunnewegh.

“Helukabel is becoming the supplier of choice because our cables have been certified by worldwide quality and accrediting agencies, as the cables perform to the required specifications of conductivity, strength and durability for each new project,” he says.

The company has also been investing in the development of appropriate technology for its clients’ wind and solar energy requirements, and one of its developments is the Solarflex-X PV1-F solution, which is designed for the solar industry as part of its commitment to renewable- energy sectors.

The Solarflex-X PV1-F solu- tion can withstand the harsh environments of solar plants and has been engineered to exceed international TÜV, CE, Rohs and VDE quality certifications to ensure the longevity of the installation, with an expected life of 25 years.

All Solarflex cables are ozone, ultraviolet and weather resistant. They are also highly resistant to chemical interference, fire and abrasion and can be rodent resistant if the client requires them to be. The bare copper, tinned and finely stranded cables are double insulated, with cross-linked Polyolefin, while the outer sheath comprises the same material in black, red or blue.

Helukabel has been part of the industry since the beginning of the 1980s, when the first wind turbines were designed and manufactured. At that time, Helukabel provided its first wind power cable solution. The company has grown to be one of the largest suppliers of wind power cables, with installations in thousands of turbines worldwide.