BEING "THE BEST"
Ten years ago we created the mission statement, 'Becoming the Best'.
Whilst it was unrealistic (at that time) to aim at being the biggest, 'Becoming the Best' was, we felt, attainable.
The market demanded self-regulating heating cables and as we were joining the race 15 years after the market leaders, we were forced to play catch-up. Our cable source was LG Cable who were themselves learning about this particular branch of polymer technology and, whilst being enthusiastic and keen to learn, quality was sometimes an issue in the early years.
We unashamedly used the market leaders as the benchmark throughout our quest to 'become the best'. Now, finally, after a decade, we have eclipsed those standards and have ourselves created a new benchmark. Heat Trace is now the technical leader in the field of polymer heater technology. In short, Heat Trace are now, technically, THE BEST.
There have been a number of key decisions that have enabled us to reach this goal.
- Teaming up with LG cable - we were able to learn this technology together
- Deciding not to be a part of LG's Auto-Heater Team acquisition by Tyco, but instead to implement self-regulating cable manufacture in the UK
- Investing heavily in Research and Development (R & D), an opposite strategy to that of our competitors. It is this that has created the opportunity to overtake them technically.
To achieve the mission statement, it has been necessary to monitor and improve the following facets of our self-regulating heaters.
- temperature resistance
- in-rush currents on cold start-up
- contact resistance (buswires to conductive core)
- uniformity of output (homogeneity)
- self-regulating index (the ability to self-regulate at a safe temperature)
Evidence of our success from R & D investment is as follows:
1. Temperature resistance
-
FSU can with stand 200°C energised continuously - our nearest competitor is 150°C
- WE ARE 34% BETTER THAN THE REST
- 65/85°C products (FSM / FSLE / FSR) can actually withstand 100°C - hence product life is improved substantially
2. In-rush currents on cold start-up
- HTL's self-regulating cables inherently exhibit lower
in-rush currents, on start-up from cold, than any of its competitors. This is due to Directional Conductivity, a new and patented technique
- the new patented NTC Soft Start Disc reduces in-rush by a further 50%
Typically, the market leader's FSR equivalent product exhibits an in-rush off up to 1200%. HTL's FSR, with Soft Start Disc, is less than 200%. Therefore, HTL is typically 500% better than the market leader.
3. Contact Resistance
HTL has set contact resistance tolerances to the equivalent, or below, of those of its competitors. The low ratio of RT / RA (theoretical resistance / actual resistance) increases longevity of the heating cable.
4. Self-Regulating Index
Because we formulate and produce our own compounds (both low and high temperature) we are able to develop and manufacture products having an optimal self-regulating index. Competitor's products often do not self-regulate at a safe temperature.
5. Homogeneity
If a reel of cable is cut into 1 metre lengths and the output of each piece is measured, HTL's heater tolerances (maximum versus minimum) will be less than that of our competitors. This is because HTL produces all its own compounds. (Some competitors sub-contract the compounding process).
In summary, because of these facets, HTL is now able to produce 'designer' self-regulating heating cables anywhere within the following parameters:
. 12 - 1000 Volts
. 0 - 250°C
. 0 - 120W/m. No competitor can match any of these parameters.
The technical 'edge' provided by these parameters should now be used by HTL's affiliates and distributors to influence specifiers of heat tracing for projects..in the same way as the market leaders have done over the past 25 years, or so.
Specifications should be written to include statements such as:-
- Self-regulating heating cables should be capable of being continuously energised at 200°C
- In-rush current at start-up from cold shall not exceed twice the operating current
- Self-regulating heating cables shall self-regulate below their maximum continuous operating temperature,
..........and so on.
In this way, an organisation will be more successful in bidding for projects, have improved pricing margins, and will improve heater quality in our market place!
Of course, we have only become technically the best in the manufacture of self-regulating heating cables of the form that has been available for the past 25 years or so. Where do we go from here? We cannot "rest on our laurels".
As you will be aware, we have put an emphasis on Research and Development. This is being strengthened with a larger budget and with a larger discrete team. Current projects and product developments are linked to our extensive Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio. You will see new product launches over the next year or two, which will impact significantly on our market place and on our way of life. The new product conveyor belt is in place.
Our path for the next decade . towards the rainbow . is clear and focused.
Neil Malone - Chairman
September 2005 |
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........Hotline is an e-newsletter, published to provide information and news about Heat Trace Limited and the heat tracing industry and is brought to by Heat Trace Limited... 
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