Hitachi Cable Manchester (HCM) produces a wide variety of copper and fiber-based data communication, telecommunication, industrial Ethernet, robotic and signal, and control cables. HCM’s 300,000 square feet facility, with state-of-the art manufacturing and engineering technology, produces both standardized and custom products, designed to meet each customer’s unique needs.
In this photo: Hitachi Cable Manchester’s production floor within their 300,000 square foot state-of-the –art facility.
The major issue that HCM has dealt with throughout its history involves the materials used to produce its products. Are these materials safe, in both short term and long term for human use? Just as in any other industry, material safety is at the forefront of development and innovation.
In this photo: Joe Iamartino, Director of New Business Development at Hitachi Cable Manchester
Is the plastic cup you give to your child safe to drink from? What happens to a plastic bag after it is discarded? Does it become toxic as it deteriorates? When old PCs are disposed of, can the materials they’re made of, harm the environment if they are not disposed of properly? These are the kind of questions manufacturers and distributors deal with every day.
HCM’s goal is to produce the next generation cable products for medical, telecom, computers, multimedia, and industrial solutions. Yet in many cases, there is no clear answer from the scientific community regarding safety of available material used to create these products. One of the biggest controversies is with HCM’s most widely used material – PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride).
Even though PVC is the most widely used cable insulating material in the world, there are some questions about its safety. Although extremely flame retardant, when PVC burns, it releases a toxic gas that can burn human lungs. Some PVC compounds may contain a material called phthalate. There have been studies indicating that if PVC is not disposed of properly, these phthalates can migrate into ground water and allegedly cause reproductive problems in both animals and humans.
Are these claims against PVC justified? Is there a strong enough argument for the discontinuation of PVC use in manufacturing? What does Hitachi Cable Manchester think about these issues and what is its policy?
In this video: Joe Iamartino, Director of New Business Development at Hitachi Cable Manchester discusses the leadership position of Hitachi Cable Manchester and how they adapt to the ever-changing technical environment. (0:48)
(interviewed in May, 2011)
