Power A
Powering up all over the world
s a recent acquisition of Volex, GTK now has access to Volex’s product portfolio and has added a range of
Volex power cords to its product mix. Tom Hennessey, business manager for cable assemblies at GTK, comments, “Adding power cords to the GTK product portfolio was a simple decision for us as they are a natural addition to our product set. Many of our OEM customers need to include cord sets in their finished products so we
have years of experience designing power cords and this latest generation has been designed to be both attractive and robust,” says Tom. Whilst power cords have traditionally
been regarded as a functional product to power up devices like your laptop or kettle, over time branding and style have become more and more significant. This cable assembly, which was previously considered just an accessory to the main product, is now viewed as part of the overall
Volex has held a top 3 position in the global league table for manufacturers of power cords for years and is constantly improving its design and manufacturing processes to
maintain this position. The global power cord
have a ready-made customer base. Volex is recognised as a leading global manufacturer of power cords and is price competitive.” GTK is offering the latest generation of
Volex Power cords; the Volex V-Novus Hybrid range. These ergonomically designed cord sets are low profile, light and incorporate a new strain relief design that is both flexible and durable. “Volex
market is highly competitive, with customers expecting regular improvements and price reductions over their product lifecycle. To retain market share, manufacturers need to focus on cost- effective manufacturing locations, continuous improvements in design and productivity, and vertical integration to control manufacturing costs. Historically, the global power cord market has seen a heavy focus on manufacturing in Asia, particularly China, but the recent tariff threats between China and the USA has forced many manufacturers to rethink their plans. “For some Chinese competitors, the threat of tariffs could have a serious impact on in their business,” says Tom. Volex are in the fortunate position of having a global manufacturing footprint, with a network of manufacturing facilities and hubs across all continents to support its customers. Volex see this global footprint as a key differentiator from its somewhat fragmented China-based competition. In fact, this world-wide presence has enabled it to build long-standing partnerships with leading brands. It can offer local support to OEMs, underpinned by global engineering and manufacturing expertise. Whilst the power cord market is global,
customer experience, and colour, styling and branding have become increasingly important. “The standard V-Novus Hybrid product could be considered relatively stylish when compared to others, but it is possible for additional customisation for OEMs that want it, though the volumes need to be sufficiently high for this to be cost-effective for them,” says Tom.
there are many regional approvals and industry safety standards required before products can be released to market. Volex is accustomed to this and all products are tested and approved by all the relevant approval bodies. Manufacturing processes are highly automated to ensure consistency and repeatability of the finished product. With each generation of
product, Volex have enhanced their tooling set configuration, enabling them to reduce their time to market for products across all regions.
One of the upsides of the power cord market is that it is not dependent on one specific vertical market, as cord sets are used in every consumer and industrial electronic market segment. This is synonymous with Volex’s overall business strategy: they have a diversified customer base and are not dependent on any one industry or geography. Revenues from the Power division
represented just over 50 per cent of Volex’s total revenue in their last financial year, so they are an important part of the organisation’s business. Whilst power cords form the biggest slice of this division’s revenue, Electric Vehicle (EV) charging assemblies are emerging as a new power product. Volex are already working with leading electric vehicle manufacturers to support their charging cable assembly requirements. There are a lot of similarities with traditional power cords: global requirements, working with leading OEMs, but as the market is much younger, there is a greater level of customisation at present. “Obviously the EV charging cable assembly market is at a much earlier stage of its life cycle, but by leveraging its global manufacturing footprint and engineering expertise, it’s easy to foresee how long- term Volex will have a market leading position in the industry,” comments Tom.
gtk.co.uk
18 November 2019
Components in Electronics
www.cieonline.co.uk
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