The role of Elcon Megarad as a cable accessories specialist is built on a platform of brand equity, competence and reliability, and the 100 percent Italian-owned Company looks set to leverage this market standing to introduce further innovations in the years to come.
CONNECTING THE ENERGY
Offering 100 percent state-of-the-art technology complemented by renowned Italian manufacturing ability and flexibility, the business’s evolution over the past 35 years has encompassed numerous diversifications and expansions; and now, under the ownership of De Matteis Construction Group Spa, Elcon Megarad is determined to continue bridging the gap between current abilities and future requirements.
“Elcon Megarad has developed its proprietary solutions for cable connections – joints and terminations – over the years, catering for low, medium and high voltage cable networks,” explains Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alberto De Matteis. “We do all the design and manufacturing in Italy; directly and completely producing all chemical components up to the manufacturing of the cable accessories, before finally testing in our HV laboratory.
“This means that we design and control all heat shrink sleeves (thin, medium and thick-walled, single and multi layer) and moulds, and all cold shrink products, together with high-tech special mastics and resins used in various applications on the networks.”
Product quality is one thing but it is simply the culmination of the Company’s hallmarks including a deep experience in technical design and testing, extensive knowledge of raw materials, and the refined internal development of chemical products.
Subsequently producing an away of solutions, of certified quality, to meet the needs of the world’s electrical utilities market, technical compliance and service levels are critical KPIs for Elcon Megarad; with its business and commercial plan for the future driven from these considerations.
“I’d like to draw a line, connecting the daily experience of professionals involved in MV network management all over the world, with the future coming quickly towards us,” De Matteis muses. “While we know that maintenance of the old network is an impressive, yet hidden part of the job needed to keep the entire network TCO under control for our customers, we can’t help but see that the massive investments that will be made on smart grids in the next decades will shortly create unparalleled opportunities for the development of all technologies; in some way linked to the new distribution network structure, and to the type of performance required from it.
“This will all involve the cable accessories on the front line.”
A RELIABLE, EXPERT MANUFACTURER
As an individual entity, Elcon Megarad’s journey began in late 2002 following the merger of Megarad and Elcon. Formerly, Elcon srl was born in 1981 as a typical Company of venture capital between industrial and market specialists.
“Elcon entered into production in 1981, rapidly gaining a significant slice of the market from Italy’s utility, ENEL, as well as introducing its products to the private markets made of industries, electrical distributors, installers, etc.
Megarad was later founded in 1988, by the same owning team as Elcon,” De Matteis recalls. “Now, Elcon Megarad actually gathers the distinctive features of both the father companies, with regards to their technical skills, development and innovation capability, and reference markets.
“Thanks to both companies’ developments over 35 years, Elcon Megarad is proud to be present in more than 60 countries across the globe, making it a very well known and respected international Company in the world of cable accessories.”
A workforce exceeding 70 employees, state-of-the-art high voltage and chemical laboratories, a lean production organisation, and a culture of innovation in providing an almost infinite number of cabling solutions across the global distribution network is testament to the present-day business.
This success is even more commendable given the niche market being operated in, with the differentiation of global requirements both a challenge and an opportunity to differentiate for the very best operators.
To become the very best, Elcon Megarad has built its prominence on customer engagement, as the CEO details: “Our mission is to play the role of a reliable, expert manufacturer in customised and high-quality solutions, offered to professional customers. We aim to be recognised as a qualified partner by the main global utilities for any professional demand of reliable solutions on LV-MV-HV cable networks.
“We have always put priority on pursuing the direct contact with the final customer, offering the knowledge of the global networks and the future market trends as a thrust for our innovation process.
“Consequently, our product range and solutions have continuously gone towards the directions of ease and quickness of installation; reduction of component numbers; a wider application range of cables for every single solution; and a resultant flexibility across all of these applications.”
PERCIEVABLE QUALITY
The strategy for Elcon Megarad is now to optimise this flexibility on as wide a scale as possible in strengthening its position worldwide by bringing a consistently modern and technologically-advanced solution to the fore.
In order to achieve this, there are numerous continuous improvements being implemented behind the scenes on an internal level in to facilitate the Company’s growth, beginning with Elcon Megarad’s people.
“As I often remark, we want to be a Company made of people and we invest in our people to build the future and to ensure a perceivable quality – in a broader sense – to our market,” De Matteis says. “Besides that, I think that working in a Company with a real international outlook may mean much to young technicians and graduate professionals of many fields. This is an HR retention point for us, together with training and development, of which we conduct a lot.
“Let me also recall the importance of our long-lasting partners, representing us in various countries abroad and being a constant and direct contact with the field; an absolutely necessary process to serve our customers in the proper way. We feel these partners are a part of our Company as well.”
Ultimately, what the market needs, and what Elcon Megarad has built a reputation for in being able to provide, are solutions, not just products. And with all facets – also incorporating its supply chain – perfectly honed to meet such needs, there also derives a flexibility to prepare for any future impending trends as well.
At present, this consists of more stringent calls for reliability, efficiencies, analysis and vertical integration; all of which are being addressed by a business always on the lookout for improvement.
De Matteis concludes: “In effect, we strive to enhance our capability in all such fields, through a plan that includes a facilities upgrade, setting up of the latest technologies through new production equipments, innovation in software and ICT management tools, and without forgetting staff training and executive development programmes.
“It is also important for us to increase and deepen the awareness of our values in the market, so Elcon Megarad is currently pointing its efforts, and gathering its results, in two directions.
“Firstly, innovations across materials and the design of cable accessories, keeping alive all of the experience that comes with long-term development. And secondly, we will strive to strengthen the awareness of our brand in new markets, and to improve availability of our wider and even more modern range of solutions and products to come to the managers and installers of the MV and HV networks around the world.”
