Maybe Gislaved Invested in the Future First!

Nexans AMCL. A cable that delivers – in the field and in the sustainability report.

It’s a sunny day in the forests of Småland when Aron Andersson, Product Manager for Power Distribution Cables at Nexans, rolls up to Gislaved Energi to check in on the jointing of the new AMCL cable. He doesn’t even make it out of the car before it’s done. Yep, you read that right. Done. Almost a bit of an anticlimax.

Gislaved Energi isn’t afraid to try new things. Right now, they’re testing the cable of the future – featuring a sheath made from recycled plastic, low-carbon aluminum conductors, and something called thermoplastic insulation (but feel free to call it TPI if you want to sound like a pro). All better than ever before.

The best part? You don’t need to change a single accessory. Same joints, same tools, same workday joy – just with a much cleaner conscience.

Jörgen, what made you brave enough to be the first to try our new medium voltage cable?

I was actually involved from the start – although back then I worked for another well-known grid company. We were one of the early ones pushing for a cable like this. It’s all part of our efforts to reduce our CO₂ footprint, and we figured Nexans could take on the challenge and deliver. And you did.

How did the team react when they found out the cable is made with recycled plastic, low-carbon aluminum and recyclable insulation?

As long as the cable performs in the field, the installers are happy. It’s probably more of us at the office who focus on the sustainability benefits. But it feels good to know we’re contributing to our targets without compromising performance.

Alright Tommy, hand on heart – how was the first field experience with the cable?

It was great. Honestly, I didn’t notice any difference at all – it worked just like the old cables. No issues with plowing, no problems with jointing. If no one had told me it was made with new materials, I wouldn’t have noticed anything was different.

You’re experienced Nexans users – but really no difference at all?

Not really. If I had to be picky, I’d say it bounces back a little more than the old ones, but it’s nothing that gets in the way. This was the slightly smaller cable, though – we’ll see how it feels when we work with the 240. Then you’ll have to come back.

Gladly. Any unexpected effect or insight since you started using the cable?

Actually – yes! The jointing came out really neat – much smoother than with PEX. It almost felt a bit “papery.” Stripping the outer sheath with a knife is also easier compared to TT cables.

Would you recommend others to try this cable?

I usually don’t recommend anything (laughs). But to me, sustainability means not having to redo a job – and with AMCL, I feel like I’ll be able to retire in peace when the time comes. Maybe by then the cable will be so recyclable it recycles itself down there in the ground (laughs).

Speaking of the future – is there anything you’re missing or would like to see in the cable world?

The journey towards more sustainable cables is already in motion, but one thing that would be interesting is built-in digital traceability in the cable itself. That could be super useful.

Nexans offers digital documentation via Evermark – it’s not in the cable per se, but maybe as close as we can get right now. But back to the beginning – are you seeing a difference in your sustainability goals now that you’re using Nexans AMCL?

Absolutely. It’s going to make a big difference for us. We’re really glad Nexans took this step – we’re all in on this development.
 

Gislaved Energi, we love how you think!
Thanks for being part of this journey – and thanks for the chat!