The biggest change in 70 years

- ‘This is a revolution in the industry. We are proud to be the first,’ says factory manager at Nexans Langhus, Torbjørn Blomsnes. 

In October 2024, Nexans announced that it is the first company to phase out PVC and halogens from all its power, installation, telecoms and heating cables sold in the Norwegian market. The change will take place over the next few years as the factory at Langhus is rebuilt. 

The factory and production lines are being rebuilt to run plastic types other than PVC. Over time, this will ensure that more cable lengths are produced each year, which means new industrial jobs at Langhus. The investment is worth tens of millions of kroner. ‘Increased production in Norway is important in a market that is growing significantly now that society is being electrified at a rapid pace. 

- ‘We need to increase the pace of production and hire even more skilled colleagues,’ he says.  

The future is Easy 

The new cables meet the requirements of fire class Dca in the Construction Products Regulation. Cables in this category burn more slowly and emit less smoke. 

 - In a fire, it is dense, dark smoke that takes the most lives and causes the most damage. Buying cables free from PVC and halogens is the only sensible choice considering that they will be part of a building structure that will last for 50-60 years.  

The cables without PVC and halogens are marketed under the Nexans EASY brand. 

- ‘The future is EASY. We will work to ensure that wholesalers, electricians and the owners of houses and buildings realise that EASY is the simple choice for those who want to protect life and property,’ he says.

EASY cables provide three major benefits: 

• Fewer lives are lost because you don't have to breathe in toxic smoke and you have a clearer view in escape routes. 
   
• Far less damage to buildings in the event of a fire 
   
• Easier to achieve eco-labelling as EASY cables meet the requirements for Nordic Swan Ecolabelled buildings 

Better for wholesalers and electricians 

One of the most important tasks for Nexans in the future will be to convince electricians that cables without PVC and halogens have the same good properties when installed.  

- Low Fire Hazard cables have been perceived as stiffer and more difficult to work with. The new cables will have the same favourable properties that installers are already used to working with. You should therefore have good arguments for choosing something other than the safest cables.  

- We hope the entire industry follows up on this initiative, which contributes to a safer society. This applies to everyone who sells and selects cables, from installers to engineers, building owners and authorities who should adapt the requirements in technical regulations to fire class Dca,’ says Blomsnes, who emphasises that the current requirement is fire class Eca.   

This will hopefully do something about Norway's dismal fire statistics, where more people die in fires than countries with which it is natural to compare.  

- Sweden phased out PVC and halogens ten years ago and Denmark has followed suit. Now the change will be implemented in Finland and Norway too,’ says Blomsnes.