DRIVING INNOVATION IN SPECIAL CABLES: PROSPECTA’S VISION FOR GLOBAL MARKETS
For over 30 years, Prospecta Srl has been studying and manufacturing special cables for applications ranging from security and video surveillance to signaling and control, satellite systems, data transmission, home automation, and industrial automation. In brief, what is the company’s history, and what elements distinguish you from your competitors and define your corporate identity?
Prospecta was founded in Reggio Emilia in 1990 from the idea of Franco Pellacani, who is still the company’s CEO today. It initially operated as a reseller of special cables before expanding through the acquisition of a warehouse and a production department. Over the past 35 years, Prospecta has taken a proactive approach to market challenges thanks to the constant commitment of its team. The production, administrative, and commercial headquarters are located in Reggio Emilia and cover an area of 18,000 square meters, recently expanded with the addition of a new adjacent production department. Fast order fulfillment, along with constant attention to updates in European technical standards, represents one of the company’s strengths. In response to a continuously evolving market and increasingly demanding requirements regarding cable construction characteristics, this led to the establishment of Proxibe, located in Bergamo.
This second pillar of the Prospecta Group is equipped with a range of cutting-edge machinery capable of offering customized and specific solutions for every need. Another component of the Group is Proxel, founded in 2004 as a reference point for professionals in the electrical and radio communications sectors. Our longstanding collaboration with clients at both national and international levels makes us a solid reference in this sector and also serves as a driver for innovation.
This year you will participate in Hannover Messe for the first time. What motivated you to attend, and what opportunities do you expect to seize?
Participating in Hannover Messe means for us engaging with key industrial sectors ranging from automation to industrial IT, both of which are central to our production. As mentioned earlier, we have always shown strong interest in innovation; therefore, we believed that an internationally renowned trade fair such as Hannover would be an opportunity to embrace, allowing us to absorb new ideas and develop a broader perspective on current construction requirements.
What strategies or projects do you have in place to strengthen your presence in the German and European markets? And how are you managing the challenges related to recent increases in copper costs and material trends?
It is well known that the German market, in the field of special cables, is one of the most advanced and technologically evolved globally, characterized by a high demand for custom solutions, high engineering quality, and a strong drive toward digitalization and sustainability. These factors have attracted our attention, as we are confident in our proven ability to meet requests for customized cables. In foreign markets, these demands mainly come from Northern Europe, where specific construction requirements have continuously raised our standards in terms of quality and, above all, safety, with solutions designed for applications in high fire-risk environments and situations posing danger to people. Therefore, this specialization gives us confidence in entering a high-level market.
The recent increases in raw material costs, particularly copper, have led us to revise certain commercial aspects; however, we have not experienced a decrease in customer demand. This, too, represents further confirmation of our strong standing in the special cables sector.
What are your latest innovations and most recent production developments, such as the new department or new cables?
A key development in our company structure is the recent opening of a new department, which expands the production area by 2,600 square meters and represents another step in the Group’s evolution. From a technical standpoint, for foreign markets Prospecta has introduced an important innovation, namely obtaining the B2ca certification for twisted-pair Brandmelde cables. The duplex AL/PET shielding and twistedpair construction ensure good protection against electromagnetic interference. The careful selection of plastic materials for the sheath and insulation has allowed us to achieve CPR EUROCLASS B2cas1a, d1,a1.
These cables are used in the security sector and are in high demand.
As for the Italian market, we have expanded our data transmission and security range with the design of the IC590ZH cable, developed to ensure Category 5E performance even during a fire. The advanced construction architecture of IC590ZH combines three key features in a single cable: 5E transmission capacity, PH120 fire resistance, and compliance with CPR class B2ca-s1a,d1,a1. This cable is available in two colors, red and violet: the former makes it suitable for fire detection system connections, while the violet version is intended for EVAC applications, such as connections between a microphone base and a voice evacuation control panel.
