Cable assembly is the low-tech that makes the high-tech work. Electronics can’t function without electricity, and electricity can’t function without cables. The best new innovations in the IT, telecoms, aerospace, satellite and defence sectors all rely on cabling. Your phone, PC and car rely on cabling. Sometimes thousands of identical cables are required, and sometimes bespoke cables in smaller numbers are what’s needed. That’s when bespoke cable assembly is needed.
Bespoke Cable Assembly & Innovation
Bespoke cable assembly supports innovation by providing the specialist cabling needed for prototypes, one-off projects and the short production runs often required during product development. It allows engineers and designers to turn new ideas into working products, helping them progress from research and development through to full-scale production.
Bespoke Cable Assembly & SMEs
SMEs (businesses with up to 250 employees) are the backbone of the UK economy, generating around 50% of private-sector turnover and providing 60% of private-sector jobs. Many of these businesses depend on bespoke cable assembly. They design and manufacture electrical and electronic products in relatively small volumes—often thousands rather than tens of thousands of units. These products all require reliable cabling, making bespoke cable assembly essential for delivering the quality, performance and cost-effectiveness they need.
A Great Hertfordshire Company
One of the best cable assembly companies around is based in Hertfordshire. Flair Electronics has their head office in Hitchin, in the north of the county. They have years of experience of working with inventors and entrepreneurs on new projects. Often people who are great in their own field, say satellite electronics, are less experienced in the lower-level field of cable assembly design. That’s no problem because that’s exactly where Flair has, in a word, flair. They have solved lots of problems for lots of systems over many years. You don’t need to bring them a design or a precise specification: they can create both of these for you. They won’t charge you for the most expensive option: they will work with you to work out the simplest and most cost-effective option.
Flair is a Hertfordshire success story. They were founded in 1972, and have worked from the same facility on Wilbury Way, Hitchin since then. That’s more than 50 years, which is a great achievement in a fast-changing field like electronics. They are a genuine family firm, which has been passed down to the second generation. Carole Hickton, who has been with the company since it’s inception, is the Finance Director. Paul Hickton, her son, is the Managing Director. Johannah Hickton, Paul’s wife, is the Systems Co-ordinator and also a director.
The European Cable Assembly Option
If quick response is your main driver, Flair can help: they create custom cable assemblies in their own Hertfordshire works. If low cost is what matters most, Flair can help again. They have an excellent partnership with an eastern European cabling company. It took Flair two years to find the right partner, who shares their complete commitment to quality, reliability and customer service. The partnership has been up & running since 2020, which shows it works well for all concerned.
Flair takes care of all the complexities: the foreign exchange, customs and shipping. You just deal directly with Flair. The only way you’ll know that your cables are made in Eastern Europe rather than Hertfordshire is that delivery times are a little longer and prices are significantly lower.
Assured Quality, Personal Service
Whichever production option you choose, Flair will deliver with great quality and genuinely personal customer service. You might even find that your order is delivered by the MD, in person.
Every cable you receive is tested before you receive it. The best cable and harness testers are made by Cirris, so that’s what Flair uses. Cirris provides a suite of solutions that enhance the precision and efficiency of electrical cable and harness testing. The precision means your cables will be right first time, every time. The efficiency means the prices will be good.
The best standard for cable assemblies is IPC 620 ( full name IPC/WHMA-A-620 Standard Revision E ) is the only industry-consensus standard for “Requirements and Acceptance of Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies.” Flair works to this, using their own in-house qualified experts.
The most widely recognised Quality Assurance standard is ISO 9001:2015, so that’s what Flair holds certification for. To be precise, they are certified for “the assembly of printed circuit boards, electronic modules and cable assemblies”.
Whatever you want, Flair can deliver
If you all want is the cables you need ready for use, they are experts at wire prep.
If all you want is the kit needed to assemble everything yourself, they do high quality kitting.
If you want RF & COAX cables they can deliver, because they have the right specialist equipment
If you want Control Panel & Box Build, that’s fine, just tell them what’s required and they will deliver, on time and on spec.