Prime Ministerial support for Prysmian
Prime Minister David Cameron has paid a visit to the Prysmian factory in Eastleigh, keen to demonstrate the government’s support for private sector manufacturing in the UK and receptive to calls for regulating the import of substandard cable.
While at the plant Mr Cameron opened the new High Voltage testing laboratory: a £2m facility that typically tests extra high voltage power transmission cable at one million volts. The laboratory will be a central resource for Prysmian’s worldwide manufacturing operation but represents only a fraction of the £15m the company is investing in its UK plants this year.Following the opening ceremony Mr Cameron participated in a question and answer session with over 300 Prysmian staff. Questions were on a range of subjects, but the issue of regulating the import of cheap substandard cable was clearly close to the heart of the audience.
They will have been cheered by the response. ‘I see your problem with substandard cabling that does not do the job. I will investigate at a European level to see what can be done.’
Throughout the half hour session, the Prime Minister repeatedly expressed his support for UK manufacturing. ‘We need to make more things, sell more things. Companies like this, investing and growing, are key to our success.’
Paul Atkinson, CEO of Prysmian in the UK was enthusiastic about the visit. ‘We are delighted to welcome such high level government interest and support in our manufacturing technology and also welcome Mr Cameron’s understanding of a key issue that threatens our industry.
‘Substandard cable affects us all: from installers and wholesalers through to local authorities – all the people we trust to provide good electrical safety at work and home, for our families and friends.’
