Who this program is for
Brand owners here are electrical brands and channel brands that sell wire and cable under their own name to installers, electrical wholesalers or project buyers. You may already own a range of switches, boards or accessories and want cable to complete it, or you may be building a cable brand for a specific market. Either way, the cable carries your name on the sheath every metre, so a fault in a batch is your fault in the market. The program is built around one idea: the construction, the print and the packing must be identical on every reorder, and every change must be agreed in writing.
Lines brand owners usually buy
Most brand programs start with high-turnover products and add project lines later.
- Building wire: 450/750 V single core PVC wire such as H07V-U, H07V-R and H07V-K types, THHN/THWN-2 for US-style markets, or TIS 11 types for Thailand.
- Flexible cords: 300/500 V PVC cords such as H05VV-F 3G1.5.
- LV power cable: 0.6/1 kV Cu/XLPE/PVC to IEC 60502-1, sometimes with armoured versions.
- LAN cable: Cat6 U/UTP 23 AWG in 305 m boxes, where the brand also sells networking products.
What the desk prepares
A private label order is mostly about details that a standard order leaves to the plant. The desk writes them down before the first metre is made.
| Item | What is agreed | How it is checked |
|---|---|---|
| Sheath print | Brand, construction, size, voltage, standard, year, batch code, metre marks; ink-jet or embossed | Print read on every coil or drum end before packing |
| Core and sheath colours | Per market convention and your range | Colour checked against the approved sample |
| Coil and box packing | Coil length, shrink wrap, label, carton marks, 305 m box artwork | Packed samples photographed and counted at inspection |
| Drums | Drum type, length per drum, drum tag with your brand | Drum ledger matched to packing list |
| Document pack | Spec sheet, routine test records, reports and listings held by the partner plant | Reports checked for scope and date; certificates in the certifier's public database |
Print text deserves care. A sheath must not claim a standard, a CPR class or a listing that the partner plant does not hold for that construction. The desk checks every claim on your print against the plant's reports before approving the artwork; the cable marking and identification page explains what usually goes on a sheath.
MOQ, samples and lead time
Private label does not usually raise the MOQ for cable, because the run length is set by the extrusion line. Plant listings commonly show about 500 m per size for power cable, 1,000 m for control cable and 50-100 boxes of 305 m for Cat6. What private label adds is preparation: print text approval, label and carton artwork, and sometimes drums with your tag. A paid sample of 10-50 m with your print is the usual first step, and a trial run of a few sizes before the full range is sensible. Lead time depends on copper booking, the production slot and routine testing, plus drums where wooden drums are made to order, which typically takes two to four weeks. Each is confirmed in writing; see MOQ and lead time.
Risks specific to brand owners
- Drift between reorders. The first order matches the sample and later ones quietly thin the insulation or reduce copper. The spec sheet fixes insulation thickness and the IEC 60228 resistance limit, and the desk compares each batch with the first.
- Claims you cannot support. A UL listing, TUV certificate or BASEC approval belongs to the partner plant for a defined construction. If the plant does not hold it for your size range, the claim must not appear on the sheath or the box.
- Market rules. EU building cable needs a CPR class declared on the DoP; Thailand requires TIS 11; some African and Gulf markets need per-shipment conformity documents. Confirm the route with your test lab or importer of record before you print.
- Undersized conductors. Undersized copper is the most common way cost is removed. Conductor resistance per drum is the simplest defence; see undersized conductor risk.
Starting a brand program
Send your range, target market and standard, metres or boxes per size, and your print text through the quote form. The desk replies with matched partner plants, the reference MOQ per size and a draft spec sheet for your review.