Crimping Expert Paul Forester on E-Tech, Elpress and the DUAL Crimp System
Paul lives in Rainhill, a town renowned for its rich Railway history, being the home of The Rainhill Trials and Stephenson’s Rocket (the most advanced locomotive of its day and winner of the Trials). Paul’s professional journey began at the original BICC Components offices in Prescot, now Prysmian, where he was introduced to the electrical industry, gaining valuable experience in Cable Components & Crimping Systems. In 2004, he joined E-Tech Components and got involved with many aspects of the business, from packing orders to sales and accounting. Both Paul and E-Tech have grown and evolved massively since then. Step-by-step, ‘connection-by-connection’, and with the continuous support of E-Tech’s partner Elpress, he became an ambassador of the DUAL Crimp Technique and one of the most influential Crimping System & Accessories’ Experts in the UK.
How long has E-Tech been in business?
Connecting Power since 2004, E-Tech celebrated its 20th anniversary in July 2024. Over the past 20 years, we have grown exponentially, overcoming challenges and achieving numerous milestones along the way. Our success is a testament to the hard work and resilience of our incredible team, the trust and loyalty of our customers and the strong partnerships we’ve forged with industry-leading brands.
The company began as part of the Norfolk-based E-Tech Group but was quickly acquired by Chris Montgomery, a former employee who is now our Managing Director. In the early years, we forged key partnerships with industry leaders like Elpress and Prysmian and launched our first product website—long before Google became publicly available. The awards began piling up and E-Tech’s team expanded, which compelled the relocation to bigger premises to accommodate our growth. In 2017, Lagercrantz Group, a Sweden-based technology group, acquired E-Tech and initiated a successful collaboration.
With the support of the Group, E-Tech formed some new key partnerships and kept evolving to this day. A testament to that, was our success in Lagercrantz Group’s Award Ceremony this year, where E-Tech won 1st Place for Sales Expansion, 1st Place for Development, and 3rd Place for Growth among more than 90 companies.
With a commitment to excellence, a focus on innovation and a dedication to our customers, E-Tech Components is poised for continued success in the years to come. We look forward to building on our strong foundation and exploring new opportunities as we embark on the next chapter of our journey.
Tell us about E-Tech Components & your relationship with Elpress
E-Tech Components are a Specialist Distributor of Power Cable Accessories & Electrical Components from leading industry brands. Our mission is to offer high quality and innovative products and solutions that can save time, reduce costs, improve quality and ensure compliance to industry standards and regulations.
We are active and have expertise across diverse markets where high quality is vital. This includes:
We specialise in Complete Crimping Systems (Crimp Lugs, Hand & Battery-Operated Tools), Cable Cleats & Cable Management Solutions, LV, MV & HV Cable Joints, Terminations & Tooling and other Cable Accessories & Components.
Elpress develops, manufactures and markets complete cable crimping systems for electrical connectors since 1959. To this day, they are still a global crimping cornerstone that represents knowledge, experience, development and above all, safety. Quality isn’t just a metric at Elpress. It’s part of their ethos. For more than 65 years, they have been delivering high-quality systems while always focusing on the development of their products, processes, and most importantly, their people. Railway is at the forefront of their efforts and identified as one of their four Key Industries, under the guidance of their dedicated Elpress Expert, Staffan Kjämpe.
Mission alignment, quality focus and common history were the three elements that gave birth to E-Tech’s fruitful relationship with Elpress. After all, E-Tech’s Managing Director Chris Montgomery used to work for Elpress himself. 20 years later and this partnership is stronger than ever, thanks to continuous support and regular communication!
What types of Elpress products and services do you offer in the Rail Industry?
E-Tech offers an extensive range of products and solutions for the Rail Industry. Elpress Group’s reliable Cable Crimping Systems are certainly at the forefront of our offerings. These Systems include Hand Crimpers, Hydraulic Battery-Powered Crimping Tools, Electrical Connectors, Crimping Punches & Matrices, Pumps, Storage Boxes and more. Elpress KRF® and KRFS Crimping Lugs and Connectors, when crimped with their patented DUAL system, are ideal for Railway Applications. This is because they ensure superior performance in withstanding vibrations and static loads, while also enhancing electrical properties.
Elpress DUAL Crimping Technique
Elpress DUAL system technique meets the stringent requirements of railways and other demanding applications while delivering optimal crimping results. The technology combines the benefits and desired properties of hexagonal and indent crimping.
This results in a perfect symmetrical contact with the conductor’s outer wires without damaging them (no broken or split wires), while also offering 30 per cent better electrical stability compared to traditional hexagonal crimping.
Beyond our extensive product range, E-Tech and Elpress’ greatest strength is our combined ability and dedication to meeting customer needs and finding solutions when others can’t!
What is your USP (Unique Selling Point)?
It’s our knowledge and drive to provide durable and safe connections and solutions that improve a project’s quality, endurance and longevity, while complying to industry standards and regulations. Sadly, the lack of awareness and use of subpar crimping techniques are widespread across the industry. E-Tech and Elpress actively tackle this issue and educate people on IEC standards and the BS Codes of Practice for crimping installations. As part of this commitment, we offer:
- Lunch & Learn Seminars covering Standards and Best Crimping Practices.
- Free Certified Training when you purchase one of our crimp tools.
- On-site Inspection & Assessment of your crimping systems and procedures.
- Free Advice on how to ensure compliance to the crimping standards.
The Rail & Traction Industry plays a crucial role in modern society, facilitating the transportation of millions of passengers and tons of freight in the UK and worldwide. With a focus on quality, safety and compliance, E-Tech provides essential PADS-approved products and solutions to support the growth and advancement of the Rail & Traction sector, ensuring reliable and efficient operations to better serve society. We aim to provide the best possible connections for a longer lifetime and shorter downtime.
What are some major projects you’re currently working on?
Elpress and E-Tech are currently engaged in several major projects. A standout among these, is a project for the fourth largest railway system in the world (Indian Railways), where Elpress and E-Tech are collaborating with Siemens Mobility. They are delivering a staggering 1,200 new locomotive trains in what they consider their largest-ever project. This massive initiative will span multiple years and promises to fundamentally reshape India’s transportation infrastructure for the foreseeable future. Elpress’ specialised expertise will play a pivotal role in ensuring the seamless delivery and integration of vital electrical components for these trains.
The successful completion of this project will not only solidify Elpress and E-Tech’s positions as leading players in the railway industry but will also have a profound impact on India’s socio-economic growth and development. By significantly expanding and modernising its rail network, India can expect improved connectivity, reduced travel times and a more sustainable transportation system. This project serves as a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation, and Elpress and E-Tech are at the forefront of making it a reality.
When a client comes to you with a particular problem, what’s your process for coming up with a solution, and how closely do you work with clients throughout the projects?
Communication is key when tackling any challenge a client might face. When someone approaches us with a specific problem, we follow a customer-oriented process that focuses on listening and understanding the exact nature of their project and needs. We present various options, keep them informed on the progress and actively seek feedback. This close collaboration allows us to refine and tailor the solution to the specific requirements of each project.
The Elpress DUAL Patented Crimp System was the result of such a collaboration. It was developed to address a particular customer need for a high-quality and safe connection solution. Joints and connections in this application would be exposed to extreme electrical properties and environmental conditions. Not to mention corrosion, mechanical resistance, static loads, shocks and vibrations. Thus, Elpress came up with the DUAL Technology solution, combining the desired benefits of hexagonal and indent crimping, and producing the best possible crimping result – even in the most demanding environments.
Our goal is not just to deliver a product, but a comprehensive solution that perfectly addresses the client’s challenge, while meeting industry standards. This may involve adapting existing products, developing entirely new solutions (like the Elpress DUAL Crimp system), or even collaborating with other industry leaders. Through open communication and a shared commitment to success, we build durable connections and lasting partnerships that exceed our clients’ expectations and ensure they chose the right team for the job.
What do you think is the biggest challenge currently facing the rail industry?
For us, it’s the lack of crimping education and the use of low-quality cheap products by rail professionals. Sadly, crimping education is scarce in the rail industry, like in most industries. This knowledge gap can create a dangerous domino effect. Inexperienced or insufficiently trained technicians unintentionally rely on poor-quality cheap products from unknown manufacturers. These crimps don’t conform to industry standards and compromise the integrity of electrical connections, and subsequently, entire projects. These faulty subpar crimp connections overheat and can result in additional project costs and delays, as well as serious health & safety implications, including fire hazards, complete system breakdowns and dangerous accidents.
Some common crimping mistakes, caused by a lack of crimping education include:
- Neglecting British or international standards.
- Buying cheap lugs with no markings from unknown manufacturers.
- Mixing and matching cable lugs and crimping tools from different manufacturers.
- Stepping up or down a lug size.
- Cutting strands of cable that don’t fit.
- Filing off wings caused by over-crimping.
- Terminating LS0H cable with PVC terminals.
World leaders in quality crimping systems, E-Tech Components and Elpress, are dedicated to raising awareness in the UK for many years. As part of our ongoing ‘Good Crimping Practice’ campaign, we offer Lunch & Learn Seminars covering Crimping Standards and Best Practices, Certified Training Programs, On-site Inspection and Assessment of your Crimping Systems and Procedures, as well as free advice on ensuring compliance to standards and enhancing project safety.