Legrand UK & Ireland has demonstrated the exceptional performance of its latest Swifts pre‑galvanised cable ladder range through a comprehensive series of short‑circuit tests in partnership with CMP Products.
The tests will offer building operators in high traffic buildings such as data centres peace of mind that their cable management is sufficiently robust to withstand various short-circuit scenarios that could otherwise risk significant downtime.
Working closely with CMP, Legrand undertook extensive testing using CMP’s Patriot, Saturn and Sovereign cleats, installed in both trefoil and quad formation, at fixing centres of 300 mm and 600 mm.
Every cleat passed flawlessly, and the new ladders delivered an impressive performance even under a peak fault current of 190 kA.
Mark Williams, lead marketing manager for Legrand’s cable management portfolio, said: “These are punishing tests, designed to replicate the extreme stresses encountered in real‑world installations – especially in environments like data centres, where power demands continue to intensify. Demonstrating that our ladders not only satisfy the requirements of their product standard but also perform reliably alongside critical system components, such as cables, cleats and support structures, gives specifiers and installers real confidence.”
Legrand launched its pre‑galvanised Swifts ladder range in May 2025. Historically, Swifts ladders have been supplied only in hot dip galvanised or stainless steel, both relying on a welded rung‑to‑siderail construction. Pre‑galvanised steel presents a different challenge—welding it can be messy, hazardous and generally an unpleasant process.
To overcome this, Legrand’s R&D team undertook a detailed evaluation of alternative construction techniques.
“We ultimately adopted a ‘clinched’ design,” Williams adds. “Each rung is secured to the siderail using 50 kN of pressure, creating a strong, reliable joint similar to methods used in automotive manufacturing, where clinching is increasingly replacing traditional welding.”
Alongside stringent mechanical and performance testing to IEC 61537, Legrand also validated the fire resistance of the new range through DIN 4102‑12 fire testing.
“Customers have been asking for greater transparency on fire performance, and these tests underline the resilience of the ladders even under extreme conditions.”
Williams said: “Swifts ladders have long been used by CMP Products as part of their own validation processes, helping to ensure their cable cleats meet the requirements of IEC/BS EN 61914. With the introduction of our new design, we wanted to demonstrate that the pre‑galvanised range can withstand the same severe forces seen during short‑circuit events.”
With this latest round of testing, Legrand reinforces its commitment to both innovation and reliability, proving that the new Swifts pre‑galvanised range is more than ready for the most demanding applications.
To find out more about Swifts pre-galvanised ladders, please visit: https://www.legrand.co.uk/en/catalog/swifts-cable-ladder-pre-galvanised
