Electrical engineering contractor, Meckel, has installed Marshall-Tufflex’s MT Supertube and Wire Basket to ensure ‘an efficient, compliant, and durable’ cable management system as part of the £105 m major redevelopment works at Luton & Dunstable University Hospital.
The substantial project, procured through the Crown Commercial Services framework – which started in 2022 and is due for completion by Summer 2025 – involves constructing a new clinical building to improve maternity, neonatal, theatres, and critical care services. The five-storey acute services and ward blocks will house modern and enhanced facilities, including a delivery suite, midwifery-led birthing and neonatal intensive care units with parent accommodation, ambulatory surgery, theatre suites, and a critical care unit with bespoke accommodation for relatives.
Working in collaboration with Kier Mechanical Electrical Division (KME), Meckel was contracted to carry out all the electrical installation works, including cable containment. As the specification of the right cable management solution for the extensive project was critical, Meckel approached Marshall-Tufflex to discuss the requirements and the suitability of MT Supertube and Wire Basket solutions. After confirming that these products met the project’s specific needs, Meckel has used MT Supertube and Wire Basket extensively throughout the project. MT Supertube is a three-layer heavy gauge conduit comprising polyethylene internal and external layers over a continuous aluminium tube that provides additional mechanical strength. It was chosen for its LS0H (low smoke, zero halogen) properties and excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) screening performance – all essential for ensuring continued, issue-free performance in a healthcare setting.
“MT Supertube with EMC fittings was chosen for the ELV services as it provides a fully compliant solution,” explained Mark Turnbull, director, Meckel. “It also has the further benefit of being supplied in coils, which means it’s easy to move around the site, and the amount of wastage from off-cuts is kept to a minimum.”
Meckel specified the Wire Basket for cable routing at Luton & Dunstable Hospital as the company had used it on a previous job, and was impressed with its performance. As a result, it is now Meckel’s preferred product. The Wire Basket is made from steel with an electro-zinc finish, and reportedly offers ‘a unique rippled design that enhances strength while remaining lightweight’. Importantly, Wire Basket is very quick to install, thanks to integral ‘quick-fit’ connectors, and offers easy cable threading, high load capacity, resistance to flexing, and ‘an excellent aesthetic finish’.
