Copper is viewed as the global standard for electrical conductivity in the utility sector. It’s high current carrying capacity coupled with its resistance to scratches and breakage, and its resilience to corrosion makes it a universal metal for many applications.

As international construction booms and copper demand rises with it, we’re faced with a startling reality: copper theft costs U.S. businesses nearly $1 billion in losses annually.

There’s no sign of slowing in the global construction sector, and that means the threat of copper theft is greater than ever before. Read on to learn the issues surrounding copper theft and how to prevent it from happening to your business.

Copper Theft: A Global Epidemic

Copper theft poses great destruction to global business: the United Kingdom loses $12 million each year; Canadian telecom provider TELUS estimates $20 million in loss; and France reported theft incidents rose to more than 9,000 in 2013. 

The issues with copper theft don’t end with monetary loss. Theft presents multiple issues, including:

• Death or severe injury from contact with a compromised electrical system.
• Increased labor due to system maintenance and repair.
• System reliability from power outages that can affect critical local infrastructures.

How can we prevent monetary losses, death, injury, increased labor and decreased system reliability issues from copper theft? The answer is simple: invest in the proper safeguards.

Strategies to Help Reduce Copper Theft

With copper theft on the rise every year, construction contractors must take actionable steps to reduce it. These include: 

• Security.
• Marking.
• Alarm systems.
• Theft-resistant cables.

ERICO CU-BOND Composite Cables are ideal for exposed copper electrical grounding leads. The conductors are designed to be difficult to cut with hand tools, and their tinned copper-bonded steel exterior deters thieves looking for copper. These cables are suited for in substation risers to connect the grounding grid to substation equipment and structures.

Ready to learn more about combatting copper theft? Download our report for the best ways to protect your investment, and your bottom line.

Photo credit: Pixabay, CC0 Public Domain