Businessmodel of General Cable

Customer Segments

General Cable has a segmented market business model, with customer groups that have slightly different needs. The company targets its offerings at firms in the energy, industrial, construction, specialty, and communications markets.

Value Proposition

General Cable offers two primary value propositions: innovation and brand/status.

The company has embraced innovation throughout its history. Its groundbreaking efforts include:

• Installing the world’s highest underground distribution line at Pikes Peak, Colorado
• Producing the first 75,000-volt submarine cable in the U.S. for the Delaware River Crossing
• Inventing Romex brand non-metallic sheathed cable at its facility in Rome, New York The company has established a strong brand due to its success. It is one of the largest manufacturers
  of wire and cable solutions in the world and employs over 11,000 associates. It has also been cited as one of the top 20 mid-sized companies in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region.

Channels

General Cable’s main channel is its direct sales team, which operates from offices around the world. It also sells its products through retailers, contractors, independent distributors, and original equipment manufacturers.  The company promotes its offering through its website, social media pages, catalogs, and participation in trade shows and conferences.

Customer Relationships

General Cable’s customer relationship is primarily of a self-service nature. Customers utilize its products while having limited interaction with employees. That said, there is a personal assistance component in the form of phone and e-mail support.

Key Activities

General Cable’s business model entails designing, developing, manufacturing, and distributing its products for its customers.

Key Partners

General Cable’s key partners are the suppliers that provide it with the raw materials it needs to manufacture its products. The main materials it uses are copper and aluminum.

Key Resources

General Cable’s main resources are its human resources, who include the engineers who design, develop, and manufacture its products, the salespeople who market it, and the customer service employees who provide support. It maintains important physical resources in the form of its global network of manufacturing facilities in its core markets.

Cost Structure

General Cable has a cost-driven structure, aiming to minimize expenses through significant automation. Its biggest cost driver is cost of sales, a variable expense. Other major drivers are in the areas of sales/marketing and administration, both fixed costs.

Revenue Streams

General Cable has one revenue stream: revenues it generates from the sale of its products to its customers. Sales typically occur through the signing of long-term contracts.