EuroWire Magazine

Huber Carbonates LLC is increasing the capacity at its ground calcium carbonate (GCC) operation in Marble Hill, Georgia, USA, with a plant expansion.

"Huber has a long-term, multi-stage plan to increase capacity in ground calcium carbonate, driven by customer demand and new product sales," said Matt O’Brien, vice president and general manager of Huber’s GCC business.

The continuous investments in ground calcium carbonate will position Huber to continue supporting its customers’ growth strategies with increased capacity for both medium fine and fine ground products.

"This expansion − coupled with the recent expansion of our Quincy, Illinois, GCC facility − is already in motion and targeted for completion in 2016," said Rick Zwingelberg, operations director for Huber’s GCC business. "We continue to be well-positioned to meet the growing needs of our customers in a number of markets."

"The expansion plans we are implementing build upon our ongoing growth strategy," added Mr O’Brien. "These continuing investments to expand and improve our manufacturing capabilities underline Huber’s long-term commitment to the ground calcium carbonate business and the customers we serve."

Huber’s industrial GCC products are used in a variety of consumer and industrial applications, including building materials; drilling fluids; rubber; thermoset composites; thermoplastics; swimming pool plasters; pet food; cultured marble; paints and coatings; and adhesives, caulks and sealants.

Parent company J M Huber Corporation, through its Huber Engineered Materials (HEM) division, has reached an agreement to acquire the Martinswerk mineral flame-retardants and speciality chemicals businesses of Albemarle Corporation.

J M Huber Corporation – USA
Website: www.huber.com

The Rohde & Schwarz electronics group has signed a comprehensive global procurement agreement with Huber+Suhner AG, a global manufacturer of connectivity solutions for radio frequency, fibre optics and low frequency technologies.

The global framework agreement ensures the support of Huber+Suhner for optimal worldwide components supplies and technical consultation. At the same time, it stabilises the status of Huber+Suhner as a preferred supplier and lays the foundations for continuously enhancing an intensive working relationship.

Manufacturing high-tech Rohde & Schwarz products poses complex challenges for the group’s supply chain. Deliveries of electronic assemblies and subsystems must be on time, high-quality and economical.

Peter Schlindwein, vice president of corporate procurement at Rohde & Schwarz, said: "We need suppliers who provide us flexible and competent support to meet market demands. In this regard, global agreements are important steps for cooperation as equals."

Reto Bolt, chief operating officer of the Radio Frequency division at Huber+Suhner, said: "We are proud to have leading companies like Rohde & Schwarz as key accounts. This long-term cooperation drives us to develop future-oriented solutions for our mutual market success."

Rohde & Schwarz – USA
Website: www.rohde-schwarz.com

Reelex Packaging Solutions is expanding the territory of one of its most trusted sales representatives, Warbrick International Ltd.

Based in Warrington, UK, and a family-run business for more than 70 years, Warbrick International represents Reelex in the United Kingdom and Ireland and now the Netherlands, France, Germany and Switzerland.

Warbrick also serves as an EU distribution point for payout tubes used in every Reelex® package, including the new EcoCore™ payout tube system.

Reelex Packaging Systems – USA
Website: www.reelex.com

Warbrick International Ltd – UK
Website: www.warbrick.co.uk

AltaLink’s Western Alberta transmission line has begun to deliver electricity to the provincial power grid.

“We began running power through the line in November as part of a system testing process,” said Scott Thon, AltaLink president and CEO. “I am proud to say that as of today, our line is now serving Albertans at its full capacity and helping our province reach a greener future.

“While connecting Alberta’s two major centres, the Western Alberta transmission line is also reducing electrical losses, which is wasted energy. Essentially, we are reducing the need for additional generation to produce that lost energy.”

The 350km, 500kV DC line connects an area west of Edmonton to the east edge of Calgary. The line improves the reliability and efficiency of the provincial interconnected electric system by adding 1,000MW of capacity. The capacity can be increased to 4,000MW at some point in the future without the need to build more towers and affect more land.

Mr Thon added: ”This project brings much needed relief to the electric system by taking pressure off the existing 240kV network while strengthening the backbone of the provincial grid.”

The Western Alberta Transmission Line is the first DC transmission line to be energized in Alberta.

Telebras has announced that construction work on the Brazil-Europe submarine cable, to be developed by Telebras in partnership with Islalink, will begin in April 2016.

The $250 million investment will consist of a 5,900km cable, providing data transmission at speeds of up to 30TBps. It is planned to run from Santos, in the state of Sao Paulo, with a hub in Fortaleza (Ceara), and will arrive at Sines, in Portugal. It will also permit access to traffic exchange points in Frankfurt, Amsterdam, London and Paris.

Responding to the recent launch, by India and France, of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) to boost solar energy production in developing countries, the CEO of French utility, ENGIE has announced the launch of a new initiative.

ISA aims to foster the best investment conditions for energy companies and financial institutions in all its member states, calling for 1 Terawatt (1,000GW) of additional solar power capacity by 2030, representing an additional one trillion dollars of investment in solar power infrastructures.

In support of the ISA’s objectives, Gérard Mestrallet, chairman and CEO of ENGIE, announced the creation of the Terrawatt Initiative (TWI), a global non-profit organization. Terrawatt Initiative is open to all companies and financial institutions willing to take part in the expansion of a competitive solar power generation across the world, as well as to professional organizations and other stakeholders.

Oliver Schafer, president of SolarPower Europe, said: “Having the finance sector actively looking to put a trillion dollars into solar now, proves that solar is the key technology that will deliver cheap, clean electricity for all the people of the world. The developments being announced on solar in COP21 are very exciting and breathe new life into this new age of solar power.”

TWI’s mission is to work together with ISA and its member states in establishing the proper regulatory conditions for a massive deployment of competitive solar generation.

Messko Nordic AB has taken over the representation of Highvolt Prüftechnik Dresden GmbH in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. The Swedish company is member of Reinhausen Group as well as Highvolt, and produces equipment for transformers and switchgear systems.

With Roger Öhngren from Messko as representative we will continue our successful business activities in this region, said Highvolt’s managing director, Ralf Bergmann. We expect significant synergy effects for both companies to extend the cooperation with our customers in the fields of transformers, cables, switchgear and testing institutes, to name just a few.

Highvolt designs and manufactures high-voltage and high-current testing systems for the global market, and its products are used in the testing of a diversity of power transmission components, such as transformers, cables and switchgear.

Highvolt Prüftechnik Dresden GmbH – Germany
Website: www.highvolt.de

Scott Badger, CFO at Mount Joy Wire, volunteered as a member of the Disability Services Committee for the 70th LPGA 2015 US Women’s Open Tournament at the Lancaster Country Club in July.

"People were amazed that there was no charge for the scooters or transportation," commented Mr Badger. "For me, it was fun to interact with patrons and visitors during my shifts. The tent was open from 6am to 8pm for the three days of practice rounds and four days of the tournament. Everyone really appreciated the LPGA for doing this."

Mr Badger said he also enjoyed being a part of the committee, through which he met a number of new people. His other volunteer efforts include coaching youth sports and supporting Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Challenger Little League.

The LPGA reported that 1,873 golfers were entered in this first major golf tournament held in Central Pennsylvania. Korean pro In Gee Chun won by a stroke after a thrilling playoff and received the top prize of $810,000.

Company president Ty Krieger said everyone at Mount Joy Wire is proud of Scott. "He certainly reflects the spirit of giving back among all of our people who volunteer to make the Susquehanna Valley a better place to live and work."

For more than 20 years, Mount Joy Wire has been a manufacturer of spring wire, oil tempered wire and speciality wire for the agricultural, aerospace, architectural, automotive, building products, construction, household goods, manufacturing, marine, medical, oil and gas, and recreational industries. The company manufactures all wire products in its Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, USA, facility and ships to customers around the world.

Mount Joy Wire Corp – USA
Website: www.mjwire.com

Wiedenbach Apparatebau, a supplier of continuous ink jet printers for industrial applications, and Komax Wire, a supplier of cable processing systems, are to continue their partnership with the signing of a new long-term supplier contract.

Wiedenbach develops and manufactures for Komax Wire marking solutions that are adapted to the requirements of Komax Wire systems. The cooperation between the two companies started in 1997. Two years later, after successful initial projects, the decision was taken to start a development partnership. The result was the ims 291 ink jet printer series, launched in 2003, which can be optimally integrated into the Komax Wire product range.

The constant further development of hardware and software led to the successor series ims 295, which was introduced in 2010.

After nearly 18 years of successful cooperation, both companies are said to be proud to sign a further long-term supplier and cooperation contract.

Wiedenbach Apparatebau’s continuous ink jet printers are used in the manufacture of many industrial products for marking. The portfolio also contains a wide range of inks, accessories and software solutions, which all are developed in-house.

Komax Wire offers a comprehensive range of automated, intelligent solutions for all applications of cable processing. Standard and customer-specific lines are complemented by quality assurance modules and test devices as well as networking solutions for the safe and efficient production of cable harnesses.

Wiedenbach Apparatebau GmbH – Germany
Website: www.wiedenbach.com

THE MACHINES of Switzerland, has supplied several automated and continuous operating production plants for OPGW applications. The full supply scope covers a wide range of precision formed and welded metal tubes with optical fibres, like FIST, which are integrated into a number of different end products such as OPGW, OPPC and fibre optic submarine cables.

The company has recently received an order for a complete production plant to produce fibre optic submarine cables with a non-stop and error-free production length of up to 240km. One line produces the inner FIST (Fibre in Steel Tube) and a second line applies a laser welded copper tube around the armouring including a start/stop welding system.

The precision micro tubes with optical fibres are specified in many different diameters, wall thicknesses and with many different numbers of fibres. The fibre excess length in the precision micro-tube is controlled and adjusted to suite the application.

The lines are equipped with tape feeding (pay-offs); laser cross welding and tape accumulator for full continuous and non-stop operation. The lines are equipped with high precision tension controlled multi-fibre pay off stations. The heart of the lines, bringing together the fibres and the metal tape, feature:

• Precision tape guiding and edge cutting, when required
• High precision tape forming benches
• Precisely controlled jelly filling (Thixotropic gel compound)
• Robot controlled orbital welding
• Patented welding-seam following and tracking system
• Perfect and fault-free welding with real time vision systems
• On-line welding seam control ECC100 for full quality inspection of the weld
• Trend display, recording and tracking of all relevant process parameters
• Fault-free welding of tubes with tolerances to ±0.01mm
• Processing of most materials including copper

Down-stream operations complete the solution, featuring:

• Draw down stations for exact final tube dimensions
• Drying, cleaning and oil separation unit
• Capstan with precision controlled line tensions throughout the whole process
• Fibre over length station – regulated and fibre slack-length controlled
• Documented during the entire production process
• Auto traversing winding (take-up) for precision winding of spools 630 to 1,250mm

THE MACHINES – Switzerland
Website: www.the-machines.ch

NDC Technologies has appointed Dr Ian B Benson as marketing director. Previously global sales and marketing director for the company’s food and bulk business, Dr Benson brings a wealth of international marketing and business development experience to his new position.

He will be responsible for the development and execution of the company’s marketing strategy for its measurement and control solutions serving the food, bulk, packaging, cable, metals and tubing industries. He will lead the company’s marketing communications and product management teams, oversee the company brand and market intelligence programs, and drive customer engagement to increase demand of NDC’s products and services.

Dr Benson holds an honours degree and doctorate in chemistry from Bristol University in the UK and is based at NDC’s European manufacturing, sales and service centre in Maldon, UK.

NDC Technologies – USA
Website: www.ndc.com

Reelex Packaging Solutions Inc of Patterson, New York, USA, and Wonderful Hi-Tech of Taiwan are the latest corporations in the structured cabling industry to join the Communications Cable and Connectivity Association (CCCA).

As a non-profit association now comprised of 28 prominent manufacturers, distributors and material suppliers, CCCA serves as a major resource for well-researched, science-based information on the technologies and issues vital to the industry.

CCCA has an on-going education campaign on one of those issues – the widespread proliferation of counterfeit, sub-standard and non-compliant communications cable, which pose a threat to safety, connectivity performance, and installer liability.

"Many CCCA members are already licensees and users of Reelex packaging technology, while most counterfeit cable manufacturers use an inferior pull box knockoff prone to tangling and kinking," said Timothy Copp, vice president of business development.

"As the inventor and licensor of the pull box package so many installers are familiar with, it’s important for us to educate installers on the role knockoff packaging plays in the counterfeit cable conversation. Our membership in CCCA will add value for us with support on these issues and we look forward to joining the education campaign."

Wonderful Hi-Tech, established in 1978, is a publicly held corporation headquartered in Taiwan, with ten manufacturing sites across China, Thailand and Vietnam, and sales offices in Asia, Europe and North America.

About the company’s new membership, director Paul Chang said: "Wonderful Hi-Tech is fully committed to the CCCA values and we look forward to contributing to the CCCA activities on the many important issues affecting the structured cabling market."

CCCA – USA
Website: www.cccassoc.org

The Anthem of the Seas, a luxury cruise liner built at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany, set sail with Nexans cables on board. The Norwegian Escape, another new luxury cruise ship currently under construction at Meyer Werft, will also be equipped with Nexans cables. Supplying Nexans cable range for these two vessels is part of a multi-year contract which represents the continuation of a 25-year partnership between the two companies.

Nexans supplies low voltage power cables, instrumentation and control cables and medium voltage power cables, essential for the operation of the cruise liners. Around 3,000 km of cables have been delivered for Anthem of the Seas and some 2,400 km will be supplied for Norwegian Escape.

The cables are halogen-free, fire retardant and exhibit special performances in respect of smoke emission and toxic gases under fire conditions. Nexans developed a new fire resistance standard to meet the demands of the project. The cables are designed to last for the lifetime of the ship which is expected to be around 25 years. The cables will be manufactured at Nexans’ plant in Monchengladbach, Germany, a dedicated global shipbuilding cable factory.

Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas is the world’s third largest cruise ship with a capacity of more than 4,000 passengers over 18 decks. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape has a capacity of 4,200 passengers and is expected to be delivered later this year.

Sven Smid, Lead purchase manager for cables at Meyer Werft said, "We have had a fruitful relationship with Nexans in the past and are looking forward to that continuing it in the future. Nexans understands Meyer Werft and the needs of our projects."

"Nexans has a long standing relationship with Meyer Werft to whom we have delivered thousands of kilometers of cables during the last 25 years we have worked together. This contract further connects Nexans and Meyer Werft and we are delighted of this successful collaboration," added Stephane Mortelette, shipbuilding segment manager at Nexans.

Nexans – France
Website: www.nexans.com

Reelex Packaging Solutions has signed four new licensees.

According to Reelex vice president of business development, Timothy Copp, the company has never welcomed so many new licensees in a six-month period. Copp attributes improvements in the global economy and a successful education effort, aimed at differentiating genuine Reelex from imitators, as catalysts.

"Our ongoing anti-counterfeit campaign is aimed at increasing recognition of knock-off packaging versus genuine Reelex," says Copp. "End-users are becoming more aware that products in genuine Reelex packaging are far less prone to tangles, knots and damage to the product, and are demanding that their suppliers provide them with products in stress-free packaging. This, in conjunction with our technology being protected by patents and trademarks, we believe is having a positive effect in expanding the use of Reelex versus knockoff alternatives."

Reelex technology is a proprietary method of coiling wire or cable into a precision-wound figure-eight pattern. The coil dispenses from the inside out, without twists, tangles or inertia, and is used to package low voltage cabling products. Licensees sign an agreement to use the Reelex system via equipment designed and manufactured by Reelex Packaging Solutions. Licensees are also obliged to use the Reelex trademark on its packages.

The four new licensees are: Zhaolong (Zhejiang Zhaolong Cable), ZTC (Zhangjiagang Twentsche Cable), Sandmartin Electronic and The Siemon Company.

Reelex Packaging Solutions – USA
Website: www.reelex.com

Ali Shehab, CEO of Cimteq, a cable design and manufacturing software company, was delighted to be recently bestowed the award for Best Presentation of the 63rd IWCS International Cable & Connectivity Symposium which took place in November 2014.

Mr Shehab’s paper considered a practical analysis of the use and benefits of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) in the cable industry. Through use of a real life scenario he effectively and concisely explained the different elements of MES, focusing on its attributes and benefits he demonstrated how its application can transform a production environment.

He was ideally placed to speak on this topic based upon the nature of his business and the fact that Cimteq have designed their very own MES tailored specifically to the unique requirements of to the cable industry; CableMES.

"It was an honour to be asked to speak at the symposium let alone to be selected as the most outstanding speaker is truly flattering," said Mr Shehab.

"I am extremely grateful and it is fantastic that my paper gained such attention. At Cimteq we are highly enthusiastic about sharing the benefits that CableMES offers to those manufacturing companies operating in the industry and demonstrating how such a system can completely transform their productivity and efficiency. I look forward to receiving my award and seeing my colleagues from the industry at this year’s symposium."

He will be presented with his award at this year’s symposium on 6th October in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Cimteq Ltd – UK
Website: www.cimteq.com

Prysmian Group organised a roundtable discussion in the European Parliament, co-hosted by MEP Dominique Riquet, chairman of the long-term investment and reindustrialisation intergroup. The event welcomed high-level speakers from the European Investment Bank, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Ambassador of Italy to the European Union as well as telecom operators and ICT industries*.

Panellists shared views on the challenges and opportunities for the development of Europe’s high speed broadband infrastructure, the path towards further digitisation in Europe, and the increased growth and competitiveness that results from investment in quality technologies.

"The panel of high-level experts and policymakers reflected on new ways to attract private finance to strong added value projects in the ICT sector. Reliable high speed broadband, like other energy and transport infrastructures, are key to increasing our growth potential and thus boosting Europe’s real economic competitiveness in a globalised market", sais MEP Dominique Riquet.

Panellists emphasised the role of passive infrastructure in the future digital single market and engaged in a lively exchange on the challenges related to building a high-speed, secure and trustworthy ICT infrastructure as the backbone for the European digital economy. They considered EU policy makers and financial institutions key to creating the necessary conditions for innovation, investment and competition.

"Economic operators who design and implement fibre-based, ultra-high-speed access network technologies, have a unique role in helping meet the 2020 targets of the Digital Agenda for Europe," said Philippe Vanhille, senior vice president of telecom business for the Prysmian group.

"Choosing the right products that optimise the overall capital expenditure and minimise the future maintenance is essential. The future-proof solution optical fibre cables provided for broadband networks is precisely the type of investment which instils confidence in private investors and encourages them to accept the associated longer term risks – and benefits," added Mr Vanhille.

*Speakers also included Paul Rübig (member of the European Parliament and chairman of the science and technology options assessment), Ambassador Marco Peronaci (deputy permanent representative of Italy to the European Union), Anna Krzyzanowska (head of unit for broadband, European Commission DG Connect), Gunnar Muent (director for innovation and competitiveness, European Investment Bank), Eric Debroeck (head of regulatory affairs, Orange).

Prysmian Group – Italy
Website: www.prysmiangroup.com

Euroflex is a supplier of high-grade semi-finished products, components and actuators from a variety of materials for medical and industrial applications: Nitinol, CoCr, stainless steel, Ni-free alloys, titanium, tantalum, precious metals, bioabsorbable alloys, platinum alloys and material compounds.

These products are manufactured according to customer specifications and are available in a range of dimensions and specific properties. Typical applications are stents, filters, baskets, guidewires and flexible surgical instruments. The company was founded in 1993 and is a subsidiary of G.Rau GmbH & Co KG, which produces high-precision tubes, wires, sheet and components.

As a leading specialist for solutions made of Nitinol and many other innovative materials, Euroflex is the competent partner for many companies in the field of medical technology.

Euroflex GmbH – Germany
Website: www.euroflex.de

For many years, continuous inkjet printers from Paul Leibinger have provided maximum quality and reliability in non-contact labelling of products of all kinds. In the JET3up, the company provides its customers with even higher performance, even better user guidance and greater added value through more than 800 functions integrated by default.

With its new JET3up continuous inkjet printer, the German marking specialist looks into the future with confidence. The upgrade to the previous JET3 model features state-of-the-art inkjet technology, many new functions and an even more user-friendly interface design.

Like all other Leibinger small-character inkjet printers, the new JET3up is equipped with the automated Sealtronic nozzle seal, which prevents the ink in the printhead from drying out, even during long downtimes. In combination with clean instant start and stop technology, the user is always capable of starting the printer within a few seconds, without the need for maintenance or rinse cycles.

The JET3up meets any customer requirements due to its 800 integrated standard functions and numerous model variants. The variants JET3up PI for pigmented inks, JET3up MI for microprints and JET3up PRO with industry standard IP65 for wet and dusty production environments make it fast and easy to find the suitable inkjet printer model for any industry and application. The drop position control technology also ensures a higher print quality through even more accurate placement of the ink drops.

The software interface of the JET3up series has been modernised comprehensively, making operation even more convenient for the user. New elements, such as individual buttons for direct access and illustrated operator instructions, help with orientation and ease menu guidance. The operator also benefits from valuable additional information that is available at any time on the printer monitor. This includes the precise fill level of the solvent and ink tanks, pending prints remaining in the current print job, number of printed ink drops and the print speed (feet/min or products/min).

During the development of the JET3up, great value was placed on the efficiency of the device. Minimum energy consumption, low heat development, low maintenance costs and special options such as the solvent recycling system EcoSolv assist in continuously keeping the operating costs at a low level. Additionally, solvent saving mode makes sure that zero per cent of the solvent is used during production breaks.

The easy integration of the JET3up series is ensured at all times due to the shortened printhead of 212mm and a large selection of printhead versions. While the printer is on, remote access via VNC makes it possible to control the printer conveniently from any computer in the company or from the production control station. Commands can also be sent from the tablet or smartphone to the JET3up via WiFi.

Paul Leibinger GmbH & Co KG – Germany
Website: www.leibinger-group.com

Construction product regulations (CPR) regarding fire reaction will come into force for cables on 1st December 2015 with a one-year transition period

Standard EN 50575:2014, power, control and communication cables, is the umbrella standard for cables. It details the fire requirements for cables used in construction works, allowing a declaration of performance (DoP) to be made to allow the CE mark to be fixed to cables.

Publication of the standard EN 50575:2014 will allow local legislative bodies to define the performance classes required for cables in different situations. Product certification bodies and testing laboratories can also begin certification. From 1st December 2015, product certification bodies can issue certificates for the cables.

Cable manufacturer Nexans is preparing guidance documents and technical training to help specifiers, installers and wholesalers comply with the new regulations as soon as they come into force. During the 12-month transition period, both CPR and existing regulations will co-exist. After this period, DoPs according to the new regulations will be mandatory.

Dario Giordani, European product manager fire safety at Nexans, said:

Nexans has been actively keeping up to date with the construction product regulations to ensure our products will be compliant with the regulations and to help specifiers, installers and wholesalers keep up to date.

Apollo and Alcatel-Lucent submarine networks (ASN) have demonstrated a capacity of 8Tbit/s of data per fibre pair – equivalent to approximately 1.25 million simultaneously streamed HDTV channels –on the Apollo South system, connecting France to the USA.

ASN used its current generation 1620 Light Manager submarine line terminal, equipped with the latest 100GBp/s technology and utilising detection techniques and advanced error correction coding. In combination with proprietary modulation and pulse shaping schemes, this commercially available solution counteracts the signal distortions and noise that impact high speed, long distance transmission performance.

The demonstration implemented smart spectral engineering, which includes a fully flexible WDM grid and multiple modulation schemes, tuning the optical transmission to match each channel format to line performance. This capability will be extended by the 1620 Softnode, enabling an increase of over ten per cent in the ultimate capacity per fibre pair. With the next evolution of error correction coding and pulse shaping schemes, it is believed that over 10Tbit/s per fibre pair could be available.

Richard Elliott, managing director of Apollo, said:

The achievable capacity of 8Tbit/s per fibre pair has confirmed once again our expectation that Apollo could carry around four times the current entire Atlantic traffic in use today.

Norway’s Statnett is reinforcing the country’s electricity network with the Inner Oslofjord power connection project, using Nexans’ 420kV subsea cable systems.

Statnett is investing in the Inner Oslofjord project to ensure security of power supplies for customers in central eastern Norway by replacing two existing links, built in 1958 and 1975. The new systems will also enable power exchange with Sweden.

The project covers two new links, with each link comprising seven individual cables based on Nexans XLPE cable installed at a maximum water depth of 220m.

Nexans will design, manufacture and test the cables for the Inner Oslofjord at its facility in Halden, Norway. The cables will be laid by Nexans using Statnett’s cable-laying vessel, M/S Elektron, and the project is due for completion in 2018.

Eurolls SpA has appointed Scott Liebenberg, owner of AWT Machinery Inc, of Rockford IL, USA, as the company’s representative in North America.

Mr Liebenberg has wide knowledge of the wire industry, and AWT Machinery will ensure comprehensive local support for customers in North America by providing new machinery, technical support, and spare parts.

The Flamanville 3 EPR nuclear plant, under construction in France, is to undergo tests following the detection of anomalies in the steel in parts of the reactor pressure vessel.

AREVA and EDF discovered the anomalies in late 2014, after chemical and mechanical tests were performed on a model of the reactor vessel head and bottom. The French nuclear safety authority (ASN) was informed in April that the tests revealed the presence of a zone in which there was a high carbon concentration, leading to lower than expected mechanical toughness values.

Initial measurements confirmed the presence of this anomaly in the reactor vessel head and reactor vessel bottom head of the Flamanville EPR, ASN said. The Flamanville 3 RPV was manufactured by AREVA at its Saint Marcel heavy components facility in Burgundy.

A new series of tests will be carried out on the representative vessel head to precisely identify the location of the anomalies and determine the area's mechanical properties. ASN will make a decision on the acceptability of the test program, check its correct performance, and examine the file to be submitted by AREVA to demonstrate the robustness of the reactor vessel.

The French regulator will call on the expertise of the institute of radiation protection and nuclear safety (IRSN) and the advisory committee of experts for nuclear pressure equipment during this process. Work is continuing at the 1,650MW Flamanville EPR, which is expected to start up in 2017.

The international cable protection committee (ICPC) and the international seabed authority (ISA) held a joint seminar in March to discuss submarine cables and deep seabed mining, Advancing common interest and addressing UNCLOS due regard obligations.

The focus of the initial meeting was to exchange information between the ISA and ICPC in relation to the practical facets of fulfilling the ‘due regard’ provisions of the United Nations convention on the law of the sea (UNCLOS) as they relate to subsea cable and mining activities.

The two-day workshop included five representatives from ICPC, as well as mining experts, legal counsel and government organisations. Speakers on behalf of ISA included: Michael Lodge, deputy to the secretary-general and legal counsel; Gwenaëlle Le Gurun, legal officer, and Sandor Mulsow, of the office of resource and environmental monitoring.

Neil Rondorf, ICPC chairman, said:

We are pleased to have connected members of ISA and ICPC to learn more about one another and to have shared important information that benefits both organisations in regards to building a relationship between seabed users in the subsea mining and subsea cable sectors.

ISA’s deputy to the secretary-general and legal counsel, Michael Lodge, acknowledged:

The inaugural and joint workshop was an excellent starting point to help foster the collaboration between the ISA and ICPC that originated from our bilateral MoU. We look forward to future conversations.

An extension of Shanghai’s state power grid will be supported by a new 500kV XLPE cable system from Nexans. The contract was awarded by the Shanghai municipality electric power company (SMEPC) of state grid corporation of China (SGCC). Nexans will supply 45km of XLPE cables and required accessories as part of the contract.

The new power link, between the Baoshan and Yangpu districts, will be Nexans’ second 500kV XLPE installation in Shanghai. Nexans will design, manufacture and install a 15km circuit in an underground tunnel, connecting Yanghang station to Hongyang substation.

This will be Nexans’ fourth 500kV project in China. In 2009 the company delivered 51km of XLPE cable as part of SMEPC’s Shibo project, and 9.4km XLPE cable for Guandi hydro power project by ERTAN. The company also supplied a similar circuit (20km) in 2014 as part of the Haidian project in Beijing.

Philippe Gastineau, executive vice president of Nexans land high voltage, said:

This new contract in Shanghai reinforces Nexans’ position as the leading solution provider for 500kV inner city grid reinforcements. Having worked with SMEPC on the Shibo project, we are looking forward to continuing our relationship.

The Hongyang project is expected to be completed towards the end of 2016.

German technical universities are among a team working under the lead management of Siemens to develop a gas-insulated DC transmission line. Known as the DC CTL (compact transmission line for direct current high voltage) the line is intended for underground installation and to transmit up to 5GW of power per system.

The DC CTL will be based on existing gas insulated transmission line (GIL) technology, consisting of two concentric aluminium tubes with a mixture of gases for the insulating medium. Until now, the GIL has only been available for alternating current.

The challenge for the DC CTL is imposed by the design of the components, taking into account their specific properties at high direct voltages. However, because of its significantly higher current-carrying capacity, up to 5,000 amperes, the DC variant of the GIL would not only be able to transmit the required amounts of electrical power more efficiently, compared with cable, in a future grid upgrade, it would also make power transmission routes more environmentally compatible and cheaper.

The underground DC transmission line is of significance for Germany's transition to a new energy mix because its development will initially take place in Germany. Later on, inquiries from other countries in the EU or elsewhere in the world would be quite possible. In any case, with development of the gas-insulated DC transmission line, Germany will play a pioneering role in the design of future energy transmission systems, said Denis Imamovic, at Siemens energy management division.

Enel Green Power has announced its intention to build a wind farm in the province of Huaura region, Lima, Peru. Construction of the 36MW Pampa Wind Farm Salinas is estimated at $75million, with a 14km transmission line to the national electricity grid being planned.

Construction of Pampa Salinas is expected to take 12 months, and the plant is believed to have a useful life of 25 years.

Wire and fibre rope manufacturer Bridon has won a major contract from Samsung Heavy Industries to supply mooring cables for the Egina oilfield, off the coast of Nigeria.

Each complete cable reel will weigh 185 tonnes. Andy Dodwell, Bridon’s commercial director, said: This demonstrates another significant achievement in our manufacturing capabilities, being the longest mooring cable Bridon has manufactured for more than a decade.

The Egina oilfield is 100 miles off the coast of Nigeria and covers an area of around 500 square miles. Oil reserves are estimated at 550 million barrels.

Mojo Maritime has completed its installation of cable protection works off the north Cornwall coast. The operation involved the accurate placement of rock filled filter units, taken from the DP2 vessel Stril Explorer, to create an artificial ridge to protect for the Wave Hub 33KV export cable.

Each filter unit consists of a CE approved fibre mesh bag containing two tonnes of aggregate. The filled bags adopt the profile of the seabed, so they can be used to construct protection measures without the need for seabed preparation.

To achieve the positional tolerances demanded for the project, Mojo Maritime designed a specialist lifting beam, incorporating remotely actuated lifting pins, capable of lifting and accurately placing two units at a time. The special beam enabled 105 filled units to be placed in position within 14 hours, despite poor subsea visibility.

Cable cleat manufacturer, Ellis has secured a second specification from the National Grid.

The Woodhead tunnel, which runs from Dunford Bridge to Woodhead in the Peak District national park, will be used to carry high voltage cables forming part of a 400,000V transmission system. Ellis’ Centaur cable saddles are already installed in the HV tunnel, and are now to be joined by the company’s 2A aluminium clamps.

Paul Nolan, Ellis’ UK sales director, said:

The Centaur cable saddle was designed specifically for this type of project and has proved to be a huge success. It secured our biggest ever order for National Grid’s London power tunnels in 2012, and is now being specified for HV tunnels around the world.

Our intention, when we brought our enhanced range of 1A and 2A bolt aluminium clamps to market last year, was for them to be targeted directly at the HV power tunnel market – and to date this is paying dividends.

Ellis’ 1A and 2A clamps have a new shape that offers greater strength, and are available in 22 different sizes - 38mm to 120mm for the 2A and 10mm to 58mm for the 1A. The range is die cast from LM6 cast aluminium. The 2A clamp has been short circuit tested in accordance with IEC61914 with a peak level of 173kA, and all products have the option of a neoprene liner and epoxy coating.

Subsea Cables UK, a trade association for submarine power and telecommunications cables for the UK and Northern Europe, has added two new guidelines to its guidance portfolio. Guidelines 14 and 17 cover power cable installation, and testing of AC and DC subsea power cables, respectively.

The guides are compiled by a team from the SCUK membership and offered free to all SCUK members.

Tony Zymelka of Zytech Ltd, chair of the working group that produced the guidance, commented: The combined experience of subsea cables, that the team and SCUK bring to these documents, has been accumulated over many hundreds of years, and many tens of thousands of kilometres of all types of subsea cables installed.

Peter Jamieson of Virgin Media, and chairman of Subsea Cables UK, added: SCUK has a long history of producing valuable industry guidance that is welcomed globally. Industry experts that are members of SCUK have freely given their time and experience in the compilation of this guidance for the benefit of all concerned with the subsea cable industry.

Solar Power Inc has entered into a non-binding agreement with Global Renewable Construction Ltd Group to acquire rights to develop 50MW of solar projects in the UK. According to the heads of terms, SPI intends to complete the construction and development of projects in Wales and the Midlands, with completion for all the projects targeted between the third quarter of 2015 and the first quarter of 2016.

Each of the projects is less than 5MW and so expected to be eligible for accreditation under the UK's feed-in-tariff (FiT) scheme or renewables obligation certificates (ROCs) at rates of 1.3 ROCs/MWh. It is hoped that this will attract further investment.

Today's announcement marks another significant step forward in building SPI's leading presence in the UK, one of the most promising PV markets globally with highly attractive FiT and ROC 1.3 incentives, said Xiaofeng Peng, chairman of SPI. As our second recently announced agreement with a major UK developer, we are confident that our efforts to grow and diversify SPI's global PV portfolio in the UK and Europe will continue to gain momentum.

Russia is a strategic market for Cortinovis Sictra and Trafco.

Sictra drawing lines for copper rod, aluminium and alloys rods as well as multiwire lines for flexible conductors, cable screening and automotive wires are installed. Cortinovis sold and installed tubular stranders for aluminium, overhead conductors, buried optical cable armouring as well as special Tubularskip lines for OPGW cables.

Rigid stranders for low medium and HV cables as well as for MV screening have also been widely supplied. Drum twisterd for laying up and armouring any kind of cables from LV up to Milliken HV are also used by Russian companies. Planetary stranders and the unique Conotorsion lines for control cables are also in use heavily throughout the country.

All of this makes of Cortinovis Sictra the appropriate partner for any company investing in cable and wire machinery or steel ropes. For the limited budget customers there is also a wide selection of refurbished second hand equipment for sale from Trafco.

With extensive knowledge of the entire cable process, Cortinovis Sictra can support clients from the copper or aluminium rod drawing down stream to the stranding, laying up and armouring of the cable.

Customers, old and new, are invited to the company’s stand FOD55 at the exhibition where CEO Laura Loturco, general manager Andrea Camparada and technical manager Diego Pagliarello will be available.

The UK certification authority for reinforcing steels is to investigate quantities of boron in imported Chinese rebar after warnings from the trade association, UK Steel.

UK Steel is suggesting that Chinese data indicates that its exported rebar contains small amounts of other elements to qualify the steel as an alloy, and so benefit from an export tax rebate. It said a significant but unknown proportion of Chinese rebar sold in the UK contains boron in excess of 8 parts per million and that samples had been tested with boron at 30 parts per million.

According to guidance from The Welding Institute, the body responsible for the professional registration and certification of welders and joiners, rebar containing boron in excess of 5 parts per million requires different welding techniques.

UK Steel director Ian Rodgers said:

Our advice to any fabricator with stocks of Chinese rebar is that they should urgently identify any bars containing more than 5 ppm of boron and segregate them. These bars should not be used in structures requiring welding until staff have been trained in the specific welding techniques required.

In July 2014, video evidence shared with Construction News showed unlabelled, and potentially non-compliant, bundles of imported rebar on the Liverpool docks and in transit on British roads. In August 2014, samples of Chinese rebar failed to meet British standards in independent laboratory tests.

TRAFCO has recently completed the purchase of Cortinovis Sictra.

The new company’s head office, as well as cable machine production workshop and assembly hall, will be based in northern Italy.

The deal maintains Trafco’s long experience in refurbishment of used machines and its trade activities, as well as the review and improvement of clients’ machinery.

With both companies being in the copper sector and with experience in rolling processes, drawing of non-ferrous materials and processes for cable production, the merger will allow the new company an advantage in terms of technology, the design and construction of all types of machines and installations for the production of wire, cable and rope. The range of products will include:

• Wire drawing lines: Complete twin rod breakdown line, controlled slip rod breakdown line, evolutionary multi-wire drawing line for plain and tinned copper wires, twin intermediate wire drawing line, intermediate single wire drawing line, drawing line for trolley wire
• Accessories: Spoolers, down coilers
• Cable production range for ferrous materials: Double twist strander for the steel industry, PC wire line, PC strand line, steel ropes machinery
• Cable production range for non-ferrous materials: Central tube strander, double twist bunching, stranding and laying up machines, drum twister, rigid stranding machine, rigid cage screening machine, monotorsion/conotorsion wire armouring, screening and laying up machine, mono-bitorsion strander
• Cable production range for ferrous/non-ferrous materials: Bow type laying up and stranding machine, tubular strander, planetary machine
• Extrusion lines: Double and triple coextrusion, triple coextrusion for medium tension, vertical and horizontal extruders
• Accessories: Automatic coiling lines, rewinding lines, drawing dies laboratory, and a complete range of spare parts, drawing dies and accessories.

Trafco Srl – Italy
Website: www.trafcomachinery.com

Cortinovis Sictra – Italy
Website: www.cortinovismachinery.com

FOERSTER has expanded into new business sectors after completing the takeover of NDT Systems GmbH.

The company completed the deal and the continuation of all business operations after both companies signed the agreement at the end of August.

Foerster, based in Reutlingen, Germany, is a medium-sized company in the field of non-destructive testing of materials. It has been active in the development, production and sale of equipment for testing bars, tubes and wires for more than 60 years.

With the takeover of NDT Systems, it now has a product range that fits well into the current organisation with regards to sales, project planning and service, and technologically complementing the existing range of products. Counting ten international sales and service subsidiaries as well as representatives in over 60 countries, the group can continue to offer optimum customer support.

The combination of the two methods – NDT Systems‘ ultrasonics and Foerster’s eddy current – for quality testing in railroad track production, has been successfully applied in many testing lines around the world.

President Felix Förster is convinced that the two companies will complement and therefore give additional value to customers in different testing applications. With its 330 employees in Reutlingen and 560 employees worldwide, Forester generates €110 million per year in group revenue.

Institut Dr Foerster GmbH & Co KG – Germany
Website: www.foerstergroup.de

MARKETS demand new technologies that are as fast and flexible as possible. Ernst Koch will provide solutions today for the challenges of tomorrow.

Wire plays an important role in industry. It is present in the reliable production of mobility, in strong connections for architecture, and in highly sensitive medical applications.

Ernst Koch manufactures wire drawing and cold rolling systems for the iron and steel wire industry, which is able to build its own machinery.

As a system supplier, it can plan, supply and install complete machine lines for the production of wire – lines that are designed for particular tasks and implemented with all the components needed.

The company’s consultancy, products and services have been of a high standard for more than 90 years. Customers in more than 60 countries value this long experience and its pioneering technological capabilities.

Ernst Koch GmbH & Co KG – Germany
Website: www.koch-ihmert.de

The International Wire & Machinery Association (IWMA) – the world’s largest corporate trade association for the wire and cable industry – is moving to new offices.

The IWMA will be taking up residence at an office complex, ideally situated near Birmingham International Airport, in the UK.

The move comes as part of the association’s long-term expansion plans to develop its membership and grow internationally, and was passed at an executive board meeting in September.

The IWMA is currently based in the same building as Intras Ltd, publishers of EuroWire, Wire & Cable ASIA and wiredInUSA, in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, UK, and will make the move over the next two months.

Steven Rika, chairman of the association, said:

This is both an exciting and challenging time for the IWMA, but one which we are very much looking forward to. It is an ideal opportunity for us to grow and we are relishing the challenge. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Intras for the help and assistance we have had over four decades in building the IWMA into what it is today. We have, and continue to maintain an excellent relationship with everyone at Intras and I expect to see us working closely together for the foreseeable future.

Caroline Sullens, managing director of Intras, added:

Over the last two years the IWMA has developed exponentially under the direction of the current executive committee and new management team. Following on from a corporate re-branding and new website in 2013 I am delighted to see the IWMA take up residence in its own premises which has come about at precisely the right time with the association in such good hands.

The International Wire & Cable Symposium has appointed David B Kiddoo as its new chief executive from 1st January 2015.

He replaces John T Barteld who retires from the organization on 31st December.

Mr Kiddoo brings to the position a solid background as a supplier to the wire and cable industry. Over 30 years of experience, primarily at DuPont and AlphaGary, as well as very active participation in industry organisations make him the ideal candidate to carry on the work at IWCS.

He has has served on the IWCS Symposium Committee and Board of Directors for over 20 years and remains an active leader of industry organisations, such as the Communications Cable & Connectivity Association (CCCA), Building Industry Consulting Services International (BICSI), National Electrical Manufacturing Association (NEMA), Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), the Vinyl Institute (VI) and the Flexible Vinyl Alliance (FVI).

Mr Kiddoo is a graduate of Bucknell University, with a degree in chemical engineering. He and his wife Lisa reside in Maryland.

Mr Barteld is retiring after ten years of service as the CEO/Director of the IWCS, which remains the premier technology event for the wire and cable, and connectivity industries, with broad support from industry and a viable annual Conference and Symposium. In retirement, John will continue his teaching activities at York College of Pennsylvania.

The 63rd IWCS International Cable • Connectivity Symposium is scheduled for 9th to 12th November in Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

This Thursday (18th September) sees an online auction for the complete automotive cable manufacturing plant of J Horts Automotive.

The Barcelona, Spain-based company, manufactured zinc plates and stainless steel micro cables, transmissions, remote controls, cable sheaths and other accessories for the automotive industry, as well as interior cables that were used for seating, door and solar applications.

Founded in 1953, the company grew to be a global company with production plants in Asia and Europe, serving clients from North and South America, across Europe and into Russia.

Now the entire former assets will be auctioned off this Thursday in an online only auction.

This wire and cable equipment sale will feature over 200 lots including Barmag DV2 stranding machines; Sket stranding and drawing machines; rolling wire machines; die casting, extrusion and length machines; lab, test and workshop equipment; support equipment and more. Perfection Industrial Sales, in conjunction with Heritage Global Partners and Commission Brokers, have been appointed to conduct the online auction.

The auction will close on Tuesday, 23rd September in Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. The sale will be conducted in Euros. Further details are available from John Bopp at +1 708 606 3240 or at [email protected]

Perfection Industrial Sales – USA
Website: www.perfectionindustrial.com

Integer Research, UK, is staging the third Advanced Cable Asia conference from 2nd to 4th December in Shanghai, China.

Asia’s economic situation remains robust, with moderate growth forecast to continue in China and India and a stable outlook across the Southeast Asian region.

As the region’s largest economy, China makes up a quarter of the global wire and cable demand and continues to have the largest cable production market in the world. On-going projects such as the ‘West–East Electricity Transfer’ and the expanding high-voltage power grid network have been driving a growth in demand for advanced power cables, while high-end fibre optic cables are increasingly required for the ’12th Five Year’ projects like ‘Broadband China’ and IT data centre infrastructure.

However, Integer Research has lowered its projection for growth in Chinese wire and cable demand slightly to 3.5 per cent year-on-year between 2013 and 2018, which reflects the Chinese government’s policy on market consolidation and sustainable growth. It is believed that the Chinese wire and cable market will need to have a new round of market reshuffling in the next few years in order to clean up the overcapacity and poor quality production.

To survive and stand out in this extremely competitive market place, many Chinese wire and cable producers recognise the need to implement more effective strategies to differentiate and standout, including expansion into high-skilled sectors, stricter quality control schemes, and advanced automation of manufacturing processes.

The South-East Asia market, as a whole, is expected to be one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, but the situation does vary country by country. Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia are leading the way, while opportunities are also being seen in Myanmar, the Philippines and Singapore.

Indonesia and Thailand, in particular, have been making large-scale investment into the sophisticated power transmission and telecommunication network infrastructure, which will trigger a huge demand for advanced power cables, telecom cables and fibre optic products.

The forecast for production from Integer Research has indicated 6.5 per cent compound annual growth rate in both Indonesia and Thailand by 2018. It is vital for any cable industry stakeholders to plan in advance for these emerging opportunities.

More developed markets such as Japan and South Korea are experiencing a recovery to their pre-crisis levels. In the year 2013/2014, Japan consumed over 700k tons of copper for the wire and cable industry and the market almost levelled out. The major challenge for market players there is to understand the fragmentation of both the global and Asian wire and cable markets and to maintain their leading positions in the industry.

Advanced Cable Asia 2014 conference will provide the one-stop knowledge-sharing and networking platform for both global and Asian wire and cable executives to discuss the strategies and technologies needed to succeed in the advanced cable markets.

The dedicated streams in advanced power cable and fibre optic sectors will identify the key market developments and growth areas for the wire and cable manufacturers, while uncovering the potential opportunities and technology-related demand for suppliers and solution providers.

Integer Research – UK
Website: www.integer-research.com

For some years, Deyang Jiechuang Wire & Cable Machinery Co Ltd (JCDOFAMA), has focussed on research and development of drawing machines to meet every kind of wire requirement for its customers.

They have now developed a new state-of-the-art shape wire drawing machine, which can process both alloy copper and aluminium rod into round wire, trapezoid and Z-type wire (equivalent size Φ2.8～6mm).

Featuring a continuous non-slip drawing section with individual drives, the motor can be AC, servo or high torque. The machine is highly automatic with few operations where labour is involved, and the company has sold more than 10 machines worldwide this year alone.

Deyang Jiechuang Wire and Cable Machinery Co Ltd – China
Website: www.jcdofama.com

For nearly 35 years, Kinrei of America has been the lead distributor, sales agent and service representative for Kinrei Machinery Co Ltd of Japan; exporters to the USA, Mexico and Canada of quality cabling machinery.

Kinrei’s diverse product catalogue includes machines for ultra-thin wire, unilay and concentric, litz, automotive, medical, twinning and cabling in tubular, single or double twist.

The company is committed to providing its customers with the highest quality products and industry leading value-added services. It also supplies complete pay-off systems, including take-ups and rewinders, to complement its twinners and bunchers for whatever type of reels or applications customers may require. Kinrei has in-house capabilities to supply single and multi-head configurations for bunching, stranding, extrusion and fibre optic applications.

Product Lines include:

• Kinrei – twisting equipment including bunchers, stranders, cablers and support equipment
• Watson spare parts/service – complete support of drawings, parts/service for Watson, New England Butt, Edmunds and Wire Machinery Equipment twisting equipment
• Donnelly Reels – choose from steel and high-quality ABS plastic reels. Plastic reels are manufactured by Sudhir Enterprise of India. Steel reels are manufactured in India and China
• Kopilowitz Engineering, Ltd – pay-offs, take-ups and accessories
• Candor Sweden AB – supplier of plating equipment and processes for inline wire and strip surface treatment

Kinrei of America – USA
Website: www.kinreiusa.com

Prysmian Group has been awarded a new major order for approximately €80m for power transmission system expansion projects by Kahramaa, the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation.

The contract comprises engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning services for extra high voltage underground cable systems for a total of 173km of 220kV cable and related network components, as part of the stage 2 of Phase XI of the Qatar Power Transmission System Expansion project aimed at strengthening the main transmission networks and at securing power supplies to the industrial and residential sectors.

The upgrade includes also replacement of an overhead line with an underground cable system.
The project will be implemented by the group’s established offices in Qatar, using production from Gron (France) and Livorno (Italy). Installation of the first circuits will start in 2014 and the scheduled completion date is during 2016.

This award reflects Kahramaa’s trust in Prysmian’s capabilities to meet the increasing needs for the development of new power grids in Qatar and this strategic region, said Antonio Chiantore, general manager for Prysmian Group in the Middle East.

We have already supplied and installed other sections within the Kahramaa power transmission grid in Qatar and we are very happy to undertake this new project.

In addition to providing further confirmation of the validity of the group’s know-how and technologies for application in underground power transmission, this new project also underlines Prysmian’s leadership role in a strategic region like the Middle East, where the group can rely on a number of projects completed or currently ongoing including the first-ever submarine power transmission link serving Doha, the GCC Saudi-Bahrain submarine interconnection and the 400kV power transmission system for Transco connecting the Bahia and Saadiyat Grid Stations in Abu Dhabi.

More recently the group has also been awarded a contract for the interconnection of the Zakum offshore oil field in Abu Dhabi.

Prysmian Group – Italy
Website: www.prysmiangroup.com

Arnold Magnetic Technologies has rebranded its rolled products division. The division’s new name, Precision Thin Metals, or PTM, better reflects the strategic role PTM’s thin and ultra-thin specialty alloys play in high-efficiency motors, generators, batteries and emerging technologies that require lighter, smaller and more efficient system designs.

Arnold officially unveiled the rebrand at the CWIEME Coil Winding Expo in Berlin, Germany, in June.

The company also launched the new PTM website, www.arnoldmagnetics.com/PTM, in order to better serve engineers and program managers looking for solutions that enable their innovative products as well as support the efficient electrification of their systems with lighter and smaller designs.

In March of this year, the PTM division earned accreditation from the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (Nadcap) for heat treating. This certification confirms that PTM’s metals and alloys adhere to the industry’s highest quality standards for aerospace and defence systems that must reliably endure extreme temperatures.

Arnold Magnetic Technologies – USA
Website: www.arnoldmagnetics.com

The ‘Introduction to medium and low voltage cables in distribution networks as support of smart grids’ is the latest publication from Europacable.

The paper is published in response to the increasing debate on the need to upgrade Europe´s distribution networks into what are often referred to as smart grids, and is available now from the Europacable website.

The paper seeks to provide an authoritative source of information about medium voltage and low voltage underground cables and overhead lines deployed in distribution networks.

It considers a system approach, ie including network components, special electrical devices and environmental aspects. In doing so, Europacable aims to provide an outlook on the relevance of these power distribution technologies for future smart grid systems.

Europacable – Belgium
Website: www.europacable.com

Selected products from the Icotek cable entry systems have been certified to comply with the EU Directive 94/9/EC (ATEX), for equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres of zones 1 and 21.

The ATEX (Ex) directive applies to all explosive industrial atmospheres including mining, with the Icotek range being suitable for zones G (gas) and D (dust) in equipment group II, category 2. ATEX stands for Atmosphere Explosible, and is the short name for the European directive 94/9/EC, regulating the market launch of explosion protected electrical and non-electrical devices, components and protection systems.

Since 1st July 2003 it has applied to all new equipment and protective devices. The directive is aimed at manufacturers and importers in the 27 member states of the EU as well as the four EFTA member states and Turkey.

The Icotek products covered are the KEL ATEX and the KEL-ER ATEX cable entry frames. These are split frame systems utilised to accommodate both un-terminated and pre-terminated cabling in a wide range of cable diameter options.

Reduced installation times can be achieved while retaining the pre-terminated cable warranties, and also ensuring that any retro-fitting of cabling or routine maintenance can be quickly and easily accommodated. With a range of frames and inserts high packing densities are achievable.

The products are available from sole UK distributor M Buttkereit Ltd.

Icotek GmbH – Germany
Website: www.icotek.com

Huntsman, a manufacturer and developer of polyurethane, has launched a number of new thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) for the wire and cable industry.

The new products, all available under the Irogran® TPU brand, complement Huntsman’s existing wire and cable portfolio, and enhance the company’s offering in three fields: standard ether solutions; UV stabilised TPUs for offshore applications; and high flame retardant grades aligned to clear market demand for higher safety solutions.

Each new TPU grade was developed following careful market evaluation and extensive discussions with Huntsman’s customers, and each offers outstanding performance and processing properties for the application it was designed for.

Two new high performance ether grades – Irogran® A 80 P 5039 and Irogran® A 95 P 5044 – have been created. Irogran® A 80 P 5039 gives customers a solution for applications where softer grades are needed for high flexibility cables. Irogran® A 95 P 5044 is a harder solution that gives wire and cable manufacturers the chance to reduce wall thickness and achieve cost efficiencies, without losing any of the benefits typically associated with TPUs. Both materials are particularly well suited for cable jacketing for sensor cables across the wire and cable market.

In offshore applications, cable solutions need to offer high UV stability; a requirement Huntsman has responded to by producing Irogran® A 85 P 4394UV and Irogran® A 92 P 4637UV. These new UV-stabilised developments offer outstanding performance and physical properties in this growing market segment and give operators the safety they need from materials employed in extreme environmental conditions.

A third group of new products has been developed in reaction to the trend for harder, higher flame retardant solutions for industrial applications where safety is a priority. The products, Irogran® A 89 P 5028DP and Irogran® A 89 P 5012DP, offer excellent hydrolysis and microbial resistance, and close the gap between the existing Shore A 85 and Shore A 95 products available in the Huntsman Irogran® portfolio.

The new materials offer high flame retardancy without compromising physical or functional properties. Ideal for technical extrusion and injection moulding applications, Irogran® A 89 P 5028DP is a harder version of Irogran® A 85 P 4380 – a well-established brand in the cable industry. The new grade offers outstanding extrusion and dimension stability. Additionally it meets UL 94 V0 standards.

Huntsman International LLC – USA
Website: www.huntsman.com

In July 2013 the St Gallen University of Applied Sciences (FHS) opened its new University Centre by the main station. The university’s teaching, research and services are enjoying the benefits of the new building, not least the cutting edge technology, including a high-performance Class FA communications network from Datwyler.

My experience over the past 25 years has always been that a good foundation is essential for long service life, said Harald Pintarelli, building technology facility services at FHS. With a view to the defined life cycle, which is between 25 and 30 years for the whole building, and a high level of investment protection, the Cantonal Building Department invited tenders for a Class FA universal communications cabling system providing a standardised bandwidth of 1000 megahertz.

A solution from Datwyler Cabling Solutions was selected. On the floors this comprises symmetrical type CU 7150 4P copper data cable and type PS-GG45 connectors. Cables and connecting technology conform to Category 7A up to 1000 megahertz. They even support a maximum bandwidth of 1500 MHz, so provide extremely high reserve capacity for multimedia and future applications beyond 10 gigabit Ethernet.

Between January and December 2012 the telematics specialists at Huber+Monsch AG in St Gallen installed around 125 kilometres of Datwyler copper data cable and 4,400 modules. For the backbone into the data centre the installers used approximately four kilometres of type FO Universal OM3 fibre optic cable with 24 and 48 fibres. Datwyler also supplied a variety of fire safety cables, for example for the power supply to the smoke and heat extraction system and the fire service lift.

The new communications network, which has been in operation since January 2013, not only provides the FHS with secure high-speed data transmission, but also incorporates the IP telephones, audio systems, video beamers and WLAN. The WLAN access points take the power they need via the data cables (PoE, Power over Ethernet).

The high quality specifications were all met, added Harald Pintarelli. This applies to the materials used as well as to the careful routing, connection and measurement. In this respect the new network has been running without a single hitch right from the start.

Dätwyler Cabling Solutions AG – Switzerland
Website: www.cabling.datwyler.com

Repsol’s Chemicals Division has entered into an agreement to license Chevron Phillips Chemical’s proprietary technology for production of metallocene-based polyethylene resins.

Repsol will be implementing this technology in its existing integrated site in Tarragona, Spain, which already uses Chevron Phillips Chemical MarTECH™ SL Loop Slurry Technology.

We are pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with Repsol and to provide them with world-class technology to help optimise their polyethylene product portfolio, said Pawan Bassi, global director of licensing for Chevron Phillips Chemical.

We are very proud to be Chevron Phillips Chemical’s first licensee to implement their innovative and differentiated technology to produce metallocene-based polyethylene resins, complementing our high performance portfolio for film and packaging solutions, said Esteban Gimeno, polyolefins business director for Repsol’s Chemicals Division.

Chevron Phillips Chemical’s technology for the production of metallocene polyethylene allows Repsol to increase its product portfolio and gives it the opportunity to offer higher-value end-products ensuring its line of product differentiation and specialties. With this agreement the company continues to invest in Europe proving commitment to its polyethylene customers.

Repsol – Spain
Website: www.chemicals.repsol.com

Haefely Hipotronics, a full-line manufacturer of high voltage test equipment and measurement instrumentation, has launched a new EMC Testing How-To video – featuring the AXOS Series of expandable conducted immunity test systems.

The video takes viewers behind-the-scenes with a Haefely industry expert to demonstrate a live surge combination wave test in standard and pre-compliance modes of operation. In addition to training users on how to safely set up and operate the AXOS8, the How-To video reviews its complete range of capabilities – including surge combination wave, ring wave, EFT/burst, telecom wave, AC/DC voltage dips and interrupts and pulsed magnetic field.

The video is now available on the company’s website and YouTube channel.

The series:

• Gives intuitive, step-by-step instruction on operation
• Answers commonly asked questions
• Explains best practices and techniques to users

Haefely Hipotronics – Switzerland
Website: www.haefely.com

Level 3 Communications will construct a new undersea cable, connecting Colombia to its international network. The terrestrial segment in Colombia will be constructed in partnership with EMCALI (Empresas Municipales de Cali), a state-owned utilities services company in Colombia. This new infrastructure will improve access to, and the efficiency of, communications services in the country.

Level 3 has been continually enhancing its network and services in Colombia to offer optimal solutions to our customers. This new Pacific subsea cable, in tandem with management from an experienced carrier such as EMCALI, should result in meaningful benefits for the country, said Hector Alonso, regional president of Latin America for Level 3.

EMCALI will use capacity over Level 3’s undersea cable network to connect the country directly from Cali to major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Santiago, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo. The new route also provides enhanced connectivity to cities in Asia and Europe as well as an infrastructure platform for other telecommunications industry projects and initiatives.

Level 3 operates a wide global platform anchored by owned fibre networks on three continents, in more than 60 countries and connected by extensive undersea facilities. The company owns over 110,000 miles of intercity routes, 36,000 miles of metro routes, and 33,000 miles of undersea routes.

Empresas Municipales de Cali – Colombia
Website: www.emcali.com.co

Researchers at a UK and US university have discovered that creating a graphene/copper/graphene sandwich strongly enhances the heat conducting properties of copper, a discovery that may help in the downscaling of electronics.

The work was led by Alexander Balandin, a professor of electrical engineering at the Bourns College of Engineering at the University of California, with Konstantin Novoselov, a professor of physics at the University of Manchester in the UK. Balandin and Novoselov are corresponding authors for the paper just published in the journal Nano Letters. Novoselov shared the 2010 Nobel prize in physics with Andre Geim for their discovery of graphene.

In recent experiments, the researchers found that adding a one-atom thick layer of graphene on each side of a copper film increased heat-conducting properties up to 24 per cent.

Whether the heat conducting properties of copper improves by layering it with graphene is an important question because copper is the material used for semiconductor interconnects in modern computer chips. Copper replaced aluminium because of its better electrical conductivity.

Downscaling the size of transistors and interconnects and increasing the number of transistors on computer chips has put an enormous strain on copper’s interconnect performance, to the point where there is little room for further improvement. For that reason there is a strong motivation to develop hybrid interconnect structures that can better conduct electrical current and heat.

Bourns College of Engineering – USA
Website: www.engr.ucr.edu

University of Manchester – UK
Website: www.manchester.ac.uk

Haefely Hipotronics, a full-line manufacturer of high voltage test equipment and measurement instrumentation, has launched a new EMC Testing How-To video – featuring the AXOS Series of expandable conducted immunity test systems.

The video takes viewers behind-the-scenes with a Haefely industry expert to demonstrate a live surge combination wave test in standard and pre-compliance modes of operation. In addition to training users on how to safely set up and operate the AXOS8, the How-To video reviews its complete range of capabilities – including surge combination wave, ring wave, EFT/burst, telecom wave, AC/DC voltage dips and interrupts and pulsed magnetic field.

The video is now available on the company’s website and YouTube channel.

The series:

• Gives intuitive, step-by-step instruction on operation
• Answers commonly asked questions
• Explains best practices and techniques to users

Haefely Hipotronics – Switzerland
Website:www.haefely.com

Specialist European cable manufacturer Tratos has launched a new website – www.reelingcables.com –dedicated to its Tratosflex reeling cables.

Tratos is a long-standing manufacturer and supplier of reeling cables for moving applications, supplying power, control and signalling functions. Its best selling Tratosflex ESDB cables feature a unique internal cable design, with the structure tightened against the internal relative movement.

This prevents the cable from twisting and leading to possible breakage – extremely dangerous when reeling at speeds up to 300m/m. The cables have been designed to be highly durable, operating in temperatures from -60ºC to +90ºC.

The new www.reelingcables.com from Tratos details the Tratosflex ESDB cable range, providing the option to download the latest product catalogue and view a range of case studies featuring Tratosflex in action around the world.

Recent applications include London Gateway, Jebel Ali Port in Dubai and Busan Port terminal in Korea. Tratos supplied Tratosflex-ESDB cable for use in 32 ZPMC high-speed cranes in the latter, which is the company’s largest order for this cable and is believed to be the biggest single order in the world to date for crane reeling cable.

In addition to the design, manufacture and supply of product, Tratos also offers a full engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) service with comprehensive after sales support provision. This ‘added value’ service, detailed on the new website, is available to Tratos customers worldwide.

As an EPC company, Tratos is able to carry out the detailed engineering design of a project, procure all the equipment and materials necessary, and then construct the application to deliver a functioning asset to clients, with a full after-sales support service following its completion.

Tratos – UK
Website: www.reelingcables.com

Meeting rooms booked, pens poised, a huge number of visitors for exhibitors to meet and explore opportunities with – this was wire and Tube 2014 in Düsseldorf. There was a buzz around the halls at the Fairgrounds – and that reached the stands and visitors alike as more than 72,000 people flooded into the halls for the five-day extravaganza.

The trade fairs took place at exactly the right time. Now several companies are planning on investing in order to position themselves for continued competition, explained Joachim Schäfer, managing director accountable for the fairs at Messe Düsseldorf.

Once again, wire and Tube recorded exhibitor growth as well as a significant increase in booked exhibition space, he added.

Visitors came to learn about the latest machines, equipment and products for the wire, cable and tube processing industries, and meet up with current and prospective suppliers and equipment manufacturers.

The steel and NE metal industry has long been considered to be a reliable early indicator for all other industries. The entire economy benefits when this market is strong – and with more than 108,000m2 of net exhibition space booked, around 98 per cent of exhibitors gave top marks for the way the two trade fairs went.

More than 1,300 companies from 54 countries journeyed to Düsseldorf for the wire exhibition, and occupied approximately 58,500m2 of space – a two per cent increase compared with the square metre figures from 2012.

The offerings in exhibition halls 9 to 12 and 15 to 17 ranged from machines and equipment for wire production and processing to tools and auxiliary materials for process engineering to materials and specialty wires.

Innovations from the areas of cable, measurement and control technology, as well as test engineering, were presented. Special fields such as logistics, conveying systems and packaging rounded off the offerings. The mesh welding machinery domain was presented combined under one roof for the first time – roughly 20 companies showing their products in hall 16.

Current forming technologies were presented in hall 15, while the latest spring-making methods were featured in parts of hall 16. All applications involving wire, cable and fibreglass machines, wire and cable production, as well as trade, were located in halls 9 to 12, 16 and 17.

The percentage of international trade fair guests is traditionally high with 66 per cent of the wire visitors travelling from abroad, representing a total of 70 countries.

The majority of all wire visitors came from the classic visiting nations of India, the USA, France, Italy, Great Britain, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the Netherlands and Japan. The visitors came primarily from industry (75 per cent), trade (11 per cent) and craft (four per cent).

Of primary interest to the visitors were machines for the processing of wire, steel bars and steel band (35 per cent), machines for the fabrication of wire, steel bars and steel band (32 per cent), end products (22 per cent), assistive equipment (machines, devices, tools, consumables; 21 per cent), forming technology (15 per cent) and spring-making technology (11 per cent).

• 4 STANDS at the tube and wire show 2014
• Over 6 TONNES of magazines
• 12 MEMBERS of staff

INTRAS Ltd, publishers of EuroWire, Wire & Cable ASIA, wiredInUSA, Tube & Pipe Technology and Tube Products International, were also warmly received at the exhibition with more than six tonnes of magazines, media packs and CDs being given to visitors at its stands.

Staff on the company’s stand at the North entrance were forced to recruit additional help as the doors were opened with magazines being handed out to people heading into the halls each day.

There was an additional reason for celebrations at PWM’s stand in hall 9. The company, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, chose the show as a staging ground for celebrations with customers old and new.

Visitor traffic was good throughout the show, particularly midweek, said Steve Mapsted, managing director of PWM, which designs, manufactures and supplies cold welding machines and dies.

Visitor quality was also good and an improvement on 2012. Sales leads were excellent and we sold a number of machines directly from the stand.

Our EP500 rod welder, in particular, proved popular with visitors looking for a reliable, cost-effective method of welding wire and strip 5m to 15mm.

Maillefer introduced a new market concept with three production solution levels: Enter, Extend, and Explore. The concept improves Maillefer’s possibilities to serve wire and cable manufacturers with different capacity needs and investment budgets.

The starting point of the concept development was to build a portfolio, which gives manufacturers more choices to meet market demands without compromising product quality. The wire show confirmed, that new innovative production solutions are appreciated and searched for more than ever, said Juha Hiltunen, director, sales and marketing, wire and cable business line at Maillefer.

The exhibition was a huge success for Bar Products & Services. The number of leads and the quality of the visitors to our stand fully justified the extra investment in a larger booth to show case our extended product range, said managing director Steven Rika, who is also chairman of the International Wire and Machinery Association.

The inclusion of a private meeting room enables us to have detailed technical discussions with many of our potential clients. It is a superb environment to meet with new and existing customers. We can now look forward to working hard at converting the leads into long-lasting business.>

Messe Düsseldorf have produced a world class event with their usual efficiency and organisation skills, and we were also extremely well supported by the IWMA who provided excellent and professional facilities for the hospitality to our guests and visitors.

Plans are already well underway for wire 2016 which takes place again in Düsseldorf from 4th to 8th April 2016.

Pictures:

• The Maillefer stand and staff
• Customers, old and new, and friends from 30 years in the industry help celebrate with PWM managing director Steve Mapsted, centre, with his wife Carol
• The exhibition was a huge success for Bar Products & Services
• Staff from INTRAS handing out magazines from its stand in the North entrance of the Düsseldorf Fairgrounds

Exhibiting at wire 2014 in Düsseldorf

AEI Machines
Stand: 11E11

Addressing the industry’s need of machines for higher tolerance power cables and new specification overhead conductor, AEI shall be showcasing its latest line of rigid stranding machines.

The stranders have been designed to deliver accurate back tension, smooth strand deviation and precise lay control. Equipped with the heavy-duty compacting head (die/roll/prespiral‐Millken), these features translate into superior quality compacted conductor for low, medium and extra high voltage power cables. Enhanced cage speeds and use of fully automatic bobbin batch loading systems (floor type or side trolley type) ensure higher production efficiency and uptime, features essentially required for overhead conductor manufacture.

AEI Machines – India
Website: www.aeimachines.com

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Bekaert
Stand: 10E62

Bekaert will showcase its core capabilities in steel wire transformation and advanced coating technologies. It will present its latest innovations in steel wire and coating technologies, and highlight the testing and development facilities.

The company also offers tailor-made solutions. Through co-creation and a development process that incorporates customer input, it aims to meet its customers’ needs and offer added value. This unique cooperative approach reflects its philosophy of working better together.

Bekaert NV/SA
Website: www.bekaert.com

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Davis-Standard
Stand: 09A21

Davis-Standard will be exhibiting high performance, cost effective Euro Blue® II Extruder, engineered for wire and cable applications.

Davis-Standard engineers and manufactures innovative extrusion equipment and systems to provide processors with rugged, reliable, yet cost effective solutions in the wire and cable industries. The company continually pushes the limits of performance to increase rates and productivity while also providing expert start-up and post installation follow-up, backed by superior technical support and services.

Davis-Standard LLC – USA
Website: www.davis-standard.com

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Ravni Technologies
Stand: 10C11

The new range of wire straightening and cutting machines from Ravni Technologies has been successfully launched.

The MDC30 is equipped with the servo cutting device and the user-friendly control panel. This machine cuts within a range of 3 to 10mm and operates at a rate of 30 to 130mpm.

All machine functions can be found on the user-friendly control panel, which displays the different stages of the production process.

Features have been designed for operational efficiency. The new MDC30 straightening and cutting machine incorporates four motors, and the cutting device is moved via a servomotor.

As with all Ravni Technologies machine models, the new MDC30 is fitted with a fast tool changer. The preset straightening tools save time and waste of wire at every diameter change.

The first feeding module also includes wire lubrication. The unused lubricant is recycled thanks to a fully integrated device. This enables the straightening operation to become easier, the wire’s surface to avoid scratches and also increases the lifetime of the machine’s tooling.

The range is completed with customised straightening and cutting machines such as:

• MDCxx-CH combined straight/cut/chamfering (or deburring) machines
• MDCxx-TG combined straight/groove machining/cut machines
• MDCxx-TT combined straight/cut-chamfer by orbital tools
• MDCxx-P profile straight/cut machines

Ravni Technologies – France
Website: www.ravni.com

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Paul Leibinger
Stand: 09F55

Marking and coding specialist Paul Leibinger will present its series Jet3 and Jet2neo of industrial inkjet printer with integrated automated Sealtronic nozzle seal. This technology prevents the ink in a printer from drying out even during prolonged breaks in production. The stand will also feature information on the Leibinger camera system LKS 5, which checks printouts and creates job logs.

The automated Sealtronic nozzle seal allows the company to meet the highest standards of reliability for industrial inkjet printers. Using the system, the nozzle and gutter form an airtight circuit whenever the printer is not being used for coding. No ink can leak out of the circuit and no air can get in. This keeps the ink fluid at all times – just like a sealed paint can – and the CIJ printer is always ready to go. Just a single push of a button and it is ready to print in less than a minute. All Leibinger small character inkjet printers from the Jet3 and Jet2neo series come standard with the automated Sealtronic nozzle seal.

Paul Leibinger GmbH & co KG – Germany
Website: www.leibinger-group.com

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Macro Bars and Wires
Stand: 17E15

Fair trade practice and long-term commitment to exports has earned Macro Bars and Wires (India) Pvt Ltd an enviable reputation. The company supplies to 20 EU member states, both directly and with local representation.

It offers wires for most applications in sizes from 24mm-0.1mm diameter and grades of AISI 200, 300, 400, Duplex and order quantity from 100Kgs to container loads.

Macro Bars and Wire Pvt (India) Ltd – India
Website:www.mbwindia.com

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MTT – Machinery Technology Trading
Stand: 10A40

MTT will present its newest hard and software solutions for line controls, temperature controls and visualisation. The highlight of its stand will be the compact automation solution for single extruders up to complete extrusion lines, all of which can be tailor-made to suit customer needs.

This includes: Configuration of the control system with a graphic engineering tool; easy to integrate in existing process controller systems/line controls; visualisation of all relevant process parameters; storage of process recipes; storage of process data; exact temperature control; and exact mass pressure control

MTT Machinery Technology Trading – Austria
Website: www.mtt.or.at

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Spirka Schnellflechter
Stand: 10G04

The DFF 16 A braider from Spirka is designed to shield micro coax cables, micro cables and catheters with super fine wire with optimum performance. The use of dancers, capstan control and optimised controlled bobbin carriers guarantees precise braid angle control, and ensures consistent tension at low levels, essentially eliminating the possibility of elongation.

The speciality for this braider newly designed and developed fine wire carrier allows the processing of wires in range of 0.3-1N. SSB has developed this precision braider based on experiences lasting for decades in the design and production of braiding machines, as result of market demand, especially in Asia but also to recent interest in Europe.

Spirka Schnellflechter GmbH – Germany
Website: www.spirka-schnellflechter.com

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Troester
Stand: 10F62

Troester will present its state-of-the-art extrusion equipment for the production of LV, MV, HV and EHV cables. This comprises CCV and VCV Lines, insulation and sheathing lines as well as single machines and components for efficient cable production.

X-Compound, the new company of the group, will join the stand and present its kneader technology for the continuous compounding of HFFR (LSOH), PVC, XLPE, semi-conductive materials and EPR/EPDM. X-Compound specialises in the planning and construction of complete systems for the compounding of plastics with the process steps conveying, melting, dispersing, mixing and degassing.

The team of specialists from TROESTER and X-Compound looks forward to meeting you at booth 10/F62 and will be happy to discuss your specific requirements with you.

Troester GmbH & Co KG – Germany
Website: www.troester.de

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Ugitech
Stand: 17A16

Ugitech, part of the Schmolz and Bickenbach Group, will spotlight the new stainless steels UGIMA® 4005 and UGIMA® 4509 for applications in the automotive and process industry. Additional highlights of the fair are welding wire for exhaust pipes as well as new lean duplex and super duplex steels.

The new martensitic stainless steel UGIMA® 4005 is suitable for components used in the automotive and process industries. With a chromium content of 12 per cent to 14 per cent and specific oxide inclusions, it is easy to machine and has excellent mechanical properties at the same time. UGIMA® 4005 is an economic alternative to conventional stainless steel 1.4005. Unlike the standard grade, the UGIMA® steel supports cutting speeds of up to 500m/min depending on the type of tool. Users profit from a productivity increase of 30 per cent to 50 per cent at constant tool life.

Ugitech SA – France
Website: www.ugitech.com

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Joachim Uhing
Stand: 11B40

One model Uhing will be exhibiting at its stand will be a simple winding assembly, allowing easy synchronisation of the winding speed of the spool and the traversing speed without requiring electronic components.

This will be in addition to a rolling ring study demonstrating how the linear running direction of the gear can be changed individually and without mechanical intervention while the shaft continues rotating in the same direction. A wide range of stroke speeds can be set almost continuously with the shaft rotating at a constant speed. The pitch can be changed with a stepping motor controlled by data from connected sensors or by direct user input.

Joachim Uhing & Co KG – Germany
Website: www.uhing.com

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Wire & Plastic Machinery
Stand: 09F21

Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp is a global equipment supplier offering high quality solutions for wire, cable, and optical fiber manufacturing. The company will be showcasing pictures, video, and an interactive presentation of its inventory offering.  

Visitors will have access to web-enabled stations for a live product search with detailed specifications and pictures. Wire & Plastic Machinery has a vast selection of in-stock machinery, offered as individual components to complete lines and can be delivered immediately from eight USA locations or completely reconditioned by an in-house engineering team. 

Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp – USA
Website: www.wireandplastic.com

Tekmar Energy has been awarded a cable protection contract for the Westermost Rough offshore wind farm. Situated 8km off the coast of Hull, Westermost Rough wind farm will cover an area of 35km2, generating 210MW of electricity.

Tekmar Energy, headquartered in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, will provide bespoke coverings to protect the infield and export cables from exposure to loads, deformations and fatigue during installation and over the wind farm’s service life.

Tekmar chief executive James Richie said:

The Westermost Rough project will play an important role in reducing CO2 emissions and contribute towards the UK achieving its targets of electricity generation from renewable energy schemes. This is a significant project for us...and the fifth time we have worked with DONG Energy. We will be supplying Westermost Rough OWF with our Teklink cable protection system which brings a range of benefits when compared to more traditional cable installation and protection.

In comparison with other subsea cable installations, Tekmar’s Teklink system does not require a j-tube and utilises a remote installation method. This is said to offer enhanced cable life and resilience, and to reduce the risk of damage and need for maintenance.

Over the past five years Tekmar has installed over 2,000 cable protection systems with a further 1,000 in design or manufacture for wind farms across Europe

In response to increasing global distribution of counterfeit cable products, BICSI president Jerry Bowman presented on research and activities of the Communications Cable and Connectivity Association (CCCA) in fighting counterfeiting and substandard cabling.

At Europol’s Awareness and Knowledge Building Conference in Spain, he was joined by speakers from the European Union, world law enforcement and customs officials such as Europol, Interpol, and World Customs Organization, as well as private sector experts from major household, industry and automotive brands.

All ITS industry stakeholders are affected by counterfeit and substandard product, said Mr Bowman. Everyone in the supply chain has a duty of care to ensure that the product they are purchasing or installing conforms with safety and quality standards and regulations.

When a counterfeit product is installed it’s more than a performance issue – it can threaten the safety of the workplace and put the consumer at risk. CCCA has made significant strides in educating the ITS consumer and US law enforcement in order to ensure the consumer is not deceived into buying cabling that is counterfeit or does not meet advertised standards.

While the work of CCCA is outside of BICSI’s charter, CCCA member cabling manufacturers and distributors have banded together to serve as the industry watchdog for these quality and safety issues.

Frank Peri, CCCA’s executive director, said:

This is an excellent example of CCCA and BICSI leadership working together to educate international law enforcement on counterfeit cables that threaten a global industry and risk public safety. When the layers of protection to assure that cables meet essential transmission and fire safety requirements are circumvented by counterfeits, end users and the entire supply chain suffer. We are proud to collaborate with BICSI in an ongoing effort to protect legitimate brands, quality cable and connectivity products and public safety.

Russian telecommunications company MegaFon has launched a terrestrial fibre optic cable route connecting Europe and Asia.

Built in partnership with Kazakhtelecom and Interoute, the Diverse Route for European and Asian Markets (DREAM) extends 8,700km from Frankfurt to Kazakhstan’s border with China.

It passes along a route, partly selected for low seismic activity, through Austria, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine.

International telecom operators will be able to utilise the safest and most optimal route to organise the transfer of data for their clients, as well as increase the reliability of their networks, said MegaFon CEO Ivan Tavrin, in a statement.

Every year the volume of traffic sent from Europe to Asia, along with the demand for the capacity of communication channels, is steadily growing. Therefore, we view this project as both significant and promising for MegaFon’s business.

At launch, DREAM is offering access to 10Gbps dense wavelength division multiplexing channels. The entire cable system has a potential maximum capacity of 8Tbps.

Terrestrial routes like DREAM are the ideal solution for the development of high speed circuits between these two parts of the world, said Renzo Ravaglia, executive vice president of Interoute’s service provider business.

The new path, from our point of view, will be an alternative solution to existing transcontinental systems and will meet high demand on the market.

Southwire has agreed a deal worth $786m to buy Coleman Cable Inc.

Coleman will be acquired by Southwire for $26.25 in cash a share – a premium of about 16.6 per cent to its price 29th October, the last trading day before media reports arose of a possible transaction. The deal includes the assumption of $294 million in debt.

Coleman's exceptional engineering capabilities across multiple end markets and stellar reputation among customers make it an ideal fit with Southwire, said Stuart Thorn, president and CEO of Carrollton, Georgia-based Southwire.

The deal delivers immediate and certain cash value to our stockholders and supports a strong future for Coleman,; Gary Yetman, president and CEO of Coleman, said in the statement. By partnering with Southwire, Coleman will benefit from Southwire's extraordinary track record of operational success as we continue to execute on our mission of expanding product offerings and sales and exceeding the expectations of our diverse and growing customer base.

After the deal closes, Southwire will take on Coleman's management team and expects to maintain a significant presence in Waukegan, the companies said.

Coleman had $914.6m in revenue in 2012. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter.

After 20 years as chief executive of the Niehoff group, Heinz Rockenhäuser retired at the end of October.

Under the leadership of Heinz Rockenhäuser, Niehoff considerably expanded its market share and also set up branches and subsidiaries in several countries.

During his time as CEO Niehoff expanded its product portfolio while the number of employees in the group worldwide increased from around 500 to 720. The company also built a new factory at the company´s headquarters in Schwabach, with the first part of the plant inaugurated in 2010. Turnover also increased from €50m to €125, consolidated in the whole Niehoff group to €150m.

Heinz Rockenhäuser´s successor is Arnd Kulaczewski, previously managing director (CEO) of the press builder Schuler SMG in Waghäusel, Germany.

Heinz Rockenhäuser, left, with Arnd Kulaczewski who has succeeded him as chief executive of Niehoff

It is just five months before the wire and cable industry head to Germany for wire Düsseldorf 2014, and many companies are already thinking ahead to the largest exhibition in the industry calendar.

Friedrich-Georg Kehrer, director of both exhibitions for organisers Messe Düsseldorf, gave a frank interview looking forward to both wire and Tube exhibitions, which run from 7th to 11th April.

In April of next year, wire and Tube will take place again simultaneously in Düsseldorf. What is the overall economical status in these industries?

Mr Kehrer: As we all know, the steel industry is at the beginning of the supply chain, making it a reliable indicator for the rest of the economy. As the largest raw steel producer in the EU, Germany – with 42.7 million tons in the ear 2012 – is number seven worldwide. Germany is also number seven, behind South Korea, in the area of hot-rolled products.

The steel industry is looking to 2014 with optimism: According to the Steel Trade Association, an upswing in the steel industry is expected. In spite of all uncertainties, the association expects a production increase of approximately three per cent in 2014. The global demand for steel also remains on a growth course.

The NE metal industry also recorded an economic upswing in the first half of 2013. 70 per cent of the companies surveyed in the NE metal industry assess their current business situation as good or typical for the season, as was reported by the German Metals Trade Association. The production level for this year is anticipated to be similar to that of 2012.

The perspectives are also on the positive side: More than 85 per cent of the companies predict equally good or better business in the coming six months.

Aluminium manufacturers can expect stable business results. In fact, production levels in 2013 may surpass those from 2012. The mood in the industry, which is benefiting from the trend to increasingly lighter cars and aircraft, could be described as cautiously optimistic.

German NE companies produced a total of approximately four million tons of NE metals in the first half of 2013. 43 per cent of this product was exported.

In summary, the economic climate of wire and Tube seems quite favourable.

What is the state of affairs today, five months before the trade fairs begin?

Mr Kehrer: To begin with, we are confident that we will achieve a good level of registrations again with the 2014 fairs. Once more we are expecting more than 2,500 companies and more than 100,000m2 of rented space. Fifteen exhibition halls are occupied.

Five months before wire 2014 begins, more than 58,000m2 are booked in halls 9 to 12 and 15 to 17. That is already more than the total space booked in 2012, and with that the exhibition halls for wire 2014 are full. It is still possible, however, to get onto a waiting list.

For Tube, 49,000m2 have already been booked. In 2012 the total space occupied in halls 1 to 7a was 48,500m2. Again, we are seeing the trend toward larger stands and a more substantial trade fair presence – a development that was observed in the previous events.

What status do the wire and Tube trade fairs have internationally

Mr Kehrer: The two trade fairs are by far the leading trade fairs in their respective industries. As a platform for mother trade fairs, Düsseldorf is internationally the number one meeting place for steel experts and professionals in the NE metals segment from around the globe. Here, technological innovations in the wire, cable and tube industries are presented. Here, exhibitors meet with their international clientele and establish new contacts for future business. No expanding company can afford not to show their colours in Düsseldorf.

What is different compared with the previous events in 2012?

Mr Kehrer: One thing that is different in 2014 is an even stronger classification of the individual exhibition areas. For example, we have the very first PTF – Plastic Tube Forum – in hall 7.1. Here, plastic tube manufacturers, dealers and consumers have the opportunity to present their combined competency in one special area. Why a separate forum? Because the plastic tube market is facing major challenges as well as opportunities in the areas of energy and environmental technology.

There is also a shift of emphasis at wire: For the first time, all exhibitors in the area of mesh welding machines are consolidated together in hall 16. Around 20 companies will be presenting their latest products on roughly 2,000m2. Here, companies such as Schlatter, EVG, Ideal and PEDAX will show concentrated technological power in one exhibition hall.

How are the focal points of the offerings distributed among the halls?

Mr Kehrer: At wire 2014, wire, cable and fibreglass machines will be located in halls 9 to 12, 16 and 17. The areas of wire and cable production will also be found there, as will trade.

Forming (fastener technology) will again be presented in hall 15, and spring making and mesh welding machine exhibitors will be in hall 16.

At Tube 2014, tube accessories will be located in halls 1 and 2. Tube trade and manufacturing will be in hall 2, as well as in halls 3, 4, 7.0 and 7.1. The China Pavilion will also be in hall 2.

Tube-Forming technology will be located in hall 5, and tube-processing machines will be shown in halls 6 and 7a. Machines and systems will also be in hall 7a.

The premiere of the PTF special exhibition will be in hall 7.1. Profiles will be located throughout halls 1 through 7.0.

Where do most of the exhibitors come from?

Mr Kehrer: Traditionally, exhibitors from Italy, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and Germany are strongly represented. The majority of the exhibitors from overseas are from the USA, India, Taiwan and China.

Which countries do most of the visitors of wire and Tube come from?

Mr Kehrer: Once again we are expecting around 70,000 trade visitors over the five days of the trade fairs. The majority of the trade fair visitors come from the strongest production and customer countries, such as Italy, Belgium, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Russia, Turkey and Germany. Overseas visitors come primarily from the USA, Brazil, India and China.

Customer and industry focus are being consistently strengthened at Tsubaki Kabelschlepp with reorganisation and restaffing of national and international sales, as well as the creation of the strategic marketing department.

Peter Marzinekis in charge of sales for the German-speaking region as new head of sales for Germany/Switzerland/Austria. His international counterpart is Markus Fuchs who is head of international sales. He is responsible for the activities of the subsidiaries and the dealer sales network of Tsubaki Kabelschlepp worldwide, as well as for the Kabeltrax division.

Both have longstanding experience and an excellent reputation in the field of sales of industrial capital goods.

As head of strategic marketing, Oliver Obermeier additionally bundles all activities of strategic market development and product management for cable carrier systems and Traxline cables for motion as well as the worldwide industry sector management. He, too, has many years of international experience in sales and marketing.

There have also been changes in the global network of the subsidiaries and distributors. The subsidiaries in Russia with headquarters in Moscow as well as the new trading companies in Bulgaria, Malaysia and Indonesia strengthen the global sales setup in their regions while effectively intensifying the local customer support.

Dow Electrical & Telecommunications will take part in the IWCS technical symposium from 10th to 13th November in Charlotte, North Carolina. This annual conference unites participants from the international wire and cable and connectivity industries for in-depth discussions on industry trends and technologies. Dow E&T will have experts on hand to discuss:

• Its product portfolio that focuses on solutions that accelerate data transfer
• The latest innovations in RF cable cellular insulation for improved electrical performance, ease of manufacturing and lower signal loss
• A wide range of solutions for coaxial, copper LAN/twisted pair and fibre optic wires and cables.
• In addition, Dow E&T will present a professional development course and papers on key topics during the technical sessions:
  • Professional Development Course 3, MA101: Selection and use of materials in wire and cable/MR218B, Sunday, November 10th, 2-6pm. Chester J Kmiec and Dr Scott H Wasserman, Dow E&T
  • Technical Session 6: Commercial application for materials and Processes Tuesday, November 12th, 1-4pm. A Low Density Polyethylene Gas Injection Compound for Low Signal Loss Radio Frequency Cable, – Dr Anny Flory, Chester J Kmiec, Dirk Zinkweg, Dow E&T
  • Technical Session 10: Cable mterials and processes (Chairperson Dirk Zinkweg, Dow E&T), Wednesday, November 13th, 8am-11.25am. Low Coefficient of Friction Polyolefin FTTx Jacket for Improving Cable Installation in Ducts, – Saswati Pujari, Dr Anny Flory, Chester J Kmiec, Mohamed Esseghir, Jeffrey M Cogen, Dow E&T.
  Visit Dow at Booth 318 in the exhibitors hall to find out more.

British company PWM, which designs, manufactures and supplies high-performance cold welding equipment, has introduced a new video demonstration of its best-selling M101 manual cold welder.

The video, which can be viewed at www.pwmltd.co.uk, shows how the M101 can be used to weld non-ferrous materials quickly and easily without the need for heat, flux or fillers.

The M101, like all PWM’s cold welders, is designed and built in-house. It will weld copper wire 1m to 3mm (.040" to .141") and aluminium 1mm to 5mm (.040" to .197"), and can be used on a workbench or supplied with a trolley, enabling the operator to wheel it to the work area. No set-up time is required and the weld cycle takes only seconds to complete.

The M101 has been one of our best-selling machines since we launched it in 1986, because it is robust, low maintenance and very simple to operate, said Steve Mepsted, PWM’s managing director.

The M101 produces strong, consistent welds on round and profile wire, helping manufacturers avoid downtime, reduce material waste, and improve productivity.

Video demonstrations of PWM’s larger P1500, P1000 and EP500 rod welders, and its HP200 portable welder can also be viewed on the website.

Laying work began in mid-September of a new subsea cable between Barra and Eriskay, planned to increase capacity on Barra. The work utilised three large vessels - Forth Guardsman, Forth Sentinel and Forth Fighter - and was expected to take ten days, depending on weather conditions.

The operation in difficult waters was described by Fiona Monaghan, project support coordinator for the contractor, Briggs Marine: Forth Guardsman is a cable laying vessel, and performed cable installation operations using a combination of spud legs near shore and a four point mooring pattern offshore.

She continued: Forth Guardsman was supported by Forth Sentinel as anchor handling tug, and Forth Fighter as dive support vessel. During cable lay operations, Forth Guardsman was restricted in the ability to maneuver. The operations were carried out on a day operations basis and the vessels displayed the appropriate day shapes and lights (during reduced visibility) required by the IRPCS.

Photo caption: The Forth Guardsman cable laying vessel. Photo courtesy of D Thompson, www.marinetraffic.com

Wire Southeast Asia once again confirmed itself as the gateway to the region with an increase 28 per cent in visitor numbers to this year's exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand.

A total of 6,880 visitors attended the three-day show with 380 exhibitors from 30 different countries seizing the opportunity to make in-roads into the Asian market.

Visitors from outside Thailand included key decision makers from Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, China and India, demonstrating the demand for wire across the region.

Wire Southeast Asia was officially opened by Mr Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, president of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau

Three new machines will be unveiled at wire South America in São Paulo, Brazil, by Baudrand New Tech.

The French company will show:

• CR 23, a torsion coiler for wires up to 2.3mm, with up to 16 synchronised servo motors
• CM 80, a bending table extracted from a single-head long parts wire bender, mounted onto a Multiformer. This new concept allows Multiformer users to produce long wire forms with an investment limited to half the price of a complete machine. Wire sizes ranges from 3 to 8 mm
• WFC 120, a hybrid machine for wires up to 12mm. One of the purposes of this equipment is the fabricating of headrest frames for car seats.
• Potential customers can also ask the company about its range of second-hand spring coiling and wire forming machines, most of which are available from the premises in France.

* The CM 80 will be unveiled at wire South America

Herbold Meckesheim GmbH will be exhibiting at this year’s K-Show in Düsseldorf from 16th to 23rd October.

The company will be in Hall 9, stand 9B 42 at the leading fair for the plastics and rubber industries.

For professional recyclers and for the recycling of mixed plastics, Herbold is a hallmark name. The whole range of machines from shredders via granulators, washing and separation lines to plastcompactors make up the product line of the machine and plant manufacturer from Meckesheim, close to Heidelberg.

An impressive line-up of new developments will be on display, illustrating the new trend of being bigger with a higher throughput and a better quality, combined with less energy consumption.

The new mechanical dryer (type HVT) with a vertical rotor arrangement is a particularly space-saving and extremely service-friendly version. Energy consumption is with certain materials such as PET flakes considerably lower than with former models.

* Mechanical Dryer Type HVT

August saw two notable anniversary milestones in transatlantic communications – the first being the 155th anniversary of the completion of the laying of the first transatlantic cable, and the second being the first telegram sent on 16th August.

The first transatlantic telegram cable was laid from Telegram Field, Foilhommerum Bay, Valentia Island in western Ireland to Heart's Content in eastern Newfoundland. It may have only worked for three weeks but the foundations for communications between Europe and the USA were firmly laid.

After a number of failed attempts the first cable was landed on 4th August in Newfoundland and then on the 5th in Ireland by the converted warships, USS Niagara and HMS Agamemnon, respectively.

On 16th August the first message sent by cable was: Europe and America are united by telegraphy. Glory to God in the highest; on earth, peace and good will toward men.

Shortly after that message, Queen Victoria sent congratulations to President James Buchanan at his summer house in Pennsylvania – a 98-word note that took 16 hours to deliver!

* A map showing the laying of submarine telegraph cables on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean

At wire Southeast Asia 2013, Maschinenfabrik Niehoff and its subsidiary Niehoff Singapore Pte Ltd will show a D 631 type double-twist bunching machine with a newly developed ARP 630 pay-off.

The D 631 is designed to produce strands with 0.09 to 6mm² cross-section and a steplessly variable lay length of 6 to 100mm.

The maximum number of twists is 6,500 twists/min, and the maximum production speed is 300m/min.

Both the D 631 and the new ARP 630 pay-off work without a lifting table. The ARP is equipped with two pneumatic pintles which are designed to clamp spools with various bore diameters and lift the spools from the factory floor into the pay-off position. As an option, particular spool lifting tables are available too.

The Niehoff D type double-twist bunching machines are built in seven different sizes and cover a cross section range from 0.013mm² to 107mm² (copper wire). The machines represent the result of an experience in designing wire bunching and cable stranding machines which Niehoff has gathered since the late 1960s.

Compared to conventional bunchers, energy consumption and noise emission of the D series machines are significantly reduced due to their one-bow design, the aerodynamically optimised ECO-bow, and a state-of-the-art energy saving drive technology. By means of the automatically working optoelectronic NBAT (NIEHOFF Bunching Automatic Traverse) system, optionally available, the spools are perfectly filled and can be paid off tangle-free and without wire damages even at very high speeds.

At the Niehoff stand wiill also be the cold rolling mill manufacturer Bühler Würz Kaltwalztechnik and the lead extruder and cable repair and recovery system manufacturer HFSAB will be present.

Ormiston Wire, one of Britain’s longest running family businesses, celebrates its 220th birthday this year.

The company, which was formed in 1793 by Philip Ormiston in the city of London, is still going strong under the stewardship of his sixth-generation descendant Mark Ormiston.

The entire 220-year history of Ormiston Wire can be viewed as an interactive timeline on its Facebook page.

Ormiston Wire began trading in 1793 as a manufacturer of spring-wire for corsets and wigs but soon diversifi ed in the 19th century as one of wide audience. And in the 21st century the company was once again helping children to suspend disbelief when it supplied the wire that made the broomsticks fl y in Harry Potter.

Ormiston Wire celebrates its 220th birthday as a thriving business that still provides a dizzying array of wire to any size or length, with facilities for rolling, winding, rewinding, spooling, braiding, bunching, stranding and plastic coating, according to specification. - www.ormiston-wire.co.uk

Ree (red eléctrica de españa), the transmission system operator of the spanish electricity system, has awarded Prysmian Group a contract for the supply of a second circuit of the interconnection between the Balearic Islands of Mallorca and Ibiza.

The project involves the design, supply and installation of a high-voltage ac cable system, consisting of 132kV cables and associated optic fibres, to transmit 118MVa and along a total route of over 123km (115km submarine and 8.6km overland). The system will interconnect the two islands to enable integration of Ibiza into the Peninsular network system via the existing romulo (Iberian Peninsula-Mallorca) cable system.

The submarine cables for the Mallorca-Ibiza link will be manufactured at Prysmian’s arco Felice plant, Naples, while land cables and optical components of the submarine link will be manufactured in Vilanova i la Geltrù, spain. Marine cable operations in deep waters (up to 750m) will be carried out using the group’s own vessel, Giulio Verne. cable installation and protection will be completed during 2015.

Prysmian has a long track record in the development of submarine interconnection milestone projects in the Mediterranean region.

The group is also a founding member of the industrial partnership Medgrid, launched to study the feasibility of a high-voltage direct current interconnection project to transmit electricity from solar or wind power plants to load centres on either rim of the Mediterranean. - www.prysmian.com

Specialist european cable manufacturer Tratos has won the order to supply cables for three container ships: Msc Tamara, Msc angela and Msc Kim, all of which are used to deliver a huge variety of goods to ports worldwide.

The Tratos Marine cables were selected on account of their high quality manufacture and competitive pricing, as well as accreditations that ensure optimum safety, making them suitable for a variety of vessels.

Tratos Marine is a range of quality, highly cost-eff ective shipboard cables designed specifi cally for ship and navy vessel installation.

Not only do these cables have a lower intrinsic cost in comparison to other ranges on the market with similar properties, they also allow for lower installation and operational costs due to their design and the components used, which reduce dimension and weight by approximately 20 per cent.

Tratos Marine cables are fl ame retardant to Iec 60332-3a and fi re resistant to Iec 60331. In line with the company’s dedication to developing environmentally friendly solutions, the cables produce very low smoke and corrosive gas emissions. This range has been approved by the Italian Military Marine and NaTO. www.tratos.co.uk

Alcatel-Lucent and Telkom Indonesia have signed a contract for the development of a optic fibre network infrastructure which will connect islands located in the eastern part of the Indonesian archipelago.

The system spanning more than 3,000km will link the islands of Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua, opening up new opportunities to improve the competitiveness of the region for economic and social development.

Capable of supporting 100 Gigabit per second data speeds, the system will deliver an ultimate capacity of up to 16 Tbit/s, significantly boosting connectivity and substantially increasing the availability of broadband. Additionally, it will pave the way for new applications such as e-tourism applications.

The system is part of Telkom Indonesia's Nusantara Super Highway, consisting in deploying a terrestrial and undersea infrastructure throughout the archipelago, to address the increased mobile penetration and Internet traffic growth. The terrestrial links and inland activities will be performed by Indonesia's PT Lintas, strengthening the cooperation between the companies.

Arief Yahya, president director of Telkom Indonesia, said:

This new submarine cable system will make a significant contribution to the deployment of our Nusantara Super Highway, which is contributing to bridging the digital divide and offering people a wider range of communications options and services. Alcatel-Lucent's expertise and innovation capability will help us cope with our commitment to unlimited mobility and connectivity services with the quality, speed and reliability our customers require.

Philippe Dumont, president of Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks, said:

Expanding connectivity and increasing capacity for data services in areas which are not yet adequately served is vital to improve broadband access for all. We are pleased to support Telkom Indonesia in accelerating the expansion of Internet connectivity to remote areas and overcoming the structural and geographic constraints that limit broadband penetration.

Representatives from Texas Tech University, Sandia Labs and ?Vestas gathered together for the (Scaled Wind Farm Technology) Commissioning Ceremony in Texas, USA, at which Vestas presented a V27-300 kW turbine for research purposes. SWiFT is the first public facility of its kind to investigate wind turbine performance using multiple machines. Click here for more details

Subsea 7 SA announced the award of a contract with a value of approximately $400 million from Petrobras.

The contract is for the operation of the Pipe Lay Support Vessel (PLSV) Normand Seven on a day-rate basis for around five years, with operations starting in the fourth quarter of this year.

German multiple system operator, Kabel Deutschland, will use ADVA Optical Networking's 100Gbps optical transport technology and reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers (ROADMs) in a nationwide fibre optic network comprising a fully meshed backbone, 26 major nodes and over 50 intermediate sites.

ADVA's FSP 3000 directionless, multi-degree ROADMs will provide the key building blocks for the network, which will include spans as long as 1,000km.

After a thorough selection process, it became clear which company was the right fit for us, said Frank Hellemink, vice president network engineering Kabel Deutschland.

From the innovative technology to the excellent performance of the 100G pilot link trial between Hamburg and Berlin, ADVA Optical Networking has proven to be the right choice. This future-proof solution is cost-effective and allows for fully automated remote configuration supported by a rich service management implementation. We are very satisfied with the end product.

Hartmut Müller-Leitloff, vice president sales, Central Europe, ADVA Optical Networking, said:

Service providers recognise the need to build a core that enables them to seize new business opportunities while radically lowering operating expenses. There are three clear building blocks at play here: ROADM technology, a control plane, and 100G transmission technologies. Once these are in place, you have an automated network that not only provisions new services, but also monitors your entire network.

Copper prices have been forced up after a severe shortage hit Indian cable manufacturers.

The shortage comes after residents near the country's biggest smelter, owned by Sterlite Industries, complained of emissions that led to breathing difficulties and forced a closure of the smelter.

Top copper users were then forced to use Hindalco Industries but a scheduled shutdown at the company's Birla smelter has raised fears that firms such as Finolex Cables, India's largest electrical wire and cable maker, may have to turn to expensive imports or slow down manufacturing.

Although there has been no comment about the length of the Hindalco smelter, experts believe it will be closed for 35 days.

Gauder sa Booth 7-3 B01
Active in Russia and the CIS region for 15 years, the Gauder team is joining forces with long-time local partner Relco in Moscow.

The Belgian-based supplier has more than 1,000 second-hand machines in stock ready to manufacture non-ferrous and ferrous products like rods, wires, conductors, cables, strands, ropes, bars and meshes.

Pourtier sas and Setic sas – Gauder Group Booth 7-3 A06/B06
Once again, Pourtier and Setic, members of the Gauder Group, will exhibit with Maillefer's Moscow office to offer value-added solutions to the Russian and CIS countries.

Pourtier and Setic both provide high quality rotating machines with the highest standards in design and manufacturing, leading the innovation for optimised wire and cable production.

Pourtier, France, develops and produces high quality stranders and cablers made in Europe for the production of all types of high voltage and extra-high voltage power cables from overhead cable (including ACCC™, ACSS-TW and ACSR-TW) to insulated cable AC type (using high quality Milliken conductor) or DC type (using large round compacted conductor or trapezoidal wires). Pourtier is also active in the market of submarine and umbilical cables with a complete range of stranding/paper lapping/cabling and armouring machines as well as oil pump cables.

Setic, France, designs and manufactures high quality locally made machines including double twist bunchers/stranders for the power cable and automotive industry as well as complete solutions to produce special/LAN cables with enhanced performances (in one step or two steps according to product mix).

Aftersales and spare parts services including high technology bows – as well as the exclusive 'GreenBow' – and accessories for all brands rotating machines aim to maintain and improve production capacity of existing machinery.

Daloo Both 7-6 B20
As a member of the Gauder Group, Daloo has a long background in the cable industry. For cable producers wanting simple and reliable machines at affordable price, Daloo is well placed for rigid cage stranders, taping lines, rewinding lines, pay-offs and take-ups as well as pulling caterpillars.

While the design is based on European experience, the manufacturing is done in China following strict criteria including systematic quality control throughout the process, main and critical components ordered from well-known companies and support from local agents.

Miyachi Europe now offers remote services for high-end resistance welding modules, reducing total cost of ownership thanks to maximised uptime and reduced travel cost.

Available for the Miyachi Peco ISQ20 series with programming pendant AWS, AWS3 systems, MG3 standard, as well as most customised resistance welding systems, this new business service is suitable for customers with high system uptime demand. Remote services from Miyachi Europe minimise support efforts and avoid planning and cost for on-site technical support. Specific AWS3 and MG3 products can be upgraded to remote access capabilities.

Remote access is achieved with the use of a PC and the installation of a VPN connection that serves as an interface between the Miyachi Peco product and the remote service expert. Miyachi Europe offers a complete hardware and software package.

Service can be provided on demand with an hourly rate, or with an annual service contract for 20 hours of remote services at a special rate. Training for remote services of multiple systems support on-site is offered upon request. Remote services are currently offered through Miyachi Europe in Puchheim, Germany; additional regional service centres will be added in the future.

The new business service increases uptime as it allows for fast and efficient diagnostics remotely. It eliminates travelling time to the site and reduces development time by providing remote application support. Customers can also take advantage of core and peripheral system device monitoring, convenient and efficient process adjustments, and availability of continuous process data for long-term on-site process statistics.

British company PWM, which designs, manufactures and supplies high performance cold welding machines and dies, enjoyed a successful Interwire 2013, according to managing director Steve Mepsted.

The atmosphere at this year's Interwire was buoyant and visitor traffic to the booth was certainly up on the 2011 show. We noted a significant increase in the rate of enquiries from customers and new prospects and came away with a good number of solid sales leads.

Interwire again proved a valuable showcase for demonstrating our electro/pneumatic EP500 rod welder and M101 portable cold welder, as well as our smaller manual machines.

PWM's cold welders were presented by Joe Snee Associates, PWM's exclusive distributor in the USA and Canada.

Responding to the request of several authors, the deadline for abstract submittal for this year's IWCS Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been extended to 15th May 2013. Following the revised deadline the Symposium committee of peers will consider the abstracts.

Abstracts must be submitted through the IWCS website at www.iwcs.org. Abstract requirements and submittal instructions may be found on the website.

This year's symposium will be held from 10th to 13th November.

Worldwide industrial auctioneers, Maynards Europe GmbH, and one of the biggest global dealers of new and used machines for the wire, cable and rolling industries – Bongard Trading GmbH & Co KG – are combining their expertise in a joint project to sell the production equipment and mobile assets of Hyosung Wire Luxembourg SA, formerly GoodYear/Dunlop, online.

Our competencies and goals complement each other very well in this project, said Daniel Kröger, managing director of Maynards Europe.

We share the ambition to combine professional know-how and operating experience of many years with innovative ideas, added Thomas Bongard, CEO of Bongard Trading.

Maynards' expertise in auction management teams up with Bongard's wire industry knowledge to bring an online sale event about that will enable an international audience of buyers to acquire fully operational machines at market-driven prices via online auction conveniently from home.

Buyers can view the catalogue of a wide range of wire drawing machines at their leisure and make a purchase decision without incurring any travel costs. Both partners' teams are at hand to discuss any questions a bidder may have.

The online suction of over 300 wire drawing machines and plant equipment is closing on 14th May.

The Board of Directors of Asia Pacific Wire & Cable Corporation Limited has suspended its share buyback programme due to market conditions and the increase in the trading price of the company's common shares over the past four months.

The Board plans to consider the possibility of resuming the share repurchase programme after the release of the company's 2012 financial results, the Board's consideration of likely first quarter results and prospects for the balance of 2013, taking into account also the cash needs for planned expansions and the Board's consideration of overall market trends and conditions.

The company remains committed to provide value to its shareholders and has planned a visit to the US to meet with current and prospective shareholders 7th to 10th May 2013.

Keir Manufacturing is a USA-based manufacturing company that was formed over 28 years ago.

The company's product mix includes standard items as well as unique custom-designed parts. Keir services a diverse group of industries, with wire and cable being its largest market segment, and does business with more than 1,500 customers in 31 countries.

The mission of Keir Manufacturing is to engineer value for its customers. The company is dedicated to making products that enable the wire and cable industry to run more efficiently and productively through the application of leading-edge materials.

The company differentiates itself by offering not just products, but a partnership with each client to create solutions of real value to meet specific challenges, and its product solutions are focused on continuous process improvement, energy savings and longer operating life.

Keir Manufacturing is able to duplicate most standard and specialty parts, and can make prototypes from 99.8% pure Alumina ceramic to replace parts made of metal, plastics or other materials. The company's proprietary production process provides the versatility to make this wide range of parts without tooling charges.

The company's patented SureShot and SplitShot air wipes provide a far more effective drying method, and one that does not depend on high-volume air consumption. This efficient design yields exceptional drying performance using a very low volume of compressed air, and lasts much longer than other brands due to the rugged ceramic insert lining the wire path.

Its triaxially braided composite standard and Back-Bone flyer bow constructions have greater durability than layered/laminated designs, allowing them to take more hits and endure higher stress equating to increased operating life and less machine downtime.

The more aerodynamic Back-Bone design functions at lower power consumption (up to 40% less energy) and higher TPM, resulting in improved wire quality and further reduction in bow breakage.

Further details are available from the website at www.keirmfg.com

With a year to go before wire 2014 in Düsseldorf, organisers are already delighted with the bookings already made. The official deadline for registrations for 2014 closes at the end of April this year.

At wire 2012, 1,313 companies presented their technical highlights in net exhibition space of 57,370m2. Similar numbers are expected for the show next year, which runs from 7th to 11th April.

Any company interested in exhibiting should register now by emailing the project department at Messe Düsseldorf at [email protected]

Traditionally, the wire, cable and glass fibre machines along with the wire and cable production and retail sectors present themselves in exhibition Halls 9 to 12, 17 and parts of Hall 16. The spring-making sector is also located in Hall 16 with the adjacent forming technology sector in Hall 15.

Further details and information is available at www.wire.de

Pentre Group has purchased Farres after a 20-year association.

The group, incorporating Hearl Heaton, is celebrating 25 years serving the international wire and cable industry and is now a leading European manufacturer of all types of reels, drums, spools and bobbins. With four factories in the UK and one in Rakovnik, Czech Republic, Pentre see this acquisition as an exciting and important move to allow it to strengthen their position in Southern Europe and North Africa.

Excel Networking Solutions, the copper and optical cabling infrastructure provider, is now the second largest supplier of copper cabling systems according to the BSRIA 2013 Structured Cabling Report for the UK.

Excel was one of a few manufacturers to increase its market share, from 15% to 17% at the same time moving from third to second position in the rankings.

The company was also reported as the number one supplier of copper cable for the second year running with a total market share of 24 per cent again rising by two per cent on the previous year.

Excel has also increased its market share by one per cent for the supply of multimode fibre and is within the top four manufacturers of fibre cable in the UK.

Miyachi Europe, a supplier of laser and resistance welding systems and laser marking products, will be showcasing its unique solutions at Salon Industrie 2013, at Eurexpo in Lyon, France, hall 4-C62 from 16th to 19th April. On display will be the newhorizon resistance welding equipment, ML-7350C high-speed laser marker, as well as the new MG3 hot bar monitoring system.

Miyachi Peco's newhorizon line of modular resistance welders allows users to choose from among 24 modular components of weld heads and weld pincers to configure the perfect solution for their application. With hundreds of possible configurations, users can run their applications while reducing maintenance, and doubling process flexibility when ordering and using the products.

Also on display will be Unitek's new 50 Watt ML-7350C Yb: fibre laser marker, designed for high-speed laser marking, laser engraving, laser cutting, and laser ablation. The ML-7350C makes high contrast marks on both plastics and metals. 50W of power means the marker can provide distinct, fast, reliable and versatile markings of letters, numbers and graphics. The unit features low maintenance and investment requirements, minimising its overall ownership costs.

The MG3 hot bar offers precise measurement of all bonding processes, allowing for continuous control throughout during the entire process cycle in real time. Combined with the existing Eapro hot bar products the new Peco process-monitoring device is an integral part of a unique system capable of measuring various parameters such as displacement, temperature and force in real time. The compact and flexible device features high quality hot bar connections and high throughput, all within an easily adjustable frame construction.

The Technical Services division of Keighley Laboratories has achieved world-class Nadcap accreditation for a Materials Testing Laboratory (MTL), a status recognised by the majority of global aerospace primes as a mark of quality assurance excellence.

The West Yorkshire, UK, company also gained a coveted Merit grade, which rewards superior performance in Nadcap audits and reduces subsequent audit frequency.

Accreditation has also prompted affirmation and prolongation of its Airbus approval, the aircraft manufacturer having adopted the Nadcap programme for its global supply chain. As one of the few Nadcap-accredited MTL facilities in the UK, Keighley Labs has been successfully assessed for the evaluation of aerospace welds, tensile, impact and bend testing, metallographic and micro indentation hardness procedures, and specimen preparation and machining.

Combined with UKAS accredited testing and certification to many international standards and Civil Aviation Authority approval of in-house weld specimen supervisors, this confirms the company as a centre of excellence for weld testing, at a time when there is a Europe-wide shortage of the necessary expertise.

Fujikura Europe, a leading manufacturers of fibre optic cables and equipment, has launched its newest fusion splicer the 70S, to replace the FSM-60S, which has been the best-selling core alignment fusion splicer on the market since launch.

The 70S is the latest addition to Fujikura's fusion splicer range and has been specifically designed to be more ergonomic, faster and have greater durability than the FSM-60S, reducing splicing time to just seven seconds.

The rugged construction design adds improved reliability by resisting shock, rain and dust, allowing it to withstand a 30-inch drop test on six sides. Two of the newest features include an automated wind protector and a tube heater which has been developed for quicker splicing cycles and to reduce the number of operational steps. The unit also includes a high-resolution LCD monitor, powerful Li-ion battery for longer operation time and built in videos for on-the-go training.

The 70S also has a redesigned carry case which doubles up as a table for faster preparation when splicing on the go. A separate working table is included in the standard package, which is a new feature for this device.

This is the second fusion splicer Fujikura has launched this year, having announced the release of the 12S, the world's smallest single fibre fusion splicer specifically designed for installation in small narrow spaces in February.

Looking for tips and tricks on guiding, feeding and straightening processes?

Then look no further than Witels-Albert in Germany who have created 'Willy Wire' to give hints, tips and tricks, all at the touch of a button.

Willy is currently giving information about the zero line, free of charge, and increases the final product quality. Read the advice on hand and check your straighteners, straightening systems and your whole processing line.

To meet Willy and take advantage of his tips, visit Witels-Albert's Facebook site

A team from Tata Steel in India has won the 7th Steeluniversity Challenge, organised by the World Steel Association.

The Tata team collected the price for young steel industry employees, while a team from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia won in the student category.

The World Championship of the 7th steeluniversity Challenge took place in Brussels with the regional champions from the first round competing for the top prize. The task was to refine an order of construction steel grade, which is used in earth-moving equipment.

The contestants had two-and-a-half hours to produce the requested steel at minimum cost. The lowest cost achieved at the world championship was $23.13 per tonne.

Alexey Mordashov, Chairman of worldsteel and General Director, Severstal JSC, presented the trophies and certificates.

Mr Mordashov said:

I am delighted to meet 'the next generation of Bessemers' here today. The future of the steel industry lies in the areas of innovation and high-technology development, which will be driven forward by the winners today. The steel industry offers great career opportunities for those who wish to help society to meet its future sustainability challenges.

Alcatel-Lucent's Board has approved the appointment of Michel Combes as the company's new chief executive officer, effective 1st April.

Mr Combes will also join the company's Board of Directors, subject to the approval of shareholders at the Alcatel-Lucent annual meeting on 7th May, 2013.

The 51-year-old has more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry on a worldwide basis. He was chief executive officer of Vodafone Europe and a Board member of Vodafone PLC. During his career, he has held the positions of chairman and CEO of TDF as well as chief financial officer and senior executive vice president of France Telecom.

Philippe Camus, chairman of the Board said:

It is a great pleasure for us to welcome Michel Combes to Alcatel-Lucent. As chief executive he will be responsible for delivering sustainable profitability. His deep knowledge of the industry as well as his experience of major business and financial transformation at a worldwide level will be pivotal in helping the company pursue its aggressive transformation, while meeting customer needs with disruptive innovation. I would like to warmly thank Ben Verwaayen for his years of service for the company and wish him all the best for his future endeavours. Ben and Michel will work closely together over the next few weeks to ensure a smooth transition.

Michel Combes said:

Alcatel-Lucent is an unrivalled technology leader in the telecommunications industry with an immense array of talent and capabilities in R&D facing major challenges. This is a company I know well and I look forward to succeeding Ben, working with the key international customers, and driving the business into sustained profitability for its customers, employees and shareholders.

Effective immediately, Alcatel-Lucent's Board also approved the appointment of Jean C. Monty as vice-chairman of the Board.

The 64-year-old is a Canadian national. He began his career at Bell Canada in 1974 and held numerous positions in the BCE (Bell Canada Enterprises) group. He joined Nortel Networks Corporation in October 1992 as president and chief operating officer before being nominated president and chief executive officer in March 1993. On April 24, 2002, Mr. Monty, then chairman of the Board and chief executive officer of Bell Canada Enterprises, retired after a 28-year career.

Philippe Camus added:

We are fortunate to have such an experienced colleague to support Michel Combes in his new role. I'm looking forward to working more closely with Jean and I'm convinced Alcatel-Lucent will benefit from his incredible knowledge of our business.

Bürkert GB hosted the official opening of its new headquarters in Cirencester.

Throughout the day Bürkert opened its doors to customers, distributors, members of the press, the local mayor and even Moto GP rider, Danny Kent.

After the official opening ceremony, which saw Cirencester Mayor, Andy Lichnowski, cut the ribbon, visitors were invited on a guided tour around the building and a presentation from general manager, Paul Trevitt, to explain the reasons for the move and the ways in which the building had been customised to allow the company to continue its growth.

Mr Trevitt said:

We have been setting the pace in key sectors of the process market for some time now, and the requirement to move to a more flexible headquarters is the obvious result of our growth. Ultimately our customers aren't just buying products from us; they are buying solutions and on-going technical support. The new building offers improved warehousing and gives us more space to develop our specialist system design and manufacturing services. We have also invested in creating a large technology orientated meeting room which will enable us to meet increasing demand for our customer and process specific training courses, which have been well oversubscribed.

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation will launch four new state-of-the-art technology and innovation facilities in 2013, two in Saudi Arabia and one each in India and China, bringing the total number of its research facilities around the world to 18.

The four new centres represent a strategic investment of around half a billion US dollars to continuously improve technology, applications and solutions and meet the needs of an increasingly sophisticated marketplace, as well as address a wide variety of sustainability issues.

Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC vice-chairman and CEO, said that by continuing to invest in technology and innovation, SABIC is driving ingenuity forward to meet specific needs of customers as well as society. These four new facilities will further empower our global technology and innovation centres to build on their innovative systems to develop new technologies, improve manufacturing processes, and contribute to a sustainable environment for our communities.

The two centres in Saudi Arabia are the Corporate Research & Innovation Centre (CRI) at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal, near Jeddah, and the other, the SABIC Plastic Applications Development Centre (SPADC) in Riyadh Techno Valley at King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh.

The Bangalore research centre is scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2013. It will deal with application development, strategic business research and corporate research and will focus primarily on diverse areas of research in chemistry, material science, process engineering, analytical and application technology. Its aim is to support business as a strategic centre of excellence to cater to global and regional needs

The centre in Shanghai will open in the third quarter of 2013. It will deal with application development, strategic business research and corporate research. It will focus on fundamental and applied research in support of SABIC's Strategic Business Units as well as the company's Technology and Innovation unit's corporate projects.

Russia's Saint-Petersburg State Transport University was declared the winner of a contest to find the oldest materials testing machine still in use.

Sponsored by Zwick/Roell AG, an Ulm, Germany-based leader in material and component testing equipment, the contest attracted entrants from around the world.

We are pleased to present this award, which honours the proud history of the materials testing industry, said Josef Leyendecker, global services manager for Zwick.

The award, presented to representatives of the university during the 21st testXpo at Zwick's Ulm headquarters in October, included a €10,000 credit toward new Zwick test equipment. As an added attraction, participants' names were entered into a drawing for an Apple iPad 2.

The origins of materials testing machines can be traced back several centuries, Leyendecker said. Equipment of this type can last quite a long time if well maintained.

The 100-ton power horizontal hydraulic testing machine in use by the university was built in Nurnberg, Germany, in 1876 by Ludwig Werder and installed a year later in the school's Mechanical Laboratory.

The Werder machine was originally used to test the strength of stay cables, suspension bridge chains and guy ropes for communication towers. Upgraded to use an electric motor early in the 20th century, the machine is still used to test ropes.

Due to the wear of some parts, the Werder machine cannot be used for tension testing of samples. However, the machine is successfully used for the gauging of superimposed mechanical dynamometers for ropes bending control.

No longer in use but preserved with the machine is the cast iron colonnade for its beam crane. The beam crane is considered as technical creative work and is protected by the Monuments Keeping Commission.

Adrian May has been appointed managing director of the Institute of Spring Technology.

Mr May has had an interesting and varied career having spent nine years in the Royal Air Force as an Avionics Engineering Technician on the Tornado GR1 strike fighter aircraft, with responsibility for Air Radar, Flight Systems, Air Communications and Weapons systems. Following the RAF, Adrian joined British Airways installing TCAS systems (Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems) on Boeing 747 series aircraft.

He left the Aerospace industry in 1996 to concentrate on building a successful career in sales and marketing. In 2008, Mr May joined United Springs Ltd, Rochdale, UK, as sales and marketing manager and in 2010 was appointed divisional sales and marketing director with responsibility for the sales teams in UK, Netherlands and France.

He has an MBA from the University of Manchester and is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute. He was awarded a Chartership in Management in 2006.

He is married to Laura, has four children and his interests include Freemasonry and motorcycling.

Specialist cable manufacturer Tratos has received an order to provide Tratosflex ESDB reeling cables for London Gateway, the UK's first major deep-sea container port. Situated 25 miles east of central London and due to open later this year, the port is one of the most extensive developments in the UK and will provide entry into London for the world's largest container ships.

Tratosflex ESDB cables have been used extensively for similar applications worldwide, including the United Arab Emirates' Khalifa Port and the Busan Port terminal in Korea.

The Tratosflex ESDB range is different from other reeling cables available, as Tratos engineers have modified the internal cable design, tightening the structure against the internal relative movement to accommodate high speed applications; this prevents the common problem of twisting that affects cables reeling at high speed. Due to the medium voltage rubber insulated and sheathed drum reeling cable, Tratosflex-ESDB cables can operate in temperatures from -20ºC to +60ºC.

Allied Wire & Cable raised $17,419 during its seventh annual Charity Week, which ran from 17th-21st December. The majority of proceeds benefited the American Cancer Society, with additional donations going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

On 23rd January, American Cancer Society representatives, Jennifer Sabo and Laura Hilbert visited Allied Wire & Cable's headquarters in Collegeville, PA to accept a cheque for $15,419.

Charity Week has become a much-loved Allied Wire & Cable tradition, with a percentage of the week's sales set aside for non-profit organisations.

Philip Evans has been appointed general manager of Bar Products and Services Ltd.

Mr Evans has many years' experience in the industry and will play a very active role within the business, including having overall control over production planning, order processing, buying and stock control. He will also play a significant role in implementing the company's development strategy.

The appointment comes as Bar Products & Services have received several new export contracts for machinery and equipment into the wire rope industry and has expanded its shaped die capabilities to service the increase in demand from new and established customers worldwide. The company is also expanding its operations through various projects in India and China.

The business has grown substantially over the last few years, with additional manufacturing space and a significant investment in new machinery, it is important that we manage the business efficiently. The addition of Philip to the existing team will enable the company to move forward more effectively over the coming years, as we look to expand our markets in these exciting times, said Steven Rika, managing director.

Additional manufacturing staff have also been taken on in the engineering department to keep up with the increased production levels.

As members of the IWMA (International Wire machinery Association) Bar Products & Services Ltd will be visiting many of the Industry exhibitions around the world during the 2013 and would be happy to meet new and existing customers.

IEWC Canada, a global distributor of wire, cable and wire management products has finalised an asset sale agreement to acquire its competitor Delco Wire and Cable Ltd. Founded in 1974, Delco is a UL and CSA certified stocking distributor of wire, cable and provider of specialty services.

Delco Wire emerged as one of the industry leaders in the development and marketing of high-end digital audio and video cable. With a diverse group of product specialists and locations in Toronto, Tampa and Calgary, Delco has provided a consistently high level of service and reliable products to its customers for more than 38 years. Delco's Roger Caynor will join IEWC as vice-president of the audio & roadcast market vertical.

Delco's strength's in the Audio & Broadcast markets will be leveraged by IEWC's strong global footprint and excellent customer service - a trait our customers are well accustomed to, says Caynor. The two companies have very similar business models, as well as supporting products and services. I am certain the Delco brand will be bolstered in the coming years and am excited about the future opportunities our customers will get as we become a part of the IEWC team.

IEWC was founded in 1962 and has positioned itself as a global distributor of wire, cable and wire management products focused primarily on the OEM and sub-assembly markets. IEWC is now beginning to emerge as one of the industry leaders in the supply of high-end digital audio and video cables. Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, the company also has distribution centers and sales offices in Cleveland, Boston, Greenville, Dallas, Phoenix, San Francisco, Toronto, Montreal, Aguascalientes, Monterrey, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Bristol and Sao Paulo.

Andhra Pradesh is calling for investors to support approximately 1,000MW of solar power projects in the state.

Andhra Pradesh's transmission utility, APTransco, has issued a list of substations together with the solar power capacity that each of them can take. Bidders can bid up to the capacity at each location. Total capacity is 1,160MW. Bids can be made for multiple locations, subject to a cap of 20MW per bidder.

The deadline for 'request for selection' bid documents is 19th January.

Solar power programs are now active in three states — Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. While Rajasthan has only 200MW, the other two states have tendered for projects of 1,000MW each.

Tamil Nadu enables very low tariff quotes as it allows developers to bid for high capacities. Andhra Pradesh, on the other hand, provides developers clarity on transmission capacity at each sub-station, observed Vineeth Vijayaraghavan, founder-editor of Panchabuta, a renewable energy industry newsletter.

The larger production line at Componenta's Pietarsaari foundry in Finland will be shut down by the end of September 2013.

The announcement is a result of statutory personnel negotiations, which began on 1st November 2012 following a sustained period of use of the foundry and its profitability.

Most of the products made on the production line being shut down will be transferred to the group's Orhangazi foundry in Turkey, some of them to the smaller line at the Pietarsaari foundry and some to the group's Pori foundry.

This decision will have an impact on personnel, and the jobs of a maximum of 100 people will be phased out at Componenta's Pietarsaari foundry during 2013, through retirement schemes and redundancies. The Pietarsaari foundry currently employs about 170 people.

One-time costs from shutting down the production line at the foundry will be some €2m in 2013 and the write-down of operations at some €1m. The planned product transfers will improve capacity utilisation rates at the Orhangazi and Pori foundries and will help improve the employment situation. The net reduction in jobs in Finland is estimated to be some 80 people.

In future the Pietarsaari foundry will focus on producing small and medium volumes as a flexible, high-quality supplier to Nordic customers.

LASELEC has designed a new wire-marking system that will reduce wire waste in the industry. The company has developed a method that uses ULYS Modena wire markers and an automatic feeding system to reduce waste from 1 metre to between 4 and 12 centimetres.

Each time production begins on a new type of wire, up to a metre is wasted, which can lead to substantial costs due to the price of aeronautical wire, for example. LASELEC, a leading company in the UV-laser industry, has developed a method that can reduce such waste to a length of between 4 and 12cm, using ULYS ModenaUV-laser wire markers and automatic feeding.

The system can be mounted on both single-spool and multi-spool dereelers and, thanks to LASELEC's innovative design, the system can also be retrofitted on all ULYS Modena machines that are already installed.

Using UV lasers to identify electric wiring is currently a method in widespread use in both military and civilian projects, as it is a process that provides indelible marking without damaging the insulation, thanks to the machine's robust and reliable wire dereeling and cutting system.

The ULYS Modena UV-laser range perfectly meets all wire-marking requirements, from the ULYS 110, which is an entry-level machine that is suitable for low-production rates, to the ULYS 990, which has unmatched productivity.

Entities involved in modification, maintenance and repair of aircraft are showing growing interest in this technology. The MRO 200 was developed by LASELEC specifically to meet the needs of such aerospace companies. Devoted to small and medium-size production runs and to unit-by-unit production, this range of markers is used in workshops producing such runs and can be used for rework.

The French-based company's computer-controlled laser cable markers are easy to operate, reliable and efficient. The marking ranges are constantly evolving and have had new models added this year.

British company PWM, manufacturers of cold pressure welding equipment, found its best-selling M101 cold welder much in demand at the Cable & Wire Fair at the CNR Expo Centre in Istanbul, earlier this month.

The fair certainly exceeded our expectations, said PWM's managing director, Steve Mepsted.

It was very well attended by manufacturers from a wide range of industry sectors and provided some excellent new business opportunities. The tone of the show was upbeat, with a steady flow of high quality decision-makers from all regions of Turkey, as well as Algeria and Tunisia, visiting the PWM stand to discuss new projects and applications.

Our M101 machine, in particular, attracted a lot of interest from manufacturers looking for a robust, reliable manual cold welder to join non-ferrous wire 1 to 5mm in diameter quickly and cost-effectively. The M101 can be used on a workbench or a trolley, making it easy to take to the weld area, which is another bonus.

PWM is well-established as a leading supplier within the expanding Turkish wire and cable industry and the fair provided a good opportunity to meet existing and potential customers, as well as an excellent showcase for presenting our manual and powered cold welders.

Metalube entirely re-branded earlier this year and the company has now taken its whole new look to its next phase with the introduction of impactful new barrel caps on all their product ranges.

Commercial Director, Douglas Hunt said: These striking new caps with our distinctive and colourful logo on them really make an impression on our barrels. Our aim is for Metalube to be instantly recognisable across the globe. Our image reflects the quality of our lubricants and is very important.

The new barrel caps are being phased onto all the product ranges with immediate affect.

Metalube continues to buck worldwide economic trends by enjoying significant growth. The Company specialises in tube and wire drawing lubricants, protective greases for overhead conductors and metal cutting fluids. Over 20% of Metalube's workforce is dedicated to science, ensuring technical excellence and innovation across its products and services.

TenneT Offshore has announced a subsea cables supply tender for a project expected to last until December 2017.

The project demands the manufacture, supply and installation of AC submarine cables, including fiber optics, in the region of the cluster SylWin and designed for a transmission capacity of up to 300MW per wind farm and a power level of about 155kV.

Tenders are to be submitted before 12th December 2012, in German and English.

JDR Cable Systems has installed a 72-tonne overhead crane from Street Crane Company for reel loading and unloading in its new marine cable factory in docks at Hartlepool North East England. The crane will support high volume production of multi-core umbilical cables for offshore oil and gas platforms.

Street has supplied a complete crane package comprising an 11m span double girder crane and a custom-built 72-tonne VX hoist, running on a 30m-long freestanding gantry. The gantry was installed prior to the building shell and the completed crane was then used in the assembly of the carousel at the core of the vertical lay-up machine (VLM). End-stops were fitted to the gantry after the carousel was installed to protect the top part of the machine by limiting crane travel.

An integral part of the factory production process, the crane is engineered for safety and reliability. The crane operator is able to select a position of clear visibility and safety by using a wire-free radio controller. A conventional push-button pendant back-up control gives continuity in the event of any radio failure.

The hoist mechanism is rated M5 allowing up to 240 motor starts per hour. For secure cable drum handling, the hoist is fitted with a custom built coil grab. The hoist, from Street Crane's VX series, was engineered for this application. With inverter control it achieves smooth speed changes with maximum load stability. Productivity is assured by the cranes top 2.6 metres per second transfer speed that can be slowed down to just 10 percent (0.26 m/s) of that speed for final load positioning.

A ten per cent increase in attendance this year confirmed IWCS as one of the main technical conferences and symposiums on the international wire and cable calendar.

The event – in Providence, Rhode Island, USA – drew 1125 registrants, and with more than 100 exhibitors, and a shortened exhibition schedule, attendees were kept very busy with a programme of more than 120 technical presentations, and visits to the exhibitors.

IWCS CEO John Barteld said:

This year's event was so rich in content that the Technical Symposium had to be scheduled for an additional half day.

Even with the extended Symposium, attendance in the sessions was strong right up to the end, added Barteld.

The plenary session featured a presentation by Michael T Jones, Chief Technology Advocate for Google, Inc. Jones captured the imagination of the audience with his vision of the future of our connected world. We don't know what people want or can use until we give them tools, reported Mr Jones, explaining the huge support for Google's Kansas City network project where ultra-high speed downloads and uploads are available.

What do we really 'know', challenged Mr Jones as we explore greater knowledge through means never before available.

The session also recognised recipients of the IWCS scholarships for 2012/2013, Erin Keaney and Katherine Spagnoli, both senior plastics engineering students at University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

Once again, Cable Components Group hosted Monday night football, featuring Troy Brown, former star wide-receiver with the New England Patriots. Brown fascinated the partygoers with stories about his years in professional football, and generally charmed everyone in attendance, whether a fan of his former team or not.

The IWCS Professional Development Courses attracted nearly 100 students in Providence. The PDC's remain among the most broadly respected wire/cable and connectivity educational courses in the industry.

Next year's conference is schedule to be held at the Charlotte Convention Centre in Charlotte, North Carolina, between 10th and 13th November.

Tratos, European specialists in the manufacture of high quality cables, has funded the creation of a website for Archivio dei diari (National Archives of Diaries), a museum based near the company's headquarters in the city of Pieve Santo Stefano, Tuscany, Italy.

Created by the journalist and writer Saverio Tutino, Archivio dei diari consists of a huge variety of manuscripts and memorabilia which are on display within the rooms of a 16th Century palace. The collection includes over 6,500 exhibits, including notebooks from soldiers in the trenches, love letters and secret diaries written by children and teenagers. One of the more fascinating items in the collection is a diary called 'The Sheet', in which the peasant Clelia Marchi documents the history of her life after the death of her beloved husband Anteo, writing in felt tip pen on the bed sheets they had shared.

Maurizio Bragagni, Tratos Export Manager, said:

Archivio dei diari attracts visitors from all over the world and has become an example of how the memories of the past can be kept alive. This is especially important to the 3,300 inhabitants of Pieve Santo Stefano, as the city was almost entirely destroyed in 1944 during the Second World War. We are delighted to be able to provide funding for important local causes such as Archivio dei diari and to help publicise the numerous attractions of the city in order to encourage visitors to come and see what they are missing.

The purchase of the website for Archivio dei diari is the most recent contribution by Tratos and is part of the company's on-going commitment to supporting local arts. Other recent initiatives have included producing a colour booklet to publicise the local regions in Tuscany and providing sponsorship for prizes as an incentive for students in local high schools.

Componenta is taking measures in the Netherlands to develop the productivity and profitability of its Dutch business units as part of the group-wide efficiency programme started in October 2012. Negotiations with the unions and the advice procedure with the Works Council started on 14th November 2012 in order to reduce some 55 jobs in the Netherlands at the foundries in Heerlen and Weert, at the machine shop in Weert and at the Customer Service Centre in Weert.

The restructuring and personnel redundancy plans will be conducted in accordance with local practice and legislation. The goal is to complete the negotiations and preparations by 31st January 2013, so that the measures based on the decisions would become effective as of 1st February 2013.

The capacity utilisation rates at the Dutch foundries have been low during the past years and the operative result of the foundries has been negative. The project to improve productivity and profitability in the Netherlands will also include minor investments to develop the production processes and optimise production. In addition, the flow of operations will be improved by re-organisation and changes in areas of responsibility, resulting in more efficient utilisation of resources.

If the measures and changes are carried out, they are estimated to bring annual cost savings of €2.6 million, which is about half of the savings and improvements the group is aiming to achieve in the Netherlands. One-time costs due to these actions and changes will be recorded in the final quarter of 2012.

Industry leaders from companies including Heerema, NOV, and Certex assembled in Northern England this week to watch UK Business Minister Michael Fallon open a facility that will manufacture the world's largest ropes.

The event marked the start of manufacturing at Bridon Neptune Quay (BNQ), a state-of-the-art factory constructed by Bridon International which will produce the largest and most complex offshore ropes in the world. The facility will have the capacity to produce highly engineered ropes in package weights of 650 tonnes, boasting enhanced breaking loads, optimised bend fatigue performance, effective lubrication, and minimal rotation under load.

The occasion was marked by the switching-on of the factory's rope-closing machine, which is the largest of its kind in existence. The machine, which was constructed to a unique specification by German engineering company SKET, will allow the company to produce far more complex ropes than had ever previously been possible with such weights. Pulling the lever to activate the machine was UK Business Minister Michael Fallon, who praised Bridon for establishing a global technology leadership position through its consistent investment in innovation.

Accompanying Bridon Chief Executive Jon Templeman at the event were a host of senior industry figures including Certex CEO Peter Keith and NOV Cranes Division Head Oddvar Hoydal, who noted how Bridon's highly engineered ropes could improve their companies' heavy lifting and deepwater deployment capabilities.

In addition to the switching-on of the facility's rope-closing machine, the opening event offered a range of technical seminars for attending industry leaders, designed to demonstrate Bridon's unique services offering. Focused on ensuring customers get the most out of Bridon's highly complex ropes, this package provides tailored support throughout a rope's development, installation and application.

Now operational, Bridon Neptune Quay is already taking on orders from major multinational operators, and its production schedule is designed to cater to the highest possible levels of demand. The factory's portside location, along with its state of the art Takeup Stand for lifting reels directly from dock to vessel, will help Bridon to significantly improve logistics.

Houston Wire & Cable Company has declared a cash dividend of $0.09 per share on the Common Stock, payable November 29, 2012 to shareholders of record of Common Stock at the close of business on November 17, 2012.

With over 35 years experience in theindustry, Houston Wire & Cable is one of the largest providers of wire and cable in the US market.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the company has sales and distribution facilities strategically located throughout the US.

Componenta is shutting down some underused production lines and moving production to other production lines in the group. The actions are part of the efficiency programme started in October 2012 to boost competitiveness and profitability.

Personnel negotiations, as stipulated in the Finnish Act on Cooperation in Undertaking, started at the Pietarsaari Foundry on 1 November 2012. The subject of the negotiations is a possible shut down of the bigger production line in the Pietarsaari foundry and moving the production to the group's other foundries in Finland and Turkey as well as to another, smaller production line in the Pietarsaari foundry. The negotiations are to assess the impact of the changes mentioned above on foundry operations in Pietarsaari, on the volume of business and the number of personnel.

Flexible cable innovator igus has developed CFRIP, a new cable with an integrated stripping cord for the rapid and safe stripping of cables, even those with gusset filled extruded jackets.

The benefit of this cable is that it requires no extra tools and reduces cable strip back times of around 50%, which is great news for electrical engineers and panel fitters. Stripping back cables is really easy; all that is required to open the outer jacket is to simply pull the special integrated tear strip to the desired length and the jacket falls away. Furthermore, igus has designed the tear strip so that it doesn't cause any damage to the cores or outer jacket of the cable.

This new technology is offered in chainflex ranges CF5 PVC control cable family and chainflex CF6 shielded versions. To watch a short video demonstrating CFRIP in action visit: www.igus.co.uk/videos/fastcablestripping

Things that go bump in the night turned into things that go bump in the factory for Allied Wire & Cable.

For employees of the American company got into the Halloween spirit with the launch of their own video on You Tube celebrating Halloween – and even the factory spider got in on the act, creating his own colourful web from Allied's wire.

Click here to view the film but remember, it's not for the feint-hearted! Happy Halloween.

The 'Bloodhound' supersonic car proved to be a highlight of this year's Scarborough Engineering Week, the event aimed at encouraging youngsters to consider careers in engineering. Now in its third year, the organisers are delighted with the success of the event, which has grown substantially year on year - with some 1,600 pupils attending this time.

This year's event has been the best so far, it's really brought engineering to life for youngsters, said Peter Wilkinson from the lead organiser Unison – the Scarborough-based manufacturer of tube bending machines. The kids were able to interact with lots of exhibits – from subsea vehicle simulators, to robotic arms, and a Formula 1 car. The buzz was incredible, and we had some fantastic feedback – with East Yorkshire kids realising that there are some amazing engineering companies right on their doorstep.

The Scarborough Engineering Week event was originally conceived by directors of Unison Ltd. The company led the organisation of this year's event aided by sponsorship from York Potash – currently investigating the feasibility of a potash mine in the Whitby and Scarborough area – and help from the regional education business partnership NYBEP, local schools and colleges, and many of the region's best-known engineering companies.

The event included a business dinner with a keynote speech from the former land speed world record holder Richard Noble OBE, who is behind the new Bloodhound jet- and rocket-powered car which is targeting speeds of 1,000 mph to smash the current world land speed record. He presented pupils from Scarborough College and Graham School with prizes for the Scarborough Engineering Week design competition.

Schoolchildren were treated to an amazing array of engineering products and technologies, from Atlas Ward Structures, Firmac, Forum Energy Technologies, Bluebird, Fanuc, Festo, Plaxton, Castle Group, Yorkshire Coast College, HMK, Moog, Joy Global, York Potash, Unison, Dale, Denford, Bloodhound SSC, NYBEP, Derwent Training, Scarborough Sixth Form College, and Wilfred Scruton.

Scarborough Engineering Week ran from 15-17 October 2012, at The Spa in Scarborough.

The Bloodhound car arrives in the town for Scarborough Engineering Week

Tratos, European specialists in the manufacture of high quality cables, has funded the creation of a website for Archivio dei diari (National Archives of Diaries), a museum based near the company's headquarters in the city of Pieve Santo Stefano, Tuscany, Italy.

Created by the journalist and writer Saverio Tutino, Archivio dei diari consists of a huge variety of manuscripts and memorabilia which are on display within the rooms of a 16th century palace. The collection includes over 6,500 exhibits, including notebooks from soldiers in the trenches, love letters and secret diaries written by children and teenagers.

One of the more fascinating items in the collection is a diary called 'The Sheet', in which the peasant Clelia Marchi documents the history of her life after the death of her beloved husband Anteo, writing in felt tip pen on the bed sheets they had shared.

Maurizio Bragagni, Tratos Export Manager, commented, Archivio dei diari attracts visitors from all over the world and has become an example of how the memories of the past can be kept alive. This is especially important to the 3,300 inhabitants of Pieve Santo Stefano, as the city was almost entirely destroyed in 1944 during the Second World War. We are delighted to be able to provide funding for important local causes such as Archivio dei diari and to help publicise the numerous attractions of the city in order to encourage visitors to come and see what they are missing.

The purchase of the website for Archivio dei diari is the most recent contribution by Tratos and is part of the company's ongoing commitment to supporting local arts. Other recent initiatives have included producing a colour booklet to publicise the local regions in Tuscany and providing sponsorship for prizes as an incentive for students in local high schools.

Beta LaserMike has appointed Randy Luffman as vice president of Global Sales. Mr Luffman will be responsible for further expanding worldwide sales for Beta LaserMike's line of gauging and testing systems. The company's regional sales directors will directly report to Mr Luffman.

Mr Luffman joins from RedZone Associates where he was managing partner for the company's business of designing, recruiting, training, and leading sales organisations for B2B clients.

Randy brings a wealth of experience and an impressive track record in channel development and global sales growth, said Ken Wright, president of Beta LaserMike.

He has extensive knowledge of technical sales leadershipand possesses a strong background in general management. This is important as we continue to expand our commercial footprint across international markets for measurement and control solutions.

Mr Luffman holds a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from East Carolina University and has obtained an Executive MBA from Harvard BusinessSchool.

Hendrix Wire & Cable, a provider of high quality overhead and underground power distribution products, has launched Hendrix Spacer Cable Systems, a space-saving solution for substations. The spacer cable reduces right-of-way requirements at substation exits, allows more efficient use of limited space in substations, and provides increased reliability on the critical feeder circuits at substation exits.

Using bare wire at substations can cause significant issues with electrical clearance and reliability. Spacer cables allow for multiple circuits to be on each pole, reducing right-of-way requirements at substation exits and along the distribution line where multiple circuits are required. Furthermore, over- or under-building spacer cable systems in substation exits can greatly reduce the cost of adding capacity.

In addition to saving space, the cable covering and the superior mechanical strength of spacer cable systems provides increased reliability on the critical feeder circuits at substation exits.

A spacer cable system consists of a messenger cable that supports the structure, polyethylene spacers to hold the cable across spans, and covered conductor cable. The messenger cable is the support member for the structure, serving as both system neutral and lightning shield. After being installed and attached to the messenger, the spacers support, separate and clamp the phase conductors.

The spacers have excellent weather washing characteristics. Their long leakage distance resists flashovers, their close phase spacing minimises voltage drop, and their unique design provides high short circuit strength. They are highly resistant to shock, impact, or rifle fire, and can be installed with hot line tools. The individual cables used in the spacer cable system contain a 3-layer covering, which can withstand temporary contact with tree branches and other vegetation, thus reducing outages and improving power quality.

Forget cutting the ribbon, cutting copper wire was the order of the day as SAMP Shanghai held a grand opening ceremony for its new plant in Malu Town.

The new plant, designed for manufacturing machinery and equipment for the wire and cable industry, covers an area of 4,500m2 – doubling SAMP’s presence in the region with the new state-of-the-art production unit.

The ribbon cutting ceremony was conducted in an unconventional way – with dignitaries declaring the building open by cutting copper wire, the final product of the machines manufactured in the Shanghai plant.

Several hundred guests from 20 different countries attended the evening, including Mr Wang Chun, Governor of Malu Town, Mr Vincenzo De Luca, Consul General of Italy in Shanghai, Mr Dominique Perroud, managing director of SAMP Shanghai, and Mr Antonio Maccaferri, president of the SAMP Group, who also made speeches to mark the occasion.

Mr Perroud’s remarks highlighted the focus of the SAMP Group on the Chinese and ASEAN market: “In recent years, SAMP has experienced an exceptional period of development in China, thanks to our customers’ continuous trust and the hard work of our employees, their dedication and expertise.

“Today, a large and absolutely avant-garde production plant brings in a new phase of growth. We aim at giving our customers what they most need and value, in a cost-effective and sustainable way. This new flexible plant will give us the capacity to realise our aggressive growth plans for the Asian market.”

Following the ceremony, all guests took part in a gala dinner at the Marriott Hotel in Jiading, where traditional Chinese music shows and dances livened up the evening.

BASF's Elastollan thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) are designed to offer all-around security for wire and cable applications in the aerospace, automotive and industrial markets.

Elastollan 1185A10HFFR is a low-smoke, halogen-free, flame-retardant TPU for high-performance wire and cable applications. This polyether-based compound is designed for improved abrasion resistance and toughness, low-temperature flexibility, hydrolytic stability and fungus resistance.

Elastollan 785A10HPM is a high-temperature TPU for continuous use at 150°C in automotive and wire and cable applications. It is said to exhibit improved compression set, surface reproducibility, and resistance chemicals and fuels, and has multifaceted haptic possibilities that range from velvety to leather-like.

Aggreko, the world leader in generator rental and temperature control services, has been selected by one of the largest independent renewable power generation companies in Brazil, Dobreve Energia S/A (DESA), to conduct performance tests at the Morro do Ventos windfarms, in Joao Camara, in the Northeast region – an area seeing significant local and international investment in wind energy.

Since 2005, DESA has invested substantially in wind and hydro power. Nowadays, DESA has more than 1000 MW in wind projects, in different stages of maturity, including development of new projects.

In the projects that Aggreko supported, the capacity is about 145 MW. Aggreko supplied loadbanks for commissioning tests of the Morro dosVentos Projects. A loadbank re-creates the load that a power source will generate.

Once fully operational, the 145 MW from these projects are enough to power about 180,000 homes in a city like Natal, Rio Grande do Norte's capital. This loadbank testing ensures that the windfarm is ready for grid connection.

The Eraser Company has launched a new programme called The Eraser Certification Program (ECP). This new programme will help manufactures receive the Eraser machine that is best suited for their jobs – and is at no cost to the consumer.

• Send 10-15 feet of sample material
• Eraser will process the material on the appropriate machines to determine the best product fit for your application.
• You will then be given a formal evaluation report certifying the Eraser product for your specific application.
• The team will send back your processed material along with the evaluation report and proposal for the best Eraser solution.

Since 1911 a wide variety of industrial manufacturing companies have taken advantage of Eraser's broad product line and superior customer service.

The plastics industry in the Middle East is poised for explosive growth as major raw material-producing countries seek to move downstream and widen their industrial base. Newly emerging suppliers will have to embrace new ways of thinking, new skills, and new technologies to carve out a position in the competitive global marketplace.

The upcoming Dubai Plast Pro 2012, delegates will benefit from unique dialogue, expertise sharing and timely advice essential to producers, processors, fabricators and investors with interests in the Middle East.

Dubai Plast Pro 2012 is being held from 15th-17th October at the Raffles Dubai Hotel, Dubai, UAE.

igus UK, the leading manufacturer of high-performance energy chains and cable management systems has presented its coveted vector awards to two British engineering companies – UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UKATC) and Xograph Healthcare – for the challenging and innovative use of cable carrier systems.

The awards once again attracted a very high standard of entry from UK engineers, said Justin Leonard, director at igus. We have chosen these two companies as they represent the very best of British engineering and have both demonstrated a novel use for our cable carriers, in unusual and challenging applications.

UKATC is using an igus E4 heavy duty e-chain to route the many cables and hoses during the rotary movement of their KMOS instrument. KMOS is a near-infrared multi-object integral-field spectrometer for one of the European Southern Observatories Very Large Telescopes (VLT). The four telescopes when combined make one of the world's most advanced optical instruments that allows astronomers to see details of distant galaxies up to 25 times finer than with individual telescopes.

Xograph Healthcare's application of igus' special low friction rol e-chain impressed judges as it is being used in an innovative X-ray system in hospital emergency rooms, which allows many bays to be accessed rapidly in mass emergency cases, and to help with the fast and efficient diagnosis of patients' conditions. The energy chain carries the cables used in the ceiling-mounted BuckyStar Resus X-ray that is moved across bays to each patient. It features low friction, so the X-ray apparatus can bemoved rapidly to the bedside, without having to move the patient. The igus energy chain allows flexible use of the X-ray machine across multiple triage bays for check-ups, which until today wasn't possible due to hanging cables.

Pictured are Nigel Darwell-Stone and David Hill (Xograph Healthcare), Justin Leonard and Peter Sumner (igus UK), and Gordon Taylor and Brian Woodward (UK ATC)

Plastic bearing, energy chain and cable specialist igus UK demonstrates how its standard and innovative products can work together in an automated 'Pop Art' engineering sculpture.

The pick and place demonstration is produced from parts selected from each of the different product categories in the igus range. It clearly shows how igus components can work in combination to produce a complete system, which can be used in sophisticated industrial robotic and automatedapplications that require sensing, rotating, pick and place, and linear motion.

What this intelligent application demonstrates is each part of a puzzle being identified and then being put back together correctly by using a variety of functions created by the individual components. igus' specialises in products for machines with moving parts, so the products used in this machine are for sensing and selecting, robolink, a multi-axis articulated joint, bearings made from a specially formulated plastic material iglidur J, pickchain for continuous pick and place functions, and two drylin E linear modules that move the pickchain to the desired point.

Although this system was manufactured to demonstrate the abilities of the different igus products, it has generated a lot of interest and enquiries for individual and system parts due to the additional benefits of their technical properties that include low coefficients of friction, resilience to temperature extremes and environments, low cost and freedom from maintenance.

A short video showing the exhibit in action can be viewed at: www.igus.co.uk/videos/igusexhibit

Lifelong steel mill manufacturer Paul S Morgan died on Sunday, 23rd September, at the age of 88. From 1965 to 1986, he served as president of Morgan Construction Company, the rolling mill equipment engineer and manufacturer, headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, and continued as chairman until his retirement in 2004.

During his tenure as president, Mr Morgan oversaw the introduction of two significant technical developments for the production of high speed steel rods - the No-Twist Mill and the Stelmor cooling process. The No-Twist finishing mill was developed by Morgan engineers between 1960 and 1963 and tested at the American Steel & Wire operations of US Steel, while the Stelmor process represented the joint efforts of Morganand Steel Company of Canada (Stelco) announced in 1962. In recognition of these major contributions to the steelmaking process, Paul Morgan received the Tadeusz Sendzimir Memorial Medal from the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers in 2002.

After 120 years in rolling mill technology, Morgan Construction Company was acquired in April 2008 by Siemens AG. Its Worcester operations continues today as part of the Siemens VAI Metals Technologies business.

Alcatel-Lucent is to supply optical transport equipment to China Telecom as part of an upgrade to the carrier's fibre-optic data network. The upgrade will support China Telecom's activities within the Broadband China programme, a national initiative to deliver high-speed broadband connections to over 250 million urban and rural homes by 2015. The company has an existing contract with China Telecom to provide FTTH equipment.

China Telecom chose Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell to supply 70 per cent of its requirements for 10G converged optical transport network (OTN) and WDM technology platforms. Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell will supply the 1830 photonic service switch (PSS) under terms of the contract. The 1830 PSS will support 10Gbps traffic, while also providing the ability to transmit 40Gbps and 100Gbps wavelengths.

Rajeev Singh-Molares, president, Asia Pacific for Alcatel-Lucent, explained:

China has set aggressive targets to expand broadband availability to underserved segments of the society. Our optical technology will enable China Telecom to address these critical demands...and lay the groundwork for the future expansion and acceleration of their network to support 100G transport in the future.

Reuters reports a joint venture between Oceanteam Shipping ASA and the Netherlands-based WIND BV to offer a comprehensive range of submarine cable storage and handling services to cable manufacturers, contractors and operators.

The OceanWind Cable Storage Solutions joint venture will provide submarine cable storage and handling services such as short- and long-term storage with fast access to the North Sea; a hub for ship-to-ship cable transfers; vessel mobilisation and demobilisation; and transport to and from any worldwide port. Turntables and static tanks will be readily available, as will cable transfer equipment and handling crews, at its cable facility in Velsen.

Staff from EuroWire magazine will be on hand to answer your queries on Stand W1B459 at this year's wire China, taking place this week in Shanghai.

Sales executives Jason Smith, Linda Li and Giuliana Benedetto are representing Wire & Cable ASIA magazine and sister publications EuroWire and wiredInUSA ezine.

Pay them a visit and you can also collect a free copy of all the magazines.

Dave Henninger has recently been promoted to the position of Technical Director for Bridon American Corporation, taking over for David Sleightholm. Henninger will lead Bridon American's efforts in product and process engineering, technical customer service and new product development. Additionally, he will guide Bridon American's participation in industry standards development and representation on technical associations.

David Sleightholm, BAC's long time Technical Director, will be retiring in September of 2012. Sleightholm will continue to contribute to BAC Technical Support and Innovation in a part-time role. David's contributions to Bridon and the wire rope industry are numerous, and he was recognised for lifetime achievement at a recent standards meeting of The Wire Rope Technical Board.

JDR has a new German subsidiary, JDR Cable Systems GmbH, and a new Hamburg office opened at the end of September. This move follows JDR's first German contract win with WindMW GmbH for subsea power cables for the Meerwind Sud/Ost offshore wind farm.

Andrew Norman, JDR CEO, said:

Our new German operation is just the beginning of JDR's investment in Germany as we work to deliver on our first contract with WindMW and develop our role in the industry-leading German renewables market. The Meerwind wind farm is an exceptionally promising development. It is part of an exciting growth phase in the wind energy market, which is an increasingly important contributor to global power generation. The Meerwind project alone will produce enough electricity to supply 360,000 households and will help Germany eliminate approximately one million tons of carbon emissions per year.

WindMW GmbH is responsible for the planning, construction and operation of the Meerwind wind farm and will utilise over 110km of JDR's inter-array subsea power cables, complete with JDR's UK patented hang-off termination. The hang-off greatly improves the speed and safety of installation, lessens vessel on-station time, and thereby contributes to overall project economics. The cables will link 80 individual 3.6MW turbine generators with offshore substations that will generate 288MW of electricity. Meerwind is located approximately 23km north of the island of Helgoland and is expected to be completed in 2013.

Reef Subsea's subsidiary company, Reef Subsea Power & Umbilical, has ordered a heavy-duty cable plough to expand its capabilities in subsea trenching and cable installation. The order was placed with the subsea equipment manufacturer Soil Machine Dynamics Ltd (SMD), for delivery in late 2012.

The plough, which will pull up to 150 tonnes, will accommodate cables and subsea umbilicals up to 200mm outer diameter and 3m bending radius. It will be equipped with subsea loading and unloading capabilities, and will cut a trench at shallow trench (below 1.5m) or deep trench depths (2.4m) with minimal risk to the product compared to a conventional plough.

In addition, Reef Subsea Power & Umbilical had already placed an order for a Q1000 jet trencher, capable of cutting trench depths up to 3m. It will be configured to operate in water depths of up to 2,000m, in unconsolidated soils and clays up to 125kPa. The trencher will be equipped with high-function jetting power, as well as two high pressure, high flow pumps with complete control over water flow, and dedicated launch and recovery systems (LARS).

Reef Subsea Power & Umbilical has recently been involved in two of the world's largest wind farm developments offshore of the UK, Thanet and Greater Gabbard. In July of this year, the company was awarded a £40m contract with Gwynt y Mor Offshore Wind Farm Limited, to install and bury all the inter-array cables for the farm, which is expected to be the largest in Europe.

Orkney and Shetland are to be connected to the Scottish mainland via a new fibre optic link. BT has announced an £8 million investment in a fibre optic broadband link running from Inverness to Orkney and Shetland via northern Scotland.

The connection is expected to go live in early 2013, bringing faster broadband and new online services to communities such as Dingwall, Lerwick and Thurso. Once in service, the fibre optic line will carry all the broadband traffic between the northern isles and the mainland, replacing the existing microwave link, though this will be retained as backup.

The new connection will be among the UK's longest optical transmission systems, involving almost 1,000km of cable, 400km of which will be subsea.

Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co has, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Feralloy Corporation,bought all of the outstanding capital stock of GH Metal Solutions, Inc. (formerly known as Gas House, Inc.), a value added processor and fabricator of carbon steel products located in Fort Payne, Alabama.

Founded in 1958, GH's processing equipment includes flat-bed lasers, tube lasers, torches, shears, automatic band saws, CNC press brakes, coil-fed and hand-fed stampers, and robotic and manual welders. For the year 2011, annual sales were approximately $44m. The transaction is expected to be finalised within 30 days, subject to customary closing conditions.

Alcatel-Lucent secured a contract to upgrade VimpelCom's mobile broadband and business services network in Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

The deal will see Alcatel-Lucent update the Russian operator's regional networks to support 3G service, and prepare for the future introduction of LTE. The award includes upgrading VimpelCom's data transport and mobile backhaul networks with Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) technology to support all of its mobile broadband and business service offerings.

Alcatel-Lucent said the upgrade will transform and simplify VimpelCom's existing network, help improve performance and reliability and reduce operating expenses. The upgrade contract will also include VimpelCom affiliates KaR-Tel and SkyMobile, which offer communications services under the Beeline brand.

Stephen Cater, a researcher at TWI Technology Centre at the Advanced Manufacturing Park, Sheffield, presented ground-breaking results on friction stir welding of steel at the recent 9th International Conference on Trends in Welding Research, Chicago, USA. Friction stir welding was initially invented by TWI for welding aluminium and has quickly become the process of choice for world-leading manufacturers such as Boeing, SpaceX, Hitachi, Mazda and Volvo for the fabrication of strong, stiff, lightweight aluminium structures.

Following its widespread acceptance by the aerospace, shipbuilding, train making and automotive industries for manufacturing aluminium structures, TWI is developing the process for application to steel. The work undertaken at TWI Technology Centre in Yorkshire has shown that welds in steel made by friction stir welding have considerably better mechanical properties than those made by conventional arc welding, for example significantly improved toughness and fatigue lives. The lack of melting and thus low heat input which are characteristic of the friction stir welding process also reduces distortion in the welded structures.

Results published show that for 6mm thick, high strength shipbuilding steel, FSW reduces distortion along the length of a 2m welded plate from 115mm to 15mm while tripling weld toughness and increasing fatigue life compared to submerged arc welding. As up to 40% of the costs of building a ship are associated with correcting distortion of welded plates, this new technique has potential to introduce considerable cost savings during manufacture.

Tratos Ltd, Chesterfield, UK-based manufacturer and stockist of electric and fibre optic cables, has won a £5 million order for specialist fire resistant cables from ConocoPhillips for Phase 1 of the Jasmine discovery in the UK, Central North Sea.

Jasmine, one of the UK's largest exploration discoveries since the mid 1990s, was discovered by a ConocoPhillips-operated exploration well in 2006.

Tratos will be supplying medium and low voltage cables for Jasmine Phase 1 designed and manufactured by the company with exceptional fire resistance properties.

Simufact Engineering GmbH, a global operating software and service company, and Schuler SMG GmbH & Co KG, Schuler Group's centre of excellence for hydraulic press systems and market leader in the manufacturing of hydraulic forming machines, have entered a technology partnership.

The main purpose of the co-operation is the adaption of Simufact's simulation programmes to the hydraulic machines of Schuler SMG. Companies in the forging industry will benefit especially from the technology partnership, since they are now, based on this solution, able to simulate entire process chains on their Schuler SMG machines. The partnership between Simufact and Schuler SMG was signed mid September during the in-house exhibition INFORMlive in Waghäusel, Germany.

Cable&Wireless Worldwide has won a contract to serve as the single network provider for the global telecommunication needs of integrated property group, Goodman. The managed network services will be delivered over Cable&Wireless Worldwide's global IP-VPN platform and will connect Goodman sites across the US, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Cable&Wireless Worldwide deploys an IP-based next-generation platform that operates across its network, providing customers with seamless connectivity and a single environment for their telecommunications requirements. Its network possesses inbuilt resilience with the capability to re-route traffic across diverse paths in the event of failure of one or more paths, especially at the international level.

More and more of Delhi's best known monuments may now be illuminated through solar energy.

Building on the experience gained over the last three years and keen on promoting the use of environment—friendly solar energy, the Delhi government plans to light up more of the capital's historical sites through cheap and plentiful energy from the sun.

The 13th century Qutub Minar, the 17th century red sandstone Red Fort and the 16th century Humayun's Tomb — all declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites — are among the six sites where the Delhi government plans to install solar power plants to replace conventional sources of electricity.

Cable&Wireless Worldwide has won a contract to serve as the single network provider for the global telecommunication needs of integrated property group, Goodman. The managed network services will be delivered over Cable&Wireless Worldwide's global IP-VPN platform and will connect Goodman sites across the US, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Cable&Wireless Worldwide deploys an IP-based next-generation platform that operates across its network, providing customers with seamless connectivity and a single environment for their telecommunications requirements. Its network possesses inbuilt resilience with the capability to re-route traffic across diverse paths in the event of failure of one or more paths, especially at the international level.