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7/3/2022 - Last year, JDR announced plans to build a new high-voltage U.K. cable plant subject to final agreements. That path just got a lot closer to completion when the project was approved by councilors on the Strategic Planning Committee of the Northumberland County Council (NCC).

A press release said that NCC Deputy Council Leader Richard Wearmouth reported that the project has its full support. “We’re absolutely delighted to be welcoming one of the most advanced subsea cable manufacturing facilities in the world into the county. This brand-new facility will focus on renewable energy products and services, which is crucial towards the county’s carbon neutral plans.”

Plans call for construction to begin this year, with the opening set for 2024. It will create up to 207 high-quality local jobs on completion and safeguard 270 jobs at JDR’s existing facilities. Part of the initial project investment, estimated at £130 million, will come from a grant from the BEIS Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support (OWMIS) scheme. JDR and TFK plans to raise the remaining funding with support expected from financial institutions and U.K. Export Finance.

The new facility is the first stage of JDR’s plans to expand its product portfolio to support the growing global renewable energy market, adding high-voltage export and long length array cables to its existing capacity and product capabilities. Further stages of the development could result in over 400 staff working at the site, with supplied products complementing JDR’s existing capacity provided by the company’s Hartlepool and Littleport U.K. manufacturing centers.

When complete, the facility will include a new catenary continuous vulcanization (CCV) line, making it the only facility in the U.K. capable of full start-to-finish manufacturing of high voltage subsea cables for offshore wind farms to support the growing global renewable energy market. It will be located on the 16-hectare site of the former coal-fired Blyth power station in Cambois in the northeast of England. It is set to feature a 47.5-m high vertical laying-up machine tower and a 45-m high CVC tower along with cable testing and storage facilities. Construction is due to start in the third quarter of this year and finish in early 2024.

Last modified on July 3, 2022

7/3/2022 -  Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Telecom Egypt to build the first submarine cable system to directly connect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Egypt.

Per multiple media reports, the MoU was signed in Riyadh by Eng. Salman Al-Badran, CEO of Mobily, and Adel Hamed, Managing Director, and CEO of Telecom Egypt. The agreement explores various new ways to connect international capacity to Europe in the west, through Telecom Egypt’s network, and to the GCC in the east, through Mobily’s network, which is made possible by expanding the two companies’ networks and connecting them to neighboring countries.

The new cable system aims to meet the rising communication traffic and the large demand for such services between KSA and Egypt.

“By adopting cutting-edge technologies, we continue to expand our infrastructure and scale our capabilities across the KSA and the wider region,” said Salman Al-Badran, CEO of Mobily. “We are confident that our strategic partnership with Telecom Egypt will help achieve our goals.”

The investment allows Prysmian to rapidly transition the Jackson plant to optical cable and increase the production efficiency in other facilities across the region. Prysmian Group North America has 28 manufacturing facilities, eight distribution centers and six R&D centers. The investment also will enable digital inclusion in local communities across North America while supporting the needs of Prysmian’s customers.

Last modified on July 3, 2022

6/3/2022 - South Korea’s Taihan Cable and Solution has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a joint venture (JV) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Per a report at www.businesskorea, Taihan Cable and Solution announced that it will establish a joint venture in Saudi Arabia to produce ultra-high voltage cables. It will be the first ultra-high voltage cable plant to be built overseas by Taihan Cable and Solution.

The company is partnering with Mohammed Al-Ojaimi Group, a Saudi Arabian EPC company that specializes in power transmission and distribution. The two companies have secured a factory site in a high-tech industrial complex in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, for the construction of the factory. The site is owned by Mohammed Al-Ojaimi Group and is adjacent to Saudi Taihan Cable Co., a subsidiary of Taihan Cable and Solution that produces electric equipment.

Taihan Cable and Solution is planning to expand the market for its 380kV ultra-high voltage cables from Saudi Arabia to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region including Qatar and Kuwait, and Europe. The company notes that it currently has five production bases: a cable factory and a power equipment factory in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province of Korea, an HV cable factory in Vietnam, an MV cable factory in South Africa and an electric equipment factory in Saudi Arabia. It is also building a submarine cable plant in Dangjin and an optical cable plant in Kuwait.

Per Wikipedia, Taihan Cable & Solution was established in 1955 as the first wire and cable company in South Korea. It has a manufacturing plant in Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheongnam-do and a research center in Gyeonggi-do as well as overseas offices in South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Mongolia, the U.S., Canada, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia.

Last modified on July 3, 2022

6/2/2022 -

The Prysmian Group announced that it plans to invest $30 million in its Jackson plant in Tennessee to change its product mix to all optical fiber to meet the increasing demand for optical fiber broadband connectivity driven by federal and state stimulus packages.

A press release said that Prysmian’s total optical cable investment in North America now stands at $115 million, with the Jackson project adding to the $85 million announced last year. These investments increase Prysmian’s optical fiber capacity in its North American plants and expand its telecom footprint to meet customer demand more efficiently. As the market shifts from legacy copper infrastructure to fiber, Prysmian’s manufacturing facilities are adapting to mirror the shift in technology. The Jackson facility will change from producing copper to optical cable, making it the first plant within the Prysmian Group to be re-tooled to produce a different product.

Jackson will increase Prysmian’s capacity in loose tube and drop cables production, and the employees will learn new skills manufacturing optical fiber and cable that will connect homes and cities. Prysmian is a global leader in developing technology for new, reliable and efficient broadband networks, providing valuable new capacity and options for telecom network operators.

“The demand in North America makes us a strategic market globally, and the best way to meet this need is to produce more optical cables here in the US. This optimizes both the quality of service for our customers and the carbon footprint to build a high-performance infrastructure ready for 5G, smart cities and smart homes,” said Patrick Jacobi, Vice President of Telecom, Prysmian Group North America. “These investments are also a part of our global plan to increase capacity to support the digital transformation with innovative products, like the development of new ultra-broadband fiber optic telecommunication networks.”

The investment allows Prysmian to rapidly transition the Jackson plant to optical cable and increase the production efficiency in other facilities across the region. Prysmian Group North America has 28 manufacturing facilities, eight distribution centers and six R&D centers. The investment also will enable digital inclusion in local communities across North America while supporting the needs of Prysmian’s customers.

Last modified on July 3, 2022

6/2/2022 -

Cerrowire, a leading U.S. manufacturer of copper building wire, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary, announced that it plans to invest more than $100 million to build a 270,000-sq-ft facility.

A press release said that the plant, to be located in the Morgan Center Business Park in the city of Hartselle, Alabama, will produce metal-clad (MC) cable. “We are looking forward to Hartselle being the strategic location that is a perfect fit for our major new venture and to the creation of over 130 jobs to support this growing community,” said a statement from Cerrowire President Stewart Smallwood. “The state of Alabama, Morgan County, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and city of Hartselle are excellent partners in creating an environment for our business to flourish. Our workforce is dedicated to our growth and the production of high-quality products.”

The product focus will provide Cerrowire “an even stronger future by extending its product offerings in a way that positions the company and its retail partners and electrical distribution partners for success,” the release said. It noted that the MC cable market is a growing sector in the building wire market as it is used for most types of building construction, primarily in commercial, and is also used in some residential and industrial applications. Different wire configurations are wrapped in metal cladding to meet standards set by the National Electrical Code (NEC); end uses of MC cable include commercial building construction, data centers, and hospital applications. Electricians and electrical contractors like the streamlined installation process and lower cost factors with MC cable, driving the growth in demand and sales.

“Adding Metal Clad cable to our product portfolio allows us to leverage our core business—manufacturing building wire—and to provide a strong building wire solution that fulfills a growing need for our customers,” Smallwood said. “We’ve been asked to get into this segment because our customers know we will back MC with our ongoing commitment to product quality, on-time and in-full delivery, and industry-leading customer service. MC cable provides an exciting opportunity for focused growth for Cerrowire and our customers.”

Based in Hartselle and a Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway company, Cerrowire also has plants in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana and Utah.

Last modified on June 2, 2022

6/2/2022 -

Marmon Aerospace & Defense, a Marmon/Berkshire Hathaway company, has broken ground on a new 80,000-sq-ft manufacturing facility in Hooksett, New Hampshire.

A press release said that when the plant is completed in the fall of 2023, it is expected to bring an additional 20 production jobs to the area. The company is investing $30 million in the new facility, which will house a state-of-the-art manufacturing operation producing large shipboard power cables to support the U.S. Navy and its ship-building network. The new operation will complement the company’s current product line at its plants in nearby Manchester, New Hampshire, and in Naples, Florida.

“This new facility will broaden Marmon’s military shipboard cable product offerings, which already include power, data, instrumentation, control, and communications cables,” said Robert Canny, president of Marmon Aerospace & Defense Group president. “We are pleased to make this investment in service to our customers, our team, and our community.”

Last modified on June 2, 2022

6/2/2022 -

LS Cable & System USA, part of South Korea’s LS Cable & System, plans a $26.9 million investment to expand its plant in Tarboro, North Carolina.

The announcement said that the company’s campus in Edgecombe County will be expanded over a three-year period. The investment will increase the current manufacturing capacity and add an additional 86 employees to the current staff of 188, said Bobby Piner, the plant’s manager of manufacturing. “This expansion will allow (us) to meet the current and growing needs of our customer base while providing job growth opportunities for our team members in Tarboro.”

LS Cable & System USA designs, manufactures and distributes an array of cable products for the rapidly growing energy sector within commercial, industrial, renewable and utility markets. The Tarboro plant, which makes low- and medium- voltage cables, opened in 2012.

Last modified on June 2, 2022

6/2/2022 -

XLCC, a new HVDC, renewable energy-focused business in the U.K., has completed the concept design of an advanced, first-of-a-kind cable laying (CL) vessel—the XLCC CLV—to be delivered in the first half of 2025.

A press release said that the planned delivery of the XLCC CLV will support the Morocco, a U.K. power project that will require the delivery of four 3,800-km subsea HVDC cables from a wind and solar generation site in Morocco to the U.K. “Our vessel will be, on delivery, the most sophisticated, capable and green cable layer in the world,” said Alan Mathers, XLCC Director comments. “With this capability, we will be able to deliver on increasing demands globally for HVDC cable deployment and fill a current and future void in the market.”

In close collaboration with Salt Ship Design, the team has started the development of the basic design of the vessel while working towards the selection of a successful yard. The vessel design is being developed from basic design stage in 3D engineering software for best definition of steel structures and interiors arrangement. Operational aspects of the cable handling have been studied in close collaboration with MAATS Tech and Global Marine.

Asked by WJI what specifically will make the XLCC CLV the most advanced cable-laying ship ever, the company provided the below comments.

“Cable capacity is approximately double the largest CLVs in the present market. In laying significantly more cable per round trip, corresponding savings can be found in transit, time, and emissions. The speed of the loading the cable is significantly improved when compared to the industry standard. Cable loading has been aligned with production facilities, resulting in major time savings spent at harbor.

“The DC lay has been optimized with the two carousels below deck of the same capacity each. The vessel speed in transit is improved and optimized both for loaded condition and for returning to port empty. Transit speed loaded is approximately 15 knots, 16 knots returning to port.

“Unique to XLCC’s CLV is a hangar length of approximately 110 m. The vessel design, with its superstructure, is more aftship than typical, with the continuous hangar area in the vessel length above the carousels. The CLV will be prepared for future fuels (LOHC and methanol) with zero to low emission. Preparations for two alternative fuels in addition to MGO gives flexibility and ability to meet zero-emission operations in the future.”

Oman Australia Cable nears final step with completion of last cable landing

Last modified on June 2, 2022

6/2/2022 -

China’s ZTT Submarine Cable & System (ZTT) has completed the factory acceptance test and cable load out of 60 km of 230 kV subsea cable for the Negros-Panay interconnector project in the Philippines.

At its website, the company reports that it has delivered the marine survey, design, supply, and lay-off of three submarine XLPE cables for the interconnection project. The order, for 2021, includes engineering, procurement, commissioning and installation (EPCI).

The delivery and project execution is on time, and in accordance with the contract schedule. ZTT will commission the whole cable system. That includes associated accessories, such as load prediction systems and other equipment, from Panay Island to Negros Island. The system includes associated accessories such as load prediction systems and other equipment.

The interconnector, a three-stage project developed by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), will interconnect the islands of Cebu, Negros and Panay, as part of the plan to strengthen the overall Philippines power transmission network.

Stage one presents the submarine cable component that increases the transfer capacity of the existing corridor between Negros and Panay islands. Stages two and three of the Cebu-Negros-Panay interconnection project are to establish a 230 kV backbone to accommodate the transmission of excess power from Panay and Negros towards the rest of Visayas.

Last modified on June 2, 2022

6/2/2022 -

NKT reports that it has completed connecting the power cable system that links the Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm to shore in what will be, when fully operational later this year, the world’s largest such energy producer.

A press release said that the Hornsea 2 system, which has capacity of 1.3 GW, required 196 km of 220 kV HVAC. Located 89 km off the English east coast, the wind farm has 165 8 MW turbines. The site was described as “a key to the transition to renewable energy in the U.K.,” designed to provide power to more than 1.3 million households when fully operational. The Hornsea claim to the world’s largest operating offshore wind
farm, will see it take the title from the current holder, Hornsea 1.

The power cables for Hornsea 2 were manufactured at the NKT factory in Karlskrona, Sweden, which runs on 100% green electricity minimizing the carbon footprint of the cable system. As part of the environmental focus of the operation, the installation of the submarine power cable systems was completed by NKT Victoria. The company will install the remaining turbines and continue testing, commissioning, and energizing Hornsea 2.

NKT has extensive experience in connecting offshore wind parks to the U.K. mainland including commissioned projects such as Hornsea 1, Moray East and the Walney Extension. Currently, NKT is involved in ongoing offshore wind projects such as the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm, which will be the first offshore wind farm in the U.K. to be connected to shore with a HVDC power cable link.

Last modified on June 2, 2022

6/2/2022 -

Japan’s Furukawa Electric has won a contract from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines to deliver cable for a subsea power transmission project.

A press release said that the order is worth approximately €33 million. Furukawa Electric will supply 230 kV AC XLPE-insulated 1600 mm2 triple-core submarine cable— which it notes is the world’s-largest conductor size class submarine cable—and cable temperature and load monitoring system. Delivery and completion of the cable system are scheduled for 2023.

The power transmission project will connect the Cebu Substation and Lapulapu Substation in Visayas. The new submarine power transmission will reinforce power transmission capacity and maintain the continuous transmission of power towards the major load centers in Mandaue and Mactan even during an N-1 contingency condition.

Last modified on June 2, 2022

6/2/2022 -

The Prysmian Group will partner with Telstra, Australia’s largest telecom company, to build a new intercapital dual fiber path network in the country, a project that will require up to 20,000 km of optical fiber terrestrial cable.

A press release said that the national fiber network project, a multi-year project, will see Telstra build a new “state-of-the-art inter-city dual fiber path” to boost inter-capital capacity, as well as capacity for regional areas.

Prysmian and Telstra InfraCo undertook the development of a leading-edge optical cable system, leveraging Prysmian’s local R&D Lab. The Group invested to develop the next generation of high-strength, low-loss optical cable that has a highly ruggedized design, made for direct ploughing enabling long-distance deployment in harsh local conditions. The state-of-the-art cable design is combined with Prysmian’s BendBright® G.657.A2 Low Loss fiber technology. The cable has been developed to Australia’s unique environmental conditions and will be designed and manufactured locally at Prysmian’s factory on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

Prysmian will support this project through local production of the optical cables in Dee Why, Sydney, which will boost jobs and investment in local high-tech manufacturing. The Group is investing to upgrade the plant’s capacity and capability. The deployment includes up to 20,000 kms of dual high strength optical cables combined with upgrade of the network within the Metro cities.

 “There is an ever-growing demand for greater fiber capacity, enabling massive bandwidth and ultrafast data rates with lower latency,” said Philippe Vanhille, executive vice president of the Telecom Division at Prysmian Group.

Last modified on June 2, 2022

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