4/1/2022 - Egypt’s Elsewedy Electric reports two firsts: an order for 185.5 km of cable from a business in Rwanda, and the first order filled by its new plant that is part of the Elsewedy Industrial Complex.
A press release said that the company officially entered Rwanda’s market through an EPC contract with the Rwanda Energy Group through EPC Africa and its subsidiary Afrilott LTD. An EPC contract is one that is used to undertake construction works by the private sector on large-scale and complex infrastructure projects.
Elsewedy Electric supplied 185.5 km of ACSR OH cables that will be used to support Rwanda’s development efforts that have been hindered by growing demand and limited supply. The cables for the contract, the first for the company in Rwanda, were produced from the Elsewedy Industrial Complex, representing the factory’s first order. It was completed before the official inauguration of the plant.
Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley, where the African Great Lakes region and East Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
4/1/2022 - Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., has received a preliminary order worth US$200 million, from Samsung C&T Corporation, for an HVDC cable that the company said will represent a first in the Middle East.
A press release said that the preliminary order for the submarine HVDC network is from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in the UAE. It calls for the company to provide its 400 kV DC cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cable for a route that is approximately 140 km. The initial engineering work will be started, followed by a full contract award and financial investment decision in 2022. The system is expected to be in operation in 2025.
The project, part of the Project Lightning, a new submarine HVDC network for ADNOC, will allow bulk-power energy transmission between the converter station in Al Mirfa, in Abu Dhabi mainland, and on the Al Ghallan artificial offshore island. The EPC consortium of Samsung C&T and Jan de Nul received the order from a joint venture of Korea Electric Power Corporation, Kyushu Electric Power Transmission and Distribution Co., Kyuden International Corporation, and Électricité de France S.A.
“It is a great honor for us to be selected as an HVDC cable supplier for this important project for UAE,” said Sumitomo Electric Managing Executive Officer Yasuyuki Shibata.
4/1/2022 - Nexans has won a contract with Ørsted and Eversource to supply the export cable link that will connect the Revolution Wind Farm in the U.S. to the onshore grid.
A press release said that the cable, mainly aluminum medium voltage, will be produced in collaboration with Nexans Indeco (Peru), in one of the Nexans Group plants in the Andean region. The conductor design was optimized based on the requirements of the project, which is located in the municipality of Taltal, Antofagasta Region. The first deliveries are planned for May 2022.
This will be Nexans’ first cable installation project in the U.S. as part of the frame agreement with Ørsted-Eversource. The Export Cable Framework Agreement, providing the opportunity to supply up to 1,000 km of high-voltage subsea cables in the U.S. by 2027, was signed in December 2019 between Orsted Wind Power North America LLC and Nexans to accelerate the energy transition in North America by bringing Nexans’ industry-leading subsea cable technology to the U.S. This contract is the first project to be delivered under this agreement.
The cable lay vessel Nexans Aurora will be used for the installation. Nexans notes that it is the first vessel of its kind in the offshore cable-laying sector.
Located more than 15 miles south of the Rhode Island coast and 32 miles southeast of the Connecticut coast, the 704 MW Revolution Wind Farm will address the energy needs of both states. “We are committed for the long term in the US offshore wind industry and look forward to pursuing our partnership with Ørsted and Eversource on this historic project,” said Ragnhild Katteland, executive vice president subsea and land systems for Nexans.
4/1/2022 - The Prysmian Group has been awarded a contract worth approximately €1.2 billion for supplying a full-package 725-km submarine cable interconnector that will directly link the German and U.K. electricity grids for the first time.
A press release said that the order, from NeuConnect Britain Limited and NeuConnect Deutschland GmbH, calls for the turn-key design, manufacturing, installation, testing and commissioning of the 1400 MW submarine and land cable system. It will connect two of Europe’s largest energy markets, promoting the efficient use and integration of renewable energy generation resources in both Germany and the U.K.
The NeuConnect interconnector is a privately financed project developed by a group of international investors that include Meridiam, Allianz Capital Partners and Kansai Electric Power, and is contingent on the successful tendering of the converter station and financing agreements for the project.
“When completed in the coming years, NeuConnect will join the world’s longest interconnectors,” said Hakan Ozmen, EVP Projects, Prysmian Group. “Moreover, it is one of the first interconnectors to be financed through a project financing arrangement, demonstrating that the major infrastructure projects needed to deliver the sustainable energy goals in Europe are supported by private investment.”
The project shall deliver the cable connection along a route which runs between the U.K. converter station located on the Isle of Grain in Kent (U.K.), passing through the U.K., Dutch and German waters to the landing point in Lower Saxony in Germany, where it will connect with the converter station near Wilhelmshaven. The NeuConnect project shall provide major energy transmission infrastructure that shall contribute to the wider European goals for increased availability of economically beneficial, sustainable, and secure electrical power.
Prysmian will provide the complete cable system to be operated at ±525kV HVDC utilizing mass-impregnated (MI) paper insulated cables, and include fiber optic cables on the land and selected submarine sections, complemented with state-of-the-art cable monitoring systems that shall support the monitoring, maintenance and services to be provided during the warranty period.
The submarine and land power cables will be manufactured at Prysmian’s Arco Felice factory near Naples, Italy. Offshore installation activities will involve three of the Group’s own cable-laying vessels. Commissioning of the project is scheduled in the second half of the decade.
The NeuConnect project joins the latest record-breaking awards to the Prysmian Group and follows projects such as Viking Link, the connection currently under installation between Denmark and U.K., as well as the recent successful awards of the major framework contract by Terna developing a more robust power grid in Italy and the strategic link connecting Saudi Arabia and Egypt by SEC and EETC respectively.
3/10/2022 Citing the disturbing events in Ukraine, the Supervisory Board of Messe Düsseldorf announced that it has decided to suspend the group’s business activities in Russia until further notice. It has also agreed to take in Ukrainian refugees at the Fairgrounds.
A press release said that the decision includes the activities of its subsidiary, Messe Düsseldorf Moscow. “The whole city of Düsseldorf is thinking of the people in Ukraine,” said Dr. Stephan Keller, Lord Mayor of the state capital Düsseldorf, and chairman of the Supervisory Board of Messe Düsseldorf. “After we have already put the city partnership between Moscow and Düsseldorf on ice, it is only logical that Messe Düsseldorf, as a subsidiary of the city, also suspends its activities in Russia for the time being.”
Added Wolfram N. Diener, CEO & president of Messe Düsseldorf, "The current events contradict the mission and values of our company, which is to create international marketplaces for free, cross-border intercultural and economic exchange.” The next scheduled staging of wire Moscow, to held at the Krasnaya Presnya, is in the summer of 2023.
The Messe also announced that by March 1, a thousand cots had been set up in Hall 6 to accommodate Ukrainian refugees who had fled their homeland. By the end of the day, they all were filled.
“On the day of construction, a large number of colleagues spontaneously lent a hand to make the accommodation possible as quickly as possible,” said Diener, who noted that the trade show organizer was pleased to accommodate a request from the Office for Migration and Integration of the city of Düsseldorf. “Because we are moved by the fate of the people. And because we are deeply moved by the plight of the refugees. Receiving and accommodating them is a matter of course for us.”
The cots were set up in Hall 6, which covers more than 25,000 sq m, by the Messe, working with the German Red Cross and the Düsseldorf Fire Department. Some 2,500 meters of partition walls were erected to divide the hall into smaller rooms. Hall 6 has its own changing rooms and 40 shower places. Capacity is supplemented by external shower containers. Catering will be provided by Stockheim, Messe Düsseldorf’s catering partner. All refugees will also have access to free WiFi, which will enable them to keep in touch with family and friends and to find out about developments in Ukraine.
At LinkedIn, the news was warmly greeted, including kudos from Sebastian K. of QUICKFairs, who wrote, “Make fairs, not war.”
3/9/2022 The Wire Association International (WAI), Inc. reports that two keynote speakers are scheduled to present on consecutive days at its Operations Summit & Wire Expo, at the Hyatt Regency Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA, June 7-8, 2022.
Tuesday, June 7 -“The new normal in raw material procurement for the wire and cable industry” Keynote speaker Brian Schulties, the Chief Procurement Officer for Prysmian Group North America, will share his insights into the opportunities and challenges facing the supply chain in the wire and cable industry in this era of tight supplies.
Wednesday, June 8 -“Leadership in a volatile world” Keynote speaker Ty Garrison, Senior Vice President of Operations, at Commercial Metals Company, will discuss how the last few years have strained businesses across the globe as Covid forced companies to deal with events like virtual work, burn out, unprecedented supply chain disruptions and volatile markets. The need to successfully navigate these situations puts immense pressure on leadership at every level of an organization. When we shift our mindset and view the pressures of leading a team as a privilege rather than a burden, leaders rise to the occasion and companies thrive.
View the full program and event details at www.wireexpo22.com
WAI has the generous support of the following sponsors: Platinum: Carris Reels Inc.; Encore Wire; Gem Gravure Co. Inc.; James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp., Prysmian Group; SDI LaFarga Inc.; Southwire Co.; and Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp; Gold: Insteel Industries Inc.; and Lloyd & Bouvier Inc.; Silver: Niehoff Endex; and Sikora International Corp.; Bronze: Baum’s Castorine; NDC Technologies; Precision Payoff Systems; and RichardsApex Inc.
The Wire and Cable Industry Suppliers Association (WCISA) is an industry partner with WAI.
Contact WAI’s Pierce Whelan, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details about exhibiting and/or sponsorships.
About the Organizer: WAI, founded in 1930, is a not-for-profit association with nearly 1,800 individual members in 50 countries. The association serves the educational needs of the wire and cable manufacturing industry through a variety of products and services. WAI manages the Interwire Trade Exhibition and the WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo and publishes the Wire Journal International and the Wire Journal International Reference Guide.
3/4/2022 The war in Ukraine is proving a tense time for cable producers like Leoni, Nexans and TFKabel which have units located in the Ukraine. In this Insight we have a brief look at how producers are dealing with the unfolding situation and also what role Russia and Ukraine play in the cable markets in general. We will provide a further update next week. The CRU International Report says...
Effect on producers located in the Ukraine
At the time of writing, France’s Nexans told CRU that it is monitoring the situation and continues running two out of its three automotive wiring harness plants that it has in the Ukraine. The plants of Peremyschljany and Zolochiv are still running. However, its unit at Brody has been temporarily stopped. The three units employ a total of 2771 people.
“We are in close and regular contact with our customers, and we are following the situation very closely in order to adapt as best we can and avoid any disruption to our business. Safety of our employees is our absolute priority. The evolution of the situation is being closely monitored and will adapt to the extent possible the protection measures of our employees on the sites,” a spokesperson told CRU.
Germany’s Leoni told CRU Wire & Cable News that it has stopped production of wiring harnesses at both its sites in the Ukraine, which employ 7,000 people. Leoni production is located at Stryji and Kolomyja in the southwest of the country in regions close to the EU border. “The safety of our employees is our top priority. Immediately after the combat operations began, we decided to temporarily suspend our production at both plants and send our employees home until the situation can be better evaluated," a Leoni spokesperson said.
The company said that a dedicated task force will closely monitor the course of the conflict and its impact on the company’s sites, and is also in constant contact with customers and suppliers.
Labor-intensive wiring harness production, which uses LVE cable is one of the main activities for cable producers located in the Ukraine. As shown in the chart on the left-hand side of Figure 1, LVE cable makes up 48% of total insulated metallic wire and cable production in the Ukraine.
Sanctions on Russia
“With regard to the impact of international sanctions on Russia, we are monitoring the situation very closely to enable us to adapt and limit the potential impact on our supply chain. Russia and CIS represent less than 0.5% of our Group sales,” a Nexans spokesperson explained.
CRU data shows that Russian wire and cable production is predominately made up of power cables (71%), with LVE cables comprising 26%. The country’s impact on the wider cable market is relatively minimal. It only has a 2% share of total European exports and 4% share of East European exports. Over the past three years, Russia’s two main export destinations have been Kazakhstan and Belarus. Both countries accounted for 61.2% of total Russian cable exports.
Meanwhile, China and Belarus made up 63.1% of the cable imports into Russia for 2021.
The effect of a further escalation of the conflict on Ukraine’s cable trade is uncertain. Poland is an important trade partner for the Ukraine, both for imports and exports (see Table 1). In 2021, most of the exports to Poland were for wiring harnesses (72.5%) and LVE cables (25.5%), while the majority of imports were for LVE cable (90.1%).
CRU will be keeping subscribers up to date over the coming weeks. Visit the CRU website for more information by visiting: https://www.crugroup.com/
3/4/2022 –The Prysmian Group focus on speeding up innovation in the areas of ultra-rapid telecom networks and smarter, more sustainable power grids has been bolstered by financial support from the European Investment Bank (EIB), which has previously made available such funds.
A press release said that the EIB has finalized financing of €135 million intended to support the Group’s 2021-2024 R&D plans in Europe. That support is greatly appreciated as it will help the Prysmian Group’s R&D efforts. “Cable technology is a key enabler to face the challenges of digitalisation and energy transition,” said Srini Siripurapu, Chief R&D and Innovation Officer Prysmian Group. The specific areas where the EIB support will make a difference include the following.
• Industrial research: research on innovative materials also involving the use of nanotechnologies, systems for the monitoring and management of land and submarine power grids and of low voltage power systems, new cables and materials for more sustainable solutions and hybrid energy and telecom cables. • Innovation and experimentation: the use of alternative materials for cable design and product project optimisation, use of breakthrough technologies to execute cable jointing operations. • New products development: submarine power transmission cable systems for installation at high depths; P-Laser Extra High Voltage land and submarine power transmission cable systems; dynamic cables for the offshore renewable energies sector; cable solutions for the e-mobility industry; high-performance optical fibres, cables for FTTH and FTTA applications, and connectivity; development of smart cable systems and sensing solutions for fault location, monitoring and management of power grids. • Digital transformation and sustainability: development of machine learning and artificial intelligence solutions for enhanced quality in cable manufacturing process, and implementation of digital solutions for the management of operations from remote also through the use of IoT Industry 4.0 technologies and deployment of innovation data management software for a better on-going project portfolio management; development of data models for the continuous evaluation of sustainability impact of a Green IT Strategy and for the assessment of the sustainability of the product portfolio.
The new projects fulfill the goals set within Prysmian Group’s innovation roadmap and strategy, strongly oriented towards the support and promotion of digitalization and the energy transition.
Cable technology is a key enabler for electrical power transmission and distribution and for the development of telecommunications in Europe. Innovative solutions in these areas are a critical component to promote digitalization and the energy transition, thanks also to the expansion of 5G networks and the surge in renewable power installations, that could be interconnected via sustainable and innovative cable links.
The financing represents approximately 50% of the investments planned in Europe during the period concerned. Worldwide, Prysmian Group allocates approximately €100 million per year to R&D. This financing follows those already granted by the EIB to the Group in 2013 and in 2017, also in support of R&D in Europe, a sign of the trust that the company enjoys with the Bank.
“The agreement signed with Prysmian aims at developing technological innovations via cable based on sustainability criteria in order to reduce the consumption of raw materials, the generation of waste and CO2 emission,” said EIB Vice President Gelsomina Vigliotti. “Supporting the cabling sector helps to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion and to promote the energy and digital transition in Europe.”
3/4/2022 – Metals producer Ege Çelìk Endüstrisi Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. has contracted with Primetals Technologies for upgrades to its wire rod mill in İzmir, Turkey.
A press release said that the addition of a new wire rod outlet will enable the company to expand its value-added product range for markets in Turkey and Europe, with greater capability for surface finish quality and dimensional tolerance in its wire rod products. Thermomechanical rolling will improve drawability while reducing overall heat treatment costs. Commissioning for the new wire rod outlet is expected in summer 2023.
The new mill will be capable of rolling rods with a diameter of 5.5 to 26 mm at speeds up to 134 tons per hour, or 120 tons per hour with thermomechanical rolling, using both 130 mm and 160 mm square billets. Ege Çelìk operations will produce low, medium and high carbon steels, along with cold heading quality, and welding wire grades for the automotive and other industries that are seeking higher-quality products.
The scope of supply for the contract includes upgrading an existing roughing/intermediate mill with new drives and automation, two roughing mill stands (1H +2V), and a new wire rod outlet with several Morgan products, including an individually driven eDrive 8-stand Vee No-Twist Mill, new inline cooling with an Enhanced Temperature Control System (ETCS), an on/offline reducing/sizing mill, intelligent pinch roll, high speed laying head, and 10½-zone Stelmor conveyor. Coil forming and handling will be accomplished through a vertical/horizontal conveyor system and compactor. A level 2 Process Expert automation package provides reliable material tracking functionality and leads to key performance indicator improvement.
Founded in 1986 with headquarters in Istanbul, Ege Çelìk began steel production in 2001. Ege Çelìk is the leading producer of quality steel wire rod in Turkey and supplies to local and worldwide steel customers.
3/4/2022 – Germany’s Schlatter Group announced that it has acquired a majority stake (51%) in Sokol Engineering Srl, a European manufacturer of wire processing equipment.
A press release said that Sokol Engineering, based in Tavagnacco (Udine), Italy, develops and builds a comprehensive range of wire production equipment. That includes cold rolling, wire drawing and stretching lines that generate net sales of €3 million a year.
With this deal, “Schlatter is strengthening its strategic position in wire production plants and taking a further step towards becoming a comprehensive solution provider in the wire industry.” Schlatter is known for its resistance welding technology and weaving machines for specialized purposes.
Sokol Engineering will continue and expand its existing activities under the name Schlatter Italia Srl. Company founder Sokol Haxhiaj, who has many years of experience, will continue to support the Schlatter Group as managing director and a shareholder. Schlatter’s customers will benefit from the takeover with expanded system expertise and a comprehensive partner across the entire value chain
3/4/2022 – JDR Cable has been awarded a government grant for £1,606,711 for Accelerated development of Higher-voltage Export & Array cables for Dynamic applications (AHEAD).
A press release said that the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy issued a total of £31,600,000 in 11 grants related to innovative floating offshore windfarm technologies. The application from JDR Cable was related to array cable. Its entry noted that no dynamic cable rated above 66 kV has ever been deployed in an offshore wind environment, and that due to increased turbine sizes, distances from shore, and water depths, the industry would benefit from having significantly higher voltage dynamic cables.
The grant was issued to help JDR Cable achieve these goals: demonstration of innovative polymer insulation systems to be capable of operation above 66 kV and to 132 kV, potentially as a wet-design; extension of dynamic array cable construction to larger and heavily dynamic export cables at 132 kV; advanced dynamic cable modelling to engineer cable configurations with higher loadings or stiffer cabling; and integration of next generation optical fibre strain sensing technology into dynamic high-voltage export and array cables to improve offshore cable monitoring and maintenance.
The new cables will be developed at JDR’s Hartlepool facility and tested at ORE Catapult at Blyth. The project is also well aligned to the government-supported new JDR HV Cable Facility in Cambois, Northumberland, where project construction is planned for this summer.
3/4/2022 – The Prysmian Group has signed a new framework agreement with Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE), France’s Transmission System Operator, confirming its role as major partner of the French TSO in its plan of upgrading and developing national power girds.
A press release said that the Prysmian Group, which has been awarded with the largest share of the agreement, will be responsible for supplying, jointing and testing some High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) cable systems for underground grid connections from 90 kV up to 400 kV. The framework agreement will cover the period 2021-2023, with two potential optional additional years. To support the upgrade of France’s power grids, Prysmian Group will leverage its French centers of manufacturing excellence, located in Gron and Montereau.
These plants employ more than 1,400 people and are renowned for the production of high-voltage cables and P-Laser technology. This framework agreement confirms Prysmian Group’s primary role in supplying RTE with HV cable systems, consolidates their long-term and successful relationship, and highlights once again RTE’s trust in Prysmian.
“We are proud to have the opportunity to play a key role in the upgrade of such a strategic infrastructure for our country, by making available our Made-in-France cable technology,” said Laurent Tardif, CEO of Prysmian Group South Europe Region. “Based on our long-term partnership, over the last years Prysmian has already provided RTE with innovative, efficient and sustainable power transmission cable solutions, both submarine and terrestrial,” concluded Tardif.
Prysmian Group’s projects include: Fécamp, Courseulles-sur-Mer, St. Nazaire and Noirmoutier offshore wind farms; the IFA2 submarine interconnection linking the UK and France; the Piedmont-Savoy HVDC underground interconnection between Italy and France; and the INELFE underground interconnection (Baixas – Santa Looggia), the first extruded 320 kV DC XLPE underground interconnection linking Spain and France.
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