EuroWire September 2020
The International Magazine for the Wire & Cable Industries
Featuring
wire China 2020 & Guangzhou 2020
For over 90 years, MAC® has been a leader in nondestructive testing. THE MAC EDGE ®
High-Speed 25mmUT Rotary System for Rod Inspection www.mac-ndt.com/25mm-ut-rotary/
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Industry ready for a return to the exhibition floor
A whole range of companies – NDC Technologies and Pelican Wire among them – have been contributing to the ght against coronavirus. Many of NDC Technologies’ customers are involved in the manufacture of life-critical products, such as medical tubing, hygienic packaging, wire and cable for medical devices, essential food products and other items. Full story on page 14. Pelican Wire has donated a large quantity of precision wire to ZSK, an embroidery equipment manufacturer that specialises in technical embroidery for putting wires and non-standard materials into fabrics. Pelican’s wire is being used to create a ‘shapeable’ mask to help directly in the ght against the virus. More details on page 23. Strict hygiene and distancing measures will be in place when wire China throws open its doors from 23 to 26 September in Shanghai, China.
More than 500 Chinese and international exhibitors are expected to take part in the four-day exhibition, as organisers expect a rapid recovery in the global economy and investment to rise within the wire and cable industry. Interactive online showrooms will also provide a digital supplement to the trade fair inside the exhibition halls. Full story on page 22. And looking further ahead, the rearranged wire 2020 in Düsseldorf, Germany, will be opening for business on 7 December.
The week-long exhibition – seen as the leading international event for the industry – attracted 71,500 visitors during the last staging in 2018. Turn to page 16 for more.
David Bell Editor
Publishing Team
Editor:
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Features Editor (USA):
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Sales & Marketing: UK & ROW sales.............................................................................................Jason Smith (International) Italian speaking sales...................................................................Giuliana Benedetto Chinese speaking sales ............................................................................................Linda Li Advertisement Coordinator: ..............................................................................................................................Liz Hughes Accounts Manager: ...............................................................................................................................Karen Low Subscriptions: ...............................................................................................................................Karen Low Publisher: ....................................................................................................................Caroline Sullens Founder: ..........................................................................................................................John C Hogg
* US$33 purchase only Front cover: Mexichem Specialty Compounds (AlphaGary) See page 88 for further details US copies only : EuroWire (ISSN 1463-2483, USPS No: 022-738) is published six times a year, January, March, May, July, September and November by Intras Ltd and distributed in the USA by Asendia USA, 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA. Periodicals postage paid at Philadelphia, PA and additional mailing o ces. POSTMASTER : Send address changes to EuroWire, Intras Ltd, C/O 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA 19032. www.read-eurowire.com © 2020 Intras Ltd, UK ISSN 1463-2438
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Contents
September 2020
bigstockphoto.com “Shanghai, China”. Photographer: Nataliya Hora
Regulars
Technical Articles/Indexes
Analytical study of soft coating material for optical bre By Kumpei Kobayashi, Takumi Nakajima, Hirofumi Uchida and Noriyasu Shinohara, Tsukuba Laboratories, JSR Corporation, Japan Analytische Untersuchung eines weichen Beschichtungsmaterials für Lichtwellenleite von Kumpei Kobayashi, Takumi Nakajima, Hirofumi Uchida und Noriyasu Shinohara, Tsukuba Laboratories, JSR Corporation, Japan
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8
Diary of events
9
Corporate News
26
Transatlantic Cable
36
Technology News
Deutsch Inhalt
73
47
EuroFasteners
60 wire China
88
Editorial Index
88
88
Inserentenverzeichnis
Advertisers Index
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GettingTechnical Inspection and sorting of plastic pellets as a guarantee for visually and functionally perfect products
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Technical Articles/Indexes
Indice Italiano
Содержание на русском языке
Аналитическое исследование мягкого материала покрытия для оптического волокна Кумпей Кобаяши, Такуми Накаджима, Хирофуми Учида и Нориясу Синохара, Цукуба Лаборатории, JSR Corporation, Япония Étude analytique d’un matériau de revêtement souple pour fibre optique par Kumpei Kobayashi, Takumi Nakajima, Hirofumi Uchida et Noriyasu Shinohara, Tsukuba Laboratories, JSR Corporation, Japon
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Studio analitico di un materiale di rivestimento morbido per fibra ottica a cura di Kumpei Kobayashi, Takumi Nakajima, Hirofumi Uchida e Noriyasu Shinohara, Tsukuba Laboratories, JSR Corporation, Giappone
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88 Indice degli Inserzionisti
88 Перечень рекламодателей
Indice Español
Sommaire Français
Estudio analítico sobre material de revestimiento blando para fibra óptica Por Kumpei Kobayashi, Takumi Nakajima, Hirofumi Uchida y Noriyasu Shinohara, Tsukuba Laboratories, JSR Corporation, Japón
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88 Index des Annonceurs
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Indice de Anunciadores
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dates for your diary . . .
China (Guangzhou) International Metal and Metallurgy Exhibition
2020
22–24 September: China (Guangzhou) International Metal and Metallurgy Exhibition – trade exhibition – Guangzhou, China Organisers : Guangzhou Julang
Exhibition Design Co Ltd Fax : +86 2038 6207 81 Email : julang@julang.com.cn Website : www.julang.com.cn
23–26 September: wire China – trade exhibition – Shanghai, China Organisers : SECRI and Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co Ltd Fax : +86 216 169 8301 Email : shanghai@mdc.com.cn Website : www.julang.com.cn
11–14 October: IWCS – virtual symposium and trade exhibition Organisers : IWCS Tel : +1 717 993 9500 Website : www.iwcs.org
7–11 December: wire 2020 – trade exhibition – Düsseldorf, Germany Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf GmbH Email : wire@messe-duesseldorf.de Website : www.wire.de
2021
25–28 January: MACH – trade exhibition – Birmingham, UK Organisers : MTA (Manufacturing Technologies Association) Email : mach@mta.org.uk Website : www.machexhibition.com 25–27 March: wire India – trade exhibition – Mumbai, India Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf India Pvt Ltd Fax : +91 112 697 1746 Email : info@wire-india.com Website : www.wire-india.com
Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com “Liwan District, Guangzhou, China” Photographer: vvoevale
As with all shows, and with the continuing coronavirus pandemic, please check to ensure the event is going ahead.
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September 2020
Corporate News
▲ ▲ Cameras are set up at various points around the machinery
Factory acceptance testing during lockdown
basket spool where the wire is spooled on. Through these different angles, the customer can clearly see how precisely the wire is laid on the spool and how the automatic spool exchange works. To allow the customer to focus on one point at a time, he or she can choose which camera to look at first, or switch between the different views. A test of the system was reported to be a success, and the customer was satisfied with the flexibility; the machine is now being prepared to be shipped to the customer’s factory. Also because of global travel restrictions, Lämnea Bruk is now performing full-scale commissioning online. In combination with augmented reality, the company has
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on production facilities. When Swedish wire machinery producer Lämneå Bruk realised that ongoing travel restrictions meant customers were unable to attend test runs in person, it launched an online factory acceptance test (FAT) where the customers are dialled-in live via video conference calls and can observe the test run of their machine. The Lämneå Bruk team has set up four cameras at different points of a fully automatic precision layer winder, so the customer can see the critical parts from all angles. For example, cameras have been placed at the spooler to see the spooling off process, and behind and in front of the
▲ ▲ The customer can select which camera feed to view
supervised and commissioned complete drawing lines, spoolers and no-twist coilers at customer workshops in Japan, the USA, China and the UK. This flexibility allows its international customers to run their operations without interruption.
Lämneå Bruk AB www.lamnea.se
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Corporate News
Sikora “on tour”
sample testing, quality control and analysis of plastic pellets. The material sample is placed on a sample tray and moved through the inspection area. Within seconds, the material is inspected automatically by a colour camera, and a projector marks the contaminated material directly on the sample tray. The Purity Concept V detects all optical contamination, such as black specks, colour deviations or blendings, from a size of 50µm on the surface of transparent, translucent and coloured material. With the software PurityLab-Professional, the operator receives images of all contamination, detailed statistics about size and frequency of the detected contamination, and sorting by size categories. A clear allocation of the contamination and follow-up inspection are possible at any time. “The system is more accurate, more reproducible and more reliable than the human eye and manual light table, and thus, contributes significantly to quality control and process optimisation,” said Mr Groß. He added, “Real pellet inspections are the best proof that a system works, and give information about advantages which are received by the use of such equipment. We want our customers to personally experience the precision, speed and simple operation of the system.” Sikora “on tour” will continue until the end of this year for customers in Germany and in neighbouring countries such as Austria and Switzerland. Sikora AG www.sikora.net
Hilger Groß, Sikora’s business development and area sales manager for plastics, is visiting customers at different locations in Germany and neighbouring countries with the Sikora mobile, and inviting them to test plastic pellets with the Purity Concept V. “The focus of our roadshow is to make the inspection and analysis system tangible,” said Mr Groß. “Customers can experience the performance of the Purity Concept V live on their own premises. Especially in the current situation, it is received very well by our customers when I arrive with the Sikora mobile and present the system, naturally always in compliance with the valid hygiene and distancing regulations.”
The Purity Concept V is an automated light table used for optical
▼ ▼ Hilger Groß visits customers to demonstrate the Purity Concept V
Jiangsu Qunye Electrical Co., Ltd. is a specialized spools manufacturer. We have highlevel workshops and offices, first class equipment lines and complete inspection facilities, advanced management and quality control systems to fulfill all customers’
requirements. We manufacture all kinds of metal and plastic spools and gain a good market share both at home and abroad.
Hall 11/D52
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September 2020
Supermac – Global Solution Provider in Extrusion and Process Technology
Supermac established in the year 1974, is a leader in manufacturing high-end systems and process technology for wire & cable in the power and telecom sector and related industries. The ISO 9001 certi ed company specializes in o ering customized and tailor- made solutions to ful l speci c needs of a variety of customers all across the globe. With a highly skilled design team, with the best of manufacturing and Industries,
High speed building wire line
highly talented commissioning team, and trained experts in cable processes and technology, we o er design to process expertise to bring in the best product for you. Supermac has expertise providing on line commissioning from remote. Post commissioning customer service support is provided from both on site as well as from remote. The company has three established and running units near New Delhi and we are adding another unit under our expansion program. The state-of-the-art facilities are equipped with international and domestic machinery to carry out the process of manufacturing as per the customer’s requirements. Supermac has strategic partnerships with German Companies – M/S Scholz to cover CCV Lines, M/S Rubicon to cover Rubber Extrusion Lines and Simpack USA for Coiling Machines and Solutions.
Supermac specialises in the following areas: • State of the art CCV Line with Scholz Vulcanization system for Power Cables up to 132 KV XLPE and 33 KV for Rubber. • Specialized Medical Tubing extrusion lines. • Proven Triple Extrusion Line for SIOPLAS (XLPE) cables. • High speed Insulation Line and Sheathing Line for House Wiring & Control Cables and medical equipment sector. • High output and best in class Insulation Line and Sheathing Line for Power Cables. • HCV insulation and sheathing line. • Hybrid and composite CCV lines for both XLPE and Rubber. • Rubber extruders for Insulation and sheathing materials. • Silicone extrusion lines with infrared vulcanization system. • Extruders for variety of applications – up to 175 mm. • Cross-Head Single/Dual/Triple. • Haul-O Caterpillar. • Capstan. • Take-up and pay-o of all types and sizes and as per requirement above 4.5 meters and 40 MT.
Supermac CCV Line
www.supermacindia.com
SUPERMAC INDUSTRIES (INDIA) LIMITED
UNIT-I : Plot No-2, Sector-6, IMT Manesar, Gurgaon Haryana, INDIA Ph.: +91-0124-4690500 | Fax: +91-0124-4690501 E-mail: jasvinder@supermacindia.com, vkohli@supermacindia.com
OFFICE : A-28 & 29, NARAINA Industrial Area Phase-1, New Delhi-110028, INDIA Ph.: +91-11-45574317 E-mail: o ce@supermacindia.com
UNIT-II : Plot No. 18-19, Sector-2A, IMT Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana, INDIA
Corporate News
Messe Düsseldorf’sWerner M Dornscheidt retires
After almost 17 years as president and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf – and serving the company for around 37 years – Werner M Dornscheidt resigned from his office at the end of June. “Trade fairs are my life,” said the outgoing CEO. “What we have built up together with my team over all those years benefits the company today. While conditions are difficult at present, it is comforting to know that ‘my’ company is in good hands. The team is already busy working on a restart and developing further digital add-ons so that Messe Düsseldorf will also remain the successful, reputable company in future that it is today. I have made my contribution.” The strategic reorientation of the company spearheaded by Mr Dornscheidt contributed to international growth. Düsseldorf’s four No 1 trade fairs with the highest number of events organised abroad were grouped into global portfolios: Processing & Packaging (interpack); Plastics & Rubber (encompassing the plastic trade fair ‘K’); Health & Medical Technologies (including medical technology trade fair MEDICA); and Metals & Flow Technologies – with the cable, wire and tube trade fairs wire and Tube. On site, Mr Dornscheidt focused on the development of the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre, in terms of technical facilities, functionality, convenience and architecture. After the commissioning of Hall 1 in 2019, this year will see the completion of the new South Entrance, with a 20m-high cantilevered roof measuring 7,800m 2 . “In time for rebooting trade fair operations in autumn, Messe Düsseldorf will have a
▲ ▲ Werner M Dornscheidt (left) and his successor as CEO, Wolfram N Diener
new architectural highlight in the offing,” said a delighted Mr Dornscheidt. Up until lockdown in March, the adjacent Hall 1 had been fully booked from the outset. Mr Dornscheidt as CEO. Mr Diener has served Messe Düsseldorf as managing director operative business since 2018, and took over as CEO on 1 July. “I am delighted at the trust placed in me. We can perfectly build on Werner Dornscheidt’s achievements and jointly rise to the challenges ahead,” said Mr Diener. “Here in Düsseldorf we boast an inimitable Wolfram N Diener succeeds
brand profile that can be made even more successful through the drivers that are internationalisation and digitalisation; and what’s just as important: a powerful team.” Erhard Wienkamp (managing director of fair management) and Bernhard J Stempfle (managing director finance and technical operations, digital strategy and communication) will complete the board of managing directors. Messe Düsseldorf GmbH www.messe-duesseldorf.com
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September 2020
Corporate News
Technical promotions at RichardsApex
RichardsApex, of Pennsylvania, USA, has promoted two key technical staff. Ralph Creneti, most recently manager of technical services, has been promoted to vice president – product management. During his 17 years at RichardsApex, Mr Creneti has served in various capacities in the company’s lab, providing technical assistance to the manufacturing and purchasing departments and also assisting customers with maximising overall product performance. In his new position, he will fully support direct sales efforts including international subsidiaries, reps and distributors. James Brooks has been promoted to senior product development specialist. Mr Brooks joined RichardsApex six years ago as a product development chemist, after his prior experience in the tubing fabrication industry. He has gained knowledge of the company’s entire product line and has developed several new products over the past few years. Mr Brooks also serves an important role as a technical advisor for customers and the company’s sales force. With more than 100 years in operation,
▲ ▲ Ralph Creneti
▲ ▲ James Brooks
Europe) and in Australia (RichardsApex AustralAsia). Core products are supplied from four manufacturing locations, in the USA, Europe, Australia and Mexico, and through a network of representatives in 65 countries. RichardsApex www.richardsapex.com
RichardsApex is a manufacturer of oil-based and water-soluble wet lubricants for wire drawing, tube drawing and hot-rolling applications, as well as other metalworking applications. The company maintains a global service organisation to provide customers with on-site support and technical sales assistance from its US headquarters in Pennsylvania and at its operating subsidiaries in the UK (RichardsApex
NDC products in fight against COVID-19 NDC Technologies, a global provider of connected measurement and control solutions, has been deemed an “essential business”, taking a vital role in enabling its customers to produce the necessary goods used in the fight against COVID-19. Many of the company’s customers are involved in the manufacture of life-critical products, such as medical tubing, hygienic packaging, wire and cable for medical devices, essential food products and other items. As an example, one customer – Onyx Hose & Tube – manufactures medical tubing for the oxygen delivery systems and ventilators being used in the field hospitals in Central Park, New York City. As with Onyx Hose & Tube and all of its “essential business” customers, NDC Technologies has been providing the highest level of support – both on-site and remote – to ensure ongoing production and business continuity. Much of the prompt, front-line customer support has been accomplished through the company’s myNDC service cloud, a 24-hour support site that offers customers an easier and more direct way to interact with the NDC Technologies service team. myNDC allows the company’s team members to create incidents, view a customer’s installed base or service history, and access a comprehensive and growing knowledge base. Customers have access to a database of frequently asked questions, can quickly reach NDC Technologies support through several channels, and can easily generate their own return material authorisations (RMAs) for product repairs. Live chat is also offered for immediate support and feedback to customer service requests. Language support enables customers to access content, features and functions in their own language, including French, German, Japanese, Spanish and Chinese. NDC Technologies, Ltd www.ndc.com
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Corporate News
The world focuses on Düsseldorf
Visitors from more than 100 countries are expected to attend wire and Tube later this year. From 7 to 11 December, the two international trade fairs for the wire, cable, tube and pipe industries will open their doors at the Fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany, in compliance with strict new hygiene and social distancing rules. 2018 saw 71,500 trade visitors (up from 69,000 in 2016) at the exhibition halls over five days to learn about innovations in their sectors and conclude business deals. For this December, the organisers expect stable numbers of visitors from Europe despite the tight situation in the global economy. So far, one third of visitors at both trade fairs have come from Germany while two thirds have been international visitors, placing wire and Tube among the most internationally attended trade fairs. 80 per cent of international visitors in December are expected to come from Europe. Although strong producer and visitor countries such as Italy, France and Spain are seriously impacted by the consequences of the coronavirus crisis, these are the European countries – alongside the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Russia, the UK and Turkey – where most European trade visitors will come from to visit the two trade fairs. If the EU and national stimulus packages take effect in the European countries, then an economic recovery and an increase in investment can be expected by the end of the year.
Photocredit:MesseDüsseldorf/ctillmann
▲ ▲ 71,500 trade visitors attended the exhibitions in 2018
Visitors to wire come from the wire and cable industries, the iron, steel and non-ferrous metal industries, from automotive and construction, the chemical industry, trade and the services sector. At wire 2020 they will be looking for innovations, trends and new business partners and suppliers, or seeking to deepen existing contacts. Visitors’ main interests focus on machinery and equipment for wire manufacturing and finishing, as well as process technology tools, finished products, auxiliary materials, forming technology and fasteners and springs, as well as wire mesh welding machinery. At Tube, most visitors are interested in the latest news from the fields of tubes, plant and machinery for pipe and tube processing (as well as for finishing and manufacturing pipes and tubes), raw materials, accessories, profiles and pipe and tube trading. Messe Düsseldorf GmbH www.wire.de
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Corporate News
Decalub green cleaning TecHnOlOgieS FOcuS On: Wire Cleaning ( for plating and high glossy finish )
Strategic partnership announces first Japanese cable project
Wire Rod Lubrication ( for frictionless drawing )
Rod Dry Preparation ( with no speed limit )
▲ ▲ Toho will work with Cimteq to promote CableBuilder to the Japanese market
DECALUB 31, avenue de Condé 77500 CHELLES, FRANCE E-mail: info@decalub.com Website: www.decalub.com
Industry experts Cimteq and Toho International Inc have entered into a new strategic partnership to launch CableBuilder – Cimteq’s cable design solution – into the Japanese wire and cable manufacturing market. The companies have also announced their first project together. UK-based Cimteq produces cable design and manufacturing software. CableBuilder is Cimteq’s flagship product for cable design, and is already implemented in numerous wire and cable plants around the world. With more than 160 wire and cable manufacturing companies in Japan, generating a combined revenue of over $16bn, the company recognised an important market. Working with Toho International, Cimteq is now further exploring Japanese opportunities. Toho International is a trading company that specialises in importing solutions and machines from suppliers around the world into Japan, to deliver advanced technologies to its wire and cable manufacturers. Koji Yamashita, deputy division director at Toho International, explained, “We recognised the value that CableBuilder provides early on. Through its accurate design and costing, integration with ERP, quick quotations, automated datasheets, and 2D and 3D drawings, it can have a massive impact on businesses in Japan. We are delighted to add this technology to our portfolio.” Mike Braddock, CEO at Cimteq, added, “We identified Toho International as a complementary partner for us, which would enable us to deliver substantial benefits to customers in Japan. We are utilising Toho’s strengths and close links in the market, combined with our software expertise in cable design. It is already shaping up as a mutually beneficial partnership.” CableBuilder has already been selected by a major wire and cable manufacturer in Japan, driven by the need to streamline the new product design process, reduce the time required to produce quotes and increase costing accuracy for new products, which affects the company’s ability to win future contracts. CableBuilder meets these requirements as standard. The implementation of CableBuilder will mean that many of the processes currently being carried out manually will be automated. This will include the automation of calculations, and the generation of datasheets and 2D and 3D drawings. CableBuilder’s production simulation module will also be used to allow accurate cost calculation for different run lengths. Cimteq Ltd https://cimteq.com Toho International Inc www.toho-intl.co.jp
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Corporate News
Lukas at wire China
▲ ▲ Lukas Anlagenbau taping line
Lukas Anlagenbau GmbH, a family-owned manufacturer from Germany, will exhibit its equipment for the wire and cable industry on StandW1D14 at wire China in September. The focus of the company’s products is on complete taping lines with taping materials such as PTFE, Kapton, mica, paper or metal. Also used for producing special cables for medical, aircraft or power applications, the company’s taping lines can be found at the premises of suppliers worldwide. The product range covers single components like payoffs, capstans, caterpillars, sintering ovens and take-ups, to complete rewinding lines and fine wire drawing lines for non-ferrous materials. In October 2019, Lukas took over the business of Erwin Neumann Drahtveredelungstechnik GmbH, Germany, extending its product range with electrolytic single wire-plating lines for tin, silver, nickel and copper. The current product highlight is the horizontal taping machine. With a new drive concept, Lukas ensures improvement of quality in taping technology. The design of the components has also been revised for easier handling and better serviceability. Lukas Anlagenbau GmbH www.lukas-anlagenbau.de Kieselstein launches new service enquiry tool Customers of German wire machine producer Kieselstein can use a new service tool for placing their enquiries. The company had recognised a problem with the existing process. A maintenance person who identifies a need for spare parts, for example, might not have the opportunity to send the enquiry, and might have to address the request to a purchasing department. The requirements would have to be specified, and technical documents placed at the purchaser’s disposal, for forwarding by email to the supplier. Kieselstein intends to facilitate this often-laborious process with a tool provided on its spare parts website. The customer can choose either a request for spare parts or services, or to address an individual request to Kieselstein, and then has the option to upload pictures or files containing details about the enquiry, or to add contact details directly from the mobile device being used. This can be done directly at the machine. Pictures of the machine label and the required spare part can be added, as well as a photo of the business card, before the enquiry is sent to Kieselstein. The company will also distribute stickers that can be attached to the plant, to display a QR code that leads directly to the service enquiry portal. Kieselstein is able to process enquiries not only for its own plants, but also for plants of other drawing machine brands. Kieselstein International GmbH www.kieselstein.com
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Leading internationaL Magazines for the Wire & cabLe industry
22 nd September - 24 th September 2020
2020 China (Guangzhou) International Metal and Metallurgy Exhibition
julang.com.cn Guangzhou, China
PICK UP YOUR FREE MAGAZINES FROM STAND 15.1, 1988
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• Language sections • Specialist features
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• New Fasteners section for 2020
Corporate News
Emtelle completes land purchase to expand facilities Emtelle, a manufacturer of pre- connectorised, blown fibre cable and ducted network solutions, has acquired 16,000m 2 of land located adjacent to its manufacturing plant in Erfurt, Germany. This follows the manufacturer’s recent investment in its production capabilities with the purchase of two new extrusion lines at the Erfurt manufacturing facility. The latest investment will allow for further options of increased manu- facturing capacity and stock capabilities while expanding product testing and customer training facilities. The company expects these develop- ments to strengthen its offering and enable it to better serve global growing demand. With manufacturing facilities in Germany, Denmark and the UK, as well as sales offices in the Netherlands, Sweden, Eastern Europe and Malaysia, Emtelle supplies fibre and ducted network solutions to more than 100 countries around the world, to sectors including telecommunications and power. Emtelle group CEO Tony Rodgers commented, “As leaders in our field, it is important that we have the space to grow. Acquiring this land means we can do just that. The German market is a growing market for us, so it is imperative we continue to invest and expand our capabilities at our Erfurt factory. This additional land purchase allows us to enhance our facilities, so we remain at the forefront of the FTTX industry.” has developed blown fibre and ducted network solutions that allow simpler and more efficient installation with minimal disruption, to connect premises worldwide. The company acquired Moore GmbH in 2017, and has since invested more than €30mn in its European factories. Since its inception, Emtelle
▲ Emtelle has acquired land next to its manufacturing plant
Emtelle www.emtelle.com
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Corporate News
Over 500 exhibitors expected at wire China 2020 wire China, the international wire and cable industry trade fair, will take place from 23 to 26 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC), under strict hygiene and distance regulations mandated by the Chinese health and safety authorities. More than 500 Chinese and international exhibitors are expected to participate, showcasing innovative machines, equipment, products and services for this sector. wire China is organised by Messe Düsseldorf together with its subsidiary, Messe Düsseldorf China (Shanghai), and its regional partner SECRI – Shanghai Electric Cable Research Institute. The organisers expect a rapid recovery of the global economy and willingness to invest within the wire and cable industries. Together with many international wire and cable companies and the relevant associations, it was therefore decided to hold wire China against the background of declining COVID-19 infection figures. In addition, interactive online showrooms will provide a digital supplement to the trade fair in the exhibition halls. This will enable companies to take part in the trade fair, even if the current economic or health situation in their countries makes it impossible for them to travel to Shanghai. wire China 2020 will feature country pavilions from Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Visitor groups from China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have also already registered. Messe Düsseldorf www.wirechina.net Retirement of industry veteran Spirka-Schnellflechter GmbH has announced the retirement of general manager Harald Baumbach, after 42 years in the wire and cable industry. Mr Baumbach, a lifelong resident of Berlin, Germany, completed an economics degree at the Berlin-Karlshorst University of Applied Sciences in 1975. Following a compulsory stint in the former East German military, Mr Baumbach held a variety of technical sales positions with SKET GmbH, before joining Spirka as sales manager in 2001. He retained that position in addition to general managerial duties. Mr Baumbach guided Spirka through a long and challenging transition period that included the sale of the company, followed by receivership and, eventually, its acquisition by the Wilms Group. Throughout, Mr Baumbach remained committed to the company, its employees and its customers, said to be reflected in the respect and loyalty he continues to enjoy from his colleagues and Spirka’s customers. On 1 July, Mr Baumbach was succeeded by Max Schubert, who took his position as general and sales manager of Spirka-Schnellflechter. Spirka-Schnellflechter GmbH https://spirka-schnellflechter.de
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Corporate News
PelicanWire donates wire for face masks
Moving into the UK market Hexatronic has acquired Tech Optics, a UK-based fibre optic company. Established in 1988, the company specialises in systems for harsh environments such as defence, aerospace, and oil and gas industry applications, and provides companies worldwide with fibre optic communications products and customised fibre optic cable assemblies. “Tech Optics has been a partner to us for many years, and we are very pleased to welcome the team to Hexatronic group,” said Henrik Larsson Lyon, CEO of Hexatronic Group. “Together with our fibre-to-the-home company, Hexatronic UK, and our training companies, PQMS, Smart Awards and Gordon Franks Training, we become a strong player in the UK market for fibre optic solutions.” Hexatronic Group AB https://hexatronicgroup.com Tech Optics www.techoptics.com
While remaining open as an essential business during the COVID-19 pandemic, Pelican Wire has been manufacturing numerous custom wire solutions for other essential business partners in key industries, but was particularly pleased to join in the ‘front-line cause’ this project offered. technical embroidery manager for ZSK, said, “The wire we received free of charge from Pelican Wire runs perfectly with this project. All three companies, Pelican, BendShape and ZSK, are aligned in their mission to help have a direct impact on attempting to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate their support and it came when we needed it the most.” With specialities in the fine-gauge and high-temperature wire fields, Pelican Wire works globally across multiple industries, offering custom solutions in aerospace, medical, industrial, automotive, defence and other fields. PelicanWire www.pelicanwire.com Dr Topher Anderson,
In an effort to contribute directly to the fight against COVID-19, Pelican Wire has donated a large quantity of precision wire to ZSK, an embroidery equipment manufacturer that specialises in technical embroidery for putting wires and non-standard materials into fabrics. Bendshape, a wearable electronics company, is also a development partner in the project with ZSK, which is taking the lead on production. Pelican Wire business development manager John Niggle said, “We’ve been working with the team at ZSK Technical Embroidery Systems, a division of ZSK USA Inc, on an e-textile product development programme and continue to be impressed by the precise capabilities of their commercial embroidery equipment and the commitment to quality from their organisation. When the opportunity arose to send some wire to ZSK to be used in creating a ‘shapeable’ mask, we jumped at the opportunity. It’s a privilege working with a company that puts such precision and care in their products and their people.”
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Corporate News
Isabellenhütte meets high demand in record time
If the temperature is too low, there is a risk of hypothermia and lung damage. Isotan is a typical heat conductor used in potentiometers or heating pads, for example those used in floor heating systems. It features low temperature coefficients of electrical resistance for a large range of temperatures, ie it reacts to changes in resistance with only very low changes in temperatures (in special quality ±10 ppm per Kelvin). In addition, Isotan is oxidation- and corrosion-resistant, giving it a long lifecycle and making it robust to outside effects. In medical technology, reliability and a long lifecycle are central material requirements in view of the demands placed on the cables. Isotan is supplied as a round wire which is then further processed and sheathed by the cable manufacturer. Isabellenhütte Heusler GmbH & Co KG www.isabellenhuette.de
Isabellenhütte, a specialist for precision alloys, supplies the alloy Isotan® as a heat conductor for ventilators. When demand for ventilators suddenly increased as a result of developments related to the coronavirus, Isabellenhütte put its rapid supply performance to the test.
While 40 kg of Isotan was ordered from Isabellenhütte as a usual annual quantity in February, the cable manufacturer in question had to place a subsequent order for a further 400 kg in late-March – an increase in demand of 1,000 per cent. Dora Kosiarska, area sales manager for alloys at Isabellenhütte, commented, “We knew right away how important and urgent this issue was, and wanted to make our contribution. Because we produce our alloys at the primary site in Dillenburg [Germany] and had enough raw materials, we could move straight to implementation. We created extra capacity so that we could meet the increased demand within only two days. It was therefore possible for the customer to start with their own cable production immediately.” Isabellenhütte’s normal delivery times for wires such as Isotan are typically several weeks. Isotan is used in the ventilators’ heat conductors, which warm the breathing gas up to body temperature before it reaches the patient.
▲ ▲ Dora Kosiarska, area sales manager for alloys at Isabellenhütte
Continuous Casting Technology for Specialist Wire Applications
sales@rautomead.com www.rautomead.com • Ultra-Low oxygen content CuOF • Conductor alloys: CuMg, CuAg, CuSn • Progressive alloys: CuCrZr, CuCr, CuZr
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Transatlantic Cable
Research
The team has applied the intercalation technique to other elements, such as germanium, copper and gadolinium, but graphene is the focus of the research. In the case of gold, however, it was found that the intercalated atoms arranged themselves in a regular, periodically recurring two-dimensional (crystalline) structure along the silicon carbide surface. “If the intercalation is carried out at 600°C, the graphene layer prevents the gold atoms from agglomerating to form drops,” Mr Forti said of the function of the carbon layer in the sandwich structure. The production of a single-atom thickness of gold stirred interest in extremely thin materials and their potential characteristics. Research showed that the thin layer of gold develops its own electronic and semiconductor properties. As an example, the electrical conductivity of voluminous (three-dimensional) gold is nearly as good as that of copper but, as theoretical considerations forecast a metallic character for pure 2D gold, finding that a single-atom layer behaves like a semiconductor was surprising. “Interactions between the gold atoms and either the silicon carbide or the graphene carbon obviously still play a role here. This influences the energy levels of the electrons,” said Mr Starke. A second layer of gold atoms influences the electrical conductivity and gives a metallic character. “By varying the amount of sublimated gold, we can tightly control whether one or two layers of gold form,” said Mr Forti, offering the potential to use components with alternating single- and double-atomic gold layers. The new manufacturing method would need to be combined with common lithographic methods of chip production, but significantly smaller diodes could be produced. According to Mr Starke, the different electronic states of single- and double-layer gold could also be used in optical sensors. A further application idea results from effects caused by the intercalated gold in the adjacent graphene layer, depending on the thickness of the gold. “A gold layer one atom thick causes an n-doping in the graphene. This means we obtain electrons as charge carriers,” explained Mr Forti. In areas where the gold is two atomic layers thick, exactly the opposite – p-doping – occurs, where missing electrons or positively charged “holes” act as charge carriers. The gold also enhances the interaction of plasmons (fluctuations in the density of charge carriers) with electromagnetic radiation. “A structured, alternating arrangement of n- and p-doping in the graphene could [be used] as a highly sensitive yet high-resolution detector array for terahertz radiation, like those used in materials testing, for security checks at airports, or for wireless data transmission,” said Mr Starke. Mr Starke’s team has moved towards the production of two-dimensional precious metal layers, and carried out an intercalation experiment with silver – a strictly crystalline
New research into precious metals is pointing the way to new applications in microelectronics
Researchers from the Stuttgart-based Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, working with partners in Pisa and Lund, have discovered that some precious metals (silver and gold, in particular) lose their conductive properties when applied in very thin layers, demonstrating that electrons behave differently in the two-dimensional layer of a material than in three-dimensional structures. The research teams, writing in Physical Review B and Nature Communications , believe that the discovery could lead to applications in microelectronics and sensor technology. By “very thin” the researchers refer to layers that are several hundred times thinner than gold leaf (itself only 0.1µm thick). Researchers Ulrich Starke and Stiven Forti have successfully created a gold layer just a single atom thick. Mr Starke is head of the Interface Analysis Facility at the Max Planck Institute, where his team is working on the border between voluminous (three-dimensional) and planar (two-dimensional) materials. Solid state researchers are interested in this transition because it is associated with changes in certain material properties – demonstrated in two-dimensional carbon, or graphene, where its electrons are significantly more mobile and allow the electrical conductivity to increase to 30 times that of the related three-dimensional graphite. Mr Starke explained, however, that producing layers of material just one atom thick is not easy. “With classical deposition methods, gold atoms, for example, would immediately agglomerate into three-dimensional clusters,” he said, so his team is working with a different method – intercalation. The researchers start with a silicon carbide wafer and, using a process they developed themselves, convert its surface into a single-atomic layer of graphene. “If we vaporise sublimated gold on to this silicon carbide-graphene arrangement in a high vacuum, the gold atoms migrate between the carbide and the graphene,” detailed Mr Forti, based at the Center for Nanotechnology Innovation in Pisa. It is not entirely understood how the thick gold atoms move into the interstitial space between the carbide and graphene, but the process is assisted by high temperatures.
Image: www.bigstockphoto.com Photographer Adrian Grosu
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Transatlantic cable
factory activity had eased from an 11-year low. Manufacturing remains hampered by supply chain disruptions caused by worldwide business closures and suspensions, and by social distancing measures in those factories that are operating or reopening. Cheaper crude oil eroded profits in the energy sector and reflected on the profits of manufacturers of drilling and offshore equipment. Unfilled orders at factories dropped 1.6 per cent in April, after falling 2.1 per cent in March, and factory inventories fell 0.4 per cent in April. Shipments of manufactured goods fell by 13.5 per cent. Orders for transportation equipment, having fallen by 43.2 per cent in March, fell again by 48.3 per cent in April. There were no orders for civilian aircraft, and orders for motor vehicles and motor parts fell by 29.3 per cent. Machinery orders fell 7.2 per cent, while orders for electrical equipment, appliances and components fell by 9 per cent. The US government reported that orders for non-defence capital goods (excluding aircraft) – seen as a measure of business spending plans and, hence, business confidence – declined 6.1 per cent in April, a greater drop than previously reported.
two-dimensional silver layer formed between silicon carbide and graphene. Silver is generally considered superior to gold as an electrical conductor, yet silver also becomes a semiconductor when reduced to two dimensions. Initial results indicate that the energy required to make the silver layer electrically conductive is probably higher than for 2D gold, suggesting, said Mr Starke, “The semiconductor properties of a component made from this material might therefore be thermally more stable than those [made from] gold.”
US industry
With the hatches battened down against coronavirus, April saw further declines in factory orders In early June, the US Commerce Department announced that new orders for American-made products dropped during April, reflecting the depressed business investment plans already seen early in the second quarter as a result of the uncertainty created by coronavirus. Factory orders dropped 13 per cent in April, following the 11 per cent drop seen in March, though at least a little better than the 14 per cent drop predicted in a Reuters poll. The year-on-year fall was 8 per cent for April. In early June it was believed that the slump in manufacturing (which accounts for 11 per cent of economic activity in the USA) was probably nearing its lowest point, following a report from the Institute for Supply Management revealing that in May its measure of national
Jobs market took a further hit, nearing 20 per cent unemployment
With US business investment contracting for four consecutive quarters, not all of which coincided with the pandemic shutdown, it was no surprise to read the US unemployment rate had reached almost 20 per cent in May: a new and
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Transatlantic cable
The PPP, part of a historic fiscal package worth nearly $3 trillion, offers business loans that can be waived, in part, if used to pay employees. The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which compiles the employment report, announced that a misclassification by respondents had shown the unemployment rate to be lower in April than it actually was: a number of people claimed to be “employed on temporary layoff” when they should have classed themselves as “unemployed on temporary layoff.” Without the misclassification, the April rate would have been closer to 19 per cent. Some economists thought that correcting this error would account for estimates of up to 27 per cent for May unemployment in the Reuters survey. In April, at least 18.1 million of the 23.1 million people unemployed said they were on temporary layoff, expecting to be back at work within six months. About 2.6 million believed the job loss was permanent. Economists said that workers’ perception that their layoffs were temporary is one reason the US stock market rebounded sharply from the pandemic lows. “What makes this downturn different from all others is that people have held the belief that, once everything reopens, all the jobs are going to come back,” said Steven Blitz, chief US economist at TS Lombard in New York. “If we see temporary layoffs go down, as more see those job losses [as] permanent, that means their confidence in the economy, six months from now, is going to be a lot less and that’s going to reduce spending plans.”
unenviable post-World War Two record. The Labor Department’s monthly employment report appeared to support economists’ predictions that it will take several years to recover from the economic “meltdown”. Still, it was anticipated that May would mark the nadir for the labour market. While layoffs remained very high, they eased considerably in the second half of May when businesses, closed since mid-March, began to reopen. Consumer confidence, manufacturing and services industries were also stabilising, though at low levels – hopeful signs that the worst was over. “The good news is that we probably have hit the bottom,” said Sung Won Sohn, a finance and economics professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. “But the recovery will be painfully slow. It will take years, probably a decade, to get back to where we were at the end of last year.” In a Reuters poll of expectations for the economy, a survey of households was expected to show unemployment jumping to 19.8 per cent in May, from 14.7 per cent in April – the highest since 1948 (when government records began). Non-farm payrolls were expected to have dropped by eight million jobs after a record plunge of over 20 million in April. That would bring total job losses to 29.4 million since the shutdown began in March: more than three times the number of jobs lost during the 2007-09 recession that took six years to recoup. Economists remain divided on whether the government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is really helping.
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