EuroWire January 2018

INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED AS LEADERS IN GALVANISED WIRE TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT IN WIRE MANUFACTURING.

The steel and wire industry is increasingly facing challenges due to the ever changing regulations being forced on the industry by global warming and other environmental issues. The recent United Nations Conference held in Paris in 2015 reached an agreement whereby participating countries would limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2°C. The focus is on reducing CO₂ emissions. In addition the industry faces more challenges in the waste pollution to the environment from the use of chemicals throughout the making of wire.

Since the late 1990s our company has worked with wire- mills to help achieve the minimisation and elimination of chemicals and other environmental issues. Many of the changes included: • Removal of acid cleaning for rod. • No use of in line wet lubricant coating systems. • Recycling of any chemicals in wire drawing. • No use of acid and flux in galvanising. • Energy reduction programs through more efficient operating systems and technology uses.

Galvanising and Single Dip ZnAl Lines

Our technologies include:

High speed galvanising lines of DV200+ with Zinc, ZnAl5%, ZnAl10% single dip technology. No need to use acids or flux and also with reduced energy consumption. High efficiency, high and low temperature furnaces for low to high carbon wires. Electromagnetic Wiping (EMW®) for medium and heavy coating weight wires. Customer coating weights range from 150g/m² to over 600g/m², with over 65 systems now sold worldwide. Accurate, even coating for round and shaped wires. Lubricant conditioning (LCM) for wire drawing. This technology allows companies to maximise the wire drawing machine speeds by providing a conditioned lubricant well suited for the needs of drawing dies. Traditionally companies had to either dispose of used but good lubricant or just keep topping up the soap box which affects die life and potentially the

drawn wire properties. Now there is no need to throw away good lubricant which costs money and has an impact on the environment. Many of the machines are located in well-known wire producers. Depending on wire drawing practices we have been able to condition between 45% and 95% of the used lubricant. With our ability to control the granulation makeup of the lubricant we are able to provide for excellent die box performance. Improved lubrication of wire through the use of RSD technology which enables continuous improved lubrication of the wire allowing for better die life and increased machine speeds. Our people’s know how and experience has through consulting services enabled companies worldwide to save over USD30M by purely improving their existing technology and helping them to do things they were not able to do in the past.

If you want to move to the next level and meet the future industry demands come and talk to us.

www.pwt-leetswire.com

Cable giants in $3 billion merger deal

In just a few short months, the wire and cable industry will seemingly encamp itself at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany, for wire 2018. Interest in the week-long show always remains high, with stand allocation and visitor interest already peaking. You can catch up on the latest list of exhibitors by turning to page 56 in this issue of EuroWire . This show also follows on from the latest staging of wire South America, held towards the end of 2017, which took place at a time when host country Brazil was emerging from recession, and also recorded a record high in the number of visitors to São Paulo. You can nd the details on page 10.

However, the biggest news at the start to the year is that of Prysmian’s purchase of General Cable in a deal worth $30 a share, valuing the American company at some $3 billion. The boards of these two industrial heavyweights have unanimously agreed to the deal and entered into a merger agreement that is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018. The new combined group will have a presence inmore than 50 countries and employ some 31,000 people. Based on pro-forma aggregated results for the 12 months ended 30 th September 2017, the combined group would have had sales of over €11 billion. For more details of the merger, see page 9.

David Bell Editor

Publishing Team

Editor:

................................................................................................................................David Bell

Features Editor (USA):

.....................................................................................................................Dorothy Fabian

Editorial assistant:

..................................................................................................................Christian Bradley

Design/Production:

............................................................................................................................Julie Tomlin

Production:

..............................................................................................................................Lisa Wright

Sales & Marketing: UK & ROW sales.............................................................................................Jason Smith (International) Italian speaking sales...................................................................Giuliana Benedetto Chinese speaking sales ............................................................................................Linda Li Advertisement Coordinator: ..............................................................................................................................Liz Hughes Accounts Manager: ................................................................................................................................ Julie Case Subscriptions: ................................................................................................................................Julie Case Publisher: ....................................................................................................................Caroline Sullens Founder: ..........................................................................................................................John C Hogg

* US$33 purchase only Front cover: Maschinenfabrik Niehoff GmbH & Co KG See page 104 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 UKP Worldwide, 3390 Rand Road, South Plain eld, NJ 07080. Periodicals postage paid at Rahway, NJ and at additional mailing o ces. POSTMASTER : Send address changes to EuroWire, Intras Ltd, C/O 3390 Rand Road, South Plain eld NJ 07080. www.read-eurowire.com © 2018 Intras Ltd, UK ISSN 1463-2438

Intras Offices

USA :

Advertising/Marketing Intras USA – Doug Zirkle Danbury Corporate Center, 107 Mill Plain Road, Danbury, CT 06811, USA Tel : +1 203 794 0444 Email : doug@intras.co.uk

E urope :

46 Holly Walk, Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 4HY, UK

Tel : +44 1926 334137 Fax : +44 1926 314755

Email : eurowire@intras.co.uk Website : www.intras.co.uk Website : www.read-eurowire.com

TheProfessional PublishersAssociation Member

4

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

56

Contents

(photo courtesy: Messe Düsseldorf/ctillmann)

January 2018

Regulars

Market News

Deutsch Inhalt 79 Neuigkeiten 104 Inserentenverzeichnis

8

Diary of events

9

Corporate News

Sommaire Français 89 Nouvelles du Marché 104 Index des Annonceurs Indice Italiano 94 Notizie del Mercato 104 Indice degli Inserzionisti Содержание на русском языке 84 Ηοвости рьінка 104 Перечень рекламодателей Indice Español 99 Noticias de Mercado 104 Indice de Anunciadores

38

Transatlantic Cable

44

Technology News

56

wire 2018 Preview

104 Editorial Index

104 Advertisers Index

6

January 2018

www.read-eurowire.com

Subscribe Now!

Next Issue GettingTechnical The use of steel strip, shaped wire and round wire in the production of umbilical cable and submarine cable

Visit us online at: www.read-eurowire.com

Feature wire 2018

Technical Articles

76

91

Measuring devices for quality control of optical bres in the drawing tower for a perfect t in subsea cables By Katja Giersch, Sikora AG, Bremen, Germany Messgeräte für die Qualitätskontrolle von Glasfasern im Ziehturm für Passgenauigkeit bei Seekabeln von Katja Giersch, Sikora AG, Bremen, Deutschland Устройства измерения для контроля качества оптического волокна в башне вытяжки для идеальной совместимости в подводных кабелях Катя Гирш, Sikora AG, Бремен, Германия

Dispositifs de mesure pour le contrôle de la qualité des bres optiques dans la tour de brage pour une intégration parfaite dans les câbles sous-marins Par Katja Giersch, Sikora AG, Brême, Allemagne Dispositivi di misura per il controllo della qualità delle bre ottiche nella torre di latura per una perfetta installazione nei cavi sottomarini a cura di Katja Giersch, Sikora AG, Brema, Germania Dispositivos de medición para el control de calidad de la bra óptica en la torre de estirado para una instalación perfecta en cables submarinos Por Katja Giersch, Sikora AG, Bremen, Alemania

81

96

86

101

7

January 2018

www.read-eurowire.com

dates for your diary . . .

16–20 April: wire 2018 – exhibition – Düsseldorf, Germany Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf GmbH Fax : +49 211 45 60668 Email : wire@messe-duesseldorf.de Website : www.wire.de wire 2018

2018

February

27–28 February: Advanced Cable North America – conference – Atlanta, Georgia, USA Organisers : Integer Research Tel : +44 207 5031265 Email : info@integer-research.com Website : www.integer-research.com

March

6–8 March: AMI Cables Conference – conference – Cologne, Germany Organisers : Applied Market Information LLC Tel : +44 117 314 8111 Email : lr@amiplastics.com Website : www.amiplastics-na.com

May

15–16 May: Wire Expo – exhibition – Nashville, Tennessee, USA Organisers : Wire Association International Fax : +1 203 453 8384

Email : sales@wirenet.org Website : www.wirenet.org

June

6–8 June: International Metal and Metallurgy Exhibition – trade exhibition – Guangzhou, China Organisers : Julang Exhibition Co Ltd Fax : +86 203 862 0781

Email : julang@julang.com.cn Website : www.julang.com.cn

September

26–29 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.wirechina.net

January 2018 8 (photo courtesy: Messe Düsseldorf/ctillmann)

www.read-eurowire.com

Corporate News

▲ ▲ Prysmian is acquiring General Cable in a deal worth approximately $3 billion

$3 billion merger deal

General Cable board of directors. We are confident that this transaction maximises value for our shareholders.” Michael T McDonnell, General Cable president and CEO, said: “This combination is an ideal strategic fit and ensures we are well-positioned to meet the future opportunities and challenges in the dynamic and evolving wire and cable industry. “Together, we will be able to deliver a robust portfolio of products and services and new product innovation across the full breadth of the wire and cable industry globally. Importantly, Prysmian and General Cable have a shared vision and highly compatible cultures founded on similar values.” He continued: “I am extremely proud of our people’s efforts to transform our business over the past several years, including rationalising the asset base and refocusing on core businesses, streamlining our supply chain, and accelerating profitable growth and innovation in key segments. Today’s announcement is a testament to the team’s hard work and tireless dedication.” The new group will be present in more than 50 countries worldwide and have approximately 31,000 employees. Prysmian Group – Italy Website : www.prysmiangroup.com General Cable – USA Website : www.generalcable.com

PRYSMIAN Group is acquiring General Cable Corporation in a definitive merger agreement for $30 per share in cash. The transaction values General Cable at approximately $3 billion, including debt and certain other General Cable liabilities, and represents a premium of approximately 81 per cent to the General Cable closing price of $16.55 per share on 14 th July 2017, the last day of trading before the company announced its review of strategic alternatives. The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by each company’s board of directors, has been recommended to its shareholders by General Cable’s board, and is expected to close by the third quarter of 2018. “The acquisition of General Cable represents a landmark moment for Prysmian Group and a strategic and unique opportunity to create value for our shareholders and customers,” said Valerio Battista, Prysmian Group CEO. “Through the combination of two of the premier companies in the cable industry we will be enhancing our position in the sector, by increasing our presence in North America and expanding our footprint in Europe and South America.” John E Welsh III, non-executive chairman of the board of General Cable, said: “The announcement is the culmination of a thorough and robust review of strategic alternatives undertaken by the

9

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

Interest increases at wire South America

The visitors travelling from Europe to São Paulo came from Germany, Spain, Italy, Sweden and Turkey. Visitors came primarily from the oil and gas industries, the automotive industry, the construction industry, metal construction and mining. Wire, cable and pipes are indispensable for upcoming investment in the South American construction industry, the automotive and energy industry. Messe Düsseldorf has already cooperated with its international partners for many years. Together with CIPA Fiera Milano Brazil they continuously work towards the success of both trade fairs. wire South America was again supported by the international organisations IWMA – International Wire & Machinery Association, IWCEA – International Wire & Cable Exhibitors Association, WCISA – Wire and Cable Industry Suppliers Association (USA) and ACIMAF – Italian Wire Machinery Manufacturers’ Association. The metal trade fair duo will be held again from 1 st to 3 rd October 2019 at the São Paulo Expo Exhibition & Convention Center – this time in the new exhibition hall one, which is located right at the entrance to the fairgrounds and, therefore, is faster and more convenient to access.

OCTOBER saw the regional trade fairs for the wire, cable and pipe industries – wire South America and TUBOTECH – held jointly at the São Paulo Expo Exhibition & Convention Center in Brazil for the third time. The reticent approach to investment over the past years seems to be over, with interest in investing in Brazil and the rest of the South American markets rising and boosting prospects for good follow-up business. In the run-up to the economic upswing to be expected, 116 companies from 22 countries presented their technological innovations at wire South America. 67 exhibitors from ten countries travelled to TUBOTECH in São Paulo. For the second time, a national pavilion with 15 German companies presenting their products on the South American market was organised in the wire and cable segment. In addition, wire South America featured pavilions of Italian and Austrian exhibitors. Visitor interest also increased. A total of 12,000 trade visitors attended both trade fairs and gathered information on the latest technologies and current products from the areas of wire, cable and pipes over the three days of the fairs. 95 per cent of trade visitors came from Brazil, with five per cent from South and Central American countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Paraguay, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay as well as from Canada, China and India.

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH – Germany Website : www.wire-south-america.com

10

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

M Holland to acquire T&T Marketing

“We are delighted to be linking with M Holland, the ideal partner to help take T&T to the next level. “Besides the scale and resources M Holland provides, we share the same core values, which was very important to us.” “First and foremost, we think that T&T Marketing will be a great cultural fit,” said Ed Holland, president and CEO of M Holland Company. He also noted that T&T Marketing’s technical and commercial teams each have more than 30 years of industry-specific experience. “At M Holland, we pride ourselves on developing best-in-class talent, and we believe T&T Marketing will make a great addition to the M Holland family.”

RESIN distributor M Holland Company is acquiring T&T Marketing, a distributor of polymer resins and compounds to the wire and cable market. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, USA, T&T has annual revenues of about $40 million and distributes throughout the USA and Canada. “We identified wire and cable as an attractive market segment, but lacked the technical expertise and product portfolio to effectively compete,” said Marc Fern, M Holland commercial vice president. “T&T is extraordinarily strong in both, making it a perfect complement to our business development group.” M Holland formed its business development group in 2016 to apply focused marketing, technical and applications development resources to certain markets. The group is comprised of market development teams focused on automotive, healthcare, flexible packaging, rotational moulding, and colour and compounding markets. T&T Marketing has 26 employees and ships from seven strategically located warehouses in the United States and Canada. It provides a wide range of testing and applications development services at its lab in Easton, Pennsylvania. T&T Marketing will continue to be led by owner and president Tom Jordan, and all employees will be retained. Said Mr Jordan:

M Holland Company – USA Website : www.mholland.com T&T Marketing – USA Website : www.ttmarketing.com

HEADING TO DÜSSELDORF? SEE THE LATEST EXHIBITOR LISTING ON PAGE 56

12

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

CableSuite the choice for NEWT

partnership, using our business solutions and services to leverage the unique capabilities of this company.”

engineering, costing and product data maintenance. CableMES is a modern MES application for the cable industry, designed to improve the OEE for the cable factory. It easily integrates with machines and provides operators with online information about the status of machines, quality of products and progress of jobs. Tom White, president at NEWT, said: “The CableSuite is the right solution for NEWT. As an innovative cable manufacturer we have special requirements that are not covered by other business solutions. avoid customisations and have a sustainable solution out-of-the-box that will help us execute our strategy for the future.” Albert Groothedde, CEO at InnoVites, added: “We are very proud to serve NEWT as our customer. NEWT is a leading and innovative company that delivers specialised wire and cable solutions to the market. “With the CableSuite we

NEW

England

Wire

Technologies

Corporation selected InnoVites’ CableSuite as its IT platform of choice. NEWT selected CableSuite to streamline its business processes across the company and enhance productivity of resources. that provides NEWT with the business solution, specific to the industry, to achieve its objectives. NEWT wants to position itself for future growth and looked for sustainable IT solutions that would give it a long-term competitive advantage. (NEWT) has CableSuite offers technology CableERP is a complete ERP solution for wire and cable manufacturers, based on the advanced Microsoft Dynamics D365. It comes with all features that are needed for this specific industry. CableBuilder is cable design software that enhances the processes of CableSuite has multiple components:

InnoVites BV – Netherlands Website : www.innovites.com On the run for Haven Ministries

Owners, employees and their families from Miltec UV took part in the annual Haven Ministries Run4Shelter, Moonlight Edition. The company was a silver sponsor of the event and also raised an additional $309 through a silent auction in aid of the non-profit Haven Ministries. The organisation provides shelter, clothing, food and support for the less fortunate of Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, USA, by operating a homeless shelter, a daily shop, an emergency food pantry, a resource centre and street outreach programmes. Miltec UV – USA Website : www.miltec.com

“We look forward to a long-term

13

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

Europe sales support Sikora is continuing its expansion for hose and tube, wire and cable, optical fibre and plastics with continued product innovations and the expansion of its sales network. Since early in 2017, Aguinaldo Ramalho has been reinforcing the sales team at the company’s headquarters in Bremen, Germany, and has been looking after wire and cable customers from Scandinavia, Portugal and Spain. Sikora AG – Germany Website : www.sikora.net feature enhancements, customers can expect in-depth product descriptions, spec and ordering support, installation guides and warranty information. Hannay Reels – USA Website : www.hannay.com New website for Hannay HANNAY Reels has launched its all-new website at www.hannay.com. The website features a mobile responsive design with improved navigation, ensuring customers are seamlessly provided product results when searching by either industry or application. In addition to those enhancements, Hannay Reels is further supporting customers through the entire buying process with: • Reels 101 – An extensive guide to educate customers on the purpose of a hose or cable reel, types of reels and how to find the right reel for any unique specifications • Reel Selector – An interactive tool designed to filter through thousands of hose or cable reels with advanced options to find the right series and model to fit any need • Custom Shop – Specialising in hose or cable reels that are extreme in size or require customised components not found on a standard production line, the custom shop introduces the customer to the Hannay Reels process and the custom reel solution “The new Hannay Reels website was designed with the customer in mind,” said Jennifer Wing, marketing manager. “We developed a user-friendly interface with improved site navigation, informative video content and interactive tools to ensure our customers were making the most informed decision when purchasing a reel.” Beyond design and

▲ ▲ The new-look website from Hannay Reels

15

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

production circumference, possibility to run in both directions, and easy to track without having manufacturing limits in width/ length/thickness. BeltTS – Italy Website : www.beltts.com Common success through constant sharing New roles at Davis-Standard

would like to achieve. The final result is the proposal of the right belt.” The same scheme is the reason why Catroll/Polycatroll are selected and adopted by OEMs for their haul-off units, whatever the pulled product is: from high voltage umbilical cable to complex shape extruded plastic profile. method, constantly improved through years of experience, delivers the confidence to propose the right belt for every haul-off machine. The flexibility of Catroll design is due to the technological heritage of the company, and one with a long history in its field. Years of experience have increased the possibilities of customisation up to one of the widest range of options (tensile design, reinforcements and compounds) available on the market. Catroll/Polycatroll are produced without any joint in order to ensure high tensile strength all over the length, longitudinal flexibility, no weak point along the The BeltTS

FOR many years the approach of BeltTS has been clear: Make the machine perform better from the understanding of the whole production line and the application requirements; not stopping at a supplier relationship but becoming a technical partner. This is at the very base of BeltTS’s approach to the market and the main reason why Catroll/Polycatroll/ Multicatroll haul-off belts are gaining appreciation with those involved in maintaining, building and running haul-off machines. “It all starts with a good relationship with clients,” a company spokesperson said. “We believe a continuous exchange of information is the fundamental of a win-win relationship: usually BeltTS personnel help people who operate on the machines to share working set-up by filling a questionnaire; an internal engineering analysis of this data allows to define the main structure of the belt; at this point BeltTS evaluates also some qualitative information coming from the user such as report of eventual issue or any target they

Davis-Standard has appointed Gerry Sposato as senior sales engineer for the company’s sheet and foam group, responsible for sales in the US states of Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Michael Jones has joined the company’s aftermarket team as regional sales manager for blown film products. The company has also appointed Danis Roy as vice president – sales, cast film and coating systems.

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

16

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

Export trade award for Cimteq

CIMTEQ Ltd, a software provider for the design and manufacture of cables, has won the award for Export and International Trade from WCNW Chamber of Commerce. companies that stand out from the crowd on the international stage and demonstrate that they have generated significant increases in their export activity. Ali Shehab, CEO at Cimteq, said: “We at Cimteq have always worked hard to be the best at what we do. But it is very special when the Chamber of Commerce recognise our contribution to the industry and the economy.” Cimteq was established in 1998 and now boasts a portfolio of over 200 customers on a global scale, including Southwire, Nexans and JDR. The company provides service to companies in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, South America, USA, Canada and China. The award recognises

▲ ▲ Pictured at the award ceremony are, from left, Richard Cotter, sales manager Cimteq; Julie Morgan, regional director Excello Law; Katy Harrison, marketing manager at Cimteq; and Robert Douglass, operations manager at Cimteq

Cimteq Ltd – UK Website : www.cimteq.com

18

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

It’s a family thing

General Inspection (GI) has enjoyed more than a quarter-century relationship with Phillippe Linders, headquartered in Malaga, Spain, as the company’s European sales agent. He was selected by GI because of his broad knowledge of the fastener industry and for his multilingual skills. He speaks at least five languages fluently, which has enabled him to add substantially to GI’s sustained growth. His son, Joachim, has now joined the company and will help to further develop the European market. He has already hit the road running and produced impressive sales, gaining commercial experience in different European countries, and has taken over the fastener, automotive and aerospace representation. General Inspection LLC – USA Website : www.generalinspection.com Global director role for Jordi Coats, an industrial thread manufacturer, has appointed Jordi Pérez to the newly created role of global sales director, wire and cable products. The role will consolidate and coordinate Coats’s global commercial strategy and activity for this key industry. Mr Pérez will lead the wire and cable global team based in major markets across the world, including China, India, USA and across EMEA and South Asia. Customers will benefit from a uniform service offering from a single global team with fully integrated sales and commercial activities. Shantanu Banerjee, president, performance materials at Coats, said: “The wire and cable industry is an important focus for Coats and we are constantly looking at how we can most effectively deliver benefits to all our customers. This newly created role will bring together technology and commercial synergies that improve our service to customers and ensure our full value added engineered yarns offering is available in all our markets across the world.” Mr Pérez also retains his current role as general manager of Gotex.

▲ ▲ Phillippe and Joachim Linders

Coats – UK Website : www.coats.com

20

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

Convert’s cable harness used in UK’s first driverless grocery delivery trial

LEDs, door locks, sensors and internal lights, CargoPod was a challenge as it required a complex loom in order to connect all the different components to a power source and control unit.” Convert’s loom for CargoPod required approximately 250 metres of cabling – the length of five Olympic swimming pools. “We approached Convert to help us with the cable harnessing and electrical system integration for CargoPod. I’d worked with them in the past and had always been impressed with their abilities and approach. “They met every engineering challenge I threw at them. Using limited drawings to work from, Convert had to design the assembly from our customer’s requirements and outline specifications, which they did brilliantly, delivering the finished cable harness in under three months.” Convert Ltd – UK Website : www.convertltd.co.uk Glen Pascoe, Shape Machining’s development manager, said:

CONVERT Ltd, a UK manufacturer of cable looms and harnesses, is celebrating after a cable harness it designed and manufactured was used in the UK’s first driverless grocery delivery trials. composites manufacturer – approached Convert to design and manufacture a cable harness for a project it was working on to build the cargo compartments for a prototype autonomous electric delivery van developed by Oxbotica, a driverless car software firm, and trialled by Ocado Technology. The real world trials, which took place in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, saw a self-driving delivery van, called CargoPod, delivering grocery orders to over 100 Ocado customers. Similar in size to a small milk truck, CargoPod is equipped with eight cargo compartments designed to carry small amounts of shopping. Once CargoPod is loaded up with groceries, the customer is notified from a ‘mobile warehouse’ located Shape Machining – a

▲ ▲ The CargoPod during the trials

around a mile from their home, and then again once it has reached their front door. The compartment with the customer’s groceries lights up when CargoPod arrives at their house. The customer then presses a button to unlock their box and collect their shopping bag. Dave Lord, Convert’s managing director, said: “We’re very excited CargoPod has successfully completed its trials. This was a great bespoke project to work on. With four doors on each side, each with their own

22

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

monitoring system from a single source that increases customer satisfaction and saves long-term costs. The V-check vision system can be used to carry out a quick and cost-efficient check of the product markings applied using a JET3up or JET2neo printer. To do so, V-check compares elements with fixed definitions, such as characters, numbers or graphics, to a reference sample and detects incorrect or smeared printing. Paul Leibinger GmbH & Co KG – Germany Website : www.leibinger-group.com New impulses in industrial marking and coding

SWITCHES, buttons, mainboards, PCBs, cables and connectors all have one thing in common: They have to be coded at some point along the value creation chain. Paul Leibinger offers flexible marking systems that code any kind of surface or material during ongoing production with fixed or variable data without any contact. The unique automated Sealtronic nozzle seal prevents the ink in the printhead from drying out during this process, long after shut-down periods, ensuring maintenance-free start-up in seconds. Over 800 functions are integrated into the new JET3up continuous inkjet printer in order to satisfy a multitude of different applications in the electronics industry. In addition, the JET3up MI printer model offers the option of printing at sizes down to 0.7mm. This means it is possible to place plenty of easily legible information on even the smallest electronic components. Coding with white or other light-coloured contrast inks is available for dark surfaces, such as on cables and plastic housings. To make this possible, Leibinger developed the JET3up PI. Thanks to its sophisticated technology, pigments will not settle in the printer. The automated JETmotion XY traverse system, when used with the WINJET3 XY software, enables the imprinting of boards or components with multiple uses, quickly and easily from left to right and top to bottom. The software calculates the optimum travel path on the XY linear system before printing, and then adapts the path automatically to the quickest processing time. This saves time and makes production more efficient.

▲ ▲ Paul Leibinger has an abundance of smart solutions for industrial marking and marking quality control. Photograph courtesy of Paul Leibinger GmbH & Co KG

Leibinger also manufactures an intelligent print and

24

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

Huber closes $630m sale of silica firm to Evonik

officer. “We thank our silica employees and know their talents and expertise will be highly valued by Evonik.” Huber will continue as usual to serve its HEM customers who use other non-silica materials such as ground calcium carbonate and fire-retardant additives across a broad range of applications. As an expert in developing and manufacturing speciality engineered materials, HEM takes great pride in delivering products and service to its industrial customers worldwide. J M Huber – USA Website : www.huber.com MES solution from DiIT worldwide DiIT AG, a software vendor of manufacturing execution systems (MES) for wiring harness production, has acquired Leoni as a new customer. The company will deploy DiIT’s CAO solution in its worldwide production of wiring harnesses. Automotive supplier Leoni will install the latest version 12 of DiIT’s CAO (Cutting and Assembly Optimisation) solution for the cutting room and manual pre-assembly production areas, with electronic Kanban integrated into the CAO used for both areas. After a successful pilot project at the Serbia site, the company is now launching the new system worldwide. DiIT AG – Germany Website : www.diit.de

THE J M Huber Corporation has completed the sale of the silica business unit of Huber Engineered Materials (HEM) to Evonik Industries AG, a global speciality chemicals company. The $630 million transaction was completed after approvals from the European Commission and other global regulatory bodies, and transfers ownership of the HEM Silica facilities in North America, Europe and Asia to Evonik. Strategically, the transfer of the silica business is advantageous for both companies. Proceeds from the sale will enable Huber to invest and expand its product portfolio in other areas, including potential future acquisitions of speciality chemicals or materials businesses. For Evonik, bringing together the two diverse silica businesses will further improve the company’s value proposition as an integrated global provider, better positioned to serve a broader base of customer needs, particularly in North America and Asia. The silica business has been a fundamental part of Huber for more than 60 years, providing a runway for the company’s global diversification into engineered materials. “The strength of our Huber silica business was built, in part, from the collaborative spirit of our silica employees, who adhere to best practices in environment, health, safety and sustainability, ethical behaviour, respect for people and operational excellence. These guiding principles at Huber are the foundation of our company culture and ability to deliver superb value for our customers,” said Mike Marberry, president and chief executive

27

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

Decalub green cleaning TecHnOlOgieS FOcuS On: Wire Cleaning ( for plating and high glossy finish )

Meeting new challenges for high performance spring in critical aerospace application

WILLIAM

Hughes

has

been

manufacturing high specification springs for many years, and is equipped to meet the exacting demands of the aerospace industry including its special requirements for materials, specifications, manufacturing tolerances, cleanliness and packaging. A recent example of a spring for a safety critical aerospace non-return valve presented new challenges to the design and production team at William Hughes. The application required a large spring which, as well as being manufactured in a specialist aerospace-certified material – which has a high spring index making it difficult to form – the unusual specification called for one end of the spring to be fusion welded using stainless steel filler rod. Following the welding process, the end coils have to be cleaned to ensure that they are uniform with no protrusion, this being achieved using a series of grinding, polishing and deburring processes. The opposite end is then fettled on the inside to allow correct location on the valve housing, and both spring ends are chamfered and deburred. The spring is heat treated and passivated in William Hughes’s NADCAP oven process before being 100 per cent checked for squareness and load. Springs manufactured by William Hughes are being used in vital items of aerospace equipment including oxygen systems, access hatches and the solenoid valves used to control the hydraulic and cabin pressure systems. The company offers its customers a rapid design and prototyping service in a range of materials. This facility is particularly suited to the aerospace industry, where small quantities are required for prototypes with the capability to move to volume production once a final design is agreed. Quality systems to ISO 9001:2000, ISO/TS 16949:2002 and AS9100 – the quality management system standard for aerospace companies – ensure precision,

Wire Rod Lubrication ( for frictionless drawing )

▲ ▲ William Hughes meets new challenges for high performance spring in critical aerospace application consistency and accuracy of supply. In addition to precision specialist springs, William Hughes can also supply bespoke bent wire forms and sub-assemblies. William Hughes Ltd – UK Website : www.wmhughes.co.uk Nucor Steel Seattle has officially signed off on Tenova’s Water Detection System® (WDS). The system was approved based on controlled testing and successful detection of actual EAF water leaks. These results confirmed that the WDS met the plant’s requirements to detect and alert plant operators when higher than normal water conditions were present in the EAF. The WDS has also demonstrated minimal false alarms even in Seattle’s highly variable seasonal weather conditions. In addition, the NextGen® + i EAF® project, previously commissioned in April 2016, surpassed Nucor Steel Seattle’s expectation for quantifiable and sustainable improvements in monthly process consumptions and operating costs: average monthly furnace consumptions were significantly decreased in the following areas: 5 per cent electrical, 1.5 per cent oxygen, 11.5 per cent natural gas, 7.5 per cent injected carbon and 32 per cent charge carbon. Complete system performance has more than doubled from the original estimated savings target determined at the start of the project, with total electrical and chemical energy costs per ton of steel being reduced by over six per cent. Tenova – Italy Website : www.tenova.com WDS seal of approval at Nucor Seattle

Rod Dry Preparation ( with no speed limit )

DECALUB 31, avenue de Condé 77500 CHELLES, FRANCE E-mail: info@decalub.com Website: www.decalub.com

29

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

Complete range of lubricants fromTraxit

The emulsion EHD 8000 can be used for low to high carbon wires which are phosphated or galvanised. The precise ratio of saponified components to emulsified vegetable-based oils constitutes the key to this next-generation emulsion with its high cleaning capability and lubrication properties. The particular advantage of EHD 8000 is its microstability, which guarantees an extended lifetime of the bath with constant lubrication performance. ZEL 512 is a boron-free, non-reactive salt coating agent for low to high carbon wires. This coating agent contains polymers and other special additives to achieve short drying times, and the new process protection system (PPS). ZEL 503 is also a boron-free salt coating agent (PPS) for non-phosphated, patented cold heading wires. The wire is coated with ZEL503 inline and drawn with a skin pass. Due to the very hard coating layer (physical) and hardly soluble surface, ZEL 503 can be used as an alternative to inline phosphate coating. Traxit’s entire product range covers more than 300 universal products and tailor-made solutions for specific applications – not to mention a comprehensive range of services through a network of experienced technical advisors and international retail agencies. The company is committed to using the latest technology in order to satisfy the individual demands of its customers and the future demands of the wire drawing industry. Its research and development centre and global laboratories ensure high working standards and quality management. Its aim is to continuously improve its performance, employee qualifications, reliability and service quality, whilst ensuring a high level of integrity, team spirit, leadership and communication for the company at every step. Traxit International GmbH – Germany Website : www.traxit.com New plant in Ukraine Leoni has officially opened its second wiring systems production facility in Ukraine. The new plant in Kolomyia in Western Ukraine is not only a sign of the company’s growth, but also a major foreign investment in Ukraine’s economy. The Germany-based company considers the expansion of its capacities and the creation of thousands of new jobs to be a valuable contribution to the development of the Ukrainian labour market. “I am happy to open this plant in Kolomyia, which is a positive sign for both the expansion of our company and the development of the Ukrainian economy,” said Martin Stüttem, member of the board of directors of Leoni AG with responsibility for the wiring systems division (WSD), on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony. The president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, also expressed his recognition about the new location during his speech. The first part of the plant in Kolomyia was built in less than ten months. The location has a total production area of about 6,500m² and will expand up to 25,000m² by 2020. A total of 800 jobs have been created, increasing to 5,000 by 2021. Leoni AG –Germany Website : www.leoni.com

TRAXIT International offers the wire industry a complete range of dry lubricants, emulsions and coating agents for all applications. From its simple beginning in 1881 in Schwelm, Germany, Traxit has grown into one of the largest manufacturers of wire drawing lubricants around the world. From its production sites in Germany, China and USA, its lubricants are sent all over the world through its own companies, representatives or agents in more than 150 countries. One highlight is the new high-end sodium soap: SL 805. SL805 is a sodium soap with a high fat content and a boron compound below the level for labelling requirements. The company’s experience has shown that SL 805 can be used as a universal sodium soap for all wire diameters. Possible applications range from galvanised to phosphated wires and from low to high carbon wires. SL 805 is a low-dust product and shows a very low consumption. The moisture absorption is also reduced to a minimum. The new calcium-based dry lubricants of the “G Series” offer low-dust formation and reduced consumption throughout the entire drawing process in competitive conditions. EHD 550 has been developed especially for wet drawing of welding wires. This emulsion is based on natural modified raw materials, which guarantees a pressure-stable lubricating film, even at low concentrations. The biggest advantage with EHD 550 is the usage at the skin pass and also in multi draft wet drawing. Other benefits include high acid stability and resistance to any pollution from the pre-drawing.

30

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

Reaching milestones and beyond

2017 was an exciting and productive year for the Windak team, with the company achieving many milestones. One of the biggest announcements was the launch of the new generation of coiling machines – QPH-S and QPH-D. The QPH series are automatic horizontal coiling lines which are simple and reliable for maximum output of short length coils and flexibility. The coilers are based on Windak’s standard components and proven technology, and integrated to be a compact solution, specifically designed for high-speed operation and cycle rates. The integrated stretch wrapper has been optimised for operation with the coiler. QPH Coiler simplifies the winding of wire, cable and other flexible products by securing the cut end of coil with a narrow band of stretch wrap, no strap or binder. It is capable of winding eight to ten layer-wound coils per minute with a very short stop time.

▲ ▲ The QPH 3-3 coiler fromWindak

Windak introduced HD versions of existing machines, with heavy duty layer wind, cable feeding module and dual head system allowing for continuous operation using heavier spools and bigger sized cables. Quick change over time between spools allows for high line speeds for in-line or off-line operation. The collaboration between Windak Group and Axjo America developed the new Axjo Concept Cube. A range of product benefits and features are combined with a focus on enhancing production efficiency for the customer. This allowed Windak to create the Cube, either as a complete concept or in stages. The concept is that customised product solutions should never be more expensive. Instead, it has been made very simple to create unique adaptations. Axjo America is a premier supplier of plastic spools in Europe. Together with Windak it forms a strong and innovative supplier for any cable company that is interested in automating production and reducing the cost of plastic spools.

Both coilers utilise modern servo technology for accurate and fast control of critical movements. Coil dimensions are coil OD – 120 to 400mm (5" to 16") and coil ID – 100 to 180mm (4" to 7"). The spool winding machines SW6 and SW6-14 have received updates. The new dual lift servo-controlled system allows for simultaneous unloading of the full spool and loading of the empty spool, increasing the output of the SW6 spooler by 20 per cent. SW series spoolers can wind three to five spools/minute with maximum machine speed of 2,500fpm (762m/minute). There is no need for mechanical setting or changes except the stretch wrap width (only if needed) – the recipe controls all other settings. The modernised auto plastic thread stretch wrap system saves time and improves safety. motion-controlled feeding systems, which exclude mechanical adjustments during product change. This integration allowed the company to make the machines more functional, and increase reliability and control. Things didn’t slow down during the second half of the year, with further updates to the AR24 and AR32 machines. cable Windak’s machines FC series of coiling got new breakthrough

Windak Group – Estonia Website : www.windakgroup.com

32

www.read-eurowire.com

January 2018

Corporate News

New staff at Mount Joy

▲ ▲ Matt Graham

MOUNT Joy Wire, a USA manufacturer of speciality wire, has hired a new process engineering manager and a quality assistant as part of its ongoing emphasis to add value to and ensure the quality of its products. Matt Graham is the new process engineering manager and will be responsible for processing and internal quality, and supervising the company’s process control manager and environmental service technician. Adam Dent was hired as the new quality assistant and will be responsible for managing quality complaints and customer quality issues, and supporting internal quality control. Mr Graham, who graduated from Millersville University in 2010 with a BS in chemistry and a minor in physics, previously worked at Mount Joy Wire for nearly six years until September 2015 as the environmental process engineer. He then served as interim quality manager and understudy for the process engineering manager’s position until rejoining the company in July. Mr Dent is also a Millersville alumnus, graduating with a BS in chemistry. There, he was a member of the university’s American Chemical Society student chapter, and was awarded a Neimeyer-Hodgson grant to conduct collaborative research with ITT Engineered Valves, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He also worked as a lab technician for Millersville and K&L Plating, Lancaster.

Mount JoyWire – USA Website : www.mjwire.com

www.read-eurowire.com