EuroWire March 2022

Corporate News

Solar array switched on A 1.8 MW (DC) ground-mounted solar array has been completed, located at the Huber Engineered Materials (HEM) fire-retardant additives Marblehead facility in Quincy, Illinois, USA. The plant is now receiving more than 60 per cent of its power from the array during daylight hours, as part of the state-admin- istered Illinois Shines incentive programme, which supports the development of new solar energy generation throughout the state. “Constructing the solar array supports Huber’s enterprise- wide goal of reducing energy and water use intensity and CO 2 emissions by 10 per cent by 2022,” explained Don Young, Huber’s executive vice president of environment, health, safety and sustainability. “We are extremely proud of the entire team at the Marblehead facility for their commitment and hard work on this project.” Comprising more than 4,900 photovoltaic panels, the solar array is expected to produce 2.4mn kW hours of energy annually. According to estimates from the US Environmental Protection Agency, generating the same amount of electricity using non- renewable sources would result in the release of nearly 1,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent emissions avoided by removing more than 350 passenger vehicles from the road.

The new solar array at HEM’s Marblehead facility in Illinois

HEM will purchase the electricity generated by the array through a 15-year, fixed-rate solar power purchase agreement with Lumi- nace, a Brookfield Renewable company. The fixed rate will pro- vide resilience against price fluctuations. HEM president Dan Krawczyk said that the project reflects a broader initiative within the company to lighten its global environmental footprint, which includes the replacement of a coal-fired power plant in Germany with an energy-efficient gas unit. Huber Engineered Materials www.hubermaterials.com

SMS commissioned to supply 11 copper wire rod plants to China

The new orders underline the customer’s confidence in the technology. With an additional 11 Contirod plants, Amer expects to be well positioned in a growth market. Contirod (a registered trademark of Aurubis Belgium) is a manufacturing process for cast wire rod that utilises a Hazelett twin-belt casting machine. The near-horizontal casting method can physically preclude porosity in the casting bar’s core. The Contirod rolling mill with individual drives shapes the casting bar into fine-grained copper wire rod. The overhauled cooling section features two separate media circuits and provides the basis for the wire rod surface quality. In the first phase, the wire rod is deoxidised by treating it with a water- alcohol mixture. It is then cooled down further with water. A large number of sensors and control elements work in conjunction with specially developed software to ensure process reliability and reproducible quality. Commissioning of the new facilities is scheduled for 2022 to 2024. SMS group GmbH www.sms-group.com

market for the expansion of wind power and energy networks. By expanding its production capacities, Amer Group aims to meet the increase in demand for high- quality copper wire rod. Four Contirod plants have already been put into operation by the Amer Group since 2009.

The Amer International Group, based in Shenzhen, China, has placed an order with SMS group for 11 Contirod® copper wire rod plants. The new plants will produce 8mm copper wire rod to be used in the production of a range of different electrical conductors – particularly required in the Chinese

Contirod plants produce copper wire rod in a fully integrated casting and rolling process

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March 2022