EOW March 2014

The waiting is almost over as wire and cable companies from around the world prepare to head to Düsseldorf, Germany, for wire 2014. The most eagerly anticipated exhibition in the calendar bursts into life from 7 th to 11 th April, and judging by the news in our 224-page issue of EuroWire , there will be no shortage of new technology, products and developments on show. Readers will not be surprised that much of this issue has been dedicated to wire 2014, with a 108-page section outlining just some of the companies attending. The encouraging sign for the industry in general is the amount of news; new sta , contract wins and technological developments are all in abundance. Taiwan’s largest steel producer, China Steel Corporation, has enlisted the help of Friedrich Kocks in installing new machinery in a bid to increase production and quality. The full story can be found on page 9. A new motorised double spooler from Italy’s PS Costruzioni is the pick of the technology stories, and this can be read in full on page 48. Our wire 2014 section starts on page 82 and will hopefully be of interest to you as you plan your way through the halls of the week-long exhibition. wire 2014 is also good for another reason. It is the ideal meeting place to renew old friendships, make new ones and catch up at your own pace with what has happened during the last two years. Please feel free to stop by our stand 11D28. Not only are there free copies of EuroWire , Wire & Cable ASIA and wiredInUSA available, you will also be assured of a warm welcome from all the INTRAS sta . Time to meet old friends and make new ones

* US$33 purchase only Front cover: Maschinenfabrik Niehoff GmbH & Co KG See page 220 for further details

E DITOR : .......................................David Bell F EATURES E DITOR (USA) : .........Dorothy Fabian E DITORIAL ASSISTANT :.................Christian Bradley D ESIGN /P RODUCTION :................Julie Tomlin P RODUCTION :..............................Lisa Wright S ALES & M ARKETING : ................Jason Smith ( I NTERNATIONAL ) UK & ROW sales

Giuliana Benedetto Italian speaking sales Hendrike Morriss German speaking sales Linda Li Chinese speaking sales Jeroo Norman Indian sales

A DVERTISEMENT C OORDINATOR :............................Liz Hughes A CCOUNTS M ANAGER :................Julie Case S UBSCRIPTIONS : ..........................Liz Hughes P UBLISHER :..................................Caroline Sullens F OUNDER :....................................John C Hogg

INTRAS OFFICES

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

USA :

A DVERTISING /M ARKETING 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

See you in Düsseldorf!

US copies only : EUROWIRE (ISSN No: 1463-2483, USPS No: 022-738) is published bi-monthly by Intras Ltd and distributed in the USA by Asendia USA, 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe NJ 08831. Periodicals postage paid at New Brunswick, NJ and additional mailing o ces. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Eurowire, 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe NJ 08831

www.read-eurowire.com © 2014 Intras Ltd, UK ISSN 1463-2438

David Bell Editor

When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it

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March 2014

8

Diary of events

9

Corporate News

44

Transatlantic Cable

8

48

Technology N ews

82

wire 2014

219 Editorial Index

219 Advertisers’ Index

82

Copyright -MesseDüsseldorf&ReneTillman

Deutsch Inhalt 194 Neuigkeiten 219 Inserentenverzeichnis Market News

199 Ηο 219

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Next Issue

Technical Articles

191 Development of the cable for photovoltaic power generation systems

Features On • Wire Expo show issue • Fasteners and spring production, spring forming and bending • Taping, armouring and sheathing of cables

By Arifumi Matsumura*, Masaki Nishiguchi Shigeru Kubo, Fitel Photonics Laboratory, Furukawa Electric Co Ltd, Japan

196 Entwicklung eines Kabels für Photovoltaik-Anlagen

Von Arifumi Matsumura*, Masaki Nishiguchi Shigeru Kubo, Fitel Photonics Laboratory, Furukawa Electric Co Ltd, Japan

201

GettingTechnical

*,      , «Fitel Photonics Laboratory», «Furukawa Electric Co Ltd», 

Low coe cient of friction polyole­n FTTx jacket for improving cable installation in ducts

206 Développement d’un câble pour systèmes de production d’énergie photovoltaïque

Par Arifumi Matsumura*, Masaki Nishiguchi Shigeru Kubo, Fitel Photonics Laboratory, Furukawa Electric Co Ltd, Japon

211 Sviluppo di un cavo per sistemi di produzione di energia fotovoltaica

A cura di Arifumi Matsumura*, Masaki Nishiguchi Shigeru Kubo, Fitel Photonics Laboratory, Furukawa Electric Co Ltd, Giappone

Subscribe Now! Visit us online at: www.read-eurowire.com

216 Desarrollo de un cable para sistemas de producción de energía fotovoltaica

Por Arifumi Matsumura*, Masaki Nishiguchi Shigeru Kubo, Fitel Photonics Laboratory, Furukawa Electric Co Ltd, Japón

Indice Español

Sommaire Français 204 Nouvelles du Marché 219 Index des Annonceurs

Indice Italiano 209 Notizie del Mercato 219 Indice degli Inserzionisti

214 Noticias de Mercado 219 Indice de Anunciadores

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dates for your diary . . .

2014

May

14–17 May: Lamiera – trade exhibition – Bologna, Italy Organisers : ucimu-Systems Fax : +39 0226 255 894 Email : lamiera.esp@ucimu.it Website : www.lamiera.net

June

16–18 June: 2014 China (Guangzhou) International Metal and Metalurgy Exhibition –

trade exhibition – Guangzhou, China Organisers : Julang exhibition Co ltd Fax : +86 203 862 0790 Email : meiwen@julang.com.cn Website : www.julang.com.cn

September

24–27 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 21–25 October: EuroBLECH – trade exhibition – Hanover, Germany Organisers : Mack Brooks exhibitions ltd Fax : +44 1727 814 401 Email : info@euroblech.com Website : www.euroblech.com 28–30 October: 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 October

wire 2014 April 2014 7–11 April: wire/Tube Düsseldorf – trade exhibition – Düsseldorf, Germany Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf Fax : +49 211 456 0668 Email : wire@messe-duesseldorf.de Website : www.wire.de

November

9–12 november: IWCS – technical symposium – Rhode Island, uSA Organisers : IWCS Fax : +1 717 993 9500 Email : phudak@iwcs.org Website : www.iwcs.org

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March 2014

Photo credit Messe Düsseldorf/ ReneTillman & Partner

Corporatenews

▲ ▲ The bar mill number one at China Steel Corporation’s plant in Taiwan

Kocks gets the order to boost production and quality

Besides the reducing and sizing block with quick automatic stand changing system, the order contains the stand and roll shop with quick roll change; Capas, the computer-aided system for precise adjustment of roll and guides in the stand; and the configuration program Bamicon. The scope of supply also includes the complete LTR-process with process know-how and hardware engineering. The supply package is completed by assembly supervision, commissioning and training of the customer’s personnel. Delivery of the equipment is planned for the third quarter of 2014. Friedrich Kocks GmbH – Germany Website : www.kocks.de

machine was recently revamped with the addition of heavy duty stands. In a bay in the immediate vicinity, bar mill number two is situated where the new heavy duty RSB is used as finishing block. The RSB will be equipped with five stands with a nominal roll diameter of 300mm for rolling at low temperatures. The three-roll block produces all SBQ grades (special bar quality) in coils within the dimensional range of 17 to 55mm diameter out of only four entry cross-sections coming from the roughing and intermediate mill. In addition, the configuration program Bamicon calculates the optimum adjusting values for motor speed, rolls and guides, as well as the gear stages depending on the requested finished product.

Steel producer China Steel Corporation (CSC), the largest in Taiwan with an annual production of more than ten million tons of crude steel, has placed an order for the delivery of a three-roll reducing and sizing block (RSB) and additionally the process and equipment for temperature- controlled rolling (LTR) with Friedrich Kocks in Hilden, Germany. The objective of this order is to increase the productivity and product quality of bar mill number two. The decision in favour of the RSB in heavy duty design was made on the basis of the positive experience gathered with regard to the operational reliability of the equipment already delivered by Kocks and the excellent quality of the finished products. In 2001, the first three-roll reducing and sizing block in C-module design was installed in bar mill number one. This

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News Corporate

Sunset speeding up the estimating process

manufacturing environment where it will be produced. With a click of a button, users can get a precise, real-time cost assessment at any time during the process. As changes are made, aPriori automatically re-assesses and provides an updated product cost in real time. In addition, the software enables users to leverage product cost data hosted in Sunset Metal’s other enterprise applications including the import of complex engineering bills of materials (BOMs) from its ERP and PLM applications. Sunset also anticipates synergies with OEMs that use aPriori and hopes to connect during design and production costing projects to share their product cost management assumptions and metrics via the aPriori platform. This will enable true, known cost vs best practices estimates and eliminate unnecessary back and forth with the customer. Sunset Metal Works Inc – USA Website : www.sunsetmetalworks.com

in the cost estimating process. This put additional pressure to document what were highly manual processes managed by a select number of product cost experts in the company. Sunset now has a flexible and powerful costing engine that can instantly and precisely determine the cost of a part or product from a 3D CAD model based on the materials to be used and the

Sunset Metal Works, a contract manufacturer of metal weldments and fabrications for original equipment manufacturers, has chosen aPriori’s software to automate its product cost estimating process and reduce the time it takes to respond to quotation requests from customers in the agriculture/construction equipment, aerial work platforms, vertical transportation, oil/gas equipment and defence industries. seen improvements of 300 per cent in its quote times with 3D models. Once aPriori is fully implemented, its goal is to turn around weldment packages within five days for OEM customers. Sunset Metal Works has relied heavily on ‘tribal knowledge’ and experience in its cost estimating efforts. The process was thorough but lengthy, making it difficult to respond quickly to RFQs on new projects. At the same time, its existing customers were also looking for greater transparency Sunset has already

▲ ▲ Sunset has seen an improvement of 300 per cent in its quote times

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News Corporate

65 th anniversary for marking specialists

Paul Leibinger from Tuttlingen/Baden-Württemberg is celebrating its 65 th anniversary. Producing numbering machines, industrial inkjet printers and camera verification systems, Paul Leibinger quickly became successful as a numbering specialist, with central banks and printing houses all over the world, printing serial numbers on bills, lottery tickets and more with his numbering machines. After the death of the founder in 1963, his son Günther Leibinger took over the management, and continued the expansion of the numberingmachines, building up a worldwide distributor network. In 1992 the expansion included the development of camera systems for verification, and in 1996 inkjet printers for product marking were added to the company’s range. Along with the success came employee appreciation and loyalty to the area of Tuttlingen. In 1999 all German locations and product lines of the Paul Leibinger company were united in one 10,000m 2 headquarters, where approximately 200 employees now work. There are also plans for this site to be expanded. The company’s main export markets are Asia, including focus on China, and North America, where the sales are conducted by its own sales company. In 2011 Christina Leibinger joined the company management to Günther Leibinger and Horst Schoch. For the future the traditional company remains in family ownership. This allows economic and social aspects.

▲ ▲ Headquarters of Paul Leibinger GmbH & Co KG in Tuttlingen, Germany

The high level of know-how of the employees and the modern corporate strategy provides Leibinger with dynamic growth in all three areas. This was shown with an increase in sales of 23 per cent in the last year. To help celebrate the company’s anniversary, staff were invited to a pre-Christmas gala. Paul Leibinger GmbH & Co KG – Germany Website : www.leibinger-group.com

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News Corporate

Prysmian wiring up Expo 2015

On board with Metro Metro Wire and Cable, Iowa City, USA, has appointed Nathan Lovich as sales consultant. Mr Lovich moves to Metro from the greater Aspen Valley, Colorado, area where he was a sales specialist with Ensignal Wireless. He will be charged with working with electrical contractors, fire and security companies, utilities, OEMs and other customer bases in the greater Midwest. His growing knowledge of electrical cable and accessories, coupled with his abilities to relate well with various customer groups, will mark him for success in these markets and regions. RyanWesley, sales leader, said: “We are always excited to be expanding in the region, but growing with Nathan is an added benefit. Nathan has a great personality and his excitement when working with others is contagious.”

networks to be reduced while raising their efficiency and power transmission capacity.

Prysmian Group has been awarded a contract to wire the site hosting the services and structures of the Milan Universal Exposition, the so-called ‘Piastra’ (core) of Expo 2015. The group will supply special fire-safety and eco-friendly cables.

The site, next to the new Milan Trade Fair Complex located in Rho-Pero, will house not only the exhibition space of participating countries, but also the themed pavilions, the structures for major events and the service facilities.
 “The Prysmian Group’s involvement in this prestigious project for Expo 2015 is thanks to its technical expertise, quality and ability to deliver customised, high-performance solutions, in confirmation of its market leadership,” said Stefano Bulletti, chief executive officer of Prysmian Italy.

 The contract, awarded by the German multi-national Billfinger Sielv Facility Management, involves supplying 50km of medium voltage P-Laser cables, a high-performance eco-friendly product made with recyclable raw materials, allowing the environmental impact of

In addition to P-Laser, Prysmian will supply 300km of low voltage cables from its Afumex range, which, in the event of fire, combine reduced flame spread with very low emission of irritant and corrosive gases. be manufactured at the group’s Pignataro and Giovinazzo plants in Italy, will be delivered by the end of 2014.

In the run-up to Expo 2015, Prysmian has won a contract to supply special fire-safety, eco-friendly power distribution cables for the Isozaki Tower, under construction in the new Citylife district of Milan, and contracts to supply low and medium voltage Afumex cables for installation along the new stretches of the BreBeMi motorway, between Milan and Brescia, and of the Pedemontana Lombarda motorway, a major piece of road infrastructure that will connect the five provinces of Bergamo, Monza-Brianza, Milan, Como and Varese. Prysmian Group – Italy Website : www.prysmiangroup.com All these cables, which will

MetroWire and Cable – USA Website : www.metrowire.net

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News Corporate

CE-marking of cables will soon be mandatory

By Johan Post johan.post@sp.se

With effect from 1 st July 2013, or as soon as an applicable product standard is available, construction products must be CE marked in accordance with the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). Up until now, there has been no available product standard for cables, but work is now in progress by CENELEC (European Committee for Electro Technical Standardisation) on producing such a standard. CENELEC TC20 has issued the following timetable for planned publication of CE marking documents: prhEN 50575: This product standard for power, control and communication cables is planned for publication during the second quarter of 2014. CE marking of cables can start when this document is published. EN 13501-6: This classification standard is planned for publication during the first quarter of 2014, and will enable cables to be classified. An EN 13501-6 report will provide the basis for CE marking of cables in accordance with prhEN 50575.

▲ ▲ The SP Technical Research Institute in Sweden can now perform the tests

in the new classification system for cables under CPR. SP can also help to minimise the number of fire tests that must be performed, by grouping cables in product families in accordance with the EXAP document (EXAP = Extended Application). SP Technical Research Institute – Sweden Website : www.sp.se

prCLC/TS 50576: EXAP, which was planned for publication at the end of 2013. Application of this document will minimise the number of tests. SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden already has accreditation for all the test standards mentioned in prhEN 50575, which means it can perform these tests now. Manufacturers can therefore already obtain information on how their products will relate to the requirements

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News Corporate

BT awards £26.9m subsea cabling contract

Brendan Dick, director, BT Scotland, said: “Quite simply, it’s the biggest subsea engineering project BT has undertaken in UK territorial waters and is the first ever with so many seabed crossings. “The size of the task presents a massive challenge, not only because of the number of cables involved but also the fact that the work has to be completed within a single, six-month weather window. “The pressure is on but we’re confident that in just over a year’s time, the Highlands and Islands will be set to benefit from its own network of underwater, fibre optic cables.” BT – UK Website : www.bt.com FIB’s American appointment FIB Belgium, specialist in heat treatment lines and equipment for the steel wire industry, has appointed Morgan Koch to represent it in the USA and Canadian markets. Bob Strauss or Jay Diman at Morgan Koch can be contacted on +1 832 363 3799 or +1 508 793 1945.

BT has awarded three firms a £26.9 million contract for an ambitious subsea cabling project which will help deliver fast fibre broadband to the Highlands and Islands in the UK. Specialist vessels will lay 20 fibre optic submarine cables in a precise operation during May to October, providing a fibre broadband backbone which will eventually link communities from Kintyre to Orkney. The massive engineering effort is part of the £146 million investment project launched with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) last March to bring high-speed fibre broadband to communities across the north of Scotland. Chelmsford-based Global Marine Systems will conduct detailed marine route surveys and supply the cables; Orange Marine, which is based in France but works globally, has been contracted to lay around 400 kilometres of subsea cables, while Hampshire-based A-2-Sea Solutions has been chosen to work onshore connecting the cables to BT’s terrestrial network. BT has a successful track record of working with all three companies, who were chosen from a competitive tendering process which featured several rival bids. The longest cable will run for nearly 79km under the Minch from Ullapool to Stornoway, with the Western Isles also benefitting from a second link stretching more than 57km between Carnan on South Uist, and Dunvegan on Skye.

FIB SA – Belgium Website : ww.fib.be

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News Corporate

UK cleats used in Chinese nuclear power plant

Emperor cable cleats and ProTect cable straps from UK company Ellis are being installed in the Areva European pressurised reactor (EPR) nuclear power plant currently under construction in the Guangdong province of China. The Taishan nuclear power project, a joint venture between EDF and China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group, is the third nuclear power station to be built using Areva’s 1,750MW EPR and it is the second time Areva has used Ellis products to secure electrical cables at a nuclear plant. Tony Conroy, export sales director at Ellis, said: “Our first specification for Areva was for its OL3 reactor in Finland in 2009, and was secured as a result of our proven technical expertise and excellent industrial references. “Since then our reputation has grown and we are now viewed as the global cable cleat experts – a standing underscored by our willingness to put our products through project specific testing, which means they are tried, tested and proven to work prior to installation.”

▲ ▲ The Taishan plant under construction. Photo copyright of Bui Nguyen Hoang, civil engineer

ProTect cable straps, are manufactured in type 316L stainless steel for corrosion protection, even in the harshest environments.

Designed for use where the highest levels of short circuit withstand are required, Ellis’s Emperor cable cleats are available for both trefoil and single cable applications.

Ellis Ltd – UK Website : www.ellispatents.co.uk

All products in the range, as well as Ellis’s

Free Cutting Steels 11SMnPb30, 12L13

www.AvantajBright.com

Turkish Bright Steel Bar Producer ISO-9001:2008 Free Cutting Steels, EN 10087, EN 10277

11SMnPb30, 9SMnPb28, 11SMn30, 9SMn28, 12L13, 1213, 11SMnPb37, 9SMnPb36, 11SMn37, 9SMn36, 12L14, 1215, St37, St52, 1008, 1010, C35, CK45, 19MnB4, 8620, 41Cr4, etc. Prime Quality Europe Steels; Arcelor, Saarstahl, Tata. Cold Drawn in Turkey.

Round Specials 5–60 mm 6–55 mm 6–40 mm Shapes h9/h11 h11 h9/h11 Hex Square

Chamfering/Facing: 10–50 mm; Lengths: 2.5–6.0 meters. 1 ton Packing for Export. Eddy Current Crack Detection: Round: 8-50mm, Hex: 8-46mm. EN 10277-1 Quality Certificate: EN 10204 2.2/3.1

Web : www.AvantajBright.com Tel : +90 (216) 685 1249 Email : export@AvantajBright.com Fax : +90 (216) 685 1258 Factory : Akse Mah. Nazim Hikmet Cad. No:23 Cayirova, 41420-Kocaeli, Turkey Office : Yenisehir Mah. Akkaya Sok. Yolkent Sit. C-Blok No:2 Kurtkoy, 34910-Istanbul, Turkey

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News Corporate

The specialist in wire cleaning

production and finishing stages. GEO’s integrated cleaning systems can be placed in-line with the production line or placed off-line as a separate process. In the field of multi-wire cleaning, GEO’s new multi-strand ultrasonic plant is based on expertise gained over two decades of experience. Completely made of stainless steel for an extremely long service life, particular attention has been paid to easy and straightforward operation. Cleaning, rinsing and drying are equipped with special wire guides for intelligent handling. Coming into contact with liquids is almost impossible. The energy efficiency of the system meets the highest standards. GEO’s popular ‘primary wire wipe’ system is now also available for multi-wire treatment. Originally designed for less demanding single wire cleaning applications, the new concept allows the parallel operation of close together arranged wires between two strips of absorbing tape material. Clean tape surfaces move continuously against the motion direction of the material. In this way the wire does not come into contact with contaminated wipers as is the case when rags or stationary felt pads are used. GEO’s product range is completed by a wide variety of spiral brushes with metal and synthetic filaments. GEO-Reinigungstechnik GmbH – Germany Website : www.geo-reinigungstechnik.de For more than 30 years Willi Bremer has been manufacturing extensive and innovative machinery for drawing die processing machines. This, coupled with the quality of the manufacturing, has led to the company exporting more than 2,000 machines worldwide. The machine was first exhibited in Basle in 1984, including the KPM works bearing and cone, which is internationally protected by patent. The cross-grinding method is a feature of the KPM2. Willi Bremer GmbH – Germany Website : www.bremer-willi.de 30 years and counting

units and much more according to individual requirements. Whether in high-speed applications, the manufacture of medical products, the contact-free cleaning of precious metal and aluminium alloy strips for the production of precision stamped parts as well as the fully automatic cleaning of high-grade steel ribbon for the production of high temperature superconductors, GEO components and systems are used in a multitude of

GEO specialises in the production of ultrasonic cleaning lines, high pressure cleaning and rinsing jets, steam cleaning, air wipes and mechanical (brush) cleaning systems for wire strip, tube, cable, rod and similar longitudinal configurations. Today’s high quality demands on cleaning processes can be realised with proven GEO components, complemented by state-of-the-art systems for continuous bath monitoring, take-up and pay-off

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March 2014

CENTRAN TAPES & YARNS

Centran industrial is a leading global supplier of excellent raw materials for cable and wire industry. We are one of the biggest manufacturer of water- blocking tape , Water-Blocking yarn & Polyester yarn , flame retardant & Marking tape etc. in china. 1. Non-conductive Water-blocking tape • Double-side non-conductive water-blocking tape • Single-side non-conductive water-blocking tape • PET laminated non-conductive water-blocking tape • Reinforced non-conductive water-blocking tape 2. Semi-conductive Water-blocking tape • Double-side semi-conductive water-blocking tape • Single-side semi-conductive water-blocking tape • Semi-conductive laminated water-blocking foam tape CBHZD • Single-side semi-conductive water-blocking woven tape CBDWD • Reinforced semi-conductive water-blocking tape CHBSD • Marine water-blocking tape CMBZD CZSD CDZD CDZDF CHDZD CBZSD CBDZD

3. Binding, Bedding, Barrier & Separating tape • Non-woven tape

CWB

• Reninforced Non-woven tape • High strength Woven tape • Semi-conductive nylon tape • Semi-conductive non-woven tape • Semi-conductive woven toteron tape

CHWB

CHB

CBNLD

CBZD CBHD

• Flame-retardant tape

CFR

4. Yarns • Water-blocking yarn

CZS HZT BSW BSR

• High tension polyester yarn

• Water-blocking E-glass Roving yarn

• E-Glass Roving yarn

5. MARKING TAPE

MT-20

Chengdu Centran industrial Co., Ltd Chengdu Centran IMP.&EXP Trading Co., Ltd Wuxi Centran cable material Co., Ltd Room 604, Building 4, Idealism Center, No.38 Tianyi Street Chengdu Hi-Tech district, 610041, Sichuan, P.R.China Tel: 0086-28- 85322171, 85322172 Fax: 0086-028 -85322175 E-mail: market@china-centran.com Http:// www. China-centran.com

VISIT US AT

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News Corporate

High quality comes with experience

Wire coatings are used by almost every industry for a variety of applications, including electrical motors, transformers or electrical measuring systems. For these applications the wire coating industry is producing mainly enamelled copper wire which has to endure the highest mechanical and thermal strain during bending, coiling or soldering. A perfect surface of enamelled wire is largely responsible for the quality and durability of the finished products in subsequent production steps. Especially when it comes to rather small wires, with diameters down to 20μm, used for instance in microelectronics, poor die selection may lead to an inferior coating, causing a high number of rejections during further processing. Since its formation in 1972, Euromicron has been a notable company in the design and fabrication of high-quality dies for the wire coating industry, and has long-term experience in the production of mechanical precision turning and milling parts and bores. Whether for enamelling round, flat or profiled wires, for fibre optics or even textiles, Euromicron has appropriate die solutions which lead through their precision to better production outcomes and fewer rejections. To ensure that the manufactured results of the different dies are always perfect, the whole production process is continuously monitored by a strict quality management system which

▲ ▲ Cone polishing machine at Euromicron

guarantees complete process tracking and control, from material procurement to the application of the final touches on the product. A hybrid air-conditioned Zeiss measuring machine with a probing error of less than 2μm checks size tolerances throughout the manufacture, securing the elevated precision and quality characteristics of the finished products. In addition, statistical process control, random sampling and thorough adjustment of the process parameters guarantee a trouble-free fabrication at all times.

EuromicronWerkzeuge GmbH – Germany Website : www.euromicron-wirecoating.com

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News Corporate

Sole supplier service fromWilliam Hughes

has formally approved the product and procedures, bulk supply can be authorised. William Hughes can also arrange stocking based on DLF (Direct Line Feed), scheduled call-off or spot orders to precisely match Eaton’s requirements. William Hughes employs the latest optical and computer-based measurement systems to ensure that product specifications are being met, and the company’s quality systems have been accredited to ISO 9001:2000, ISO/TS 16949:2002 and AS 9100 to ensure quality and consistency. The company specialises in solving problems for its customers using the extensive design and engineering facilities available at its Stalbridge, Dorset, UK factory. Techniques such as simultaneous engineering are regularly employed, and involving its engineering team at an early stage leads to economies in production, as well as fast prototyping and early functional testing.

will provide William Hughes with a specification for a new spring. Using their extensive knowledge and experience, William Hughes’ engineers select the best materials, tolerances and processes to provide the most efficient and cost effective solution. In many instances, prototype samples are manufactured for evaluation and when the design is finalised samples are submitted to Eaton’s pre-production approval process. The associated documentation would verify the design and demonstrate how product quality would be maintained. When Eaton

In today’s competitive markets, being a sole supplier to a global manufacturing company is a well-earned accolade. William Hughes has been supplying springs to Eaton in Hampshire, UK, for over ten years. This sole supplier relationship has evolved based on a combination of competitive costs, excellent product quality, and outstanding customer service and support. Eaton is a global power management company providing energy-efficient solutions. The springs supplied by William Hughes are mainly compression springs used in the production of cartridge valves/integrated circuits controlling motion and/or load. Areas of application include automotive and construction with companies such as Volvo and JCB. The springs range in size from 0.15mm to 8mm wire diameter in cold drawn carbon springs steels, oil tempered and stainless steel wire. As well as being an established supplier of springs, William Hughes helps with the design and engineering of springs for new applications. For example, Eaton’s engineers

William Hughes Ltd – UK Website : www.wmhughes.co.uk

▲ ▲ Just some of the bespoke compression springs supplied by William Hughes to Eaton Fluid Power

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News Corporate

Automated taping head to insulate Toroidal Field magnet components

levels of power. Partners China, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the United States will implement the project during its estimated ten-year construction and 20-year operational phases. The seven ITER members share every aspect of the project, including science, procurement, finance and staffing, with the aim that ultimately each member will have the know-how to produce its own fusion energy plant. Ridgway recently announced a major contract to provide taping heads to insulate the ITER Central Solenoid (CS) magnet coils supplied by the US. Ridgway’s sales and marketing director, Andy Clarke, said: “We are delighted to win this substantial further contract for the ITER project. We will be working in close collaboration with our customer to meet the specification and performance standards for this demanding engineering application.” Ridgway Machines – UK Website : www.ridgwayeng.com

Ridgway Machines has been awarded a further major contract for the ITER international nuclear fusion reactor project. Placed by Elytt Energy, a European-based innovator in high technology solutions for atomic fusion and new energy sources, this order covers additional tape wrapping head systems to insulate superconductor coils for the ITER Toroidal Field (TF) magnets. Elytt Energy is part of a European Union (EU) consortium together with ASG Italy and Iberdrola Spain, responsible for the manufacture of ten winding packs for the TF coils. The packs will then be supplied by Fusion for Energy (F4E) who are managing Europe’s contribution to ITER. ITER has been called the largest science experiment in history and aims to demonstrate the technical and scientific feasibility of fusion power for commercial-scale energy. The ITER Tokamak machine will be one of the most complicated machines ever engineered – 30 metres high and weighing 23,000 tons, housing an estimated one million

▲ ▲ ITER Tokamak (TF coils highlighted in orange)

components. The TF magnets produce a magnetic field around the Torus, whose primary function is to confine plasma particles. The coils weigh 6,540 tons; after the vacuum vessel they are the largest ITER components. The ITER organisation was formed to advance the development of hydrogen fusion as an energy source. Fusion is a safe, carbon-free energy source fuelled by abundant resources (heavy hydrogen from sea water) and can produce high

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Quality and punctuality

Thermcraft patent Thermcraft Inc has been awarded a United States Patent for its unique LQF-technology. The Liquid Quench Fluidisation (LQF) process was engineered and developed by Thermcraft as a green technology, and is a liquid quench technology used in the heat treatments of medium and high carbon wire products. process replacing molten lead, salt or fluidisation media. The process is precisely adjustable for each steel grade TT-curve and will result in a higher concentration of the desirable pearlitic structure. Thermcraft has designed and built successful pilot scale production units, and full-scale production units will be built for the different product applications in the wire industry. The LQF is a lead-free, environmentally friendly

Elki Cable is one of Turkey’s leading companies in its sector and produces cables in accordance with international quality standards. was founded in 1983 and since 1986 has been producing cables under the ‘Irmak Kablo’ brand name. It has satisfied customers The company

over the years by focusing on quality and punctuality of delivery. Various cables used in appliances, consumer electronics products, PCs and energy transmission are produced in accordance with the ISO 9001:2000 quality system. All ranges of cables have TSE (Institute of Turkish Standards) and HAR certificates, enabling it to export 30 per cent of its production to the Netherlands, UK, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Georgia, Iraq, Lebanon and Guinea. Elki has 12,000m 2 of covered production space in Istanbul and Manisa, and employs 120 people. PVC used in cables is also produced in-house, while copper is supplied by local companies. Elki Cable – Turkey Website : www.elkicable.com ▲ ▲ Elki was founded in 1983

Thermcraft Inc – USA Website : www.thermcraftinc.com

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Flammability and smoke emission test success

▲ ▲ Zero halogen label from Silver Fox

UK-based labelling solutions manufacturer Silver Fox has had its labels independently tested. The tests – carried out by the Interscience Fire Laboratory (IFL) in Gosport, Hampshire, UK, – relate to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)’s Smoke and Toxicity Test and to tests for minor materials in BS 6853:1999 and non-listed items in LUL 1-085, as required by London Underground Limited (LUL). The tests show that Silver Fox’s Fox-Flo® Low Smoke Zero Halogen Tie-On Cable Labels ably meet modern safety standards. Nick Michaelson, CEO of Silver Fox, said: “Although all label manufacturers can receive an LUL certificate, owing to the low weight cut-off criteria of 100 grams, we conducted our own internal test of setting light to similar looking labels to Silver Fox’s. “Knowing the high quality of the material used in making our labels – and also knowing that our labels’ IMO approvals corroborate this, we decided to put our money where our mouth is and independently test all four colours of our labels according to the LUL standards. The Fox-Flo® label doesn’t even start to burn after 45 seconds of exposure to a constant flame.” IFL carried out the tests on 3mm white polymeric sheet, which is used to make Silver Fox’s Fox-Flo® labels. According to IFL: “In our opinion, the results show that the material meets the requirements set for BS6853:1999 Table 7 Interior minor use materials of mass 100g to 500g Category Ia, Ib and II; BS 6853: 1999 Table 8 Exterior minor use materials of mass 400g to 2,000g Category Ia, Ib and II, and LUL 1-085 Table 4 – Flammability and smoke emission requirements for non-listed items (limited and dispersed usage).” “Fox-Flo® labels have always saved users time and money,” added Mr Michaelson. “Now, we all know that they’re incredibly safe as well.” Silver Fox Ltd – UK Website : www.silverfox.co.uk

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Newmanaging director

Back to Istanbul The first edition of Fastener Fair Turkey, held at Istanbul Expo Center on 21 st and 22 nd November, welcomed 1,700 visitors to see a comprehensive range of manufacturing technology, industrial fasteners, fixings, and assembly and installation systems. Of the 135 exhibitors at the fair, half were foreign companies representing 15 countries, including Germany, Italy, France, Taiwan, China and the USA. The majority of exhibitors reported positive business enquiries at their stands and over half of the total stand space available for the next exhibition was booked on-site during the show. The next event for Turkey’s fastener and fixings industry, Fastener Fair Turkey 2014, will take place from 20 th to 21 st November 2014 at the same venue, thereafter adopting a two-year cycle. Fastener Fair – Turkey Website : www.fastenerfairturkey.com

Robert Brown, chairman of Metalube Ltd, will become managing director from March 2014, taking over from company founder David Lee, who will remain as a non-executive director. Commenting on his new role, Mr Brown said: “This is a very exciting time for Metalube as we are developing new product ranges and expanding into further international markets. It is a privilege to work with David and I’m confident that our handover period will be seamless.” He joined Metalube three years ago with two other directors (both from lubricants firm ITW Rocol) as part of a management buy-in. He is the majority shareholder of the business. Previously, he was managing director of Herbert Brown Ltd, a UK-based family-owned retailer. During his time there he acquired a wealth of experience in corporate finance and business management best practice. Mr Lee added: “It is incredible for me to witness how far Metalube has come from when I started the business 25 years ago. I am delighted to be handing over the baton to such a confident team and know

▲ ▲ Robert Brown, Metalube’s newmanaging director

that in their safe hands Metalube will continue to grow to new heights. And of course, it’s not goodbye, as I will still be involved in my new role.”

Metalube Ltd – UK Website : www.metalube.co.uk

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A Chinese challenge for SAMP

Asap aim Founded in Milan in 2000, Asap Srl has its origins with a specific aim – to develop trade in metal drawing wires for industrial application. The company deals under technical international specifications with qualified suppliers in China, Italy, Germany and Korea, both as a sole agent and buyer. The company imports and sells directly full containers to customers dealing with all custom operations or it delivers all over Europe from its warehouse in Northern Italy, different qualities of stainless steel wire as Aisi 304-304L-316-316L 309-321-430 and other qualities specially in annealed, but also in half or hard drawn quality for diameters from 0.1 to 1mm in spools and from 1mm to 6m in large coils. New role Teknor Apex Company has promoted Michael Roberts to the position of wire and cable industry manager for the vinyl division. He succeeds Mike Patel, who has become director

SAMP has been awarded two of the most challenging turnkey projects in wire and cable production in China to supply machinery, resources and expertise. The first project included three rod breakdown machines, five multi-wire drawing lines and 20 bunchers as a first implementation step. All systems will be installed during 2014. SAMP has been selected by Kunshan Deli Copper among German and Italian suppliers. SAMP’s winning factor in this project has been the superior performance in terms of output and energy consumption in the manufacturing of fine wires and strands. Energy consumption has been included as an essential part of the contract, setting new standards for the wire and cable manufacturing market. Kunshan Deli Copper, built in April 2013, is located in the Zhangpu Industrial Park of Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province. With a manufacturing plant of 210,000m 2 located 34km away from Shanghai Hongqiao airport, the company focuses on the production of copper rods and wires, including 8mm low-oxygen copper rod with high purity, copper wire 2.6mm, fine wire, bunching conductor and tin coating wire. The products are widely used in communication cables, power cables, electronic cables, etc.

▲ ▲ The RB450 rod breakdown machine from SAMP

term, this investment will lead to greater efficiency as well as lower operating and maintenance costs while simultaneously reducing energy consumption. The Force Group is one of the largest automotive wire and cable enterprises in China. Due to its advanced manufacturing facilities and process methods, Force produces a variety of automotive cables according to German, Japanese and American standards. At present, the company has manufacturing plants in Beijing, Shanghai and Changchun, as well as offices in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Wuhan, Nanjing and Zhuhai. With a total covered space of 100,000m 2 and over 1,000 employees, Force has a production capacity of 3,000,000km of cables per year. SAMP SpA – Italy Website : www.sampsistemi.com

The annual production capacity will reach 400,000 tons of 8mm copper rod and 100,000 tons of fine copper wire, making up an estimated turnover of over 20 billion yuan per year. makes SAMP even prouder because it represents recognition of the product development and of the important investments in research and development that have taken place since 2009. Following the successful completion of a competitive field test among the world market leaders, SAMP has been reconfirmed to supply the Force Group with four multi-wire drawing lines. These will be added to the existing 11 multi-wire drawing lines and ten bunchers delivered between 2000 and August 2013 for copper wire and aluminium fine wire production. In the medium The second project

IWMA’s Educational Trust Travel Award

A presentation will be made by representatives of the association and exhibition organisers Messe Düsseldorf, at a special ceremony held on the IWMA stand during the afternoon of Wednesday, 9 th April. This year’s awardees come from China, India and the UK. International Wire & Machinery Association – UK Website : www.iwma.org Director for CCCA Leviton has joined the Communications Cable and Connectivity Association (CCCA), a non-profit group of leading cabling manufacturers, distributors and material suppliers, and Mr Ross Goldman has also joined the association’s board of directors. CCCA – USA Website : www.cccassoc.org

Through the IWMA Educational Trust’s Travel Award scheme, the association is fully committed to providing educational opportunities within the wire and cable industry and is delighted to be awarding the ”John C Hogg Travel Award” for wire 2014 to 15 individuals. were recommended or sponsored by a member of the IWMA and winners are provided with free air travel, accommodation and entry to wire 2014 in Düsseldorf, as well as free entry to the IWMA industry dinner. A tour of the exhibition will also be given to the group by a member of the IWMA executive board during which they will be given the opportunity to meet key influential individuals working within the industry. Applicants for the award scheme

of marketing and business

development for the vinyl division.

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Avise takes over asWAI president

He has also contributed to the American Wire Producers Association (AWPA) since 1994, serving as the organisation’s operations committee chairman from 1999 to 2004. Mr Avise currently holds the position of president of the Wire Group and vice-president of Leggett & Platt. His career in the industry started in August 1970 at Union Wire Rope (Armco) in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. From 1970 to 1975, he worked as a wire drawer while attending college at Central Missouri State University. After graduating with a BS degree in business in 1975, he became a shift supervisor and progressively worked up to the position of operations manager.

William (Bill) Avise took over as president of the Wire Association International on 1 st January. Mr Avise will serve as chairman of the board of directors, and 60 th president of the 84-year-old association, which is headquartered in Guilford, Connecticut, USA. He has been at the forefront of an on-going association-wide initiative to increase WAI membership. “Being a member of the WAI is one of the best ways to support our industry,” said Mr Avise. “With the new website and more webinars having an operations focus, the value of being a WAI member has improved significantly.

“In addition to WAI members having access to thousands of technical/operations papers, the networking opportunities with other wire industry peers are invaluable.” A WAI member since 1993, he has been actively involved in the organisation’s leadership through his participation on the executive committee; as a member, and later co-chair, of the conference programming committee; and as executive committee liaison to both the paper awards and member relations committees.

▲ ▲ NewWAI president Bill Avise

In 1988 he accepted the position of plant manager with Leggett & Platt at the Merit Steel facility in Kouts, Indiana. Following a promotion to vice-president of operations, he relocated to Carthage, Missouri, and became president of the Wire Group in 2009. Wire Association International – USA Website : www.wirenet.org

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Non-contact laser gauges

Board appointment Swiss cabling specialist Reichle & De Massari (R&M) has welcomed Pete Gough as its new managing director for the United Kingdom. In recent years Mr Gough has successfully raised the profile and market share of his previous employer. He has been in the datacom industry for the past 21 years and brings an in-depth knowledge of both office cabling and data centre markets and solutions. He worked as principal network support engineer for a major telco in the UK before he became Panduit‘s European product support manager and regional business director for the Middle East and Pakistan. He also developed and grew the company’s DCIM business across EMEA.

Puretronics offers two laser diameter gauges (up to 35mm and up to 150mm) which are non-contact micrometer gauges as well as having an online outer diameter controller. The non-contact measurement technique enables the user to stabilise the extrusion process especially for cable production lines. The gauges are easy to set up and use, and have an aluminium housing providing durability. They are insensitive to product vibration and movement, even in rugged product environments.

▲ ▲ Laser micrometer from Puretronics

The main features include: High and low value alarm, out of range alarm, alarm on-off selection, high accuracy, low drift measurements, rugged case construction sealed for longer life, accurate measurement regardless of where the product is positioned within the measuring gate using an advanced digital signal processor, and the laser micrometer sensor head minimises external interference to give the most accurate and stable diameter measurements possible. The main advantages are that it reduces waste and manpower, saves on raw material and ensures product quality. Applications include wire drawing, fibre optics, telecom, household and industrial wires, power cable, tube extrusion, glass rods/tubes, elevator cables, metal pipes, etc. Puretronics – India Website : www.pureindia.net

Reichle & De Massari – Switzerland Website : www.rdm.com

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