WCA January 2015

Industry news

Kent Wire back in action Following a fire in May 2014 that damaged its production facility in Chatham Docks, Kent, UK, ArcelorMittal Kent Wire has reported that its production line is now fully reinstated. The fire-damaged production line has been upgraded to enable Kent Wire to produce in excess of 130,000 tonnes of fabric reinforcement per annum. Phil Taylor, CEO, said: “Following this incident, the damaged fabric reinforcement line has been fully restored and upgraded, and the business is once again fully operational. We would like to apologise to our customers for any inconvenience caused over the last six weeks of interruption and look forward to supporting businesses once again with high quality product and services.” A member of the British Association of Reinforcement, ArcelorMittal Kent Wire is part of ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steel producer.

New cables for offshore and mining ❍ Huntsman has launched two new UV protected grades of thermoplastic polyurethanes, one of which is for use in mining

as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) under REACH regulations. Designed to increase cable longevity, the inclusion of this additive is beneficial for wire and cable manufacturers who are looking to improve performance and comply with stringent environmental standards. Ahead of the launch of its new products, Huntsman has tested the performance of the materials extensively, with both grades surpassing industry standard UV tests. The two grades available are: • Irogran ® A 85 P 4394 UV DP, which has a hardness of 85 Shore A • Irogran ® A 92 P 4637 UV DP, which has a hardness of 92 Shore A Both grades are entering final launch stage and will be available globally. Rhona Watson, development centre manager Americas at Huntsman, said: “Creating new UV protected cable jacketing grades for industrial applications, using a specialised UV package, demonstrates that Huntsman is a provider of innovative wire and cable solutions.”

HUNTSMAN has developed two UV protected grades of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) for use in offshore, oil and gas, and mining wire and cable applications. The polyether-based TPU materials – part of Huntsman’s established Irogran ® product range – are designed for jacketing the cables of heavy duty pieces of equipment, which have to function in harsh, abrasive and outdoor environments, and are exposed to the elements. Over time, exposure to ultraviolet light can cause cabling materials to degrade, losing performance in tensile strength, abrasion and elongation. On oil rigs, offshore wind farms and in underground applications, any form of deterioration in cable quality is unacceptable and could have costly consequences. Huntsman’s latest wire and cable innovations were developed in response to requests from customers in the Americas, who were asking for increasingly demanding performance levels from their cable jacketing materials. Easily processed and offering a wide temperature window, Huntsman’s new Irogran materials contain a UV package that is not listed

Huntsman Corporation – USA Website : www.huntsman.com

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Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 2015