WCA March 2007

Industry News

Order books booming at € 3.2billion for the SMS Group

Order books have been booming at the SMS Group in Düsseldorf, Germany, in the past year – to the tune of €3.2 billion.

This increase is mostly due to vigorous global performance in the steel industry, where investment is booming.

Yet the order makers served by the SMS Group, such as the hardening and forging industry, the non-ferrous metal producing industry and the plastics processing industry, have also developed well.

And it was the first time in years that the orders from Germany, at some 13% of the overall order intake, indicated a modest recovery on the domestic market.

The most important sales regions for SMS remain China, Russia and India. But other countries embarking on industrialisation or an extensive modernisation phase, also contributed to the increased order volume.

As for the future, the company’s investment is clear to see. In Germany, trainees make up for 8% of the workforce, much higher than the national average.

Close co-operation with schools and universities, the SMS student support scheme, special introduction programmes for young engineers and the newly- formed SMS Akademie all provide growing evidence of the high value the company places on training and further education. SMS Group – Germany Fax : +49 211 881 774127 Email : info@sms-group.com Website : www.sms-group.com Calendar of Events 2007

March 27:

Guangzhou, PR China Organisers : Julang Exhibition Co Ltd Email : meiwen@julang.com.cn Website : www.julang.com.cn

Dubai Cable Symposium – conference – World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE Organisers : IWMA Email : info@iwma.org Website : www.iwma.org Interwire 2007 – trade exhibition – Cleveland, Ohio, USA Organisers : Wire Association Int Inc Website : www.wirenet.org 28-31: wire Russia – trade exhibition – Moscow, Russia Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf GmbH Email : info@messe-duesseldorf.de Website :www.messe-duesseldorf.de May 7-10:

October 2-4:

Metaltech 2007 – trade

exhibition – Sao Paulo, Brazil Organisers : Grupo Cipa Website : www.metaltech.tmp.br 16-18: wire Southeast Asia 2007 – trade exhibition – Bangkok, Thailand Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf Asia Email : mdafairs@singnet.com.sg Website : www.wire-southeastasia.com 17: Non-ferrous Bangkok Seminar – technical seminar – Bangkok, Thailand

Organisers : IWMA, ITA Email : info@iwma.org Website : www.iwma.org

June 10-12:

World Wire and Cable Conference (incorporating the KMI Fibreoptics Conference) –

November 5-7: Wire ’07 Bologna – conference – Bologna, Italy Organisers : ACIMAF, CET, IWMA & WAI Email : info@iwma.org Website : www.iwma.org

conference – Paris, France Organisers : CRU Events

Email : cruevents@crugroup.com Website : www.cruevents.com

21-24: 8 th China International Metal & Metallurgy Exhibition –

Wire & Cable ASIA – March/April 2007