wiredInUSA July 2019

Issue No. 97 - July 2019

www.wiredInUSA.com

America’s online magazine for wire and cable

wiredIn USA

Wind power PPAs Page 9

US energy mix. Page 10

Wire rope in art. Page 31

Solar collaboration. Page 37

Quick Reliable Service Always there to help

www.zumbach.com • sales@zumbach.ch

EDITOR

Celebrations are in order for Radix Wire and Cable, of Cleveland, Ohio, which celebrates its 75 th anniversary this year, with a number of notable ‘firsts’ during that time. The company’s Sil-a-Blend and DuraBlend cables were the first silicone products with fiberglass integrated into the insulating layer, and DuraLife was the first flexible silicone rubber insulated fire alarm cable to be certified under UL2196,meetingnew industry safety standards for household cooking equipment. Turn to page 11 for the full details. And growth is on the agenda for Liberty Steel, part of the global GFG Alliance, after it acquired Johnstown Wire Technologies (JWT), of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. JWT is said to be the largest producer of value-added carbon and alloy wire in North America, and the deal will give Liberty “valuable capacity to manufacture a range of high value carbon and alloy wire products for multiple end markets, including the infrastructure, automotive, utility and consumer sectors.” The full story can be found on page 13

David Bell Editor

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July 2019 Issue No.97 CONTENTS

06 PAGE

Show Diary 2019

09 PAGE

Making the News Industry news from the USA

26 PAGE

Interwire 2019 Show Highlights

30 PAGE

Europe news The latest news from Europe

36 PAGE

Asia & Africa News The latest news from Asia & Africa

42 PAGE

Products, Machines & Technology The latest news from machine industries

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wiredIn USA

© 2019 Intras Limited UK ISSN 2046 - 9497 Publishers of EuroWire and Wire & Cable ASIA magazines

INTRAS OFFICES Europe: 46 Holly Walk, Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 4HY, UK

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

Email: read@wiredinusa.com Website: www.wiredinusa.com

USA: Danbury Corporate Center, 107 Mill Plain Road, Danbury, CT 06811, USA Tel: +1 203 794 0444 Email: doug@intras.co.uk

News Editor David Bell david@wiredinusa.com

Features Editor (USA and Europe) Gill Watson Publisher Caroline Sullens

Sales & Marketing (International) Sales Director Jason Smith jason@wiredinusa.com +44 1926 834 684 Accounts Manager Karen Low karen@intras.co.uk

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Diary Shows & Events 2019

September 18-20 September 2019 wire Southeast Asia Bangkok, Thailand www.wire-southeastasia.com October 1-3 October 2019 wire South America São Paulo, Brazil www.wire-south-america.com

December 4-7 December 2019 Iran Wire/Iran Tube 2019 Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran www.julang.com.cn october 21-22 October 2019 Wire & Cable Verona 2019 Conference Verona, Italy www.wirecable19.com september 29 September - 2 October 2019 IWCS 2019 Cable & Connectivity Symposium Charlotte, North Carolina, USA www.iwcs.org

november 11-13 November 2019 CRU Africa Cable Wire & Tube 2019 Johannesburg, South Africa www.africawirecabletubeconference.com

For more info visit: www.wiredinusa.com/showinfo.php

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Wind power PPAs M A K I N G T H E NEWS

Rhode Island state regulators have approved a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the power delivered by an offshore wind joint venture of Ørsted and Eversource Energy. The Rhode Island public utilities commission approved the PPA with National Grid for 400MW in wind power capacity from the Revolution Wind project. Project developer DWW Rev 1 LLC is a joint venture of New England utility Eversource and Ørsted US Offshore Wind. “We’re ready to get to work to deliver dramatically more offshore wind energy, jobs and energy savings to Rhode Island,” said Thomas Brostrøm, CEO of Ørsted US Offshore Wind, and president of Ørsted North America. “We’re proud to be Rhode Island’s partner in a project that builds upon the success of the Block Island wind farm to now truly transform the state’s energy future.”

Construction work on Revolution Wind could begin as early as 2020, with offshore installation starting in 2022 and the project in operation by 2023. Offshore oceanographic and geophysical survey work began in 2018. “Rhode Island is making tremendous strides in achieving the state’s ambitious clean energy goals. With Revolution Wind set to deliver a quarter of the state’s total electric load, offshore wind is poised to become a major component of the state’s energy mix,” said Lee Olivier, Eversource executive vice president for enterprise energy strategy and business development. The state of Connecticut has also contracted for 300MW from Revolution Wind in a PPA.

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Photo by RawFilm on Unsplash

US energy mix

New information released by the Federal Energy Information Administration shows that wind power generated by Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Kansas accounted for over half of the 275,000,000MWh generated nationally during 2018. Texas accounted for more than 25 percent of that, while Oklahoma generated 10 percent of the US windmix. Iowawindgenerationhasmorethandoubled since 2011, now providing 34 percent of total electricity generation in the state. It has surpassed coal-fired generation for the first time, statewide, and is now second only to natural gas.

Kansas joined the top four wind producers three years ago, and in 2018 produced 36 percent of the electricity generated in the state. Five other states — California, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota and Colorado — provided a further 20 percent of total wind generation in the country. According to the EIA, wind power produced close to 7 percent of the total electricity generated nationwide last year. It is close to surpassing hydropower as the top renewable energy resource in thegeneration mix.

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Celebrating 75 years

Founded in 1944, Radix Wire and Cable of Cleveland is celebrating its 75 th year of production, having claimed several “firsts” in that time. Radix™ Sil-a-Blend and DuraBlend cables were the first silicone products with fiberglass integrated into the insulating layer, so eliminating the shortcomings of traditional braided silicone products.

to be recertified under UL 2196, and Radix was the first to comply with UL 858 – meeting new industry safety standards for household cooking equipment. “Radix Wire and Cable is committed to bringing our depth of knowledge to bear to deliver the next innovation,” said Steve Demko, president.

Radix™ DuraLife ® was the first flexible silicone rubber insulated fire alarm cable

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Further growth by acquisition

Liberty Steel, part of the global GFG Alliance, has acquired Johnstown Wire Technologies (JWT) of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. JWT is said to be the largest producer of value-added carbon and alloy wire in North America, and the deal will give Liberty “valuable capacity to manufacture a range of high value carbon and alloy wire products for multiple end markets, including the infrastructure, automotive, utility and consumer sectors.”

The Beta LaserMike brand has been faithfully serving the wire and cable industry for over 50 years and we have thousands of satisfied customers that rely on our measurement systems every day to improve quality, increase productivity and deliver manufacturing savings. We are committed to your success. Precision Measurement & Control Solutions Liberty Steel entered the US market in 2017 by acquiring ArcelorMittal’s Georgetown Steel mill. The Johnstown plant, described as an advanced manufacturing facility, will complement Liberty’s melting and rolling operations at Georgetown, South Carolina, and Peoria, Illinois. Combined with its scrap processing plant in Tampa, Florida, the acquisition “will firmly embed the business along the full value chain in the US steel market.”

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Making Light Work

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Local network

Zayo is expanding its fiber infrastructure in Ohio, making significant investments in network to support enterprise and mobile carrier customers. The company said its network expansion will further strengthen its dense Ohio metro networks, and add nearly 300 new route miles in the Youngstown and Akron area.

Zayo’s existing network provides long haul connectivity throughout the state, including the Cleveland/Akron/Pittsburgh corridor.

The new build will enable additional diverse options through Youngstown.

Construction on the project is due to begin, and will be completed in 2020.

US distribution agreement

Connecticut’s Mathiasen Machinery Inc has reached an agreement with WICA- Wire and Cable Machinery GmbH of Austriatomarketandsell itswire fabrication and extrusion products in North, Central and South America. Mathiasen Machinery, founded in 1983, is a buyer and seller of used and rebuilt non-ferrous and ferrous wire and cable equipment.

WICA is a manufacturer of wire and cable machinery including high speed stranding machines, payoffs and take- ups, capstans, extrusion and sheathing lines. Wire and Cable Machinery GmbH produces custom-made equipment for- SZ stranding, tubular stranding, steel bow stranding and other processes.

DeWAL PTFE Films and Tapes New solutions for challenging applications

DeWAL designs and manufactures a broad assortment of skived, unsintered and low density PTFE films and tapes. Our specialty laminates combine PTFE with porous substrates and films to withstand abrasion, harsh chemicals, hostile environments and irregular surfaces. For cost-effective film and tape solutions for masking, insulating, shielding, conducting and coating, call DeWAL today.

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For details and specs, go to www.dewal.com.

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Offshore procurement

Massachusetts officialsare recommending that the state doubles its commitment to offshore wind projects. A recent report from the department of energy resources calls for Massachusetts to proceed with an additional procurement of up to 1,600MW in offshore wind capacity. This would be in addition to the 1,600MW of offshore wind power already authorized by Massachusetts under a 2016 renewable

energy law, the largest procurement of offshore wind power by a US state.

The legislature last year authorized the additional procurement pending an analysis of potential economic and environmental benefits. Commissioner Judith Judson said bids for up to 800MW will go out in 2022 and 2024.

ECC offers a broad portfolio of customized elastomeric or polyolefin based compounds utilized for medium/high voltage as well as certain low voltage flame retardant applications including: • EPR and Polyolefin Compounds • Elastomeric, Crosslinkable, and Thermoplastic Compounds • Flame Retardant and Halogen Free Compounds • Moisture Crosslinkabe Compounds • Specialty/Custom/FR Masterbatches • Insulation, Jacketing, and Bedding Compounds • ISO 9001 certified manufacturing process ensures quality, efficiency and ultimately customer satisfaction. • Non-carbon black product lines produce super-clean, elastomeric high voltage cable compounds. • Personalized customer service and support to customers worldwide. Wire & Cable Customized Compounds

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Advaris USA has a contract to implement its manufacturing execution system (MES), including its cable design and full SCADA system, for Kobrex of Monterrey, Mexico. Kobrex is a manufacturer of copper rod, copper and aluminum cables for low, medium and high voltage applications. Advaris will begin the MES project this summer with a full implementation process in parallel with SAP’s S/4HANA for Mill Products ERP. Advaris is a global provider of industry-specific enterprise software tailored to fit producers of wire, cable, rope and steel cord, and other length-based manufacturers. The Advaris software will give Kobrex full control of the manufacturing process including routing, planning, scheduling and quality control. “Advaris’sMESwill enableKobrex toautomate key operational processes, schedule manufacturing projects more efficiently, and put the right information into the hands of the right people at the right time. All of which will deliver massive benefits for Kobrex,” said Brenda Martinez, CSO Kobrex. “Kobrex is an exciting Mexican success story that has plans for more rapid growth in the future. …We look forward to working in partnership and helping Kobrex achieve its targets,” commented Paul Douwes, sales manager at Advaris USA.

Mexican producer takes control

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Canadian Solar Inc has signed a multi- year module supply agreement with EDF Renewables North America to deliver 1,800MW of high-efficiency poly solar modules for projects in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Canadian Solar will supply its bifacial enhanced wafer BiHiKu (CS3W- PB) and enhanced wafer HiKu (CS3W-P) modules to EDF. The agreement is the largest single module supply agreement signed in Canadian Solar’s 18-year history. “EDF Renewables North America is pleased to announce this substantial module supply agreement with Canadian Solar Inc. The agreement demonstrates our confidence in the bifacial module technology to support our robust pipeline of contracted projects over the next five years,” said Tristan Grimbert, president and CEO of EDF Renewables North America. Dr Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar, said: ”As the US market recovers from the uncertainties brought by section 201 tariffs and rushes to meet the step-down of the investment tax credit deadline, we are seeing a significant rebound of demand in the US solar market which impacts module supply across the entire region.”

US module supply

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Infinite Electronics second facility in Lewisville, Texas

Supplier doubles up

Infinite Electronics has opened a second facility in Lewisville, Texas, to support the company’s growing range of brands and product lines. Infinite’s new ISO9001-certified facility is next door to its original facility, effectively doubling the company’s workspace to 160,000 square feet.

the increasing demand for products with same-day shipping.

Expanded operations will support a variety of products, including NEMA enclosures, fiber optic cables, 1553 bus couplers, insertion tools, complex wire harnesses, and surge and lightning protectors. The two facilities support a combined 130 employees over a variety of functions from production to human resources.

The new space will allow Infinite to grow its ready-to-serve capabilities and meet

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Image: EZ FormCable Corp

Specialized acquisition

TPC Wire & Cable Corp (TPC) has completed its acquisition of Connecticut- based EZ Form Cable Corp, an AS9100D- certified provider of coaxial cable. EZ Form is a provider of RF and microwave interconnect products for specialized applications in defense, space, wireless communications and medical instrumentation. The acquisition is to strengthen TPC’s position as a diversified supplier of high- performance wire and cable solutions to high cost-of-failure environments.

very excited to have EZ Form join the TPC family. Our combined expertise will enhance our growth strategy, diversify our end markets, and allow us to expand our innovative product and service solutions for our customers. TPC continues to execute on its aggressive growth strategy.” Commenting on the transaction, EZ Form’s CEO, Frank Volpe, said: “TPC’s mission, vision and values align with EZ Form, positioning us for continued growth. …We are confident that TPC will be the best steward of the EZ Form business in the years to come.”

Making the announcement, TPC president and CEO Jeff Crane explained: “We are

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Photo by Jordan Harrison on Unsplash

More data, more centers

Google plans to invest almost $675 million in a new data center in Hamina, Finland. This will be in addition to its existing data center in the area, established in 2009. “The demand for Google services is growing daily, and we are building our data center infrastructure to match this demand,” said Antti Jarvinen, Google’s Finland country head. The new facility will sit within the existing data center campus in Hamina, the site of the most advanced data centers in Google’s portfolio. The facility uses seawater from the Bay of Finland as part of an advanced cooling system.

The news comes shortly after Google CEO Sundar Pichai outlined plans for a $13 billion investment in new data centers and offices across the US, with large scale expansions planned across 14 states. In May, Google Cloud expanded its presence into Osaka, Japan, to support a growing customer base. In a blog post, Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said that the widespread adoption of Google’s technology solutions by retail, gaming, financial services andmanufacturingorganizations had influenced the decision.

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Image: Duke Energy

Solar changing hands

Duke Energy’s renewables wing is buying the 60MW Palmer Solar project, currently under development in El Paso County, Colorado, from juwi Americas. “We’re pleased to continue expanding our solar footprint in Colorado,” said Rob Caldwell, president of Duke Energy Renewables. “The Palmer Solar project is another positive step toward Governor Polis’s dedication of moving the state’s electric grid to 100 percent renewable sources by 2040.” With the Palmer acquisition Duke Energy Renewables now owns two Colorado solar projects totaling 70MW. Palmer is being developed in partnership with Colorado Springs Utilities, which will receive the

energy under a 20-year power-purchase agreement.

Aram Benyamin, Colorado Springs Utilities CEO, said: ”The Palmer Solar project is one of the latest examples of how we are partnering with entities to change the way we power Colorado Springs, taking advantage of the economics and environmental benefits of solar power.” Duke Energy Renewables entered into an engineering, construction and procurement (EPC) agreement with juwi for the construction of the project, which began in the first quarter of 2019. Duke Energy Renewables anticipates construction of the Palmer Solar project to be completed by the end of the year.

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Industry highlights from Interwire 2019 From 47 countries and 39 states, more than 3,500 wire and cable industry professionals descended on Atlanta, Georgia, USA, for the Interwire exhibition and conference, and the Wire Association International’s 89 th annual convention. Running alongside was the Global Continuous Casting Forum, the Fundamentals of WireManufacturing course, and the co-located International Fastener Manufacturing Exposition (IFME). Commenting on the activities, 2019 WAI president WT Bigbee said: “This year’s Interwire was a perfect blend of solutions on the exhibit floor and comprehensive educational programs. As a representative of one of the 400 manufacturing facilities with personnel in attendance, I saw that the industry was well served by this extensive showcase of everything that makes the wire and cable industry special.” The Interwire conference featured a roster of VIP speakers who addressed the conference’s “Next Generation” theme. Presentation highlights included: • Keynote speaker Dr Shawn DuBravac, who discussed “The Future of Wires and Cables in a Connected World”

• The “State of Manufacturing,” by Karl G Glassman, president and CEO, Leggett & Platt, and director, National Association of Manufacturers

• “Global Wire & Cable Market Outlook,” by Philip Radbourne, director, Integer Research (an Argus Media Co)

• “Sector Insights/Forecasts” Panel, with Bill Reichert, president, Champlain Cable Corp; Brian Parsons, president, Interstate Wire Co; and Paul Wagner, president and CEO of Minnesota Wire

• “Positioning for Future Challenges and Opportunities,” by Giacomo Sofia, COO, Prysmian Group North America

• “Operations Innovation” Panel, with Andy Talbot, Mid-South Wire; Dave Hawker, Nexans Energy; Richard Wagner, Insteel Wire Products; Tom Heberling, Southwire Co LLC; and Ali Shehab, Cimteq Ltd

• “Tariffs & Trade – Steel Wire Impact,” by HOWoltz III, CEO Insteel Industries Inc

Background image courtesy of Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

A collage of activities at this year’s Interwire

Sneak peek of new braiding machine

mechanism for reels with a flange diameter of up to 14 ″ , which is rarely used on Maypole-style units. These two features make the B10 a test machine that combines versatility and low cost. Furthermore, the braiding machine works best in a laboratory environment or an R&D environment because users can test run materials or the size of products. Technology on show from Windak The Windak Group, together with Axjo Group, exhibited at the recent Interwire exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and this gave the company an opportunity to showcase its products and technologies.

At Interwire, Wardwell Braiding offered a sneak peek of its new 24-carrier Maypole- style braiding machine.

S S The Wardwell B10 Maypole-style braiding machine

The an independently driven capstan instead of changing gears to vary the pitch. braiding machine has

S S The Windak team at Interwire

Also on display were the latest Windak- Axjo solutions and the combined 360°

It also features a driven wind-up

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concept; and a wide range of Windak machines plus Axjo spools.

“We also exhibited the EP500 cold welder, which provides a cost-effective way to weld rod up to 15mm diameter, and sold the machine during the show. “The booth was busy: we were able to meet customers and prospects and discuss their projects, and came away with a number of promising sales leads.” PWM’s products were presented by Joe Snee Associates Inc, PWM’s exclusive distributor of equipment, spares and dies in the USA and Canada.

Its show-machine – the QuickPac QP400-S_9.0 – was sold on the second day of the show.

Warm welcome for PWM’s strip welder

Interwire good opportunities for British company PWM to showcase its high-performance cold 2019 provided

S S PWM’s EP500 rod welder

pressure welding machines, according to managing director Steve Mepsted.

“Our innovative ST40 machine, designed specifically for welding non-ferrous strip, was on show for the first time at a US exhibition and generated a lot of interest.

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EUROPE NEWS

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Art at its best using wire rope

Wire rope in art

To celebrate the market’s rich history of Huguenot silk weaving, 40 illuminated silk moths have been installed in the Trade Market area at Crispin Place, Old Spitalfields, London, UK. Each silk moth is suspended to give visitors the impression of a large group movingacross themarket – a symbol of how silk weaving influenced industry in London’s East End. Each installation piece changes color throughout the day, mimicking silk moth metamorphosis. Toachieve this ambitious art piece, installers used catenary wire from Ormiston Wire, in conjunction with Gripple’s Dynamic 3, Dynamic 6, C-clip and Express No 1.

Installers created a secure overhead span by running high-strengthwire ropebetween two fixing points, which was ideal for the application as there were no direct vertical anchor points available. The twist on/off action of C-clips allowed for a suspension to be placed anywhere along the span, with the descending wire then connected to the moth using a Gripple XP1. Using this method of installation a floating effect has been achieved, with the support system virtually invisible when lit and viewed from below.

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Biomass plant

Russian plasticizer plant

Image: Sibur

Photo by Valeriy Andrushko on Unsplash

A commissioning ceremony for Sibur’s new production facility was held in May at the company’s site in Perm, Russia. The new facility is said to be the single largest production site in Europe for the eco- friendly plasticizer dioctyl terephthalate plasticizer (DOTP). The new plant was designed and engineered by NIPIgas, a Russian research center for facility design and construction, and key suppliers to the project were also Russian. DOTP is a key component in cable compounds and automotive coatings, ensuring their plasticity and providing enhanced durability, and wear and cold resistance. Unlike phthalate plasticizers, DOTP complies to the highest European and international environmental standards. DOTP is a new product for the Russian market and, said Dmitry Konov, chairman of the management board of Sibur Holding, among key import substitution projects in Russia’s petrochemical industry. The new facility will not only cover the needs of the domestic market (estimated at 60 kilotonnes per annum) but will also contribute to non-commodity, non-energy exports to Europe and other regions.

Abengoa has been selected by Arauco, a Chilean producer of cellulose and wood derivatives, for the development of a new transmission project. The award includes the construction of a 220kV transmission line and two substations to connect a biomass-fueled generation plant, owned by Arauco, to the National Electric System (SEN) through the Lagunillas substation, the property of the Chilean transmission company Transelec. The works are part of a modernization and expansion project of the Arauco plant (calledMAPA–ModernizacionyAmpliacion de la Planta Arauco), which includes the expansion of two plants owned by Arauco, one for cellulose and another for the generation of electricity from biomass. This second plant will generate enough energy to be self-sufficient and any surplus will be provided to the National Electric System.

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Progress on synchronization

Combined connections

Image: NKT

NKT has successfully commissioned the 170kVHVACcablesystemfor thecombined grid solution connecting the wind farms Kriegers Flak and Baltic 2. The Kriegers Flak Combined Grid has been developed by the national grid operators Energinet in Denmark and 50Hertz in Germany. NKT supplied the high-voltage cable systems for the project to connect the Danish region of Zealand with the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, via the two offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea. When fully operational the Kriegers Flak Combined Grid will provide an important contribution to the national targets of renewable energy as well as the EU target of reaching a share of 32 percent renewable energy by 2030. NKT is also providing the 220kV HVAC cable system to connect the 600MW Danish Kriegers Flak wind farm to the onshore power grid in Denmark, expected to be taken into operation later this year. The Kriegers Flak Combined Grid solution has been categorized as a Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the European commission as it contributes to the development of the interconnected power grid needed to create a unified energy market in Europe.

As three Baltic countries prepare to synchronize their power grids with the continental European system, their connection agreement has come into force. Operators in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and supporting parties have signed an agreement for a future synchronous interconnection of the power system of the Baltic states and the power system of continental Europe. Lithuania already meets 169 of the 409 requirements laid down in the “catalogue of measures”, and Latvia and Estonia are in a similar position. The first stage of the synchronization project calls for upgrading and reinforcing the Baltic countries’ domestic electricity networks by 2021. The second stage involves increasing the capacity of the LitPol Link interconnection between Lithuania and Poland, building nine synchronous compensators in the Baltic countries, and carryingout a joint test of isolation operation of the system. The third stage, expected to be completed by 2025, includes the development of Harmony Link, a new submarine cable between Lithuania and Poland. Lithuanian energy minister Zygimantas Vaiciunas

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Gaining route diversity

Increased data center presence

RETN, a provider of international data transmission services, will work with Aqua Comms DAC to deliver transatlantic capacity on Aqua Comms’ America- Europe Connect (AEConnect) subsea cable system. This cooperation enables RETN to obtain additional route diversity and expand its cross-border network to North America. With over 100Tbps of designed capacity, AEConnect is a 100G compliant, coherent optimized system that utilizes the latest optical technologies, including 130x100Gbps per fiber pair. Transatlantic tests conducted over AEConnect validate the transmission of 8-QAM wavelengths running at 200Gb per second, and 16-QAM wavelengths running at 250Gb per second. RETN owns and operates a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) network that provides transboundary connectivity services across three continents and 29 countries.

Eurofiber, an international provider of fiber optic network services, has significantly upgraded its point-of-presence (PoP) in maincubes BV’s AMS01 colocation data center in Amsterdam Schiphol-Rijk, the Netherlands. The Eurofiber presence at the data center has now been extended by a DWDM PoP, adding to maincubes’ already fiber-dense connectivity and extensive bandwidth options available in the facility. As an expanding European data center provider with large-scale carrier-neutral colocation facilities in Frankfurt and Amsterdam-Schiphol-Rijk, maincubes offers connectivity options in Amsterdam that include CenturyLink (formerly Level3), Cogent, BT, AFIBER, Colt, NL-ix, euNetworks, Fiberring, Tele2, GTT, KPN and Eurofiber, amongst others. The major upgrade to Eurofiber’s PoP in maincubes AMS01 provides colocation customers in this Amsterdam-Schiphol-Rijk data center with significantly enhanced bandwidth and DWDM-powered redundancy options, and greatly improves access to an extensive fiber optic cable network in the Benelux of over 31,000km in length and with more than 1,000Tb per second of network capacity.

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CSR recognition

Inter-array contract

Image: Kraken Subsea Solutions

Image: Prysmian group

Vattenfall has awarded Kraken Subsea Solutions with a contract for employer’s representation for the inter-array cable installation at the Kriegers Flak offshore wind project. The French engineering and consultancy company will provide supervision services to Vattenfall during the offshore installation operations at the 605MW wind farm, which will take place between July 2019 and November 2020. The project is scheduled to be fully commissioned before the end of 2021. Kraken will be involved in all of the installation operations for the inter-array cable package, including pre-trenching, cable pull-in, laying and burial, as well as termination and testing. JDR Cables will manufacture 70km of aluminum core inter-array cables and provide a range of termination accessories for the Kriegers Flak project, under a contract secured in March 2019. In November 2016, Vattenfall won the tender to build thewind farmwith the lowest ever bid of €49.9 per MWh, 58 percent below the original cap of €120 per MWh.

The Prysmian group has been given an overall score of 73/100 to reach the maximum level (Gold recognition level) in the 2019 EcoVadis Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) assessment. EcoVadis is an international platform used by companies (including Deutsche Telekom, RFI, Schneider, Rexel, BT and Bombardier) to evaluate suppliers and monitor sustainability in their global supply chain. The methodology is based on international sustainable development standards and covers 21 criteria across four themes (environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement). Furthermore, the EcoVadis assessment results can be used to respond to requests from customers on the group’s CSR performance. Prysmian Group’s score of 73/100 is up by three points, compared to the 2017 evaluation. Overall, the group is positioned above the average of all companies assessed by EcoVadis in the same industry, and is ranked in the top one percent of companies assessed by EcoVadis in the wiring and wiring device manufacturing industry.

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ASIA & AFRICA NEWS

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Image: Masdar

Solar collaboration

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) said its consortium, comprising EDF Renewables and Green of Africa, has been awarded the tender for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Noor Midelt Phase One solar power plant. The 800MWplant will be located 20kmnorth of the town of Midelt in central Morocco, between the Middle and High Atlas Mountains. Construction on the project is expected to begin in the last quarter of 2019, with energy delivered to the grid in 2022. Noor Midelt Phase One is the third project collaboration between EDF Renewables and Masdar. EDF Renewables is a partner in Shua’a Energy 2, the joint venture led by Dubai Electricity Water Authority (DEWA) developing the 800MW third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar

Park in Dubai. The first 200MW stage was inaugurated in April 2018.

The two companies are also partners in the recently announced Dumat Al Jandal wind farm, which at 400MW will be Saudi Arabia’s first wind energy project, and the Middle East and North African (MENA) region’s largest. The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (Masen) said the project, which will have a total installed capacity of 800MW, is the world’s first advanced hybridization of concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi said: “It is now cheaper to build renewable energy power plants than those based on fossil fuels, and this is increasingly evident in the region.”

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5G first

Lagos digitization

Photo by Rodion Kutsaev on Unsplash

West African solutions provider MainOne, has launched its “Digital Lagos: broadband for all” initiative to enable the digital transformation of Lagos state through the deployment of broadband infrastructure. MainOne’s ambition for Lagos is inspired by the Lagos governor-elect Babajide Sanwo- Olu, who believes “technology will improve the rule of law, education, ease of doing business and government processes of Lagos.” At the campaign launch, Funke Opeke, MainOne CEO, said the company is keen to collaborate with the Lagos government and all other relevant stakeholders to build Digital Lagos and help citizens from all walks of life realize the benefits of broad, sustainable economic growth, modernized education, health, and other services delivery, and improved quality of life. Opeke said MainOne has pioneered investments in critical internet-enabling infrastructure across West Africa, Nigeria, and Lagos. To date the company has deployed almost 1,000km of fiber, in partnership with Facebook, to expand broadband access and connect government institutions and other areas of interest. Within Lagos, MainOne’s existing 700km network already covers major population centers.

In early June, Etisalat became the first telecom operator in the Middle East and North Africa region to offer super-fast 5G network on 5G-enabled smartphones, providing speeds up to 1Gbps and lower latency of around 1 millisecond. Said to be around 20 times faster than 4G, and with ultra-low latency, 5G service will allow users to stream live 4K resolution video with virtually no lag. The new 5G service will enable subscribers to use highly connected technologies from augmented reality and VR, to IoT, AI, autonomous vehicles, 3D printing and wearable technology.

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Safety moves

Wired for flight

GKN Aerospace has announced that its Indian joint venture, Fokker Elmo SASMOS Interconnection Systems Ltd (FE-SIL) in Bangalore, has been given a contract to manufacture electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS) for the Pilatus PC-24 aeroplane. GKN Aerospace’s FE-SIL already provides wiring systems for the PC-21 and PC-7 MkII to Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Production of the PC- 24 EWIS will necessitate at least 30 highly skilled operators in India, and this number will increase as production is established. Over 30 PC-24s are currently in operation around the world, including three PC-24s used as medical/evacuation aircraft for the Australian Royal Flying Doctor Service. Pilatus plans to deliver about 40 of the PC- 24 Super Versatile jets in 2019, and 50 in 2020. John Pritchard, CEO of GKN Aerospace ASEA, said: “We are very proud of our continued participation in the Pilatus aircraft family. We’ve been producing EWIS at FE-SIL in India for Pilatus aircraft since 2015 and, thanks to the team’s continuedcommitment to quality, on-time delivery and customer focus, we have strengthened our business relationship for many more years to come.” Fokker Elmo SASMOS Interconnection Systems Ltd has been awarded the contract to manufacture electrical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS) for the Pilatus PC- 24 aeroplane. Photograph courtesy of GKN Aerospace

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) may soon propose an Indian standard for fire- survival cables. Most short-circuits and electrical fires are caused by melting cables and currently there are no standards to be followed for fire-survival cables in India. The move is important against the backdrop of heightened awareness around fire- safety since the reports of several deaths in recent accidents. “Presently the domestic industry is benchmarking itself to the British Standard BS 7846 for fire-survival cables. These cables are supposed to withstand temperatures up to 950°C for at least three hours. This is to ensure that elevators and fire pumps are operational to ensure a safe passage for inhabitants,” said Sanjeev Ranjan, managing director at the International Copper Association. “The BIS is in the process of standardizing parameters for fire-survival cables and it is likely to complete this in the next six months. Since copper has a melting point of 1,085°C, it will be mandatory for these cables to have copper,” he added.

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Overhead cable issues

Rooftop solar project

Image: Etihad Esco

Since the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) took issue with telecom and Internet service providers over data cables in Bengaluru, India, the state government has been working on a new policy to assist all stakeholders. The BBMP, with the help of the police, removed overhead cables in an area occupied by numerous IT companies, deeming the cables illegal. The action affected data connectivity in the IT hub of Whitefield. The new policy will recognize overhead cable, currently banned within BBMP limits, as an option for service providers. Work on drafting the policy started after a meeting of the Urban Development Department (UDD) in May to address issues related to optical fiber cable. The new policy will allow cable operators to lay overhead cables in areas where they are required, such as providing Internet connection to individual houses. “The policy will also clearly define authorized and unauthorized cables,” an official said, adding that government agencies and service providers have often disputed what constitutes “unauthorized” cables.

Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad Esco) has begun the installation of 65,000 photovoltaic (PV) solar panels over the roofs of 5,000 Emirati nationals’ homes in Dubai. The project will also install 295,000 LED lights and 50,000 water savers. The installation of solar PVs alone is expected to save 31,102,500kWh of energy. Besides significant energy savings the initiative, scheduled to be completed by November 2019, could lead to a reduction in CO 2 emissions of 21,139 tonnes per year. CEO Ali Al Jassim said: “I am glad that the installation of photovoltaic solar panels … is progressing seamlessly. We consider it our privilege to enhance Dubai’s position as a leading model for energy efficiency”. Etihad Esco aims to create a contracting market for energy service companies by auditing and proposing energy conservation measures to major building contractors and developers.

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Indigo in operation

Malaysian manufacturing hub

Indigo subsea cable system is ready to be deployed following the completion of the Indigo West cable, 4,600km Singapore to Perth, and Indigo Central, 4,600km Perth to Sydney. Spanning 9,200km, the Indigo cable system, owned by a consortiumof AARNet, Google, Indosat Ooredoo, Singtel, SubPartners and Telstra,will strengthenconnectivitybetween Australia and the growing southeast Asian markets, providing lower latency and more reliable communication services. Using current coherent optical technology, the cable can support up to 36 terabits per second. Drew Kelton, chief executive officer of Superloop, on behalf of SubPartners, said: “Indigo Central complements Superloop’s metropolitan fiber networks providing high speed capacity and ubiquitous connectivity to terrestrial cable systems across Australia. When combined with the international capacity and interconnectivity to Singapore and Hong Kong, our strategy to virtualize businesses across the Asia Pacific region is now being realized.”

Image: Baerlocher

The German additives manufacturer Baerlocher GmbH is investing over $10 million in expanding its subsidiary in Seremban,Malaysia. Aswell aswarehousing and office facilities, the company is adding a 10 kilotonne per year production line for metal stearates. Within Malaysia, Baerlocher produces PVC stabilizers and additives for polyolefins, alongwith zincandcalciumstearates. In the PVC sector the focus is on the manufacture of pipes, cables and window profiles. Baerlocher is supporting these industries in their voluntary transition from traditional to calcium-based stabilizers. Baerlocher sells its metal stearates to the petrochemical and rubber industries, as well as downstream to masterbatch producers, compounders and the construction industry. Located to the south of Kuala Lumpur, the Seremban plant was Baerlocher’s first entry in the Asia-Pacific region and started production in 1994. TheMalaysian subsidiary serves the ASEAN markets, South Korea, Japan, Australia and the Middle East.

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Products, Machines & Technology

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Cable on track The new Lütze Superflex single cable solution with an integrated ethernet element is suitable for power supply, data transfer, and controlling brakes in servo drives.

between -40° and +80°C. The cables are halogen-free and conform to RoHS and UL requirements.

Mission-critical assemblies

it also complies with the new Siemens and Indramat (Bosch Rexroth) standards.

Fairview Microwave, Inc has released a new series of high-reliability, temperature- conditioned RF cable assemblies for military electronics, avionics, SATCOM, ECM, IFF and other mission-critical applications.

With PUR sheath and sliding wire insulation, the new cables can be used in C-tracks in the machine and plant construction sector, and in transport and conveyor equipment. The Lütze Superflex ethernet hybrid cables can replace several cables at once by bundling power supply, brakes and digital feedback via ethernet into one cable, saving space, time and installation and maintenance costs. The combined cables are also lighter, and therefore put less strain on the C-track and allow the C-track to be smaller. Lütze Superflex hybrid cables are designed to offer above-average flexural fatigue strength for long-term and fail-safe use in the C-track. The braided shield, optimized for continuous use, offers high active and passive interference resistance (EMC).

Fairview’s new low-loss, pre-conditioned cables cover operating frequencies up to 18GHz and deliver VSWR as low as 1.35:1. The product line includes 128 configurations built from three different types of cable, totaling over 1,400 parts. S S The new series of high-reliability, temperature-conditioned RF cable assemblies from Fairview Microwave

Application temperature range lies

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The assemblies are constructed using thermally pre-conditioned, triple- shielded coaxial cable and captivated stainless steel connectors, which are then assembled using J-STD soldering processes and WHMA-A-620 workmanship criteria. Available from stock, the cables are 100 percent tested and are complete with material lot traceability and test reporting. “This product series is the second instalment in our full line of high-reliability cables, designed to support mission-critical applications that require the highest quality materials and workmanship,” said Steve Ellis, product line manager. Fiber endface inspection Senko Advanced Components launched a new fiber optic inspection device at this year’s ANGA COM, held in Cologne during June. The majority of network failures are said to be caused by preventable connectivity issues. It is now becoming a common practice for telecoms providers and data centers to inspect, document and clean each fiber optic endface in a new installation to reduce connectivity disturbances.

save maintenance time and help prevent network failures by providing fast and efficient analysis of fiber during endface inspections. Smart Probe 2 records and archives results to aid the analysis and traceability of fiber connectivity issues.

S S The new fiber optic inspection device from Senko Advanced Components

The wireless device comes with the VUE3 app, featuring pass/fail analytical software and a flexible data archiving tool that enables the operator to upload results of fiber inspections in as much detail as required. “Network operators, as well as data centers, spend a lot of time re-inspecting fiber connectivity after installation,” said Dave Aspray, European sales manager at Senko. “Our customer feedback tells

Senko’s Smart Probe 2 is designed to allow data centers and telecoms providers to

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us that documenting evidence of fiber after inspection is essential for traceability. We developed the Smart Probe 2 to automatically upload fiber inspection results for increased visibility during inspection and for reliable documentation. “Whilst producing detailed and thorough results, the Smart Probe 2 also reduces the time and costs required to inspect fiber.” New cables Leuze Electronic has expanded its cable and connectivity solution range with the introduction of 75 new yellow sheathed TPE and PVC cables.

The cables are designed for heavy- duty industrial and automotive related applications such as welding robotic cells. Leuze offers a wide range of M8 and M12 connection and interconnection cordsets, with a variety of lengths and connection heads. In addition to the new cables, Leuze Electronic is due to release yellow sheathed TPE cables equipped with Smart Core predictive maintenance technology.

S S Leuze Electronic has expanded its cable and connectivity solution range

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EDITORIAL Index

50Hertz AARNet

33 41 32 18 32 28 41 20 25 33 40 38 34 10 23 43

Kobrex

18 35 45 13 43 38 37 15 10 33 31 10 35 29 11 34 44 32 41 41 41 23 35 28 15 28 14

Kraken Subsea Solutions

Abengoa

Leuze Electronic

Advaris USA

Liberty Steel

Arauco

Lütze

Axjo Group

MainOne

Baerlocher GmbH Canadian Solar Inc

Masdar

Mathiasen Machinery Inc

Duke Energy

National Grid

EDF Renewables

20, 37

NKT

Energinet

Ormiston Wire

Etihad Esco

Ørsted US Offshore Wind

Etisalat

Prysmian group

Eurofiber

PWM

Eversource Energy EZ Form Cable Corp Fairview Microwave Fokker Elmo SASMOS

Radix Wire and Cable

RETN

Senko Advanced Components

Sibur

Interconnection Systems Ltd

39 39

Singtel

GKN Aerospace

SubPartners

Google

24, 41

Telstra

Green of Africa Indosat Ooredoo Infinite Electronics

37 41 22 35 13 25

TPC Wire & Cable Corp

Vattenfall

Wardwell Braiding

JDR Cables

WICA-Wire and Cable Machinery GmbH

Johnstown Wire Technologies

Windak Group

juwi Americas

Zayo

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