wiredInUSA November 2017

Issue No. 77 - November 2017

www.wiredInUSA.com

America’s online magazine for wire and cable

wiredIn USA

Peace project facing costly delays Page 9

Successful survey first. Page 10

Cabling contract takes off. Page 31

New Chinese cable facilities. Page 37

EDITOR

Delays can be costly things as BC Hyrdo finding out with the 1.1GW site C hydro project on the Peace river in British Columbia. The timeline for the river diversion in 2019 will not be met until November 2024 with costs expected to rise by an additional $484m. The cost to scrap the hydro project and remediate the site was estimated at $870m, something that the British Columbia utilities commission considered unfeasible. Once complete, the project is expected to generate 5,100GWh of clean energy annually for more than 100 years. The full story is on page 9. The Wire Association International reports that 105 of its 190 booths have already been sold for next year’s Wire Expo, being staged on 15 th and 16 th May in Nashville, Tennessee. The exhibit hall will feature machinery, supplies and ancillary equipment for wire and cable manufacturing. More details can be found on page 11. There is also good news on the jobs front in this issue, with Fort Wayne Metals creating up to 337 new jobs by 2021 with the expansion of its Allen County, Indiana, facilities. The company, a producer of precision wire, strands and cables for the medical device industry, will invest $51m as part of the expansion. Turn to page 18 for more.

David Bell Editor

3

wiredInUSA - November 2017

November 2017 Issue No.77 CONTENTS

06 PAGE

SHOW DIARY 2017 / 2018

09 PAGE

MAKING THE NEWS Industry news from the USA

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

wiredInUSA - November 2017

4

wiredIn USA

INTRAS INTRAS LIMITED

© 2017 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) Dorothy Fabian Features Editor (Europe) Gill Watson Publisher Caroline Sullens

SALES & MARKETING (INTERNATIONAL) Sales Manager Jason Smith jason@wiredinusa.com +44 1926 834 684 Accounts Manager Julie Case juliecase@intras.co.uk

5

wiredInUSA - November 2017

DIARY Shows & Events 2017/2018 NOVEMBER 7 November 2017 CabWire World Conference Düsseldorf, Germany www.cabwire.com

MARCH 6-8 March 2018 AMI Cables 2018 Cologne, Germany www.ami.international DECEMBER 6-9 December 2017 Iran Wire 2017 Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran www.iranwire.ir

FEBRUARY 27-28 February 2018 Advanced Cable North America 2018 Georgia, USA www.integer-research.com

APRIL 16-20 April 2018

MAY 16-17 May 2018 WAI Operations Summit & Expo Nashville, Tennessee, USA www.wirenet.org

wire Düsseldorf Düsseldorf, Germany www.wire-tradefair.com

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

wiredInUSA - November 2017

6

EASIER QUICKER LIGHTER Unique, original-content news and information for the domestic US wire and cable market.

wiredIn USA Digital . Networking . Monthly .

wiredIn USA

wiredIn USA

Delivered direct to your email inbox or available on-line FREE... so pass on to colleagues !

www.wiredinUSA.com

8

Peace project facing costly delays M A K I N G T H E NEWS

BC Hydro has revealed that delays in the 1.1GW site C hydro project on the Peace river in British Columbia will increase the budget by an additional $484.3 million or 7.3 percent, taking the overall project cost to $7.1 billion. The project will not meet the current timeline for river diversion in 2019, but expects to deliver it on time by November 2024 with the elevated costs. BC Hydro’s announcement regarding the dam and hydroelectric power generation project were made through a letter written by its president and chief operating officer, Chris O’Riley, to the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC). O’Riley wrote: “Despite the challenges we have encountered and the risks that remain, our analysis continues to confirm that completing site C as

planned is still the most cost effective option for our customers. Suspending, or terminating and finding the power we need from other sources, which carries its own set of uncertainties, would cost billions more than completing site C.” Last month BCUC issued its preliminary report on the site C inquiry to the Canadian government, revealing various issues and highlighting a number of areas where more details were necessary before reaching any conclusions. The cost to scrap the hydro project and remediate the site was estimated at $870 million, which the commission considers unfeasible. The project was designed to generate 5,100GWh of clean energy annually, for over 100 years.

9

wiredInUSA - November 2017

Image: www.asvglobal.com

Successful survey first

ASV Global and TerraSond have completed the first seabed cable route survey supported by an unmanned surface vehicle (USV). The survey route, in theBering Sea offshoreAlaska, included various water depths and strong currents, while facing difficult wind and sea conditions. The project followed a 9,000km nautical charting survey by TerraSond, of which 53 percent (4,750km) was executed by an ASV Global C-Worker 5 autonomous surface vehicle (ASV). The survey required a new payload including a hull mounted multi-beam sonar, a sub-bottom profiler, and a towed side-scan sonar with 250m of armored sonar cable. The payload swap on the ASV was completed in under 48 hours and was integrated, calibrated, and demonstrated in the field. A route survey

of 1,220km was then successfully executed by the ASV C-Worker 5 system.

Thomas Chance, CEO of ASV Global, said: “The fast re-tasking of the system, from one type of mission to another, illustrates the flexibility of the C-Worker ASV, and its consistent performance in difficult sea conditions further underscores the value of this highly efficient approach to offshore operations.” Tom Newman, president of TerraSond, commented: “We continue to be impressed after several projects with ASV’s C-Worker 5 in a variety of missions. Together with ASV we have performed the first use in charting, first use in the Arctic, first use for a cable route survey and first to accumulate over 10,000km in use.”

wiredInUSA - November 2017

10

percent of the show floor is sold,” said Bob Xeller, WAI’s director of sales. The exhibit hall will feature machinery, supplies and ancillary equipment for wire and cable manufacturing. Presentations for the operations summit and Wire Expo are set by volunteer members of the WAI conference planning committee and its board of directors. Presentations will center around the four general categories of equipment, workplace organization, health and safety, and workforce management. Production solutions demonstrations, a popular feature in the exhibit hall, are scheduled for Wednesday, 15 th May, the same day as the WAI rewards breakfast and annual meeting.

Wire Expo boost

The Wire Association International (WAI) reports that 105 of the 190 available booth units at Wire Expo 2018 have already been reserved. The event, to be held in Nashville, Tennessee, on 15 th and 16 th May 2018, will run concurrently with WAI’s 14 th to 16 th May biennial operations summit and its 88 th annual convention. All the events are hosted at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. “We are pleased that interest in Wire Expo remains a strong draw after 27 years; 55

Clinton High Frequency Spark Tester

NEW!

Auto calibration with Clinton STCAL system Pinhole and bare wire di erentiation Detachable display can be located 25’ away Flexible front panel password security Optional Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, PROFIBUS Modbus TCP and Analog communications Easy connection to most PLCs Voltage Watchdog

HF-15B Spark Tester

(860) 669-7548 www.clintoninstrument.com

Fiber network plans

Verizon’s plans for an expansive fiber network have led Prysmian to initiate a $15 million expansion of its Lexington County plant. The expansion will enable the company to fulfill a $300 million contract with Verizon to supply nearly 11 million miles of ribbon and loose tube cables. Prysmian already has three telecom production sites in the US, two to produce optical cable and one for optical fiber. The Lexington County expansion is only part of a North American investment. On completion, the facility will become Prysmian’s top producer of fiber cable in the world, and will complement two

additional South Carolina investments that the company announced earlier this year. “Over the years, the manufacturing industry has grown dramatically throughout the state of South Carolina, creating a unique ecosystem in our region that attracts top-tier talent,” said Hakan Ozmen, CEO of Prysmian Group North America. The contract with Prysmian was the second major optical cable and component deal signed by Verizon. In April, the company signed a $1.1 billion, three-year fiber and hardware purchase agreement with Corning. Verizon will purchase up to 12.4 million miles of optical fiber each year from 2018 to 2020.

wiredInUSA - November 2017

12

Custom acquisition

Southwire Company LLC has acquired DCNCables of Youngsville, NorthCarolina, a manufacturer of power whips for mission critical facilities. “DCN Cables…is a perfect bolt-on for our already strong assembled electrical products business,” commented Brandon Moss, Southwire’s president of tools and assembledproducts. “Southwirecontinues to actively engage our end-users in order to provide the solutions they require and support Southwire’s commitment to accelerate growth. DCN fits that strategy because, from quote to installation, DCN provides engineered solutions with excellent responsiveness and delivery.”

support functions. Through the addition of DCN Cables, Southwire will now offer 24-hour turn around and an expansive, customized portfolio of receptacles, color choices and cable lengths built to specific customer requirements. “We are excited to welcome the DCN team to the Southwire family,” said Norman Adkins, Southwire’s president of construction systems and solutions. “We look forward to better serving our customers in the data center space through the focus, experience, expertise and efforts put forth by our newemployees in Youngsville.”

The acquisition includes the company’s manufacturing, distribution and corporate

wiredInUSA - November 2017

16

Advanced Cable North America 2018 February 27 – 28, Atlanta, GA, USA

Macroeconomic Trends and New Opportunities

Regional Market Updates

End-user Perspectives Regulatory Compliance and Supply Chain Management

Trends in Automotive Cable Demand Renewable Energy Cables

Data Communications and Connectivity

Advanced Energy Cable Applications Cabling Solutions for Electric Vehicles

Fiber to the Home

Wireless Network

Specialist expansion creates more than 300 jobs

Fort Wayne Metals, a producer of precision wire, strands and cables for the medical device industry, has announced plans to expand its Allen County, Indiana, facilities, creating up to 337 new jobs by 2021. The company, established in Fort Wayne in 1946 but now with operations around the world, will invest $51.1 million to expand and enhance its north-east Indiana operations.

“We are experiencing a global increase in demand,” said Troy Linder, chief financial officer of Fort Wayne Metals. “Our investment in facilities and people will help build the infrastructure necessary to meet this demand, and we are excited to be able to partner with the IEDC and Greater Fort Wayne Inc [the chamber of commerce and economic development organization] to continue to expand our footprint in Fort Wayne.”

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.

15 Ray Trainor Drive Narragansett, RI 02882

www.dewal.com usa1@rogerscorporation.com 800-366-8356 (International: 001-401-789-9736)

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

wiredInUSA - November 2017

18

REEL OVERACHIEVER. ELIMINATES REWINDING.

We’ve Reinvented In-Line Packaging Of Spools And Reels.

Windak’s new generation of CO packing solutions allows for continuous in-line packaging of customer put-ups or master reels.The robust design accommodates a large range of cable diameters, up to 3” in diameter at line speed to 1,000 fpm.

Advantages: - Robust integrated open design. - Cutter made for larger cables - Designed for in-line sequential printing on the cable - Infinitely variable speed automatic gearbox - Portal Style Pay-Offs & Take-Ups

WINDAK INC. USA 221-B S. McLin Creek Rd Conover NC 28613 USA TEL +1 828 322 2292 FAX +1 828 322 1716 infoamericas@windakgroup.com

See Us at Interwire Booth 1641

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 Paul Wendelgass, director of business development for Capital Power Corporation, said the company hopes to have the wind farm completed by 2020 in order to qualify for a federal production tax credit, which currently pays 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour. Capital Power took over the Nolin Hills wind power project after acquiring the original developer, Element Power of Portland, in 2014. located on 44,900 acres with an 18-mile, 230kV transmission line to connect to the energy grid. The precise number, size and layout of turbines has yet to be determined.

Power in prospect

Capital Power Corporation, based in Alberta, Canada, is looking to build a 350MW wind farm near Echo in Umatilla County, Oregon. The corporation would develop its Nolin Hills wind power project on private farmland. The company has filed a notice of intent with the Oregon Department of Energy, announcing it will apply for a site certificate to build the project. Preliminary information shows the facility would be

In-Process Gauging Off-Line Inspection Quality Cable Testing

Get more from Beta LaserMike.

See us at Wire Southeast Asia, Booth H35

Making Light Work

www.betalasermike.com

Help at hand for Puerto Rico

Fluor has been awarded a contract by the US Army Corps of Engineers Huntsville (Alabama) engineering center to help restore electric power to Puerto Rico. The six-month task order is valued at approximately $240 million. “Fluor is proud to play an initial role in restoring a sense of [normality] to the people of Puerto Rico,” said Tom D’Agostino, president of Fluor’s government group. “We have been working in disaster-stricken locations for decades, and we’re pleased to work alongside the Army Corps of Engineers’

South Atlantic division. We look forward to being involved in the crucial effort to restore power to Puerto Rico.” Fluor’s combination of government contingency operations and power experience, together with a 50-year presence in Puerto Rico, will facilitate the ongoing effort to repair transmission and distribution lines. The contract includes equipment evaluation and repair, as well as work towards the re-energization and recommissioning of substations and switching stations.

wiredInUSA - November 2017

22

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has proposed new cyber security management controls to mitigate cyber security risks on power grids. The regulator said that the proposed controls are intended to boost the reliability and resilience of the country’s bulk electric system. The new cyber security controls include mandatory controls to mitigate risks posed by malware from transient electronic devices such as laptop computers, thumb drives and other devices. In addition, the regulator has directed the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NAERC) to provide modifications and clear criteria for electronic access controls for low-impact cyber systems, and to seek ways to reduce the threat caused by malicious code. US FERC said: “Thesemodifications will address potential gaps and improve the cyber security posture of entities that must comply with the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards.”

Seeking cyber security

The proposed controls enhance the present commission-endorsed CIP measures.

In a report in January, the energy department found that the electric grid system in the country is at risk from disruptive cyber attack, and that the cyber attacks on electrical grid systems are increasing in magnitude, frequency and sophistication.

wiredInUSA - November 2017

24

Celebration time for Corning

Long history of optical fiber

Corning Incorporated has delivered its one billionth kilometer of optical fiber.

technologies to enable 4G densification and the transition to 5G, FTTH amenities, and advanced business services. Ericsson, Telstra and Ciena have successfully trialled continuous data encryption across multiple cable systems, maintaining speed and reliability for over 21,940km. The demonstration, between Los Angeles and Melbourne, used Ciena’s ultra-low latency 100Gbps wire-speed encryption technology. The secure encryption solution is expected to be of special interest to organizations with high security obligations, such as those in the finance, healthcare, defense and government sectors, as well as data center operators.

The company celebrated with an event at its optical fiber manufacturing facility in Wilmington, North Carolina, the first optical fiber manufacturing facility and still among the world’s largest. Corning developed its first low-loss optical fiber in 1970, and since that time its optical fiber has been deployed in hundreds of thousands of networks across the globe, from long-haul and submarine networks to access networks and data centers. With its virtually unlimited bandwidth- carrying capacity, durability and simple installation techniques, optical fiber will continue to be critical in building next- generation networks and delivering the

25

wiredInUSA - November 2017

The Delaware Offshore Wind Working Group

Delaware wind working group

Delaware Governor John Carney has established the Delaware Offshore Wind Working Group to study the potential environmental and economic development benefits of offshore wind. By 15 th December 2017 the working group will submit a report to the governor that makes recommendations on short- and long-term strategies for developing wind power for the state. The group will also draft any necessary legislation, including possible amendments to Delaware’s renewable energy portfolio standards act. Governor Carney said: “We must look for ways to participate in the development of alternative energy sources. It’s the right decision for our environment, but the development of new sources of energy is also good for our economy and for the creation of good-paying jobs. This new working group will help us explore the

potential economic and environmental benefits of offshore wind development for Delaware.” Bruce Burcat, executive director at the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition, is the group’s chairman. Other members include state officials, representatives from electricity distribution companies, consultancies, and wildlife and environmental organizations. “The members of this working group will help us explore potential economic and environmental benefits of offshore wind development for Delaware, and determine costs and benefits for electric ratepayers across our state.” John Carney expressed his thanks to Bruce Burcat, for agreeing to chair the group, and to the other participants who have agreed to serve.

wiredInUSA - November 2017

26

Illinois-based M Holland Company, a resin and plastic distributor, plans to acquire T&T Marketing, a distributor of polymer resins and compounds to the wire and cable market. Based in Andover, Massachusetts, T&T has annual revenues of around $40 million and distributes throughout the US and Canada. “We identified wire and cable as an attractive market segment, but lacked the technical expertise and product portfolio to effectively compete,” said Marc Fern, M Holland commercial vice president. “T&T is extraordinarily strong in both, making it a perfect complement to our business development group.” M Holland’s business development group was formed to apply focused marketing, technical and applications development resources to certain markets. Completion is expected in November. T&T Marketing will continue to be led by the current owner and president, Tom Jordan, and all 26 employees will be retained. “First and foremost, we think that T&T Marketing will be a great cultural fit,” said Ed Holland, president and CEO of M Holland Company.

Compound deal

27

wiredInUSA - November 2017

New York power move

the project would improve the flow of electricity across the Buffalo Niagara region, easing the bottlenecks that restrict power from moving to where it is most needed, while alsomodernizing the power grid to accommodate the anticipated growth of renewable energy. “The cleaner, greener grid of the future will depend on a modernized, upgraded and expanded transmission system,” said Brad Jones, the president and CEO of the power grid operator.

State energy officials are supporting a $181 million plan to build a power transmission project to run between Elma and Royalton, NY. The non-profit corporation that operates the state’s power grid gave its backing to a proposed power transmission upgrade that would allow New York to capitalize on the power generating capacity of the Niagara Power Project, while also increasing the region’s ability to import electricity from Ontario. Officials from the New York state independent system operator said

wiredInUSA - November 2017

28

Cables for a growing sector

“We look forward to supporting Mosaic K3’s ambitious growth plan in the framework of the contract that reinforces Nexans’ position as the cable solutions leader in underground and open pit mining,” said Steven Vermeulen, Nexans executive VP Americas. “This agreement builds on a ten -year relationship between our organizations.” The first cables, due for delivery in early 2018, will be manufactured at the Nexans AmerCable facility in El Dorado, Arkansas. Nexans will deliver over 1,300km of CSA- certified cables for K3, including Tiger ® brand SHD-GC portable power and mine power feeder cable.

Potash is a key ingredient in agricultural fertilizer, and looks to play an increasingly important role in the world’s future. To meet growing demand, Mosaic, a major producer of potash and phosphate crop nutrients, has selected Nexans to supply power cables and support services for a $1.7 billion expansion project which will make its K3 facility in Canada the world’s largest potash mine. Mosaic chose Nexans to deliver specialized cables designed to last longer in the harsh mining environment. Nexans will also provide mine site cable training, education and engineering support.

29

wiredInUSA - November 2017

EUROPE NEWS

wiredInUSA - November 2017

30

Image: www.igairport.com

Cabling contract takes off

R&M has begun the delivery and implementation of the network cabling infrastructure for the Istanbul New Airport.

To complete the first phase, R&M will supply a total length of 4,500km of copper and over 1,600km of fiber optic cables. The manufacturer aims to finish the installation of the cabling infrastructure in the first quarter of 2018. İGA, the company building the new airport, has designed its data center infrastructure using R&M’s latest products including Netscale, believed to be the world’s highest density fiber cable management solution. Given the immense scale of the airport, R&M has also supplied its automated infrastructure management solution, R&MinteliPhy, which centralizes and automates the entire cabling infrastructure. This simplifies the network management and will allow İGA’s IT team to scale the network, as needed.

The airport will be constructed to the north of Istanbul and completed in four phases.

The first phase will be completed in 2018 with the opening of two runways and a 90 million passenger capacity terminal. With the increased utilization and dependence on IT systems in modern air travel, a high performance cabling network is considered to be a critical platform for the airport’s entire internal and external telecommunications. Michel Riva, CEO of R&M, said that Istanbul New Airport is the company’s biggest project in Turkey and, globally, one of its largest.

31

wiredInUSA - November 2017

Trans-Arctic crossing

Second Ukraine plant

Image: Leoni AG

Reports indicate that Russia and Finland are discussing the creation of a trans-Arctic fiber optic data cable to connect Finland, Norway and Russia with Japan and China. Anne Berner, Finland’s minister of transport and communications, is said to have raised the subject of the possible Arctic data link in a meeting in Moscow with Russia’s minister of communication, Nikolai Nikiforov. Finland’s government said the two discussed how both nations might benefit froma fiber optic data cable across the “top of the world”. “Our aim in Finland is to provide the best possible operating environment for the development of digital services and business opportunities, and to actively engage in international cooperation. One example of this is cooperation between Finland and Russia in intelligent transport systems and services,” Berner is quoted as saying. A report, written by Finland’s former president, Paavo Lipponen, says key countries in the project would be Finland, Norway, Russia, Japan and China. “The submarine section of the cable would be a connection of around 10,500km from Japan and China to Kirkenes in Norway and the Kola peninsula in Russia,” the report said. From Kirkenes, the cable would cross into Finnish Lapland and further south to central Europe.

Leoni has opened a second wiring systems production facility in Ukraine. The new plant is in Kolomyia city in the west of the country. The production area is planned to extend to 25,000m² by 2020, with a total investment of around €20 million. The new plant will produce harnesses and wiring systems for the automotive industry, mainly supplying customers headquartered in Europe. “During the next four years, Leoni will create up to 5,000 jobs in the Ivano- Frankivsk region,” stated Stephan Schmidt, managing director of Leoni Ukraine. “We consider the investment to be an important step for the development of the Ukrainian youth which, we believe, has enormous potential.”

wiredInUSA - November 2017

32

Production from scrap

French sea power

Continuus Properzi has announced that two new plants, capable of recovering 100 percent scrap with a minimum copper content of 96 percent, will begin production of fire refined high conductivity (FRHC) rod in early 2018. An 80 ton-per-day refining furnace, capable of an annual production of 24,000 tons, is being installed at TLMZ LLC in the region of Tolyatti, Russia, to feed one of the new Properzi CCR lines. The second refining furnace, making use of a recent and patented design with the charging door on the top and an automated conveyor belt for loading the scrap into the furnace, will begin operation at Gil Rod Shomal Co in Rasht, Iran. Expected production is around 30,000 tons per year of 8mm FRHC copper rod using a Properzi system that already works with cathodes to make electrolytic tough pitch (ETP) rod at 12.5 tons per hour. Copper rod from 100 percent scrap can fulfill the large majority of total tonnage required by the market as it can be drawn down to 0.25mmwire, or even smaller. FRHC rod was recently standardized by ASTM B4- 15a as C11025.

Floatgen, the first offshore floating wind turbine to be installed off the French coast, is currently being prepared for deployment off Croisic at the École Centrale de Nantes SEM-REV demonstration site. The 2MW Vestas turbine, mounted on Ideol’s Damping Pool floating base, will be towed to its location at the site for connection to the electrical grid. Floatgen’s inauguration on 13 th October was attended by dignitaries including Sébastien Lecornu, secretary of state to the minister of state, the minister for ecological and sustainable transition; Bruno Retailleau, president of the Pays de la Loire region; David Samzun, the mayor of Saint-Nazaire and president of the CARENE (Saint-Nazaire agglomeration community); and Francis Bertolotti, chairman of the Nantes Saint- Nazaire Grand Port maritime supervisory board. The floating turbine will be deployed for an initial period of two years, and the electricity produced will be sent directly to the electrical grid. Floatgen is currently being prepared for deployment. Photograph courtesy of Matthieu Blandin

33

wiredInUSA - November 2017

Pipeline and cable project

Offshore plant races to completion

Image: DeepOcean Group

A Joint Industry Project (JIP) is focussing on the development of a new design and certification standard for equipment for pipeline and cable offshore operations, addressing the lack of standardization in the most common terms used within the oil and gas industry. Phase 1, entitled “Mapping the big picture”, has focused on the identification and clarification of the differences between equipment types and the standard lifting appliances, and the building blocks and functional groups in the pipeline and cable operation deck spread. A key attribute of phase 1 was the drafting of a glossary for the definition of common terms used across the industry. Data analyzed during phase 1 has identified and recorded various processes across the industry regarding equipment for pipeline and cable offshore operations. Phase 2 will focus on the development of a separate standard for the pipeline and cable operations equipment that will harmonize the position of individual stakeholders.

DeepOcean has completed the installation and burial of all 91 inter-array cables at Dong Energy’s 573MW Race Bank wind farm off the UK’s Norfolk coast. DeepOcean’s construction vessel, Edda Freya , completed the 106km cable installation while the T2 trencher and free flying UT1 trencher, operated from the Volantis vessel, achieved the target burial and dealt with abrupt changes in seabed material. The Race Bank project is thought to be Dong’s most complex to date, due to its location at a challenging work site with strong currents, shallow waters, widely varied seabed soils and consistently strong winds. The work included route engineering, pre- lay grapnel runs, and the cable protection system installation. The DeepOcean contract was awarded by Dong Energy, which sourced the cables from JDR Cables. The wind farm is expected to be fully commissioned in 2018.

wiredInUSA - November 2017

34

New center open for business

Offshore cable contract

Image: Jan De Nul Group

Preparations for subsea cable laying work at ADMA-OPCO’s NASR full field development Package 2 project, off the coast of Abu Dhabi, are underway, led by a team of engineers at Jan De Nul Group’s Abu Dhabi office. The group’s offshore work scope includes the installation of three 132kV subsea power cables and ten 11kV subsea power cables, totaling over 200km of cable. Jan De Nul is mobilizing its cable laying vessel Isaac Newton to perform the loading, transport and cable laying. Due to its large carrying capacity, the Isaac Newton will install all 200km of cable in just two trips. The first cable sections were loaded at Nexans’ facilities in Norway in early October 2017. The cable protection works, which comprise pre- and post-lay mattress installation, post- lay trenching and subsea gravel installation, will be performed by Jan De Nul Group’s latest multi-purpose vessel, Daniel Bernoulli . The cable routes will cross existing assets at more than 50 locations, involving installation of approximately 700 concrete mattresses. Around 60km of the cable route will require burial, of which a substantial portion goes into calcarenite (a type of limestone) rock. The offshore works will be completed during the second quarter of 2018.

Image: Rosendahl Nextrom

Rosendahl Nextrom’s newest venture, and its biggest research and development investment to date, has opened its doors for test runs and demonstrations. The preform center, in Vantaa, Finland, will research OVD clad deposition and sintering systems. The availability of preforms is essential for smooth and effective production of optical fiber, and the increasing demand for optical fiber means an increase in preform production performance and new technology investments. The new research center consists of an OFC 05 horizontal OVD clad deposition system and an OFC 08 clad sintering system. OVD cladding process trials can be run using full- sized preforms. Nextrom offers commercial solutions for OVD cladding of 150mm in diameter and various sizes in length. The OVD deposition system is an economical way to overclad core preforms. As a standard, the Nextrom OVD systems use D4 (OMCTS) as a raw material and CH4 as a burner gas. D4 is a halide-free material that reduces the investment level by having only a particle filter on the exhaust, without an expensive gas washer.

35

wiredInUSA - November 2017

ASIA & AFRICA NEWS

wiredInUSA - November 2017

36

Image: Prysmian Group

New Chinese cable facilities

PrysmianGroup’s Chinese factory, Prysmian Technology Jiangsu Co Ltd, has begun operations after completing the acquisition of assets from the former Shen Huan Cable Technologies. Prysmian Technology Jiangsu is fully owned andmanagedby PrysmianGroup, whichwill provide the new factory with technology, assets, competences and expertise in addition to the most experienced Prysmian employees in the high voltage sector. The aim of the new factory is to enhance Prysmian’s competitiveness in the Chinese utilities market. Prysmian Technology Jiangsu will operate five production lines (two VCV lines up to 500kV, one CCV line up to 220kV and two CCV lines for MV cables) with a production

capacity of over 30,000 tonnes per year. The facility will offer a wide range of cable technologies and products designed and manufactured in accordance with Prysmian Group standards and expertise, including extra-high voltage, high and medium voltage cable systems and fire protection cables. Matteo Bavaresco, CEO at Prysmian Group China, commented: “We are strongly committed to developing products, services and technologies that can better serve not only the growing domestic market, where Prysmian Group has already acquired and completed several high- tech projects, but also other key areas like the Middle East, other Asian countries, and South America.”

37

wiredInUSA - November 2017

Preform expansion

Wire merger

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co Ltd is to expand its global production capacity of optical fiber ingot (preform) with a major investment. Shin-Etsu Chemical currently produces preform at three manufacturing bases, one in Japan and two in China. The company was established as a joint venture with China’s Jiangsu Fasten Hongsheng Group Co Ltd and the Netherlands’ TKH Group NV, and it began operations in 2012. YOFC Shin-Etsu Optical was established in a joint venture with China’s Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Ltd Co, and it began its operations in 2017. These three joint-venture partners are all optical fiber manufacturers, and the new facility investments will double the production capacity of each company, and enable all three to meet the growth in optical fiber demand. The expansion construction project for both companies is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2019. In addition, Shin-Etsu’s Kashima plant will be expanded by a new wing to its preform plant. This project is expected to be completed in the latter half of 2018.

The board of directors of Kobe Steel Ltd has passed a resolution to turn Shinko Wire Company Ltd into a subsidiary in association with Shinko Wire’s absorption-type merger of Tesac Wirerope Co Ltd. As a secondary processor of steel wire rods in the Kobe Steel Group, Shinko Wire is engaged in manufacturing and selling PC steel products, steel wires, stainless steel wires, wire ropes, and steel wire processed products. Shinko Wire plans to conduct an absorption-type merger of its consolidated subsidiary, Tesac Wirerope, on 1 st April 2018 to strengthen its rope business. The merger of Shinko Wire and Tesac Wirerope will consolidate product brands, manufacturing, processes, development, technology, quality assurance systems and other management resources. It will improve cost competitiveness at the global level, including the Kobe Steel Group’s rope business in Japan, and make possible the creation of high quality, value-added products. Kobe Steel feels that the merger will contribute to its competitiveness in the field of steel wire rods and bars.

wiredInUSA - November 2017

38

Island nation set for connectivity

Meeting increased demand

Optical fiber manufacturers are increasing production capacity to keep pace with increasing fiber demand. The latest increase comes from Furukawa Electric, which plans to nearly double its 2016 optical fiber manufacturing capacity by 2019 and to increase its optical cable manufacturing capacity through the operations of its wholly owned subsidiary, OFS. “The proliferation of hyperscale and edge data centers, 5G wireless, and fiber-to-the- home, along with the greater digitization of communications in business, are creating the need for fiber in the network around the world,” said Timothy F Murray, head of the global optical fiber and cable business of Furukawa Electric and CEO of OFS. Furukawa Electric increased its global fiber production capacity by 20 percent between 2014 and 2016, and expects to achieve a further 20 percent increase by 2018, together with board approval for $150 million of additional spending for further expansion in the US and Europe.

Huawei Marine is to help PapuaNewGuinea (PNG) to develop a national broadband transmission network to meet the increasing demand for internet connectivity and foster social and economic development across the country. The island nation of Papua New Guinea largely relies on satellite and microwave communications. Huawei Marine and PNG DataCo Ltd, a telecommunications carrier established by the PNG government, will construct a national submarine cable network to provide the backbone telecommunications needed by major coastal centers and islands in Papua New Guinea. At 5,457km in length, the submarine cable network will provide domestic connectivity across 14 main population centers, and international connectivity in Indonesia via a link to Jayapura. The design capacity of 8Tbps is expected to cater for increased bandwidth demand over the next 10 to 15 years. When completed, the network should cover 55 percent of the population and provide more than 70 percent of PNG’s domestic bandwidth requirements.

39

wiredInUSA - November 2017

New production in the Philippines

Industry prepares for winter cuts

Steel Asia Manufacturing Corporation is set to invest a billion dollars for three new mini steel mills in the Philippines, its vice president Roberto Cola has announced. Cola told reporters that production from the new facilities will include billets, rebars, wire rod and sections, with a total capacity of two million tonnes per year. Steel Asia will partner with two investors, from Italy and Japan, for the plates and sections plants, but the rebar facility will be its own venture. The company is currently examining Batangas and Subic as potential sites for the mills.

Reuters has reported that Chinese rebar steel futures advanced through mid- October, supported by output cuts that are part of the government’s battle against smog. The gains in steel prices lifted iron ore, although traders “were not convinced” that the increase in prices of the raw material would last when most of the steel output curbs in China are in place during the winter. The most active rebar on the Shanghai futures exchange increased 4.3 percent to $589 per tonne, its highest since 14 th September. Iron ore on the Dalian commodity exchange was last up 2.4 percent. “The demand for iron ore in the near future doesn’t look great and we could see it come down again, maybe in two weeks time,” said one Shanghai iron ore trader. China’s iron ore imports jumped to a record 103 million tonnes in September in what analysts say was an indication of firm demand, but iron ore consumption looks to be at risk. Traders expect that mills in China, particularly in the north, will soon be ordered to cut production.

wiredInUSA - November 2017

40

Sending traffic underground

Steel wire implicated in “improper conduct” admission

Prysmian Cables has been contracted as a supplier for the WestConnex project in Sydney, Austrialia, and is to deliver cables worth $11 million. Prysmian Cables said its facilities have grown to meet demand for the contract, supplying power and communications cable for the new M4. “At our Liverpool [Sydney] facility alone we’ve grown our workforce by 10 percent, adding 30 employees this year to deliver around $11 million in product to WestConnex,” Prysmian commercial manager Adam Talbot said. “It’s a massive achievement, the total length of optical fiber produced from our plant this year could make five round trips to the moon and back.” A total of 14km of underground tunnels has been carved to date, with work progressing 24/7 at all tunneling sites. Most of WestConnex will be in underground motorway tunnels, to minimize the need for land acquisition and to remove traffic from local streets.

Kobe Steel has released a statement detailing which components were affected by what it termed “improper conduct”. In the second round of affected product announcements, Kobe listed steel powder, steel wire and other steel products as having improper inspection data. The Japanese company said it: “Deeply apologizes again for the enormous amount of trouble it is causing to customers, suppliers, shareholders and many others.” During the first round of announcements the company admitted that 40,900 tonnes of aluminum and copper parts are affected, with flat rolledaluminum, cases and forgings making up the majority. A relatively small tonnage of copper strips and tubes are also implicated. The affected products were shipped from Kobe between September 2016 andAugust 2017. Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Suzuki, Ford, Mazda, Subaru and Mitsubishi are among Kobe’s customers. Suzuki has since clarified that none of its cars use the affected materials.

41

wiredInUSA - November 2017

Products, Machines & Technology

wiredInUSA - November 2017

42

For cables in flight W L Gore & Associates has introduced new Gore cable protection systems for packaging copper and fiber interconnects in civil aircraft applications. The durable systems are designed to meet the needs of aircraft OEMs and systems suppliers that require more protection for interconnects installed in high-density data transmission and in-flight entertainment backbones. Gore cable protection systems are engineered with crush- and abrasion- resistant materials for the highest available level of durability and protection. Copper wire and fiber optic cables (round or flat) can float freely within these cable systems without being either damaged during complex routing in cable runs or by sharp edges in an airframe. Gore’s specialized design also allows installers to bend copper and fiber within the specification limit, generally without exceeding the minimum bend radius, so eliminating over-bending, breakage and failure. The new systems are said to be considerably smaller and lighter in weight, with greater flexibility and a tighter bend radius for easy and rapid installation, ultimately reducing overall cost. “Our cable protection systems provide a great lightweight solution to protect [the] high-performance interconnects required to enable today’s high speed architecture

and future designs,” said Jeremy Moore, application engineer for Gore’s civil aerospace team.

High temperature, low persistence Unifrax I LLC has launched a low bio- persistent (LBP) fiber, Isofrax ® 1400, with high temperature performance up to 1,400°C. is manufactured using enhanced fiberization techniques, combined with new proprietary processing technology, to provide customers with improved thermal and physical characteristics over other LBP fibers. In addition to higher temperature resistance, Isofrax 1400 fiber has high solubility in simulated body fluids and hence carries no hazard classification, meeting stringent European regulatory requirements. Isofrax 1400 fiber is exonerated from classification as hazardous (tested according to Note Q regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008). Isofrax 1400 is available in both blanket and module product forms. “Responding to our customers’ needs, Isofrax products are the result of ongoing research and development efforts to produce a unique ber that combines low bio-persistence with high temperature performance. We’ve improved the physical characteristics of our proven LBP Isofrax 1400 thermal insulation

43

wiredInUSA - November 2017

technology: Isofrax 1400 is now better suited for those applications which demand good strength in demanding high temperature applications,” explained Christopher McMahon, Unifrax product manager in Europe. Jayne Webb, Unifrax product manager, USA added: “The enhanced Isofrax 1400 fiber exhibits a higher melting point and reduced shrinkage at high temperatures, demonstrating superior thermal performance.” Fire safety in confined spaces MilesTek has introduced a new series of low- smoke zero-halogen (LSZH) D-subminiature cables to address military networking applications in confined spaces.

LSZH cable jackets and connector over- molds reduce the amount of toxic and corrosive gases emitted during combustion. Typically used in poorly ventilated areas, LSZH cables are commonly used in military applications and in any situation where people and expensive communications equipment need to be protected from toxic and corrosive gases. The new cables are available with various connector combinations that include male and female DB9, DB15 and DB25 connectors, and are available in standard lengths ranging from 1 foot to 125 feet, or any custom length. “Our new low-smoke D-sub cables are perfect for use in confined space applications, including aboard aircraft, armored vehicles, ships and submarines. “The unique properties of LSZH compound ensure the safety of personnel and equipment in the event of a fire,” said Mark Hearn, product manager. A little light learning The Light Brigade, AFL’s training and education division, has added the Fiber Foundations course to its range. Thecoursegives an overviewof basic theory and terminology and has been designed as an introduction to fiber optics for existing workers and newcomers to the industry.

S S The new series of low-smoke zero-halogen (LSZH) D-subminiature cables from MilesTek

wiredInUSA - November 2017

44

“This course was designed with the novice in mind,” commented Lee Kellett, general manager of Light Brigade. “Fiber Foundations introduces basic concepts for optical fiber communications using easy- to-understand language and examples.”

technology more affordable for customers. The aim was achieved by overlapping layers in each semi-deflector, using a single cone, while the efficient design of the 800 series Hybrid also reduces cost and size. The 800 series Hybrid can eliminate weld lines in materials, producing a more consistent finished product. It has a reduced sensitivity to changes in viscosity, reduced sensitivity to changes in line speed, and many material and multi-layer application possibilities.

Fiber Foundations is self-paced and takes approximately two hours to complete.

The course gives students a basic understanding of multi-mode and single-mode fiber, the terminology used for describing fiber, loss, bandwidth, wavelengths, connectors, cables and many other foundational concepts. Kellett added: “Our customers have been asking for something that would help them better prepare for our introductory courses. We built something to help them, and to help anyone, just starting out in any aspect of the industry.” Extrusion tooling Guill has introduced a new version of its 800 series extrusion tooling, the 800 series Hybrid. The benefits of Guill’s 800 series, such as compact design, low residence time and a common deflector bore, are retained, but with a hybrid design that incorporates the benefits of layer overlapping while reducing unnecessary complexity and making the Fiber Foundations is available on Light Brigade’s online learning portal.

S S The 800 series Hybrid from Guill

It is said to be suited to any tubing or jacketing application using a wide range of materials. The tooling also offers low residence time, compact design, and a low tolerance stack-up error factor for improved concentricity. The 800 series Hybrid extrusion tool greatly reduces stagnation, because overlapping layers are more inherently balanced than

45

wiredInUSA - November 2017