wiredinUSA March 2015

INDEX

Prysmian’s Kuwait upgrade

Expanding cables

Marked investment

HVDC link

Swiss wire processing solutions manufacturer Komax has acquired a 20 percent stake in Laselec SA, a developer of UV laser technology for wire and cable marking. The financial contribution will allow Laselec to continue research and development while launching the industrialization and commercialization of new products for the wire processing industry. A strategic partnership between Laselec and Komax will further synergies on a technical level and joint customer projects as well as sales and services. Laselec has a strong position in the aerospace industry with its laser wire marking, Eastwiring digital harness layout board, and laser stripping technology. The ULYS Modena, MRO 200 and Sylade machines are used worldwide by aircraft manufacturers, sub-contractors and MRO centers. The company has diversified its activities across other market segments including the railway industry, nuclear industry and luxury automotive industry.

The Norwegian and German power grids are to share green energy using Nexans submarine HVDC cables, installed as part of the NordLink project. In Nexans’ largest contract of its type, the company will design, manufacture and install over 700km of 525kV cable subsystems. Production of the cables will begin at Nexans’ Halden plant in Norway in 2016, and the project is due for completion in 2019. The 1,400MW NordLink VSC (voltage source converter) HVDC project is a collaboration between Statnett, TenneT and the German promotional bank KfW. Surplus wind and solar power produced in Germany will be exported to Norway, and hydroelectric power from Norway can be exported to Germany. Mass impregnated non-draining (MIND) HVDC cables will be laid at depths to 450m by Nexans’ own cable-laying vessel, C/S Nexans Skagerrak and protected on the seabed by trenching with Nexans’ Capjet system.

Leoni is strengthening its position in the markets of the Americas and Asia with new plants in Mexico and China. The new plant in Celaya, Mexico, will begin production of single-core automotive cables in June. With this additional expansion and the existing facility in Cuauhtémoc, Leoni’s Mexican workforcewill increase to 800. Leoni is planning to spend around $7 million on plant and equipment in Mexico by the end of the year. The company’s second new plant for standard automotive cables is in Panjin, north-east China. The plant will have several extruder lines, multi-wire drawing lines, and stranding and twisting machines, and will manufacture single-core cables for automotive applications with cross sections ranging from 0.13mm² to 6mm². “These locations in China and Mexico boast developed industry, a solid infrastructure, skilled labor as well as excellent transport links – this constitutes a stable foundation for establishing and broadening Leoni's market position,” said Dr Frank Hiller, management board member in charge of the wire and cable solutions division. Production is scheduled tocommenceat the endof 2015.

Prysmian Group has two major new orders for power transmission system expansion projects in Kuwait. The contracts refer to “MEW 06 Jaber Al Ahmed City”, awarded directlybyMEW(Kuwaitministryforelectricity and water) and “Jamal Abdel Nasser Street”, awarded by ROBT, a joint venture of Rizzani de Eccher-OHL under a larger scope contract with the Kuwait ministry of works. MEW 06 Jaber Al Ahmed City is part of the Kuwait power transmission systemexpansion plan aimed at strengthening the main transmissionnetworks andat securingpower supplies to the industrial and residential sectors in the country. Jamal Abdel Nasser Street is part of a substantial upgrade of a main traffic artery in the middle of Kuwait City and involves the diversion of a high voltage underground line. Thecontracts comprisedesign, engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning services of HV underground cable systems for a total of 210km of 132kV cable and related network components for both projects that will be implemented by the group’s offices in Kuwait. Installation will start in 2015 with a planned completion date during 2016.

EUROPE NEWS

wiredInUSA - March 2015

wiredInUSA - March 2015

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