Southwire announced the installation of new medium-voltage production technology at its manufacturing facility in Heflin, Alabama.

A press release said that the Heflin Plant was established in 1996 to increase the company’s medium-voltage capacity, as well as high-voltage production. It remained Southwire’s only facility devoted to high-voltage production until the company purchased the Huntersville facility from ABB in 2015. Now, the company is upgrading the plant to focus on increasing productivity and velocity, eliminating waste and becoming leaner. Those measures “will set the Heflin Plant on course to becoming a world-class medium voltage facility.”

The project includes increasing medium-voltage production at the facility through the expansion of the Continuous Vulcanization (CV) tower. The expansion allowed for the implementation of four CV lines, a jacket line and a test set. These upgrades allow greater flexibility to extrude both cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) insulation for medium-voltage products at the Heflin Plant.

“In 2018, funding was approved to modernize and streamline this site for medium voltage production,” said Scott Roulaine, director of modernization. “This optimization will improve material flow, reduce raw material handling and modernize aging assets.” Roulaine worked alongside David McLendon, plant manager, and Emory Barber, vice president of engineering, to complete the Heflin modernization effort. These investments and upgrades will effectively streamline Southwire’s medium voltage production efforts.

“In Heflin, as in any Southwire facility, our people are our greatest resource,” said McLendon. “They absolutely are the best in the business, and they have been doing a great job since we opened the doors here. This modernization effort will bring the technology up to their level, so they will have the right tools to utilize and to take us to a world-class medium voltage facility.”

An informal ceremony was held for each shift to explain the project’s significance. Employees signed their name on the last structural beam in the tower addition installation as a testament to their work in making the expansion possible and a commitment to ensuring the success of the project.

Indiana-based Breyden Products, Inc., has been acquired by private investment firm Auxo Investment Partners, the second acquisition of a wire and cable industry supplier it has made this year.

A press release said that Breyden Products—which manufactures military-specification braided lacing tapes, twines, cords and sleeving used to secure and protect electrical components in the electric motor, defense and aerospace markets—will operate under the Precision Products Group (PPG) platform and brand. PPG is the parent company of Paramount Tube, a manufacturer of industrial tubing based in Fort Wayne that Auxo acquired in 2020.

“The Breyden team is beyond excited about the partnership with Auxo, PPG and their portfolio of world class manufacturers,” said Breyden Products Vice President of Sales Mike Zuber. “Our deep and long-standing relationships with leading channel partners will support the continued growth and diversification of PPG in the aerospace, defense and electrical markets.”

The release said that the deal advances plans to develop a diversified platform of niche manufacturers. The combination of Breyden and PPG’s Paramount Tube division is expected to expand market share in the electric motor market.

Earlier this year, Auxo acquired California-based Golden State Assembly, a wire harness and cable assembly manufacturer based in Fremont, California. GSA founders Cesar and Yesenia Madrueno will retain a significant interest in the company and will remain in their operating roles.

India’s KEC International (KEC) recently inaugurated a railway conductor manufacturing unit at its existing plant in Vadodara, Gujarat.

A press release said that the expanded product focus for the Vadodara plant is in line with the company’s backward integration strategy. The inauguration ceremony was hosted by company CEO and Managing Director Vimal Kejriwal. Joined by Singh Sethi, executive director – cables, they interacted with employees. The plant has about 550 employees. They shared their appreciation for their overall efforts that enabled the business to achieve superior performance. They also observed that the business continues to be on a sound growth path. The company has seen new orders for 2022-23 worth approximately $285 million.

KEC manufactures a range of railway cables and conductors for Indian railways and companies in the railway infrastructure sector. Per Wikipedia, KEC is also India’s second largest manufacturer of electric power transmission towers and one of the largest Power transmission, Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) companies in the world. Based in Mumbai, it is part of the RPG Group.

or an expansion. The company’s clients include manufacturers of equipment in the marine, automotive, agriculture, construction, transportation and emergency response industries.

Highland Holdings LLC announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase Precision Manufacturing Co. Inc., (PMCI) of Dayton, Ohio, a deal slated to close this year.

A press release said that PMCI, a family owned business founded in 1967, employs more than 100 people. It will continue to manufacturing operations under the Precision Manufacturing name in Dayton. It follows a prior related purchase in 2020 of a Bovey, Minnesota, wire-harness manufacturer, MNSTAR. That operation saw its sales double, and there are big expectations for PMCI.

“When a company like ours has more resources and facilities, we are able to better meet the needs of customers, putting us in the next level of growth,” said George Klus, CEO and president of Highland Holdings, in a written statement. In it, he said that the PMCI acquisition “will substantially increase its production capacity in the wire-harness industry and help meet growing demand for electrical components.”

MNSTAR employs about half as many people in Bovey, where it is also laying plans for an expansion. The company’s clients include manufacturers of equipment in the marine, automotive, agriculture, construction, transportation and emergency response industries.