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Aluminum Association applauds DoC action to thwart aluminum foil from China

7/3/2022 - 

The Aluminum Association (AA) fully supports steps announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC) to prevent aluminum foil from China to evade restrictions by shipping through Thailand and South Korea.

In a statement, AA President and CEO Charles Johnson said that the imports in question are inappropriately avoiding the payment of antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of aluminum foil from China, pursuant to unfair trade orders published by the Commerce Department in April 2018. “We commend the Commerce Department for taking this important step to enforce our trade laws. We look forward to working closely with the department to ensure a successful outcome as these inquiries progress.”

The Commerce Department will soon issue questionnaires to suspected duty evaders, provide opportunities for interested parties to submit information relevant to the agency’s proceedings and issue a preliminary determination, which will likely occur in the coming months. The investigation is expected to take approximately one year to complete.

The aluminum foil subject to the inquiry is flat-rolled aluminum products that are 0.2 mm or less, in reels weighing more than 25 pounds, are produced in China and finished in Thailand and South Korea. The foil is used in multiple products, including cables.

The prior DoC measures included antidumping and countervailing (AD/CVD) that carried combined penalties ranging from 55 to 176%. Since those orders were published, U.S. imports of certain aluminum foil from China declined substantially, but Chinese exports of foil and sheet-gauge products to Thailand and South Korea increased significantly.

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Last modified on August 1, 2022

Hellenic Cables awarded contract to supply cable for 2 offshore wind farms

7/3/2022 - 

Hellenic Cables has been awarded an Exclusivity and Capacity Agreement (ECA) to supply 66 kV XLPE-insulated inter-array cables and associated accessories for the Hai Long 2 and 3 offshore wind projects.

A press release said that the Hai Long offshore wind farm project in Taiwan will include two offshore wind farms—Hai Long 2 (HL2) and Hai Long 3 (HL3)—that will have a total installed capacity of 1,044 MW. The overall project is one of Taiwan’s largest offshore wind farms. It is jointly developed by Northland Power Inc., Yushan Energy Pte Ltd and Mitsui & Co.

The project will be located 40-50 km off the Changhua coast, at a water depth of 35-55 m. HL2 itself is split between two sub-wind farms: HL2A, with a maximum installed capacity of 300 MW, and HL2B, with a maximum installed capacity of 232 MW. HL3 has a maximum installed capacity of 512 MW.

Under the ECA, Hellenic Cables will supply approximately 140 km of 66 kV XLPE-insulated inter-array cables and associated accessories. They will be made at the company’s plant in Corinth, Greece. The manufacturing is expected to be completed in Q1 of 2024 for Hai Long 2 and in Q4 of the same year for Hai Long 3.

“We are delighted to have secured Hellenic Cables as our cable manufacturer and to be establishing this cooperation,” said Hai Long Offshore Wind Project Director Felipe Montero. “Hellenic Cables is taking a critical scope in our project, and we’re pleased to have this scope taken care of by a market leader in submarine cables manufacturing, such as Hellenic Cables.”

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Last modified on August 1, 2022

Featured: Sharing one’s love online for a charging cable can be a violation

7/3/2022 - 

The below report is about as far downstream as one can get, but a social media-challenged trade editor who came across the torrid story of a social influencer posting her love for a charging cable felt compelled to share it. Below are excerpts and WJI commentary.


Sophie Cachia, an Australian social influencer, recently shared her feeling about her new Cygnett charging cable. Her Instagram story declared her utter love for the cable.

““Found my baby!!!! @cygnett Nobody charges my phone like this cord here. Whenever I lose it, it’s devastating (aka Bobby steals it for his iPad) I will neverrrrrrr go back to any other cord. Not spon, just simply life changing when you need your phone constantly & charged SO fast.”

It is safe to say that such words have never been seen in Wire Journal, but the posting led to a complaint being filed with the Ad Standards, Australia’s advertising complaints adjudicator. Why the accusation? It turns out that Cygnett pays Cachia to be a social influencer on their behalf, as was noted in the complaint: “Sophie is obviously getting paid to be an ongoing ambassador for this product/brand (Cygnett) and should clearly display that it is a paid post.”

A statement from Cygnett said that it had nothing to do with the post. “This promotion by Sophie Cachia was created and published without Cygnett having any prior knowledge, nor was it financially supported by Cygnett in anyway. ... This is the first time to our knowledge that Sophie has ever posted about Cygnett outside her paid agreement.”

No doubt you noted that Sophie’s post said “Not spon,” so one could say that she was sending this on her own, professing her (financially unsupported) love for her cable.

So, was Sophie wrong? Was this in essence a paid Cygnett ad ... even if it was not paid for?

The Ad Standards Community Panel considered whether this advertisement breaches the AANA Code of Ethics 2.7. Per the Distinguishable Advertising Code, “social media advertising which compensates influencers for promoting a product should be clearly distinguishable as an advertisement. Advertising on all platforms should be easily distinguishable as such.”

The Panel found that posting “not spon” was confusing to viewers and made it difficult to tell whether the posting was or was not an ad. While the content was “not spon,” it clearly was about the product, and thus the endorsement made it advertising.

In its unofficial (and unasked for) ruling, WJI finds that the real violation is the lack of any technical details that led to such unconditional cable love.

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Last modified on August 1, 2022

SAMP announces deal with GAUDER & Co.

SAMP reports that it has agreed to sell its 45% stake in SETIC to GAUDER & Co., as part of a deal in which SETIC will transfer some of its POURTIER low- and medium-voltage business to SAMP Srl.

Per the announcement, SAMP will have exclusive rights to produce and sell POURTIER-designed machines for low- and medium-voltage applications under the SAMP POURTIER brand. SETIC will continue to supply POURTIER high-speed, concentric stranders and single-twist machines as well as rigid stranders for overhead cables. C2S, the service division of Setic S.A.S, will also continue to develop a complete and modern services portfolio for existing and future POURTIER and SETIC equipment.

 SETIC will continue to rely on production and commercial support from SAMP for SETIC machines made in China, which will continue to be manufactured in SAMP’s facilities in Changzhou, China, with oversight from SETIC’s French engineers. SAMP will also act as SETIC's agent in selected markets in South America, Africa, Middle East and Asia as well as the Balkans.
 SAMP China will continue to supply and support its Daloo machines. Part of The POURTIER low- and medium-voltage products, Daloo and the existing SAMP rotating machinery businesses will be combined to form a new, integrated SAMP rotating product line. SAMP further retains the rights to utilize the Pourtier product name for five years. 

The transaction clarifies the relationship between the two companies, ensuring continuity of products and services for each firm’s demanding international clients. It was described as a win-win deal.

 “This is a big step for both of our companies,” said SAMP Chairman Jouni Heinonen. “It allows each firm to better serve its customers without losing any of the benefits of our complementary products and services.”

“This acquisition is a wonderful homecoming,” said Setic/Gauder & Co. CEO Thierry Collard. “It allows SETIC to focus on its core business and implement appropriate strategies and developments for each product range. It strengthens our global leadership in the production of equipment for data, industrial Ethernet, communication and automotive cables for the benefit of all stakeholders. The reorganization of the POURTIER portfolio will also allow SETIC to offer POURTIER equipment for overhead, high and very high voltage cables. Ultimately, this is a big step forward for SETIC and its subsidiaries, for SAMP and above all, for our customers and the wire and cable manufacturing industry.”

 

 

 

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Last modified on August 2, 2022

FENN has acquired the intellectual property of MacBee Engineering

7/3/2022 -  FENN, LLC, to announce that it has acquired the intellectual property of Engineered Machinery Group Inc., which includes the rights to MacBee Engineering Group, and will continue to build and support their product lines.

Per the company, MacBee Engineering, founded in 1966, was known as an American manufacturer of sink and draw machines, drawbenches, payoffs, take-ups, and a variety of ancillary equipment. In 2004, former MacBee Vice President John Stevens purchased MacBee Engineering, adding the MacBee product line to his own company, Engineered Machinery Group.

Although Stevens closed the company in 2013, the MacBee product line continued after being licensed to Steven’s son, who operated his own firm—also named MacBee—until the pandemic forced its closure. Despite the closure, Stevens continued to maintain ownership of all MacBee designs & intellectual property, supporting the product line with his newly formed “John Stevens Consulting” firm. While customers have continued to rely on Stevens for assistance with their MacBee equipment, he was eager to find a new, permanent home for the MacBee rights. This would allow customers to not only purchase new machinery, but also enjoy a greater depth and breadth of service and spare parts availability.

With a similar focus in clientele, industries and equipment, FENN was a natural fit. “MacBee’s wire and tube focused product lines are an excellent complement to our existing drawbench, swager and wire shaping offerings. We look forward to utilizing FENN’s existing infrastructure to continue providing MacBee equipment, service, and spare parts for MacBee customers,” said FENN President Ryan Cutter. ”

With more than 50 years of experience with wire & tube machinery, Stevens will join FENN as a consultant to continue supporting MacBee product lines. “I am excited to work with the FENN team to continue building and supporting MacBee machinery. I am thrilled to see the MacBee legacy continue with FENN’s resources, support and guidance,” he said.

Customers with immediate MacBee inquiries can contact FENN at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Last modified on July 3, 2022

UL opens lab in Mexico

7/3/2022 -  UL announced that it has opened Mexico UL, its first laboratory in Mexico, in the city of Querétaro, which is 137 miles northwest of Mexico City.

A press release said that the site represents one of the first multinational testing laboratories to open in Mexico. It tests for product safety and performance for the Mexico market, and for export to the U.S., Canada and countries throughout Latin America.

“Today marks an exciting new day in our three-decade relationship with Mexico as we open UL’s newest state-of-the-art lab in Querétaro,” said Jennifer Scanlon, UL President/CEO. “Given our mission of working for a safer world, UL is dedicated to using its testing/certification expertise to help manufacturers in Mexico grow and prosper by helping to bring their innovations to market quickly and safely.”

Located in the Kaizen Industrial Park complex and near the Querétaro International Airport, the lab offers local testing for the UL Mark for the USA and Canada. Upon accreditation approval, it will also offer the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas (NOM) mark in Mexico and Latin American testing services.

UL notes that it operates in over 140 locations in more than 40 countries across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa with more than 14,000 scientists, engineers, problem solvers and innovators who partner with customers to unlock their potential by empowering them to demonstrate safety, enhance sustainability and strengthen security. UL works with 60% of Global 500 and Fortune 500 companies, the largest companies in the world.

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Last modified on July 3, 2022

Nexans wins French project to provide 1st-ever superconducting DC cables

7/3/2022 - Nexans and its partners have won a project from Bpifrance (French Public Investment Bank) that calls for the installation of two superconducting DC cables near Montparnasse station in Paris, a unique integration of such cables into a railway system.

A press release said that the project is part of the “Investissements d’Avenir” (Investments for the Future) initiative coordinated by SNCF Réseau. It represents the first time that these types of cables will be integrated into a rail network and is set to be the first permanent installation in France on any network. With their revolutionary technology, these power cables will help secure the network

at a time when rail traffic is constantly growing in mega-cities.

Built in 1840 in Paris, Montparnasse is France’s fourth-largest train station, with more than 50 million passengers annually and more than 90 million expected in 2030. SNCF Réseau will thus need more power to run an ever-increasing number of trains. And superconductor cable technology will help provide the increased electrical power required to meet the needs of this growing rail traffic. The superconducting cables will make use of Montparnasse station’s infrastructure by installing the cables in existing conduits.

“Only a superconducting cable can combine a reduced diameter and exceptional power to deliver the performance required by SNCF Réseau: 5.3 MW per conduit, or 3,500 A to 1,500 VDC,” the release said. “This also enables our customer to save on substantial implementation costs related to infrastructure modification, avoid potential disruptions to rail and road traffic, and limit risks in terms of execution time and the commissioning date.”

The release observed that superconducting power cables offer unparalleled advantages as they have zero resistance, so they can transport electricity with minimal power loss and thus contribute to making the world more sustainable. “This project illustrates perfectly how their compact nature enables them to transport very high power through a limited space. A single superconducting cable can replace multiple copper cables. Also, it has a minimal footprint, making high-capacity 1,500 V connections possible, which in turn improves the safety of the stations’ power supply.”

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Last modified on July 3, 2022

Nexans power cable/services contract with Enedis valued at over €100 million

7/3/2022 - Nexans has been awarded a contract worth more than 100 million euros to supply Enedis—a French distribution network company—with medium-voltage power distribution cables and services for the next four years.

A press release said that the contract includes an extended amount of EDR-MAX cables, most of which will be used to connect onshore wind and solar farms to the grid. These directly buried cables have demonstrated a reduced environmental impact and an improved total cost of ownership. The project combines technological innovation, environmental benefits, superior plant capability and digital services such as the full deployment of ULTRACKER: Nexans’ digital supply chain solution based on the Internet of Things, enhanced artificial intelligence and cloud services.

The release said that the new generation of Nexans eco-designed medium voltage cables (NF C 33-226) that could reduce carbon emissions up to 20% were a key to Enedis choosing Nexans. It noted that Nexans also allows the customer to buy and be delivered in a short circuit, thus reducing the carbon footprint of the cable supply. “Nexans technologies continue to allow us to help our partners with cable solutions, securing Nexans’ position in France as the supplier of choice and opening the door for additional projects in the future.”

Jérôme Bicail, director of the industrial sector division of Enedis, said that Nexans is seen as a “strategic” supplier in the cable sector. “We already share with Nexans our major challenges on CSR issues such as eco-design, commitments to reduce carbon emissions and recycling solutions. These innovations, combined with end-to-end quality control, allow us to secure capacity while ensuring product life cycle management.”

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Last modified on July 3, 2022

Prysmian Group breaks ground for major expansion of its plant in Marshall, Texas

7/3/2022 - Prysmian Group recently broke ground on a $50 million expansion project at its Marshall plant in Texas to support growth in the power distribution and transmission markets.

A press release said that the $50 million project, scheduled for completion in early summer of 2023, will see the plant expand to over a million sq ft and include capability upgrades. “As part of Prysmian’s original $100 million commitment made last October to upgrade plants across its North American footprint, this investment is helping to meet the need for infrastructure upgrades in the region and the growing demand for clean energy sources.”

Prysmian Group acquired General Cable in 2018 and expanded its North American footprint. The Marshall facility currently has more than 400 employees and will add 75 new positions including machine operators, logistics and skilled trades. “We have a strong team here in Marshall, and I’m looking forward to seeing it expand. This investment is the beginning of big things for our community,” said David Cooper, Marshall Plant Director. Marshall has started hiring for the open positions and plans to complete the process in the fall.

“The Marshall expansion is crucial in our commitment to develop the next generation power distribution and transmission grids that will support the energy transition in the U.S. and Canada,” said Andrea Pirondini, CEO of Prysmian Group North America. “This investment is another step towards transforming how our region distributes and transmits power throughout North America.

The Marshall facility is the Group’s largest plant in North America where the bulk of the region’s renewable energy products are manufactured, and the investment is crucial to enabling the energy transition and digital transformation across the region.

Prysmian has recently seen major project announcements, such as for the largest submarine cable contact in the U.S. from Dominion Energy, along with the Vineyard Offshore Wind Farm Project and the SOO Green Link Project to deliver high-voltage direct current underground transmission cables along existing railroad corridors.

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Last modified on July 3, 2022

GEON acquires Cary Compounds

7/3/2022 - GEON Performance Solutions announced that it has acquired Cary Compounds, LLC, which is based in Manalapan, New Jersey, and will see its assets consolidated into Cary manufacturing campuses to best service the geographic needs of its customers.

A press release said that the Cary name has had a good reputation for its quality and high-end formulas dating back to when Ken Cary started the business in 1999. “Charlie Cary and the team have built on that reputation in the wire and cable industry, with exceptional formulary, customer service and manufacturing expertise as its key differentiators,” said GEON CEO Tracy Garrison. “We look forward to using that same personalized service that our Cary customers value as we introduce an expanded portfolio of highly engineered polymer solutions offered by GEON.”

“We have been watching GEON expand and evolve in the marketplace and are pleased the tradition of quality and excellence built by the Cary team will now live on in GEON,” said Charlie Cary. “This is an exciting day for wire and cable manufacturers and our employees who will enjoy a strong competitive advantage with GEON’s strong culture and global leadership position.”

GEON is a global leader in the formulation, development, and manufacture of performance polymer solutions. It has 1,000 global associates and 11 world-class manufacturing plants with headquarters in a western suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. It is a portfolio company of SK Capital Partners, a private investment firm with a disciplined focus on the specialty materials, specialty chemicals, and pharmaceuticals sectors.

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Last modified on July 3, 2022

SubCom lands IRIS cable in Iceland

7/3/2022 - SubCom’s cable installation vessel, the CS Durable, landed the IRIS Subsea Telecoms Cable System (IRIS) at Thorlakshofn beach in Iceland on May 23.

Per a report at SubCom’s website, the landing signifies the commencement of the marine installation of the IRIS cable system that Farice has been developing since 2019. During the summer months, SubCom’s CS Durable will lay the cable south from Iceland to Galway, Ireland, with final splice and completion of marine work planned for mid-August 2022.

Marine survey of the entire route was done by Farice in 2020 and 2021. SubCom completed the final design, preparation work, and manufacturing of the system during 2021-2022. The cable installation progressed at some 20-200 km per day with burial or surface lay from Iceland to Ireland. The target burial depth of the cable was 1.5 m beneath the seabed in water depth of up to 1,500 m.

Designed as a six-fiber pair trunk with a total system capacity of 108 Tbps (each fiber pair delivers 18Tbs), IRIS will be approximately 1,700 km in length and connect southwest of Iceland to Ballyloughane Strand in Galway, Ireland. The cable was made at SubCom’s plant in Newington, New Hampshire.

The IRIS system will be ready for service in the beginning of 2023. It will be the third submarine fiber optic cable system connecting Iceland with Europe, providing further redundancy in telecom connection, with low latency connections around 10.5 ms, between Reykjavík and Dublin.

Farice, a connectivity provider owned by the Icelandic Government, owns and operates two submarine cable systems that connect Iceland to Europe: FARICE-1 and DANICE. The newest cable system will improve the diversity of adequate connections to support the continued growth of Iceland’s modern community and international business environment.

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Last modified on July 3, 2022

JDR gets local okay for its previously announced plan to build new cable plant

7/3/2022 - Last year, JDR announced plans to build a new high-voltage U.K. cable plant subject to final agreements. That path just got a lot closer to completion when the project was approved by councilors on the Strategic Planning Committee of the Northumberland County Council (NCC).

A press release said that NCC Deputy Council Leader Richard Wearmouth reported that the project has its full support. “We’re absolutely delighted to be welcoming one of the most advanced subsea cable manufacturing facilities in the world into the county. This brand-new facility will focus on renewable energy products and services, which is crucial towards the county’s carbon neutral plans.”

Plans call for construction to begin this year, with the opening set for 2024. It will create up to 207 high-quality local jobs on completion and safeguard 270 jobs at JDR’s existing facilities. Part of the initial project investment, estimated at £130 million, will come from a grant from the BEIS Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support (OWMIS) scheme. JDR and TFK plans to raise the remaining funding with support expected from financial institutions and U.K. Export Finance.

The new facility is the first stage of JDR’s plans to expand its product portfolio to support the growing global renewable energy market, adding high-voltage export and long length array cables to its existing capacity and product capabilities. Further stages of the development could result in over 400 staff working at the site, with supplied products complementing JDR’s existing capacity provided by the company’s Hartlepool and Littleport U.K. manufacturing centers.

When complete, the facility will include a new catenary continuous vulcanization (CCV) line, making it the only facility in the U.K. capable of full start-to-finish manufacturing of high voltage subsea cables for offshore wind farms to support the growing global renewable energy market. It will be located on the 16-hectare site of the former coal-fired Blyth power station in Cambois in the northeast of England. It is set to feature a 47.5-m high vertical laying-up machine tower and a 45-m high CVC tower along with cable testing and storage facilities. Construction is due to start in the third quarter of this year and finish in early 2024.

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Last modified on July 3, 2022

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