EoW November 2009
Where there’s a will... It’s a feature of working on a bi-monthly magazine that, like Janus, I’m always looking a little behind and a little ahead. As I write, the wire SEAsia show is yet to happen; I’malready looking to Düsseldorf, while much of the editorial in this issue reflects events from the summer. So when, in the leader column of the November 2008 issue, I celebrated the physics behind Cern’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in September ‘08 I had no idea that the LHC would operate for just nine days before the most expensive badly soldered joint in history caused huge damage and a complete shutdown. As I write the LHC is still out of action, and when it starts up again sometime in November 2009 it will run at only half-power. It means that particles will be sauntering through the tunnel, in two directions, at a mere 3.5TeV (tera- electron volts) and producing collisions of 7TeV (originally anticipated at 14TeV). That said, its power exceeds that of any other operating collider, and will still be powerful enough to produce results. Beset by problems though it may have been, we shouldn’t allow the setbacks to obscure what could be the LHC’s first and arguably most valuable lesson. The LHC is a compelling demonstration of the power of global co-operation – at least between scientists and engineers. Apart from the 7,000 physicists from 80 countries who have worked on this project, thousands of engineers (and engineering businesses) have been employed to develop the new techniques and technologies needed to bring this project to completion. And given its potential, its cost of $6 billion (provided by Cern’s 20-nation partnership) seems very little, compared to even the original £46 billion paid out to UK banks last year. Cern and its LHC have confirmed what countries working together can achieve. In 2009, as we mark the 70 th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World
The International Magazine for the Wire and Cable Industries
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contents
Technical Articles
Maximising ultra-high definition video cable By Stephen H Lampen, multimedia technology manager, Belden
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Optimierung des ultra- hochauflösenden Videokabels Von Stephen H. Lampen, Leiter der Multimediatechnologie bei Belden
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Максимизация параметров видеокабелей сверхвысокого разрешения Стивен Х. Лэмпен, руководитель отдела мультимедийных технологий, компания «Белден»
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Optimisation du câble vidéo à ultra haute définition Par Stephen H Lampen, directeur de la technologie multimédiale, Belden
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Ottimizzazione del cavo per video a ultra alta definizione
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A cura di Stephen H Lampen, responsabile della tecnologia multimediale, Belden
Содержание на русском языке 78 Ηοвости рьінка 108 Перечень рекламодателей
Deutsch Inhalt 71 Neuigkeiten 108 Inserentenverzeichnis
102 Optimización del cable para vídeo de ultra alta definición Por Stephen H Lampen, director de tecnología multimedia, Belden
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EuroWire – November 2009
Subscribe Now! See our subscription advert on page 66 Preview issue wire Düsseldorf 2010 In The Next Issue Features On Cleaning & descaling • machinery & chemicals Extruding – machinery • & equipment GettingTechnical Central tube cable ribbon coupling
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www.bigstockphoto.com – Photographer JeffreyThomas
8 Diary of events
9 Corporate News
18 Transatlantic Cable
28 Technology N ews
44 IWCS Conference & Exhibition
46 Power cables
(medium to extra- high voltage)
58 Testing & measuring
107 Editorial Index
108 Advertisers’ Index
Français Sommaire 86 Nouvelles du Marché 108 Index des Annonceurs
Italiano Indice 93 Notizie del Mercato 108 Indice degli Inserzionisti
Español Indice 100 Noticias de Mercado 108 Indice de Anunciadores
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EuroWire – November 2009
dates for your diary . . .
Istanbul Cable & Wire ‘09
November 2009 9–11: 58 th IWCS – technical conference – Charlotte, NC, USA
November 2–3: Istanbul Cable &Wire ’ 09 – technical conference, Istanbul, Turkey Organisers : IWMA, WAI, ACIMAF
Organisers : IWCS Inc Fax : +1 732 389 0991 Email : admin@iwcs.org Website : www.iwcs.org
Fax : +44 1926 314755 Email : info@iwma.org Website : www.iwma.org
April 2010 12–16: wire/Tube Düsseldorf – trade exhibition – Düsseldorf, Germany Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf Fax : +49 211 45 6087 7793 Email : wire@messe-duesseldorf.de Website : www.wire.de May 2010 11–12: Wire Expo – technical conference and trade exhibition – Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA Organisers : Wire Association International (WAI) Fax : +1 203 453 8384 Website : www.wirenet.org September 2010 21–24: wire China 2010 – trade exhibition – Shanghai, China Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf China Fax : +86 21 5027 8138 Email : wire@mdc.com.cn Website : www.wirechina.net November 2010 18–20: Wire & Cable India – trade exhibition – Mumbai, India Organisers : CII Fax : +91 22 2493 9463 Email : info@ciionline.org Website : http://cii.in April 2011 2–5: Interwire – trade exhibition – Atlanta, Georgia, USA Organisers : Wire Association International (WAI) Fax : +1 203 453 8384 Email : info@wirenet.org Website : www.wirenet.org June 2011 19–23: JICABLE – technical conference and trade exhibition –
Versailles, France Organisers : SEE
Email : jicable@see.assoc.fr Website : www.jicable.org
Photocredit–www.bigstockphoto.com •Photographer–Lnchic (LenaBriden)
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EuroWire – March 2009 EuroWire – November 2009
corporate news
Landmark extruder A 2.5”, 24:1 L/D corrosion resistant Ultra machine represents the 1,000 th extruder sold by American Kuhne since the company was founded in 1997. Bound for the Nexans Electronics Cable facility in Elm City, North Carolina, the handover of the landmark extruder was the focus of a ceremony for American Kuhne and Nexans employees at AK’s new custom designed manufacturing facility in Ashaway, Rhode Island. Extruder number 1,000, a 2.5”, 24:1 L/D corrosion resistant Ultra extruder for fluoropolymers, with Mr Art Deming (left) and Mr Doug Johnson (right), American Kuhne’s ▲ ▲ regional sales manager in the southeast The global economic crisis again exerted an adverse effect on Leoni in the second quarter of 2009, yet the company is reporting substantial progress compared with the first quarter. Although the Q2/2009 consolidated sales were, at €530.3 million, 35.3% below the previous year’s like-for-like figure of €820 million, they were around 8% above the first quarter’s figure. Mixed fortunes shown in figures
After taxes, the result was a net loss of €88.2 million, compared to the previous year’s net income of €45.9 million. As part of a capacity adjustment and to reduce costs, the company shed a significant number of jobs. On 30 th June 2009, Leoni employed 45,522 people group-wide, which was 7,762 fewer than on the same date in 2008. Of this total, there were 41,555 employees outside Germany, compared with 49,100 in 2008 and 3,967 in Germany, compared with 4,184 at the same date last year. Staff are currently working short-time at nearly all facilities in Germany and at numerous facilities abroad.
Nexans also purchased a 1.5" extruder in the same contract. The high temperature, corrosion resistant extruders will be used in the processing of fluropolymers and conventional resins. Nexans Electronics Cables supplies communications solutions and service to the aerospace/shipboard commercial and military markets. American Kuhne Inc – USA Fax : +1 401 326 6201 Website : www.americankuhne.com
Leoni AG – Germany Fax : +49 911 2023 231 Email : info@leoni.com Website : www.leoni.com
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EuroWire – November 2009
corporatenews
New appointments at FWWD
Philipson has been with FWWD for 16 years, climbing the ladder within the carbide department. Falk began his career there 24 years ago, when he joined as a production operator, preparing dies for polishing and sizing. He was a manufacturing engineer at FWWD. Fort WayneWire Die Inc – USA Fax : +1 260 747 4269
“The Fort Wayne Wire Die difference has always revolved around continuous improvement with the customer,”explains FWWD president Dwight Bieberich, “from both a technical and an operational- efficiency aspect. That takes a long-term relationship. “Filling these positions with two gentlemen already so familiar with our culture, processes and philosophy is the best way to maintain those relationships.”
Fort Wayne Wire Die Inc (FWWD) has announced the appointment of two new general managers to oversee its manufacturing facilities in Canada and the Philippines. Byron Philipson, previously general manager in the Philippines, has moved to the company’s Canadian plant. Sam Falk has left his engineering position at headquarters in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to fill the role left by Philipson. BP secures umbilical cables for the Gulf of Mexico Nexans has secured a frame agreement with BP Exploration & Production Inc for deep water umbilical projects in the Gulf of Mexico, worth up to $300 million in total. The frame agreement is initially for one year, but BP could extend the agreement for an additional four-year period. The agreement covers the design, manufacture and supply of bespoke umbilical cables that will carry fluid, power, control and tele- communications services for new subsea oil and gas projects and for replacements in water depths up to 1,980m. During the term of the agreement, Nexans could deliver over 200km of umbilical products to BP. This new frame agreement follows the success of a previous, similar, umbilical frame agreement between BP Exploration & Production Inc and Nexans for the Gulf of Mexico, which ran from 2002 to 2008. During this time, Nexans delivered several umbilical projects for BP worth a total of $130 million. A number of these projects presented significant technical challenges, such as implementation of a record breaking deep water dynamic umbilical that incorporated a high power cable. The umbilicals for the Gulf of Mexico will be designed and manufactured at Nexans’ specialised facility in Halden, Norway. Nexans – France Fax : +33 15669 8484 Email : nexans.web@nexans.com Website : www.nexans.com
Email : sales@fwwd.com Website : www.fwwd.com
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EuroWire – November 2009
corporate news
Belden to close a Massachusetts facility Belden has announced plans to cease production activities at one of its manufacturing plants located in Leominster, Massachusetts before July 2010. The facility manufactures wire and cable products for enterprise applications throughout the United States. Production will be moved to other existing Belden manufacturing facilities located in Leominster, Massachusetts, Monticello, Kentucky, and Nogales, Mexico. Approximately 170 associates affected by these actions will be eligible for severance benefits from the company. The action is part of a restructuring initiative announced by the company in December 2008. Belden – USA
Training brings its own reward to Madem
Messe Düsseldorf is reporting that, with eight months to go before the wire Düsseldorf exhibition, exhibitors already occupy more net exhibition space than was the case during the same period two years ago. Total booked space, at the end of August 2009, is already 50,000m 2 . Exhibition halls 9 to 12 and 15 to 17 are quite full, but individual stands are available. Traditionally the wire, cable and fibre optic machinery sectors, wire and cable production and the trade are presented in halls 9 to 12, 17 and parts of hall 16. Spring making is located in hall 16, while the fastener technology section is located adjacent to this in hall 15. Messe Düsseldorf GmbH – Germany Fax : +49 211 45 60668 Email : info@messe-duesseldorf.de Website : www.wire.de Bookings are strong for 2010 wire Düsseldorf
Madem Reels of Chattanooga, has been awarded a grant of $46,000 to reimburse the expense of the company’s comprehensive new-hire training programme. The award was given by the Tennessee Career Center in partnership with the Southeast Development District. All new employees of Madem benefit from the multi-sector training offered by the programme, which aims to place employees in the business areas where they excel. “As we enhance our training efforts, we achieve production efficiencies that translate into cost-savings,” said Mark Kleiner, Madem Reels’ administrative manager. Madem Reels – Brazil Fax : +55 54 3462 5900 Email : madem@mademreels.com.br Website : www.mademreels.com
Email : tech@belden.com Website : www.belden.com
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EuroWire – November 2009
corporatenews
Greener wires for tyres
Corus grants temporary reprieve at Llanwern After being mothballed since January 2009, production at the Corus hot strip mill at Llanwern near Newport, Wales was re-started in September. The company said that growth in orders demanded an increase in production, but that this would not reverse the decision to make 528 job losses at the plant. Mr Tim Rutter, head of communications for Corus Strip Products UK, said: “We don’t know how sustainable this slight increase in demand will be. We will constantly review what capacity is needed; our first choice is always to use Port Talbot because of the energy situation and the cost of transporting steel to Llanwern. We also hope to increase capacity of the Port Talbot mill to 4 million tonnes per annum by the middle of next year.” Roughly 850 staff remain at Llanwern, with around 500 working directly in manufacturing. Some of these staff will be redeployed to work on the hot strip mill. Steel union Community welcomed the move and said it would be seeking a meeting with Corus to discuss the long term implications. Mr Michael Leahy, general secretary of Community, said that “At face value this is great news for our members in Llanwern and will bring much needed hope to the workforce. Sadly, this comes too late to save hundreds of jobs, but we will be seeking a meeting with Corus to discuss the detail of the announcement and its longer term implications.” Corus Group – UK Website : www.corusgroup.com A new firm, based in the UK, is believed to be the first in Europe to recycle tyre wire for smelting. Enviromise specialises in separating the steel wire from the surrounding rubber to a standard where it can be resmelted. Up to 20% of a tyre is usually condemned to landfill because recycling tyre wire is a difficult and expensive process to undertake. Enviromise business development manager, Angus Carnie, said: “Being able to separate the steel is a huge benefit to the steel industry and tyre re-processors, as the whole tyre can now be recycled. This means that 300 tonnes of waste will be diverted from landfill every week, so it is a very green alternative. We have had a huge amount of interest from people in the industry.” At the 25,000ft 2 plant the machinery can process seven tonnes of wire an hour. It strips the rubber from the wire in a process that effectively granulates the rubber, removing rubber and rust contamination to produce clean steel. The rubber waste is then used to produce children’s playground products, so the plant produces zero waste. Peter Taylor, secretary general of the UK’s Tyre Recovery Association, commented: “If it’s a viable process, the plant will be a very welcome addition to the tyre recycling process. There are a lot of high value components in a tyre and wire is one of them, so we’re delighted.” Enviromise Ltd – UK Fax : +44 121 544 5734 Website : www.enviromise.com
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EuroWire – November 2009
corporate news
On-site cable testing workshop
Intercable 2009
The 37 th Intercable Symposium took place from June 22 nd to 25 th in Villach, Austria, featuring presentations about the current situation and the forecast for the world cable industry. At the General Meeting the elections of the new IA Intercable management took place. Professor Peshkov was confirmed in his position as president of the association, and Mr Rockenhaeuser of Niehoff Maschinenfabrik was elected as vice president. The elected board now consists of Mr Anvar Bulkhin from Samara Cable Company, Mr Dmitry Iorgachev from Odeskabel, Mr Gennadij Makarov from Sevkabel Holding, Mr Anti Rissanen from Maillefer SA, Mr Rene Stoeckl from Rosendahl Maschinen GmbH and Mr Evgenij Vasiliev fromTrade House VNIIKP. The event programme included a visit to the Rosendahl facility to join the company’s 50 th anniversary celebrations. During the visit, participants took the opportunity to see Rosendahl production and administration at first-hand. Guided tours through the factory presented new Rosendahl technologies, such as the newly developed crosshead series RX and a high-speed running line for the production of fibre optic cable. A running line for metal tape forming and welding, used for RF cables and for shielding MV and HV cables, was also on show. Maschinen Rosendahl GmbH – Austria Fax : +43 3113 5100 59
Highvolt Prüftechnik Dresden GmbH manufactures high-voltage and high-current test systems for the cable industry, providing test systems for development, type and routine testing in the factory up to the point of on-site testing after the laying and assembly of the power cables. On the occasion of the 100 th delivered test system, Highvolt invited customers to a workshop to exchange experiences of on-site cable testing in the field. Between 24 th and 25 th September 2009, 40 participants from twelve countries on five continents visited the Highvolt factory in Dresden, taking the opportunity to discuss trends and innovations. Highvolt has experienced increased demand for test systems for the cable industry, and has recently extended its engineering and manufacturing capacities. In May this year, the Prime Minister of Saxony, Mr Stanislaw Tillich, officially inaugurated the new 3,800m² manufacturing facility and a three-story office building. For the future, a growing importance will be attached to the WRV system for on-site testing of longer cables in one sequence, often used as backbones of a power supply. Highvolt Prüftechnik Dresden GmbH – Germany Fax : +49 351 8425 679
Email : office@rosendahlaustria.com Website : www.rosendahlaustria.com
Email : sales@highvolt.de Website : www.highvolt.de
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EuroWire – November 2009
corporatenews
Adbic and Midal in joint plant project
Al Zayani remarked: “This joint venture is strategically important for Midal Cables. The rapid industrial growth in the UAE and GCC region requires expertise in the field of aluminium production. “Working with a leading investment and industrial development company like Adbic further drives the growth of this key sector.” Adbic and Midal Cables also signed a memorandum of understanding with Emirates Aluminium Company Limited (Emal) for the supply of molten aluminium, the plant’s main feedstock, from the new smelter. By the second quarter of 2011, Adbic’s plant will be ready to receive its first batch of molten aluminium. “Emal will play a fundamental role in supporting the development of Adbic’s metals cluster,” said Al Dhaheri. “This partnership not only helps to drive Adbic’s contribution to Abu Dhabi’s industrial diversification, it also leverages Emal’s planned aluminium upstream production capacity, which will commence at 700,000 tonnes per year in the first quarter of 2010.” Abu Dhabi Basic Industries Corporation – Abu Dhabi Email : info@adbic.com
Abu Dhabi Basic Industries Corporation (Adbic) and Bahrain’s Midal Cables Limited have agreed to a joint project to establish a $100-million plant to produce aluminium products, including aluminium rods and aluminium electrical overhead conductors. Capacity at the plant will be 150,000 tonnes per year, with some of the output serving as feedstock for Abu Dhabi’s downstream industries. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2010 at the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone in Taweelah, Abu Dhabi. “The establishment of the aluminium plant is the first step towards the development of Adbic’s upcoming metals cluster, which will play a fundamental role in expanding Abu Dhabi’s downstream manufacturing capacity in the metals sector,” an Adbic statement said. Strategically located between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the cluster will focus on base metals such as aluminium, steel and copper. The joint venture agreement was signed by Jamal Al Dhaheri, senior vice president for metals at Adbic, and Hamid Al Zayani, managing director of Midal Cables. “This partnership brings together the technical expertise of one of the world’s largest manufacturers of aluminium rods and conductors with the experience of one of the leading industrial investment and development companies in the region,” commented Al Dhaheri.
Website : www.adbic.com Midal Cables Ltd – Bahrain Email : midalcbl@midalcable.com Website : www.midalcable.com
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EuroWire – November 2009
corporate news
Radwin, a provider of wireless broadband solutions, has signed an agreement with Irish Wireless of Ireland. Irish Wireless will distribute Radwin’s wireless broadband systems in Ireland and provide training and support to customers. Gurmukh Neote, CEO of Irish Wireless, commented: “Radwin is renowned for producing carrier-grade wireless broadband radios. Our joint partnership combines Radwin’s solutions with Irish Wireless’ expertise in distributing wireless equipment. By joining forces we can provide customers with high performance wireless links delivering native TDM and Ethernet (up to 16 E1s) with up to 100Mbps capacity for distances of up to 120km.” Yaron Ziv, Radwin’s Europe sales director, stated: “We are excited to partner with Irish Wireless to bring high-quality wireless broadband to customers in Ireland. Our point-to-point radios set new performance standards in the industry and are the ideal solution for cellular operators, wireless ISPs, private networks and CCTV networks. Ireland is a market where the demand for wireless broadband and the need to reach out to rural areas is rapidly growing and, with our solutions in place, operators can expand their networks quickly and affordably like never before.” Radwin – Israel Website : www.radwin.com IrishWireless – Ireland Website : www.irishwireless.eu Israel and Ireland in broadband partnership
Cold welders at IWCS
PWM, designer and manufacturer of high-performance cold pressure welding equipment and dies for the international wire and cable industry, will present a selection of its robust, reliable manual cold welders at IWCS 2009. Amaral Automation Associates, PWM’s exclusive distributor in the United States and Canada, will exhibit the machines. Lightweight, comfortable to hold and simple to operate, PWM’s hand-held M10 and M25 machines are ideal for welding fine wire quickly and cost-effectively in confined spaces. Welding capacities range from 0.1mm to 1.2mm (0.0039" to 0.047") diameter copper/aluminium wire. With a capacity of 1mm to 3.6mm (0.039" to 0.041") diameter copper and 1mm to 5mm (0.039" to 0.197") EC aluminium, the versatile M101 is one of PWM’s best-selling machines. This strong, low maintenance model can be bench or trolley-mounted, enabling the operator to move the machine quickly to the weld area. PWM’s comprehensive range of cold pressure welders also includes air/hydraulic, electro/hydraulic pneumatic and electro/ pneumatic machines, with capacities up to 25mm (0.984") copper and 30mm (1.181") aluminium. PressureWelding Machines – UK Fax : +44 1233 820591
Email : pwm@btinternet.com Website : www.pwmltd.co.uk
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EuroWire – November 2009
Transat lant ic Cable
Washington’s economic stimulus requires any project ❈ ❈ receiving money under the plan to use steel and other construction materials, including solar panels, from signatories of the World Trade Organization’s agreement on free trade in government procurement. China has not signed. To avoid difficulties, and to reduce shipping costs, the Chinese company Suntech intends to build a solar panel assembly plant in the American Southwest – in either Arizona or Texas. Steven Chan, Suntech’s president for global sales and marketing, told the New York Times , “It’ll be to facilitate sales – ‘Buy American’ and things like that.”
The environment
China is out in front of the US in the greening of the world
Keith Bradsher, who is the Hong Kong bureau chief of the New York Times , has written, “Backed by lavish government support, the Chinese are preparing to build plants to assemble their [solar products] in the United States to bypass protectionist legislation. As Japanese auto makers did decades ago, Chinese solar companies are encouraging their US executives to join industry trade groups to tamp down anti-Chinese sentiment before it takes root.” Mr Bradsher’s article, filed from Wuxi, a top business centre in southeast China, describes an extraordinary Chinese effort to achieve global leadership in renewable energy – solar power in particular. What distinguishes this from other ambitious commercial initiatives is its swiftness and sureness – not to say boldness. President Barack Obama is on record as aspiring to make the US the world’s leading exporter of renewable energy, but China’s leaders have pre-empted the ecology-minded young president, and on his own turf. (“China Racing Ahead of US in Drive to Go Solar,” 25 th August) The Times noted that Chinese companies have played a major role in pushing down the price of solar panels by almost 50% in only a year. Shi Zhengrong, the chief executive and founder of China’s biggest solar panel manufacturer, Suntech Power Holdings, said in an interview in Wuxi that Suntech, to build market share, is selling solar panels on the American market for less than the cost of materials, assembly, and shipping. First Solar (Tempe, Arizona) is still the world’s number one supplier of photovoltaic cells but Suntech, based in Wuxi, is on track this year to push past Q-Cells, of Germany, into second place. Clearly, the solar power race is on, and the American industry can count on help from the Obama administration. The Departments of Energy and Treasury announced in August that they would give $2.3 billion in tax credits to clean energy equipment manufacturers. But China is solidly behind its own contenders, and industry sources interviewed by the Times were sceptical of the ability of Western companies to hold their own in competition with Chinese solar products companies with their strong advantage, especially as to labour costs. Mr Bradsher noted that recent college graduates in engineering in China command starting salaries of only around $7,000 a year. Thomas M Zarrella, chief executive of GT Solar International (Merrimack, New Hampshire), which sells specialised factory equipment to solar panel makers worldwide, was prepared to concede the Chinese hegemony. “I don’t see Europe or the United States becoming major producers of solar products,” he told the Times . “They’ll be consumers.”
Automotive
An entrepreneur bets on Italian styling – Fioravanti, no less – for the products of Detroit
“I believe in the American economy,” Roland Martin, of Martin International Technologies, told the Detroit Free Press . “You can’t build a company’s future only on Chinese customers.” The new company, whose first US office will be in Los Angeles, plans to introduce renowned Italian design and engineering to US auto makers as they move to global vehicle platforms. As reported by Mark Phelan on freep.com, Mr Martin is working with Fioravanti, the Turin-based company that created the upcoming Lexus LF-A exotic sports car. This, together with classics (notably the Dino, Daytona, 308, and 348) designed by Leonardo Fioravanti during his time with Ferrari, will be high among Mr Martin’s credentials when he pitches Fioravanti’s consultant services to companies like General Motors and Ford. (“Firm Bets on US Market, Will Bring Italian Style,” 9 th August) Martin International Technologies grew out of a decision by Mr Martin’s former employer against opening a design office in Detroit, in favour of working with Chinese auto makers. Believing this to be a mistake, Mr Martin struck out on his own, at what he deems a propitious time. He expects the US recovery to be quicker and stronger than Europe’s because of its underlying strengths and the optimism that he sees as an element of the American character. “Europeans are always afraid tomorrow will be worse than today,” he told Mr Phelan. “Americans expect it to be better.” Mr Martin probably knows that optimism – his own and America’s – will take him only so far. His real stock-in-trade is the Fioravanti affiliation. As noted by the Free Press , so strong is the reputation of Leonardo Fioravanti in the Italian auto industry that Ferrari recently took the unusual step of permitting its iconic rampant-stallion badge to be fixed on a body designed by an independent: Fioravanti. The Japanese customer for the one-of-a-kind SP1 wanted a Ferrari, but requested styling by the creator of the earlier classics.
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EuroWire – January 2006 EuroWire – November 2 09
Whether this rarefied transaction will edify the battered auto makers of Detroit remains to be seen. Preliminary overtures by Mr Martin suggest an industry preoccupied, for now, with issues related to survival. But he is brimming with confidence and will renew his attack in six months or so, his views on the US vis-à-vis China intact. “China will grow, but China is not the whole world,” the Austrian-born Mr Martin told the Free Press . “I believe in the US economy. Some people in Europe think the American auto industry is done, but they are mistaken. The auto market and the overall economy will rebound.”
A breakthrough for the electric car: Tesla’s fast-off-the-mark ‘Roadster’ turns a monthly profit
In other news involving exotic automobiles, the technology- focused blog TechCrunch reported on 7 th August that, in July, the electric car manufacturer Tesla posted its first profit. The privately owned company, based in San Carlos, California, said it shipped 109 Roadsters in the month. The all-electric sports car with the homely name but the high price ($109,000) boosted Tesla to “approximately $1 million of earnings” on revenues of $20 million. The Roadster’s ability to reach a speed of 60 miles per hour in 4 seconds would make it competitive with some Porsches and Lamborghinis. Of more practical interest, the car’s reported fuel efficiency (100 miles per gallon of gasoline) is approximately double that of the hybrid Toyota Prius. Tesla’s introduction of the Roadster in June 2006 featured a test drive by California’s governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the company’s high-profile backers still lean toward showmanship. The latest Tesla dealership, in Manhattan, is located not on auto row but in the Chelsea art district – in a former art gallery inside a building full of galleries. But turning a profit on the Roadster represents a solid accomplishment, wrought from cost economies and stream- lined production methods. According to Andrew Heining of the ecology-centred blog Horizons, Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has succeeded in bringing down materials costs for the high-performance car from $140,000 to $80,000. Steady production of 20 to 30 Roadsters per week will support the company’s expanding network of outlets in major US cities and Europe. Tesla will also offer an all-electric sedan – at half the price of the Roadster – for which it has received a $465 million loan under the US Department of Energy’s $25 billion programme to help auto manufacturers. The money will go towards completing the development of the Modern S and its electric power trains. The car’s battery packs are being licensed to other car makers such as Mercedes, whose parent company Daimler has just paid $50 million for a 10% Tesla stake.
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EuroWire – November 2009
Transat lant ic Cable
Tesla said that the proceeds from the government loan, awarded in June, did not contribute in any way to the sterling results achieved by its Roadster in July.
Banking
Washington, which has its reasons, helps a Spanish company to buy a Texas bank In one of the largest US government-assisted deals involving a foreign company, Guaranty Bank (Austin, Texas) was sold on 22 nd August to Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA (BBVA), of Spain. Federal regulators seized the deeply troubled Texas lender and simultaneously brokered the sale of its branches as well as most of its deposits and assets to BBVA Compass, the Spanish bank’s American subsidiary. The US government will absorb most of the losses on $9.7 billion – more than 80% – of the Guaranty assets included in the transaction. Washington also agreed to take the bulk of the losses on all of Guaranty’s loans. While the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has been known to employ loss sharing as a deal sweetener, the offer to cover quite so much of a failed bank’s obligations is extraordinary, and such agreements are seldom made available to overseas buyers. Washington clearly had a strong interest in the resolution of the Guaranty Bank failure (the tenth largest in US history and the fourth largest since the financial crisis began last year) and in a smooth orchestration of the BBVA takeover, with its intimation of returning confidence in the financial system. Eric Dash, who covers banking for the International Herald Tribune , wrote that analysts say the BBVA deal may signal that the FDIC will henceforward be more open to bids from foreign banks. In the meantime, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria is as full of plans for its acquisition as any triumphant winning bidder. Guaranty Bank is to add another 103 branches in Texas and 59 in California, where BBVA has been trying to establish itself. That will bring the total of locations to 767 in seven Sun Belt states and make Guaranty the 15 th largest commercial bank in the nation, with some $49 billion in deposits. (“US Helps Spanish Company to Buy Texas Bank,” 21 st August) Along with its Spanish rival Banco Santander, BBVA has been expanding in fast-growing markets that have strong ties to Latin America. José Maria Garcia Meyer, the head of BBVA’s American operations, said in a statement that the Guaranty Bank transaction further demonstrates “BBVA’s clear commitment to building its US franchise.”
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Transat lant ic Cable
In brief . . .
Telecom
The European Union has reasserted its lead over the United ❈ ❈ States in the use of high-speed computer connections, making the Continent “the world leader in broadband Internet,” the European Commission said on 4 th August. Europe’s broadband lead over the US narrowed to about one percentage point after 2004, when countries from Eastern Europe joined the bloc, according to a spokesman for the commissioner who oversees the Internet. Martin Selmayr said the EU has since established a lead of three percentage points over the US, with 23% of European homes and businesses using fixed-line broadband as compared with 20% in the United States. Denmark has 37% equipage with high-speed Internet, the top percentage in the world, followed by the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, and Luxembourg, according to figures released by the European Commission. The United States ranks 17 th globally – at about the level of Spain. For her part, Commissioner Viviane Reding has said that the spread of Internet technology could help power Europe’s economic recovery, but she called upon EU member countries to ease the way for new entrants into telecommunications markets. A proposal under consideration in Congress would charge ❈ ❈ a $10 fee to some visitors to the United States, to help finance a new US programme to promote tourism. Sharply critical of the fee idea, the European Union’s ambassador to Washington, John Bruton, said in a 4 th September statement, “Only in ’Alice in Wonderland’ could a penalty be seen as promoting the activity on which it is imposed.” While residents of most European nations had long been permitted visa-free travel to the US, as of 2009 they are required to register online at least 72 hours before travelling and to re-register at two-year intervals. If the new congressional proposal were signed into law, these visitors would pay the fee when they register. A sponsor of the bill, RepWilliam Delahunt, of Massachusetts, dismissed EU objections to the “nominal fee” that is being advertised in the US as cost-free to the taxpayer. The money would go towards a travel promotion campaign run as a public-private partnership. Among its aims would be educating foreign visitors on US entry procedures, including online registration (with a $10 fee) for visa-free travel.
The purchase of Canada’s Nortel could expand Ericsson’s footprint in North America by up to 30%
Ericsson AB, of Sweden, the world’s largest maker of wireless phone networks, seems poised to acquire the wireless equipment unit of insolvent Nortel Networks Corp, of Canada, for US$1.13 billion, after beating bids from Finland-based Nokia Siemens Networks and the private equity firm MatlinPatterson Global Advisers LLC, of New York. When the outcome of the auction was announced, on 25 th July, reaction in Canada was swift – and, in some instances, bitter. Writing in the Toronto Star, business columnist David Olive asserted that the 114-year-old Canadian company would be paid a derisory sum for its most valuable business: “about half what Nortel was expecting the unit to fetch when it filed for bankruptcy protection in January and began a rapid dismantling of Canada’s long-time R&D flagship in fire-sale deals with foreign buyers.” (“Nortel a Sweet Deal for the Swedes,” 26 th July) Crucially, Ericsson is to inherit Nortel’s commanding position in CDMA, or code division multiple access, the standard of wireless networks serving over 50% of subscribers in the United States. Ericsson’s current strength is in GSM, or global system for mobile communications, the dominant wireless standard outside North America. Mr Olive wrote, “As a fading technology destined to disappear over the next decade, CDMA won’t require lavish R&D spending by Ericsson. Which means it throws off a lot of cash.” More important, he added, CDMA is the ideal “platform” from which the world’s telecoms will migrate to the next-generation wireless standard, LTE, or long-term evolution, “in which Nortel has a significant edge.” The Star ’s business columnist consoled himself with the observation that, because the deal with Nortel was not set to close until later in 2009, Ericsson did not have a lock on the prize. There was, he wrote shortly past mid-year, time for Nokia Siemens to trump Ericsson’s offer or for Waterloo-based Research in Motion Ltd, the BlackBerry smartphone maker, to launch a formal bid. The proposed deal is subject to regulatory and bankruptcy court approval in Canada, the US, and Europe, but if no other suitors present themselves, there would appear to be no impediment to the transaction. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said that it would be reviewed under the Investment Canada Act to ensure that it is “in Canada’s national interest,” but he ruled out any other intervention. If the deal succeeds it will almost double Stockholm-based Ericsson’s sales in North America, which would become the company’s biggest wireless market. Over the next two to five years, its share of that market could expand by almost 30%; its global share, by more than 5%.
Aviation
Continental Airlines switches over to Star Alliance. But how much will it help?
Having set a date of 24 th October for its withdrawal from the 11-member SkyTeam alliance, Continental Airlines would lose no time going it alone.
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Cleveland-region travellers on global itineraries will, of course, enjoy readier access to destinations worldwide; and the city and its environs will be more accessible to visitors from overseas as sister airlines connect them to the Continental network. But the presence of Chicago-based United Airlines in the Star Alliance line-up suggests a potential drawback of these compacts: two of the partners have overlapping routes, with an implied threat of reduced competition and service cutbacks on those routes. Continental spokesman David Messing assured the Plain Dealer that United’s Chicago hub posed no danger of that kind. His airline’s goal in joining Star, he said, is to increase volume on the network, which should result in more traffic to all hubs. Given the impact on major carriers, Continental among them, from the downturn in air travel, this would be a welcome development. But how realistic are such hopes? On 1 st September Continental, the fourth largest airline in the US as calculated by revenue passenger miles, estimated that its August traffic slid 3.9% on a 6% reduction in seat capacity, compared with August 2008. And United’s mainline capacity was down 8.9% in August from a month earlier. In contrast, according to Dow Jones Newswires , such low-cost carriers as US Airways said their business was improving.
The Texas-based airline announced its move on 27 th October to the Star Alliance, a transition meant to enable the carrier to broaden the options available to its passengers. With 21 new partners, including such majors as Scandinavian Airlines and Germany’s Lufthansa, Continental would seem able to deliver on its intention. Reporter Alison Grant of the Cleveland Plain Dealer noted the main benefit offered by airline alliances, those networks of connectivity and convenience. International passengers may accrue and consolidate frequent-flyer miles and redeem them with any carrier within the network. Member airlines, meanwhile, are able to extend their reach by routing “shared” passengers among the partners. (“Continental Airlines Switching to New Alliance of Carriers,” 18 th August) With Continental in the network, travellers on Star Alliance affiliates will gain a convenient point of departure to Europe via Continental’s hub in Newark (New Jersey), and to Latin America from the Continental hub in Houston. From a local perspective, Ms Grant wished to know what the Star Alliance connection portended for passengers using the airline’s hub in Cleveland.
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Transat lant ic Cable
The Charleston plant, bought by Boeing in July for ❈ ❈ $580 million plus about $420 million in debt forgiveness, is under consideration for expansion to accommodate a second assembly line for the Dreamliner. Acquisition of the plant, which also makes fuselage sections for the big plane, presumably offers Boeing a way to exert greater control over the production process and to resolve supplier problems. The prospect of the new line was welcome news in South Carolina, but the senators representing the state of Washington – home to Boeing production since 1916 – made plain that they will not willingly surrender any Boeing operation. “Our commitment to keeping Boeing in Washington has never wavered and never will,” reads a joint statement by the two senators. “The second line belongs in Washington State.” Wherever the new assembly line is sited, it will be in opera- tion by 2012, a Boeing spokesman said in August. A decision on the location is expected by the end of 2009. Dorothy Fabian – USA Editor
A spokeswoman for Boeing told the Times that the company had not disclosed the problem when it arose because it was not expected to affect the production schedule or the cost of the Dreamliner programme overall. She said the company had created an external patch to be applied to the skin of the mid-fuselage section of each of the first 23 Dreamliners sold. A permanent fix to the wrinkle problem was to be found for aircraft produced later. The stop-production order was delivered on the same day in June when Boeing announced its most recent postponement of the first flight of the 787, attributed to a structural flaw where the wings join the fuselage. Technical sources consulted by FlightBlogger said that the two problems and their fixes appear to be entirely separate issues. Alenia Aeronautica, a subsidiary of the Italian conglomerate ❈ ❈ Finmeccanica, had been building fuselages for the Dream- liner at a specially built factory in Grottaglie, Italy. From there, the fuselages were shipped to a Boeing plant in Charleston, South Carolina, aboard a modified 747. The first repairs to a 787, involving the addition of new layers of carbon composite material, were to be done in Charleston. The 22 other planes to be patched will be treated there and at factories in Italy and in Everett, Washington.
wire Düsseldorf 2010
Don’t forget to book your advertising for the wire Düsseldorf preview and show issues Advertising deadlines are: Preview issue (January) – 16 th November 2009 Show issue (March) – 1 st February 2010
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EuroWire – November 2009
technology news
Wooden drums find newmarkets Wooden drums with capacities up to 50,000kg are available from August Hildebrandt ▲ ▲
The main advantage of wooden drums is the short delivery time (2-4 weeks), the flexible drum design and a cost of up to 45% less than comparable steel drums. Markets in the Middle and Far East, and cable manufacturers in Africa, Arabia and India are showing interest in the drums, attracted by consistent construction standards and the technical support offered to their cable factories. End users are recognising that their products are becoming increasingly sensitive while transport distances are longer than ever. This means that greater demands are made on packaging.
August Hildebrandt has developed a new construction design for wooden drums, now producing wooden drums with a maximum loading capacity of 50,000kg. This new design has been developed in co-operation with Prof Dr G Jahnke of the University of Wismar. With this new feature August Hildebrandt Cabledrums provides a new area of wooden drums, able to replace steel drums for offshore, umbilical systems or high voltage projects with greater length and weight of cable. August Hildebrandt has successfully completed a large project for 64 wooden drums of 40t capacity for one of the leading manufacturers of umbilical systems in UK. “The relationship will be continued,” said a spokesperson from August Hildebrandt’s client.
August Hildebrandt sources solely north European wood.
August Hildebrandt GmbH Kabeltrommeln – Germany Fax : +49 385 64 530 66 Website : www.cabledrum.com
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EuroWire – November 2009
technology news
Extra large planetary stranders
Fluoropolymer compounds
A new concept in wire mesh and screen technology is said to overcome the limitations of traditional mesh products based on a square or rectangle. New 3WF® (waved welded wire fabric) technology, developed from a physics theory by Ghattas Y Koussaifi and based on the research of two scientists, Gaspar Coriolis and Denys Fisher, offers a solution that the developer believes will “move the industry forward. “ The attractive mesh designs produced using 3WF can be used as fences, screens, partitions and decorative items. The production process is based on an arithmetic equation that facilitates the design of an unlimited number of mesh patterns, produced from one continuous wire formed to shape and welded at intersection points, without cutting the wire during the production process. 3WF panels are ornamental but also rigid, providing security at a reasonable price. 3WF patterns or styles range from hand drawn designs to highly complex Early in 2009, SKET supplied another two planetary stranders for armouring cables with steel wire. One of these MKRD type machines with two cages can be operated in both the single (72 bobbins) and tandem (138 bobbins) mode, whereas the other consists of an 88-bobbin cage, each bobbin having a flange diameter of 800mm, for stranding steel wires of up to 10mm diameter. Maximum finished diameter of the cables armoured on this machine exceeds 250mm. SKET Verseilmaschinenbau GmbH offers a broad range of cage-type stranding machines for producing both cable and steel wire ropes with and without back twist. The company specialises in cage stranders for the production of submarine power cables, as well as for long and heavy steel ropes, and has supplied several large-sized stranders of this type. At the end of 2008, the company supplied what is thought to be the world’s largest cage-type stranding machine for the production of power cables. The MKVD machine is suitable for stranding cores with a 1200mm² cross-sectional area into cables with a maximum diameter of 240mm and can be operated either with or without back twist. The full bobbins in the stranding cages weigh 20 or 50 tonnes, some of them having flange diameters of more than 4,000mm.
curves (convex and concave), angles (obtuse, acute, and right) and straight lines (vertical and diagonal). Mesh can be produced to different specifications in terms of wire diameter, height length, mesh size and wire type (galvanized, black or stainless steel). 3WF’s patent covers concept, technology, machine and product, which gives solid protection and indicates the significance of this development. The patterns are registered industrial designs. The 3WF concept, offering ornamental design and security at a relatively afford- able price, can solve the conflict between cost and aesthetics when specifying security fencing. The developer of 3WF is keen to find worldwide licensees for this technology. 3WFWavedWeldedWire Fabric – Lebanon Fax : +961 9 621444 Colorant a full range of colour concentrates, compounds, pigment dispersions and inks for processors of fluoropolymers and high performance plastics. Colorant Chromatics’ extensive melt- processable product line includes colour concentrates and compounds for polymers including FEP, ETFE, PFA, PVdF, ECTFE, MFA, THV, PEEK, and PES. Colour concentrates are offered in various pigment strengths and resin viscosities to assure optimal performance in the end use manufacturing process. In addition to the Colorant Chromatics standard line of colours and compounds, the company offers special services including colour matching, pre-colouring, and custom compounding. The company also supplies a full range of pigment dispersions for PTFE extrusion, as well as printing and striping inks for FEP, ETFE, PFA, PVdF, PTFE, PEEK and polyimide. Colorant Chromatics AG – Switzerland Fax : +41 41 741 0102 Email : international@colorantchromatics.com Website : www.colorantchromatics.com Chromatics produces
The MKVD cage-type stranding machine ▲ ▲ for power cables
The line, including the stranding cage and all associated assemblies delivered by SKET, has an overall length of more than 90m and weighs 250 tonnes. SKET Verseilmaschinenbau GmbH – Germany Fax : +49 391 40558 37
Email : info@ sketvmb.de Website : www.sketvmb.de
Welded wire fabric said to offer almost unlimited design choices
Typical example of the 3WF technique ▲ ▲
computer aided designs. The different patterns are grouped into families to suit any taste, purpose or customer need. Using the 3WF concept each panel design can be made up of several segments, and for each segment there is an almost unlimited number of alternatives available. For example, a pattern divided into five segments, with 20 designs for each segment offers around 3 million mesh design alternatives. Every segment can have designs varying between
Email : info@gkwire.com Website : www.3wf.com
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