EuroWire January 2019

Diary of Events, Corporate News, Transatlantic Cable, Technology News, TEL 2019, Dies, Cones and Die Maintenance, Focus on Turkey and Technical Article

Bright start to the new year for the industry

As we start 2019, looking to a bright future for the wire and cable industry is one feature that is at the forefront in this January issue of EuroWire . We may be a little over a year away, but wire 2020 is already making the headlines with a special fasteners and springs section already planned for the exhibition in Düsseldorf, Germany. And registration for the event, being staged from 30 th March to 3 rd April, gets underway at the end of this month. See page 10 for more details. Across the Atlantic, signs are also encouraging as IWCS saw record attendance numbers in all aspects of the conference, staged in Rhode Island, USA, in October. Overall registration increased by some 20 per cent, attendance at professional development courses doubled in comparison to recent years, and exhibition attendance saw an increase in numbers. For a full round-up, turn to page 11.

combined facility improvements and added sta to improve e ciencies, increase quality and lower prices. Details are on page 12. And continuing with investments, UK company Cimteq – a business software andprocess control consultancy for the cable industry – has also announced an injectionof £2.5mtohelp it to continue to expand and grow. The full story is on page 21. An introduction to the TEL exhibition in Turkey, being staged at the end of February, can be found on page 36, and we o er

a glimpse into that country’s wire and cable industry with our special feature, Focus on Turkey, starting on page 42. This popular feature makes a return this year and will be looking at other countries over the next ve issues.

David Bell Editor

Staying in the USA, Sjogren has invested some $3m in

Publishing Team

Editor:

................................................................................................................................David Bell

Features Editor (USA):

.....................................................................................................................Dorothy Fabian

Editorial assistant:

..................................................................................................................Christian Bradley

Design/Production:

............................................................................................................................Julie Tomlin

Production:

..............................................................................................................................Lisa Wright

Sales & Marketing: UK & ROW sales.............................................................................................Jason Smith (International) Italian speaking sales...................................................................Giuliana Benedetto Chinese speaking sales ............................................................................................Linda Li Advertisement Coordinator: ..............................................................................................................................Liz Hughes Accounts Manager: ................................................................................................................................ Julie Case Subscriptions: ................................................................................................................................Julie Case Publisher: ....................................................................................................................Caroline Sullens Founder: ..........................................................................................................................John C Hogg

* US$33 purchase only Front cover: Fortuna Federn See page 76 for further details US copies only : EuroWire (ISSN 1463-2483, USPS No: 022-738) is published six times a year, January, March, May, July, September and November by Intras Ltd and distributed in the USA by UKP Worldwide, 3390 Rand Road, South Plain eld, NJ 07080. Periodicals postage paid at Rahway, NJ and at additional mailing o ces. POSTMASTER : Send address changes to EuroWire, Intras Ltd, C/O 3390 Rand Road, South Plain eld NJ 07080. www.read-eurowire.com © 2019 Intras Ltd, UK ISSN 1463-2438

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January 2019

bigstockphoto.com, “Turkish flag and Galata Tower, Istanbul, Turkey”, by Givaga

Regulars

Market News

8

Deutsch Inhalt 51

Diary of events

Neuigkeiten

76

Inserentenverzeichnis

9

Corporate News

Содержание на русском языке 56 Ηοвости рьінка 76

24

Transatlantic Cable

Перечень рекламодателей

28

Technology News

Sommaire Français 61

36

TEL Fair 2019

Nouvelles du Marché Index des Annonceurs

76

38

Dies, cones and die maintenance

Indice Italiano 66

Notizie del Mercato

42

Focus on Turkey

76

Indice degli Inserzionisti

76

Editorial Index

Indice Español 71

Noticias de Mercado Indice de Anunciadores

76

76

Advertisers Index

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January 2019

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Technical Articles

63

Résoudre des problèmes complexes tout en personnalisant les câbles pour réduire les coûts d’installation Par Welch McCollough, David A Seddon et Mike Gimblet, Corning Optical Communications, Hickory, Caroline du Nord, États-Unis Risoluzione di problemi complessi durante la personalizzazione di cavi per ridurre i costi di installazione A cura di Welch McCollough, David A Seddon e Mike Gimblet, Corning Optical Communications, Hickory, North Carolina, Stati Uniti Resolución de problemas complejos durante la personalización de cables para reducir los costes de instalación Por Welch McCollough, David A Seddon y Mike Gimblet, Corning Optical Communications, Hickory, Carolina del Norte, EE.UU.

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Solving di cult problems while customising cables to reduce installation cost By Welch McCollough, David A Seddon and Mike Gimblet, Corning Optical Communications, Hickory, North Carolina, USA Lösung komplizierter Probleme während der Kundenanpassung von Kabeln zur Reduzierung der Installationskosten von Welch McCollough, David A Seddon und Mike Gimblet, Corning Optical Communications, Hickory, North Carolina, USA Решение сложных проблем при адаптации кабелей для снижения стоимости установки Уэлч МакКоллоу, Дэвид А. Седдон и Майк Гимблет, Corning Optical Communications, Хикори, Северная Каролина, США

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January 2019

Dates for your diary. . .

TEL 2019 28 February-2 March: TEL – trade exhibition – Istanbul, Turkey Organisers : Voli Fuar Hizmetleri

2019

March

5-7 March: Cables 2019 – conference and technical programme – Düsseldorf, Germany AMI Cables – conference – Düsseldorf, Germany Organisers : AMI Tel : +44 117 314 8111 Website : www.ami.international

Fax : +90 212 604 5051 Email : info@voli.com.tr Website : http://tel-fair.com

May

13-16 May: Interwire – trade exhibition – Atlanta,

Georgia, USA Organisers : Wire Association International Fax : +1 203 453 8384 Email : sales@wirenet.org Website : www.wirenet.org

June

18-20 June: wire Russia – trade exhibition – Moscow, Russia Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf Fax : +7 499 246 9277 Email : info@wire-russia.com Website : www.wire-russia.com

September

18-20 September: wire Southeast Asia – trade exhibition – Bangkok, Thailand Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf Asia Pte Ltd Fax : +65 6337 4633 Email : wire@mda.com.sg Website : www.wire-southeastasia.com 29 September-2 October: IWCS – technical symposium – Charlotte, North Carolina, USA Organisers : IWCS Tel : +1 717 993 9500 Website : www.iwcs.org

October

1-3 October: wire South America – trade exhibition – São Paulo, Brazil Organisers : Messe Düsseldorf GmbH Fax : +49 211 4560 668 Email : info@wire-south-america.com Website : www.wire-south-america.com

Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com “Yeni Mosque or NewMosque, Istanbul, Turkey” Photographer: lira_joggi

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Corporate News

▲ ▲ The Hybrit Development pilot plant for fossil-free steel in Luleå, Sweden

Fossil-free ironmaking pilot plant in Sweden

which has a long tradition of supplying industrial plants for DRI-production, will supply selected process key equipment for direct reduction ironmaking. By using state-of-the-art production technology as a starting point, we will more quickly reach our goal of a fossil-free future.” The pilot plant is designed for the purpose of developing production of DRI using hydrogen, a crucial process step in the future fossil-free steel-making production route. The plant will be located in Luleå, Sweden, and is expected to begin operations in 2020. Tenova – Italy Website : www.tenova.com

with virtually no carbon footprint. The Hybrit Initiative set specific targets toward the construction and operation of a pilot plant with the aim to test hydrogen as reducing agent in the production of direct reduced iron (DRI). “I am particularly excited and proud of being part of this project,” said Stefano Maggiolino, Tenova HYL CEO. “Tenova puts innovation, safety and sustainability at the core of its technological inno- vations and products and Tenova HYL represents the state of the art in DR plants design, reliable operation, environmental friendliness and economy.” Mårten Görnerup, CEO of Hybrit Development AB, added: “Tenova HYL,

HYBRIT Development chose Tenova’s DRI solution to develop the world’s first fossil-free steel-making technology with virtually no carbon footprint. Hybrit Development selected Tenova, a specialist in innovative solutions for the metals and mining industries, as supplier of selected process equipment, for direct reduction ironmaking, for its pilot plant for fossil-free steel in Luleå, Sweden. In 2016, the Hybrit Initiative for fossil-free steel-making was established with the aim to replace coking coal, traditionally needed for ore-based steel-making, with hydrogen in order to obtain a fossil-free steel-making process route

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Corporate News

Special section planned for fasteners and springs at wire 2020

Apart from the automotive industry and its OEMs, the principal buyers of fasteners are producers of household appliances, electrical equipment and furniture, the construction industry as well as machinery, apparatus and steel engineering. There are also new target groups with different demands. Industrial springs including coil springs, torsion springs, disc springs and helical springs used in the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, the electrical industry, building technology, optics, office equipment, toys and in the fittings industry will also be on show at wire 2020 for the first time. The global spring market is expected to have had a volume of slightly more than $20 billion in 2016 and to grow at an average annual growth rate of 5.1 per cent to more than $32 billion between 2017 and 2025.

of the product range guarantees wire an additional mainstay with growth potential from 2020,” said Friedrich-Georg Kehrer, global portfolio director metals and flow technologies at Messe Düsseldorf. The market volume for fasteners destined for the automotive industry alone is expected to have reached around $20 billion globally in 2017, almost $21.5 billion in 2018, and to grow at an average annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.4 per cent to over $25 billion by 2025. Deutscher Schraubenverband eV (DSV – German Screw Federation), 796,000 tons of fasteners worth €3.3 billion were produced in Germany in 2017, one of the leading producing and exporting countries for screws and fasteners. The same year the country imported 895,000 tons of fasteners. The German screw-making industry comprises some 50 manufacturers with a total of about 8,000 employees. According to the

A NEW feature at wire 2020 in Düsseldorf, Germany, will be the separate fasteners and springs exhibition areas. Exhibitor registration for the event starts at the end of January. Messe Düsseldorf, organisers of wire – which runs from 30 th March to 3 rd April 2020 – observed the developments in national and international markets for some time and talked to exhibitors and potential customers – always with a view to being close to the market and able to respond to current needs of the wire and cable industries. With these two new fasteners and springs exhibition areas, Messe Düsseldorf responds to market requirements while closing the gap between machinery, plant, raw materials and finished products at the same time. “The finished products fasteners and springs are especially ideal complements for the machinery, equipment and raw materials we presented at wire in Düsseldorf so far. This expansion

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH – Germany Website : www.wire.de

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Corporate News

OCTOBER’S IWCS saw record attendance numbers in all aspects of the conference. Overall registration increased by more than 20 per cent above the average of recent years; participation in the professional development courses doubled against recent years; and there was an increased attendance at the exhibition, all staged in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. “[2018’s] IWCS in Providence exceeded all of our expectations,” said Scott H Wasserman, PhD, of the Dow Chemical Company and chairman of IWCS. “The energy and enthusiasm for our programme was unmistakable and the presence of new people and companies was great for us to see. “The strength of our technical programme and professional development courses drew consistently large audiences and we are optimistic that the momentum we see here will lead to similarly large audiences in Shanghai, China, and Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, [in 2019].” Mr Wasserman added: “We are especially proud of the dynamic and effective presence that we have on our various social media platforms and expect that those efforts, as well as our webinar series, will provide an exceptional number of touch points for our technical audience to get engaged and stay engaged with us throughout the year.” Record-breaking IWCS!

with eight professional development courses led by industry experts over the four days of the symposium. These included 29 poster papers and 12 new product introductions. The conference also offered a two-day supplier exhibition with 105 exhibitors. The exhibits included innovations to support the growth and advancements in the cable and connectivity industry. IWCS – USA Website : www.iwcs.org

IWCS 2018 Providence had over 160 unique presentations, along

▲ ▲ The plenary session at IWCS

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January 2019

Corporate News

Investments in the future

Cables summoned to Athens city hall

CONTINUING its legacy of innovation developed throughout the last 90 years, Sjogren Industries has made significant investments to ensure continued growth over the next century as well. Sjogren investments have totalled over $3 million in combined facility improvements and added personnel to improve efficiencies, increase quality, and lower prices for its customers. • Increasing the engineering department with the hiring of a senior mechanical engineer and a 3D AutoCAD designer • New horizontal and vertical CNC milling machines to improve automation • Addition of QC equipment including comparators and hardness testers to improve quality The addition of new machines from Shimada, Matsura and Okuma has improved quality and consistency while also allowing Sjogren to recognise 5,000-plus unattended hours without having to reduce the number of direct labour personnel. Improvements include:

Nexans has supplied Athens City Hall in Greece with fibre to the office (FTTO) infrastructure, including fibre-optic cabling, connectivity and LANactive switches and software. It is thought that this will provide an energy saving of between 42 and 45 per cent. Nexans’ physical infrastructure was chosen to provide high-speed Internet connection and advanced IT-based services, using fibre-optic technology inside and outside the building. The indoor fibre cables with micro-bundles and accessories were coupled with connectivity and LANactive FTTO switches as well as the LANactive Nexman management software. halogen-free fibre-optic cables were designed for reduced volume, allowing for ease of installation in the restricted space available. In early 2018 the Athens municipality launched a digital roadmap to modernise the Internet infrastructure of the city. Nexans – France Website : www.nexans.com The fire-resistant and

These investments will allow the company to continue and advance its commitment to producing only the highest quality components and assemblies.

With a self-contained production process that does not rely on outsource providers, Sjogren can accommodate rushed orders for wear parts, custom machine replacement rollers or puller jaws to any specifications, and manage limited production runs.

Sjogren Industries – USA Website : www.sjogren.com

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Corporate News

Regional workshop success for WAI

“The increasing interest in the programme led WAI to test the format in Texas, where two nearby companies, Encore Wire, and Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp graciously hosted facility tours to round out the educational schedule,” said Steven Fetteroll, WAI executive director. Marc Murray, WAI’s director of education and member services, said: “The popularity of the course shows us that the demand for basic wire and cable manufacturing information is high and it likely reflects the turnover in manufacturing jobs at industry plants.” Ten instructors covered these topics: Mechanics of wiredrawing; drawing dies; wiredrawing lubricants; wire breaks and surface damage; stranding cable; cleaning and coating of rod and wire; extrusion; basics of electrical testing; ferrous heat treatment; used machinery; manufacturing problem solving; testing and properties; and ferrous metallurgy. Positive results have prompted WAI leadership to consider offering a similar stand-alone format at additional locations in 2019. The course will be offered again as a curriculum staple at WAI’s 89 th annual convention during Interwire in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, on 13 th May this year.

THE Wire Association International (WAI) Inc reports its long-running and content-refined Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing course garnered participation from 105 wire and cable industry professionals at its first regional workshop in a stand-alone format in Texas, USA. Course attendance has risen steadily over the years at WAI’s annual conventions.

Wire Association International – USA Website : www.wirenet.org

▲ ▲ Peter Blackford, Thomas Maxwell Jr, Erik Macs and David Gzesh, some of the instructors at the Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing course in Texas

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Corporate News

New look and branding for Web Industries

A REBRANDING initiative designed to cultivate relationships, trust and transparency with customers, prospects and suppliers has been launched by Web Industries, an employee-owned precision converter and outsource manufacturer serving the aerospace, medical, personal and home care, and industrial markets. According to Kevin Young, vice president of corporate development: “Our rebranding is transformational. It changes our entire approach and way of thinking. Central to the rebrand’s implementation is fine-tuning Web’s work culture from one that places precision converting and outsource manufacturing services at its mission’s core to one that values reciprocal trust among Web, its customers and suppliers above all other priorities. “This demands extensive training and total commitment to put into practice. Essentially, we are capitalising on the words of our founder, Bob Fulton, who said ‘The essence of life is relationships.’ “At Web Industries, our ideal is to inspire ingenuity through the power of close relationships, an increasingly critical value in today’s manufacturing world,”Mr Young added. “Our rebrand will help create a platform for building tighter bonds. Ultimately, our customers will benefit from the reassurance that comes from doing business with a company whose brand signifies not only technical expertise, but trust as well.”

of the business’s market sectors. For example, the redesigned website has more in-depth channels for each market segment – aerospace, medical, personal and home care, and industrial. Data has been added that will help visitors better understand how Web listens to customers’ needs, understands their challenges and works with them to develop unique solutions for their particular converting and outsource manufacturing needs. The site’s services and products channel hosts process optimisation services, outsource manufacturing services and speciality products pages, each with detailed coverage. The channels and other new features make the site more organised and easier to navigate than its predecessor. ▲ ▲ Some of the team at Web Industries following the company’s rebranding

Web Industries – USA Website : www.webindustries.com

The rebrand will yield immediate benefits to customers in each

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Corporate News

First coil on mill upgrade

THE first coil has been produced on a reverse cold mill (RCM) modernised by Primetals Technologies at the cold rolling plant of Chinese steel producer Magang (Group) Holding Co (Masteel). The mill at the Maanshan production site represents the first upgrade to a hyper universal crown (UC) mill. Hyper UC mills employ smaller diameter work rolls, so reducing rolling loads. This allows for the production of harder and thinner materials with improved product quality. In addition, the mill concept saves investment and maintenance costs. The upgrade enables Masteel to meet the growing demand for electrical steels, spurred by increasing requirements for use in vehicle electrification. Masteel’s iron and steel complex in China’s Anhui province has production lines for thin strip cold-rolling and thin strip hot-rolling, strip hot-galvanising, strip colour coating, wire and rod.

▲ ▲ The cold rolling plant of Chinese steel producer Magang (Group) Holding Co (Masteel) following the upgrade by Primetals Technologies. Photograph courtesy of Primetals

The upgraded RCM processes silicon steel grades with product thicknesses between 0.3mm and 0.65mm, in a 900mm to 1,280mm width range.

Primetals Technologies to achieve high performances of strip gauge and flatness control for high strength steel rolling.

Primetals Technologies Ltd – UK Website : www.primetals.com

The Hyper UC mill was developed by

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Corporate News

GMH’s order for 4D Eagle measurement gauge

The 4D Eagle will replace an existing light measurement gauge and will be installed at the exit of the existing Kocks RSB® 370/6. It will cover a production diameter range from 19.5mm to 81mm at rolling speeds up to 13m/s. The project target is to increase the reliability and consistency of the hot bar profile measurement under ever-changing production conditions.

GEORGSMARIENHÜTTE (GMH) Germany has placed an order with Friedrich Kocks, Germany, for the supply of a 4D Eagle® full profile measurement gauge. Its working principle is based on the most advanced laser light sectioning method.

Furthermore, the 4D Eagle® will provide profile data to the RSB® Size Control System (SCS®) for closed-loop process control.

The 4D Eagle also features rolling defect detection. This feature enables an auto recognition of form deviations as well as occurring rolling defects such as roll breakage or roller failures. The new 4D Eagle will further improve the process transparency as well supporting the further optimisation of the product quality.

Commissioning of the new 4D Eagle light section measurement gauge was scheduled for the end of 2018.

Friedrich Kocks GmbH & Co KG – Germany Website : www.kocks.de

▲ ▲ A Kocks 4D Eagle profile measurement gauge

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Corporate News

Decalub green cleaning TecHnOlOgieS FOcuS On: Wire Cleaning ( for plating and high glossy finish )

Wire Rod Lubrication ( for frictionless drawing )

Breakdown mill ▲ ▲ The new production line at the Kirov plant of Russian producer OCM

Rod Dry Preparation ( with no speed limit )

a belt wrapper to coil the finished strip to spools. Together with a finishing rolling mill, installed in 2008, OCM will now perform the complete copper cold-rolling process, from a maximum incoming strip thickness of 16mm down to foil-finished products of minimum 0.025mm, on Danieli Fröhling technology. OCM expects to increase its domestic market share by up to 55 per cent as a result of its investment. The new production line was launched by local region governor Igor Vasiliev, together with management from UMMC-OMC and Danieli Fröhling. Danieli Fröhling – Germany Website : www.danieli-froehling.de

A NEW mill, believed to be among the most advanced in the world, will guarantee the highest quality of rolled copper strip for the Russian producer OCM and its Kirov plant. The four-high copper breakdown mill is fitted with the latest equipment and based on the most advanced rolling technologies. It will produce copper strips up to 1,050mm wide, at finished thicknesses between 5mm and 0.5mm.

DECALUB 31, avenue de Condé 77500 CHELLES, FRANCE E-mail: info@decalub.com Website: www.decalub.com

Proton Products Inc has appointed Greg Goss as sales manager, based in Sharpsburg, Georgia, USA. Grant Latimer, president, said: “Greg has a long affiliation with the wire and cable industry having worked at Southwire, then we both worked for Beta Instruments in the late 1990s and Beta LaserMike in the early 2000s. Greg has also represented Proton Products as an independent sales representative for a number of years and brings with him a huge breadth of knowledge and experience of instrumentation and control systems, which are designed and developed for wire and cable applications. knowledge and understanding of laser doppler non-contact speed and length measurement, laser scanning and CCD diameter gauges, spark testers, eccentricity gauges and pre-heaters. Process knowledge and being a practical hands-on person is exactly what we look for at Proton. Customers come Besides breakdown rolling to prepare incoming material for the downstream finishing mill, the design is focused on direct production of finished strip. Special design features include flatness measurement and control, a special strip drying system for the finishing pass, and New sales manager at Proton “Greg brings a deep

▲ ▲ Greg Goss

first always, that means our team must have the skills to be able to support our customers; that may be in product selection, start up, operation and even service if needed.” Proton Products Inc – USA Website : www.protonproducts.com

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January 2019

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Corporate News

£2.5m investment in Cimteq

FORESIGHT Group LLP has invested £2.5 million into Cimteq Limited, enabling the company to take the next step in its development and expansion over the next few years. Foresight is an independent infrastructure and private equity investment manager that has been investing in technology companies for over 30 years. Ali Shehab established Cimteq in 1998 to provide business software implementation and process control consultancy to the cable manufacturing industry, using his extensive experience and passion for improving productivity and streamlining the manufacturing process, to develop CableBuilder and CableMES. The company operates from its head office in Wrexham, Wales, with a global reach, delivering software solutions for the cable manufacturing industry to companies worldwide including in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. With over half a century of experience in the cable manufacturing industry, Ali Shehab, CEO, and Amanda Shehab, director, will both continue to manage the company with additional senior resource including a highly experienced incoming non-executive chairman, Bryan Taylor, and a new finance director. Ali Shehab, CEO, said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for Cimteq. We have seen the company grow steadily from its conception in 1998. We are thrilled that this investment enables us to take the company into the next phase of development, with huge growth expected in the next few years.”

▲ Ali and Amanda Shehab, centre, with some of the team at Cimteq

Amanda Shehab added: “Cimteq has come a long way in the last 20 years. We want to take this opportunity to thank our current customers, some of whom we have worked with for many years. “We build strong relationships with our customers and tailor our solutions to individual customer requirements to ensure that they gain the maximum benefit from our software solutions. This recent development will enable us to build on the high levels of customer service we already provide and enhance our expertise in this sector.” Cimteq Ltd – UK Website : www.cimteq.com

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Corporate News

“The key is communication”

SIKORA pursues a growth strategy of diversification and, in addition to the wire and cable market, is active in four other business areas. How important is the wire and cable market for the company? The wire and cable market is one of our core markets. Since 1973, we have been providing our customers with innovative measuring and control devices to optimise production lines with regard to costs, quality andmaterial consumption. According to requirements, we have been sharpening our profile and extending our product portfolio through the years. 45 years ago, we started with optical diameter and eccentricity measuring devices for insulating and sheathing lines. This was followed by laser measuring systems for diameter measurement of cables as well as measuring systems based on X-ray technology for wall thickness measurement of the insulation of high voltage cables. Customer requirements gave, in particular, impulses for technological innovations. Therefore, manufacturers of high voltage

Harry Prunk has been working for Sikora since 1975, and therefore is one of the company’s first employees. Today, he is a member of the managing board and supervises the business fields of wire and cable, optical fibre as well as hose and tube, and is responsible for sales, marketing and service.

How do you inform customers about new technologies and how do you start up a dialogue? What does communicationmean for your company? The key to a good customer relationship is communication. All forms of communication have their value but personal dialogue is essential. Therefore, Sikora established its first subsidiary 27 years ago. The Sikora teams in the subsidiaries have a strong understanding of customer processes, their requirements as well as the corresponding solutions offered by the company. Furthermore, they speak with customers in their native language and customer satisfaction is their main objective. Ten of 14 subsidiaries have their own service department. Sikora AG – Germany Website : www.sikora.net

cables benefit, for example, from our measuring systems for dimension measurement and control of cables in CV lines. Furthermore, with our inspection, analysis and sorting technologies we offer manufacturers the possibility to inspect online and offline the purity of the material that is used for the cable insulation, as product quality starts withmaterial purity. We see the production process as one whole and invest our knowledge where customers expect solutions. By developing new business areas, such as the plastics market, we create a win-win situation for our customers as they benefit from the variety of our technologies as well as the know-how we gathered from other markets. In addition, we also promote new and further developments of technologies within each of the business divisions.

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2019 Media Pack

Corporate News

Lubricating cranes at

LUBRICANT specialist Metalube has supplied environmentally friendly, biodegradable lubricants for the lifting cranes employed to build the multi-billion dollar, 55km bridge linking Hong Kong to Macau. As one of the world’s longest sea bridges, there was a need to ensure that products used in building the bridge structures over open ocean were biodegradable and wouldn’t cause harm to the environment. Metalube’s Ropetek WRD 40-1 is one of few products on the market able to deliver high quality lubrication whilst remaining environmentally friendly. As such, Ropetek WRD 40-1 was used throughout the bridge’s construction. Ropetek WRD 40-1 provides effective lubrication and corrosion protection to the steel ropes of the floating cranes, enabling greater rope longevity whilst also protecting the sea water environments. The product is known for its resistance to moisture and oxidation which protects against corrosion-induced failure. It also has high-load carrying solids that minimise friction and wear between wires and strands. WRD 40-1’s resistance to water prevents the lubricant being washed from the rope, making it a suitable solution for the floating lifting cranes. Metalube exports 95 per cent of its production to over 90 countries worldwide and has offices in Manchester, UK; Dubai, UAE; Mumbai, India; São Paulo, Brazil; and Shanghai, China. In Manchester the company has a fully integrated lubricant manufacturing facility including new laboratories. Research and development are key to the business and it is constantly investing in the Metalube Technology Centre, ensuring technical excellence and innovation across its entire range of products and services. Metalube Ltd – UK Website : www.metalube.co.uk China’s new mega bridge

▲ Part of the 55km bridge linking Hong Kong to Macau

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Transatlantic Cable

The SAFER proposal would reverse the Obama administration nding that more fuel-e cient cars would save owners money over the course of their use, claiming instead that fuel-conservation technology will raise the cost of new cars and keep more consumers driving older models that lack advanced safety features. † Reporting on a 1 st November interview, Mr Evarts of The Car Connection quoted California Governor Jerry Brown as calling the SAFER proposal “profoundly misguided and dangerous.” Mr Brown said further that Trump administration o cials “are continuing their war not only on science but [also] on common sense.” California moreover considers the SAFER proposal illegal and, together with more than 16 other states, has led a lawsuit to block it. Elsewhere in automotive . . . † BMW said on 30 th October that the battery packs for the group’s second electric vehicle, the Mini, will come from its plant in Dingol ng, Germany. As reported by Daniel Patrascu in Autoevolution , preparations for the provisional launch of the Mini EV later this year will involve a major overhaul of the facility. Some 65,000 square feet of space will be given over to the new battery assembly line. According to Green Car Reports , BMW also has plans to build a supply chain to recycle used battery cells into new packs through a partnership with a new battery supplier in Sweden and a Belgian recycling rm. Those batteries will not become available until supplier Northvolt completes its battery factory in Sweden and until a su cient supply of used batteries from old BMW electric models becomes available.

Automotive

California strongly repudiates a ‘profoundly misguided and dangerous’ Trump administration proposal on emissions standards to be the opening salvo in a very long battle”

The reference, by Eric C Evarts of The Car Connection , was to the late-October release by California of its 400-page denunciation of the plan by the administration of US President Donald Trump to freeze fuel economy standards and revoke the state’s statutory right to set its own limits on vehicle emissions. ( “California Girds for Battle With EPA Over Fuel Economy,” 2 nd November ) California’s vigorous response was prompted by its objection to the Safer A ordable Fuel E cient Vehicles Rule (SAFER) proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Tra c Safety Administration (NHTSA). The new policy would undo fuel-economy directives put in place by the Obama administration to reduce automotive emissions of carbon dioxide. Wrote Mr Evarts, “The SAFER proposal . . . e ectively undoes the Obama-era agreement entirely – along with 50 years of legal precedent.” He pointed out that the California statement, rst released in draft form to the Washington Post , calls the SAFER proposal “a contrived solution to justify a predetermined outcome.” Finalising SAFER would, it said, “worsen air quality for the most vulnerable, waste billions of gallons of gasoline, forfeit our best chance to ght climate change, and result in years of uncertainty in the marketplace.” The EPA and NHTSA concur that man-made carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions cause global warming, with its attendant danger to human health. But they argue that the problem is unavoidable and that stricter fuel economy standards in the US will do little to mitigate it. † California asserts this to be “a nihilistic and fatalistic view that future generations will necessarily be subject to a climate in which human civilisation as it currently exists is impossible.” It further claims that the SAFER cost gures do not “re ect reality” or “pass basic tests of mathematical and statistical rigour.”

Image: www.bigstockphoto.com Photographer Adrian Grosu

Energy

A futuristic but solidly based projection: ‘Batteries are going to permeate our lives’ “The battery boom is coming to China, California and basically everywhere else – and it will be even bigger than previously

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Transatlantic cable

thought.” Brian Eckhouse of Bloomberg News had persuasive backing for this view from the London-based technology services company Bloomberg NEF. According to a BNEF forecast published on 6 th November, the global energy-storage market will surge to a cumulative 942 gigawatts over the next two decades, and that growth will necessitate massive investment. (“The Battery Boom Will Draw $1.2Trillion in Investment by 2040,”6 th November) The sharply falling costs of batteries is seen as a key driver of the boom. BNEF expects the capital cost of a utility-scale lithium-ion storage system to fall another 52 per cent by 2030. “Costs have come down faster than we expected,” said Yayoi Sekine, a New York-based analyst with BNEF. “Batteries are going to permeate our lives.” The implications of cheaper batteries are far-reaching, upending multiple industries and helping spur technologies necessary to help ght climate change. “Batteries power the electric vehicles that are popping up on our freeways,” said Mr Eckhouse. “They also unlock solar power from the exclusive con nes of the sun.” But cost is not the sole factor. Governments from China to California are spurring demand, as is the rise of electric vehicles and solar power. There has also been growing emphasis on storage for electric-vehicle charging as well as energy access in remote areas, according to BNEF. China and California lead the pack Two important markets come into particular focus for BNEF. China, which is building up its battery-manufacturing capacity, will be a central player in the battery boom. And California has introduced a series of measures in recent years that will, directly or indirectly, prompt battery production – notably legislation that would require the state’s electricity to come exclusively from carbon-free sources by 2045. “Storage is just so sensibly the next step in the evolution of renewable energy,” Edward Fenster, the executive chairman of the rooftop-solar company Sunrun Inc (San Francisco) said in an interview with BNEF. “If we’re going to get to 100 per cent renewable energy, we’ll need storage.” Accordingly, storage bulks large in the BNEF battery forecast. Here are six key takeaways: † Annual energy-storage deployments are now expected to exceed 50 gigawatt-hours by 2020 – three years earlier than forecast by BNEF in 2017 † Energy storage could be equivalent to 7 per cent of the world’s total installed power capacity by 2040 † The Asia-Paci c region will be home to 45 per cent of total installations on a megawatt basis by 2040. Another 29 per cent will be spread across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with the remainder in the Americas † The majority of storage capacity will be utility-scale until the mid-2030s, whereupon so-called behind-the-meter projects – installations at businesses, industrial sites and residential properties – will overtake utility-scale

† The foremost battery-making nations are China, the USA, India, Japan, Germany, France, Australia, South Korea and the UK. South Korea dominates the market today but will be overtaken by the USA early in the 2020s; both will later be eclipsed by China † Storage is coming to developing countries in Africa. BNEF expects African utilities to determine that, to service far- ung areas, a combination of solar, diesel and battery power is cheaper than building fossil fuel generators or extending the grid

US-China trade strains

Import tari s and counter-tari s are seen as ‘the biggest inhibitor’ to the expansion in American manufacturing As orders and hiring cooled amid America’s escalating trade tensions with China, data published on 1 st November by the Institute for Supply Managemen t (Tempe, Arizona) showed that its gauge of US manufacturing fell by more than forecast to a six-month low in October. Here are highlights of the report, with readings above 50 indicating expansion: † The ISM factory index dropped to 57.7 from 59.8 in September † A measure of new orders fell to 57.4 from 61.8 over the month. A two-month drop of 7.7 points is the steepest such decline since January 2015 † A gauge of export orders decreased from 56 in September to 52.2 in October, the lowest since November 2016 † The institute’s employment index declined to 56.8 from 58.8 in a month For economics reporter Sho Chandra of Bloomberg News , a key takeaway from the report was that it might add to concerns that President Donald Trump’s trade war with China was starting to in ict more pain on US manufacturers even as their industry continued to expand. The ISM export-orders gauge fell for the third time in four months, while new orders decelerated for the fourth month in ve. (“US Factory Gauge Slumps to Six-Month Low Amid Trade War,”1 st November) “The data follow other reports showing manufacturing in some of Asia’s most export-driven economies softened in October, highlighting spillovers from the trade spat,” Ms Chandra wrote. Even so, she reported, US stocks rallied on 1 st November after Mr Trump said he had had a productive conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on trade. Pointing out that disruptions and data volatility frommajor storms in September and October may have played a role in the ISM ndings, Ms Chandra observed that elevated price pressures and a pickup in measures of backlogs and supplier deliveries indicated lingering supply-chain bottlenecks. The stronger US dollar, which had rallied sharply over the previous six months, was seen as another possible headwind. † According to Timothy Fiore, chair of ISM’s manufacturing survey committee, more than 40 per cent of the comments from recent ISM survey respondents relate to tari s, with companies hesitant to decide on locations for setting up their manufacturing operations.

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Transatlantic cable

“Import tari s and counter-tari s are the biggest inhibitor to the expansion in [US] manufacturing” and trade strains are “restricting demand,” Mr Fiore said in an interview with Bloomberg . Of related interest . . . † With Germany’s export-driven economy at risk from US President Donald Trump’s stepped-up trade war with China, a German investment push is bringing the two countries closer together in spite of – and because of – the rising tensions prompted by Mr Trump. Bloomberg TV provided these examples of how deep and wide the commercial ties between Germany and China have already become: (“Why Germany Is Betting on Trade With China,” 11 th October) † Piling into China with Bosch drills, Mercedes-Benz cars and Siemens turbines has made the Asian country Germany’s largest business partner for the past two years † Total trade between the two reached $179 billion in 2017, double the UK level and triple that of France † Germany’s special status in China became clear in July 2018 when BASF SE announced a $10 billion plant in Guangdong province: the rst large manufacturing site in China entirely owned by a foreign chemicals maker † Now, BMW is ploughing $4.1 billion into its Chinese joint venture, taking advantage of a new policy to let foreign companies assume majority control of their local partnerships “If the Western world doesn’t get its act together in how it designs free trade,” China could snub the international system and turn Belt and Road into “the new WTO,” Joe Kaeser, CEO of German engineering giant Siemens, told Bloomberg TV . Mr Kaeser’s reference was to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, intended to create an economic zone linking Asia with Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with obvious potential to eclipse theWorldTrade Organization. While German business leaders perceive a possible challenge to the post-war order, it is a chance that, Bloomberg commented,“they can hardly pass up.” † The trade war between the USA and China might have been expected to hurt President Trump’s Republican party in states vulnerable to higher tari s and Chinese retaliation. Results from the 6 th November midterm elections – occurring halfway into the president’s term in o ce – indicate that this did not happen. The Trump steel and aluminium tari s were a hot-button campaign issue in rural states and the Rust Belt, notably in the steel-producing areas of Pennsylvania and Ohio. These places have much to lose in the dispute with China, which countered with duties on an array of American exports. Yet several candidates who opposed the duties were defeated, while some who backed themwon their races. While the recapture of the House of Representatives by the opposition Democratic party will almost certainly rein Mr Trump in, the election outcome gives him not much incentive to soften his hawkish trade stance towards China. A possible turning-point was expected at the end of November, when Mr Trump was to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 summit in Argentina.

Steel

With an eye to the $900 billion global steel industry, the LME takes experimental steps – three of them

Early this year the London Metal Exchange is launching three hot rolled coil (HRC) steel futures covering Europe, North America and China. Reuters noted the view of industry sources that the reported plans of some automakers to experiment with the LME contracts “could eventually change the way the industry hedges and prices contracts.” HRC, used mainly in cars and major appliances, is typically bought by consumers on annual xed price contracts. The LME’s cash-settled contract will be settled against an industry benchmark. Reuters reporters Maytaal Angel and Pratima Desai pointed out that automakers – along with construction rms, banks, brokers, merchants and steel service centres (distributors or stockists) – traditionally have been open to steel futures. Steelmakers, in the main, have been opposed, out of concern for potential loss of pricing power. (“European Automakers BMW, Volvo to Trial New LME Steel Contracts,” 6 th November) Interest on the part of BMW, the German producer of luxury autos, and the Swedish carmaker Volvo would appear to bode well for the contracts, but the Reuters sources stressed that new contracts usually take years to gain traction. The absence of enthusiasm from steelmakers could slow the process. “During the rst six months, merchants and traders will put volumes in to get liquidity going,” a Reuters brokerage source surmised. “If that works, manufacturing companies will ask suppliers to make o ers on the basis of LME prices for new, small contracts,” and evaluate the results. † One source told Ms Angel and Ms Desai that BMW already uses iron ore derivatives as a proxy for hedging some of its steel costs, thus could move with relative ease to trading the new LME contracts. Acknowledging its pursuit of “a hedging strategy,” BMW said that its aim is to “increase planning reliability” for the company. For its part, Volvo told the Reuters reporters, “We continuously review our raw material strategies. However, no decisions have been taken on hedging.” The rumoured purchase by British Steel of a wiremaking company portends a markedly ampli ed presence in the US steel market If British Steel follows through on its acknowledged “interest” in the Pennsylvania carbon and alloy wire producer Johnstown Wire Technologies, the acquisition would, as noted by Michael Pooler of the Financial Times, tie into the British company’s strategy of acquiring downstream businesses that process basic steel into value-added products. (“British Steel Eyes Foothold in US Manufacturing,” 4 th November) Mr Pooler observed that this would be a signi cant development for British Steel, “reborn” two years ago when

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