WCA January 2007

Industry News

New deal for wire drawing lubricant distribution for India’s Ajex & Turner Ajex & Turner, India, produces wire drawing dies and cold heading dies, in PCD, natural diamond, and tungsten carbide from 10 micron to 150mm. The company serves customers in the die and mould industry, as well as producers of fasteners, ceramics, glass, and steel wire and cable. The company also manufactures die polishing products and equipment for the in-house polishing and repairing of various types of dies, includes diamond lapping paste and needle files. Ajex & Turner has recently entered into an agreement with Metalube UK, for the distribution of wire drawing lubricant for copper and aluminium in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. Ajex & Turner Wire Dies Co – India Fax : +91 11 2745 2640 Email : ajex@ndf.vsnl.net.in

C/S Skagerrak – soon to be renamed the C/S Nexans Skagerrak ▲

Joining the fleet . . . As part of its submarine energy cables activities, Nexans has bought the C/S Skagerrak – one of the world’s most advanced cable-laying vessels. Nexans, a global leader in the cable industry, purchased the vessel from Bourbon Cable AS, a Norwegian sub- sidiary of French company Bourbon, after operating her exclusively for a number of years. And the ship is also to be re-named the C/S Nexans Skagerrak. “This purchase confirms Nexans’ commitment to the submarine cable and umbilical markets and underlines our strategy to provide our customers with a comprehensive turnkey service from design, development and manu- facture to installation” , said Yvon Raak, Nexans’ Executive Vice President, Europe Area. Nexans has retained operational control of the C/S Skagerrak on a long- term charter basis for many years, during which time she has been involved in a variety of major submarine cable projects such as: both power links between Spain and Morocco (1997 and 2005); the Gemini project in the Gulf of Mexico (1999) and the Abu Safah project in Saudi Arabia (2004). C/S Skagerrak is currently involved in the NorNed link between Norway and the Netherlands which, at 580km, will be the world’s longest high-voltage submarine power link. The C/S Skagerrak – one of only two vessels of this kind in the world – was the first purpose-built ship to be

designed specially for the transport and installation of submarine high- voltage power cables and umbilicals.

Nexans – Germany Fax : +49 511 676 2480 Email : info@nexans.com Website : www.nexans.de

Leoni’s strong sales Leoni AG, Germany, has reported a rise in sales of 35% in the first nine months of 2006, compared with the same period in 2005. Part of the increase is due to new large-scale orders for the company’s wiring systems division from customers in the automotive and commercial vehicle industries – amounting to sales of more than €400 million. The company’s wire and cable division also made strong gains. The division’s sales grew by approximately 67%, to €815 million in the first three quarters. Studer Draht- und Kabelwerk AG, the Switzerland-based special cables company acquired at the end of July 2006, also contributed to the division’s success in the third quarter. With Studer, Leoni AG will expand its position in the market for industrial and transport engineering cables. The company also acquired NBG Fiber- Optic GmbH, Austria, in October 2006, which will strengthen its glass fibre cable systems business.

Leoni AG – Germany Fax : +49 911 2023 231 Email : info@leoni.com Website : www.leoni.com

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Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 2007