EoW July 2008

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EuroWire – July 2008 57
taping, armouring & sheathing of cables
New 8-pad taping head
for Queins
Queins & Co has recently designed a new high-speed
8-pad taping head, mainly used for flat conductors and
CTC-strands. The manufacturing range further includes
modern concentric and tangential taping heads for paper,
plastics and Mica-tape.
Machines are also available for armouring with galvanised
steel wires or steel tapes. Extrusion/sheathing lines are being
built for all types of cables and equipped with state-of-the-art
electrical controls and measuring instruments.
Queins & Co – Germany
Fax: +49 2472 3014
Email: Website :
The new high-speed 8-pad taping head ▲ ▲
Boosting competitiveness for low voltage cable producers
Borealis has launched a high productivity, low voltage cable insulation material designed to boost the competitiveness of cable
manufacturers. Making its début at wire 2008, new Visico™ FX LE8823 is said to deliver all-round advances in productivity and
cost efficiency, resulting in higher output and increased profitability at the manufacturing stage with knock-on benefits for grid
owners and installers.
Visico FX is a new base material for low voltage moisture cured XLPE (cross linked polyethylene) cables, for faster production of
consistently high quality cables. Its crosslinking speed is twice that of Borealis’ traditional Visico material and typically more than
five times that of grafted XLPE materials. This allows cost efficient curing under ambient conditions when used in combination
with the Ambicat catalyst, resulting in a more efficient production flow by eliminating production steps and speeding up the
overall production process.
By removing traditional bottlenecks from XLPE production, Visico FX shortens lead-times, reduces manufacturing complexity
and lowers the potential for handling-related errors. At the same time, it delivers the environmental and cost-related benefits of
reduced energy usage, and minimised handling and production space requirements.
In addition to advances in curing speed, Visico FX improves productivity by delivering a consistent product with less down time
for cleaning. Suitable for running on standard extruder equipment, the new material shares the scorch retarder technology of
standard Visico material, creating a smooth production process with minimum change, higher output and less waste. Visico FX
also offers time and cost saving benefits to grid owners and cable installers. The material gives cables greater flexibility, thus
improving ease of installation and so reducing time and cost.
Hans Christian Ambjerg, vice president of Borealis wire and cable, comments: “Borealis’ Visico FX innovation demonstrates our
commitment to developing products that respond to the business and sustainability challenges facing the wire and cable
industry today. The low voltage cable market in particular faces increasing competition from low cost producers driving down
sales margins. Visico FX gives companies a competitive edge by tackling the need for higher productivity and lower costs at the
same time as addressing environmental concerns by reducing energy usage and waste generation.”
Borealis AG – Austria Fax: +43 122 400 333 Website: