wiredinUSA April 2014

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wiredInUSA - April 2014 43 ASIA / AFRICA NEWS
Despite a small rise in prices for bar and
rod from China Steel Corporation, the
transaction prices of aluminum-killed wire
rods has not increased accordingly. The
current price level remains in the range of
$650 to $670 per ton.
The drop in the raw material price leaves
China's wire rod price remaining weak.
The Taiwanese screw industry has reported
better orders from its export markets, but
demand for Al-killed wire rods is still not
strong. Thus, industry sources said that the
transaction prices for Al-killed wire rods will
remain weak for the short-term.
Rod prices stay low
for fasteners
CBI Electric African Cables has opened
a new factory in Vereeniging, Gauteng
province for the manufacturer of high
voltage cable.
The facility, partly funded by the
government, will be the first in sub-Saharan
Africa to design and manufacture high
voltage cables of up to 275kV with
conductor sizes of up to 2,500mm2.
At the launch, CBI ElectricMD, AlanDickson,
said: ”South Africa's growing electricity
demand as well as the high copper
price necessitated an investment by the
company, supported by the [government],
to build a world-class production facility.”
The factory's cables will enable largeenergy
consumers to distribute up to 350MVA at
132kV and 547MVA at 275kV on a single
cable circuit.
Dickson added that, in June 2014, CBI
Electric will be installing Cape Town's
first locally produced, 132kV, 1,600mm2
underground cable system.
Trade and industry minister Rob
Davies said that CBI Electric African
Cables had received funding from
the DTI's manufacturing competitiveness
enhancement program.
Cable boost
for South Africa
Alan Dickson,
CBI Electric MD