wiredinUSA April 2014

INDEX

Alan Dickson, CBI Electric MD

Cable boost for South Africa

Rod prices stay low for fasteners

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.

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 2,500mm 2 . 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, 1,600mm 2 underground cable system. Rob Davies said that CBI Electric African Cables had received funding from the DTI's manufacturing competitiveness enhancement program. Trade and industry minister

ASIA / AFRICA NEWS

wiredInUSA - April 2014

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