WCA September 2014

Industry news

Nippon Steel’s wire production boost

Price increase Korean steelmaker POSCO Specialty Steel has increased its domestic sales prices for austenitic grades of wire rod and bar in order to offset higher nickel prices. The increase for May orders represents the second consecutive month of price increases. Prices for ferritic grade wire rods and bars remain unchanged. Zambia cable deal LS Cable has supplied $5 million worth of gap conductor cable to the state-run power generator Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (Zesco). The cables will be used to replace old wires near Lusaka, and are said to deliver twice the power of standard power lines without needing changes to transmission towers or generators. Five companies in the world have developed a similar conductor, but LS Cable is the only domestic producer.

Construction has begun on a factory in China to produce cold heading wire. Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp has announced that the facility will have an annual capacity of 42,000 tons when it becomes operational in June 2015. The plant will be equipped with pickling, wire drawing and heat treatment facilities. The plant, located in the Suzhou Wuzhong economic and technological develop- ment zone, will be run by Nippon Steel Bar & CH Wire Co (NBC China), a company established by Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal and its partners, Matsubishi Metal Industry Co, Miyazaki Seiko Co, Sanyu Co, Toyota Tsusho Corp, Metal One Corp, and METALUBE Pvt Ltd, the company’s Indian operations, has recently completed its first full year of trading and reported excellent progress. During this period the company has developed sales with many key accounts within the cable, enamelled wire and conductor industries in India. Not a company to stand still, the business is launching several new products into the Indian market during 2014 including a range of corrosion preventatives and industrial maintenance lubricants. Amit Gupte, general manager in India, is predicting further strong growth and said: “We have very challenging targets and ambitions for 2014/15, and are confident that we can achieve these. “The range, quality of products and after sales support provided by Metalube is being experienced and appreciated by our customers, making us a brand you can trust.”

❍ A model of Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp’s new plant. Photograph courtesy of Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal Corp

and sales of cold heading wire, used primarily in the manufacture of bolts and bearings for the automotive industry. Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp – Japan Website : www.nssmc.com

Nippon Steel & Sumikin Bussan Corp. The original NBC China was set up in 2006, and its current fully operational plant has a capacity of 7,000 tons per year. The new NBC China was formed to increase production

First year India success and new Shanghai office

❍ Some of the China team members in the new office, from left, Gavin Gu, business unit manager, wire drawing; Sharon Xu, operations manager; Li Shen, accountant; and Maurice Ngai, general manager, Asia Pacific

Metalube specialises in wire and tube drawing lubricants, working with wire, cabling and tubing manufacturers across the world. The headquarters are in Manchester, UK, where the site incorporates offices with warehousing, laboratories and manufacturing facilities.

The company has also moved into new, larger offices in Shanghai, China. A leading exporter, it now has four offices in the Asia Pacific region – Shanghai and Dongguan, in China, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Metalube Ltd – UK Website : www.metalube.co.uk

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2014