WCA September 2014

From the Americas of 2015 has helped promote the construction of wind farms. Since the law was passed in 2008, utilities have invested more than $2.2 billion in renewable technology, including building hundreds of wind turbines. The Public Service Commission said on 27 th June that there are now more than 20 wind farms, either operational or in development, in Michigan.  The last major obstacle to General Electric’s $13.5 billion acquisition of the energy assets of Alstom fell on 22 nd June, when the French government said it would take a 20 per cent stake in the remaining portion of the French industrial conglomerate. When the state holding company, the Agence des Participations de l’État, made its surprise move, Alstom’s board accepted GE’s offer for the energy business. The deal that Alstom and GE tentatively reached in late April had been stopped by opposition from the government, which regards Alstom as a French national asset. Some concern was expressed about critical nuclear technology coming under foreign control. Now Paris has won at least a symbolic victory by keeping a large portion of Alstom as a French company. And General Electric (Fairfield, Connecticut), having made a few concessions, obtained what it was seeking: a unit which makes power generation equipment and the electrical grid to deliver energy to customers.  Drawing inspiration from the structure of bones and bamboo, researchers at North Carolina State University have found that by gradually changing the internal structure of metals they can produce stronger, tougher materials that can be customised for a wide variety of applications including automobile parts. Yuntian Zhu, a professor of materials science and engineering at the college and co-author of two papers on the new work, explained that the small grains at the surface of metals make it harder but less ductile. Professor Zhu told R&D Magazine (2 nd July) that by gradually increasing the size of the grains further down in the material the research team was able to enhance both ductility and strength. “We call this a ‘gradient structure,’ and you can use this technique to customise a metal’s characteristics,” said Xiaolei Wu, a professor of materials science at the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and co-author. Professors Wu and Zhu tested the gradient structure concept in a variety of metals, including copper, iron, nickel, and stainless and interstitial-free (IF) steel. They said that the technique improved the metal’s properties in all of them. Metals

 A survey of executives in Canadian and US metals and mining companies found that investment in digital technology by their firms has increased and will continue to rise. Nine out of ten of the executives surveyed in February by the global management consultancy Accenture said the way they do business will be markedly influenced by a strategy incorporating digital technology. Companies that do not embrace digital will lose their competitive position and may face extinction, according to 88 per cent of respondents. One-quarter of the North American mining executives surveyed said their digital investment in the previous three years had doubled or more. Over the next three years 33 per cent will significantly increase their digital investment, 63 per cent will increase that spending modestly, and 5 per cent will stay at current spending levels. No companies surveyed are planning to cut back on digital investment to 2017. Looking ahead five years, the mining executives expect digital to improve company productivity (73 per cent), reorganise operations (65 per cent), and optimise the supply chain (58 per cent). Accenture (Dublin, Ireland) conducted the online survey of executives at 40 medium-to-large metals and mining companies. Automotive Fiat Chrysler, late to the party in India, will try to establish itself there by selling Jeeps “Gaining a foothold in India is important for Jeep because [India] is an emerging market and Jeep is trying to be a global brand. Meanwhile Ford, Hyundai, Honda, Maruti Suzuki and Toyota are far ahead there.” After supplying this context for the declared intention of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to begin selling Jeeps in India before the end of 2015, Detroit Free Press business writer Brent Snavely noted that India can be a difficult place for new competitors. On the previous day, 25 th June, reports had surfaced that Germany’s Volkswagen may restructure operations in India for its Skoda brand, which accounted for less than one per cent of India’s auto sales. Fiat Chrysler’s approach to India has been tentative as well as tardy. Mike Manley, who heads the auto maker’s international operations as well as the Jeep unit, shared FCA’s reasons for its mid-2013 decision to postpone an Indian launch of Jeep: currency fluctuations, and unreadiness. But, he told Mr Snavely at Chrysler’s proving grounds in Chelsea, Michigan, the company has put uncertainty behind it and is now intent on introducing the Jeep to Indian car buyers. (“Jeep to Compete in India’s Emerging Market in 2015,” 26 th June)

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2014

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