DELIVERING HIGHPOWER PRECISION
Universal Cables is a global player in the design and manufacture of power cables and high-voltage capacitors. Philip Yorke talked to Amitava Bose, the company’s chief operating officer, about its latest extra-high-voltage insulated cables and the strong growth in infrastructure projects.
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niversal Cables Ltd (UCL) was founded in India in 1962 by late Mr M.P. Birla who began by building a modern plant for the manufacture of paper-insulated cables. Since then the company has achieved world-class status and is at the forefront of modern cable technology. An important milestone was reached in 1977 following collaboration with Asea Brown Boveri Kabel AB of Sweden (now known as ABB Cables), when the company brought the first XLPE cable technology to India. As a result, UCL became a leader in the Indian cable industry with the widest product range and the most advanced cable technology. The company’s comprehensive product range includes low voltage, medium voltage and extra high-voltage XLPE power cables up to 400kV. UCL also produce PVC and rubber insulated power cables up to 11kV grade, designed to contain any number of cores. In addition, the company manufactures speciality rubber cables for trailing and flexible specifications to suit individual customer requirements. UCL’s precision cables and capacitors are marketed under the well-known global brand: ‘Unistar’.
Complete solutions provider In order to meet the growing demand for ‘extra high-voltage’ cables of 220kV and above, the company has invested heavily in new technology that involves the VCV process at its flagship, Satna Plant. This technological advance was achieved with technical association from the world leader in high-voltage cable technology: Furukawa Electric Co Ltd of Japan. This technical assistance covered cable designing, manufacturing, laying, jointing, testing and installation. In addition to manufacturing a broad spectrum of high quality cables for a wide variety of applications, the company has a fully operational EPC division to facilitate turnkey contracts for utilities and government projects alike. Today UCL is able to offer a complete solution package for its customers, especially for underground power transmission projects. Bose said, “As the foremost electrical cable provider in India, we supply to a very broad customer base that includes utilities, shipyards, mining and infrastructure projects as well as many others. We are more flexible and more comprehensive in our product and service offerings than anyone Industry Industry Europe Europe 83 83
