Wire & Cable India Emagazine May-Jun Issue 2023

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Speakin

Spearing the Mammoth Demand

In the last few years, clean energy is being used increasingly to replace fossil-based energy solutions. In fact, geopolitical and environmental events have pushed the envelope in favor of clean energy solutions and applications; Electrical Vehicles (EVs) being one of them. It has been a certain time since the discovery of the technology and its application is gaining momentum worldwide.

At home, the market size of EVs is growing rapidly, especially backed by government subsidies and initiatives like Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME). At the beginning of 2023, Economic Survey released a report that placed India as the third-largest automobile market in the world, following Japan and Germany. The same report projected a YoY CAGR of 49 percent for the EV market in India during FY 22-30. The Indian market is expected to record a conservative sale of 1 crore units per annum by 2030.

India aims to electrify its vehicular structure by up to 30 percent by 2030. It translates to 8 crore EVs in the country by 2030. Presently, the EVs market is concentrated in Tier 1 cities, while bleeding sporadically into Tier 2 cities. Hence, the majority of the country is still comparatively untouched by technology. One of the major factors contributing to this imbalance is the lack of ancillary infrastructure.

The vision for this note was clear; I wanted to talk oneon-one with the readers about all that Wire & Cable India has to offer. I wanted to share our efforts in bringing forward this edition, the concurrent events of the industry, and a small, profound piece of personal opinion. There are various ways to achieve our targets, and mine was to ensure a connection with my readers.

Shri R K Singh, Union Minister of Power, shared in Lok Sabha, that as of January 23, 2023, India had 5,254 public EV charging stations and 20.65 lakh EVs. Hence, the ratio of EV stations to the number of EVs was 1:393. Alvarez and Marsal, a US professional services firm, released a white paper in 2022, stating that globally the EV station and EVs ratio ranged between 1:6 (China) to 1:19 (Netherlands). India is likely to have nearly 10,000 public charging stations by the end of 2025, however, to achieve its electrification targets the country may require nearly 20.5 lakh charging stations by 2030.

The figures send a clear message, India needs to push its EV ancillary infrastructure at an advanced rate to meet its self-allotted targets. Hybrid EVs are powered by an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors and could be used to support the gradual shift of the Indian public to clean energy solutions. Hybrid EVs do not need a charging station, their electric motor is charged by the regenerative braking and internal combustion engine.

The situation presents an opportunity as well as a challenge for the industry. While the scope of development is huge enough for vast capacity expansion and addition, the requirements need expedition in efforts and investments. The country requires the government and the industry to create an ecosystem by not only supplying the infrastructure but planning the development and integration of the same in a way that the current sporadic and concentrated pattern could be diffused across the nation. This will help the targets to be achieved comparatively faster and easily, as new stakeholders joining in would push the demand get diffused regionally. Furthermore, the subsequent vehicular structure electrification post-2030 could also be easily planned and implemented by building on a strong foundation of the base period.

The wires and cables industry needs to buckle up itself for a huge demand needs to be catered, from supplying the construction of EVs infrastructure to its integration within the National Grid of India.

Priyank Jain, CEO Tulip 3P Media Private Limited

Steel Wire Industry to Ride on Economic Growth

Resurgent Demand in the Indian Steel Wire Industry

The global steel wire industry is witnessing a stage

of speedy recovery and development after the COVID-19 pandemic, as the demand for steel wire has graphed upwards, propelled by multiple factors of rapid urbanization, growth in the infrastructure, industrialization, augment in construction activities, transportation & mobility, automotive, aerospace, energy sectors, as well as technological advancements. The global steel wire industry is expected to showcase a growth opportunity of approximately USD 100 billion at a CAGR 4.7% from 2022-2030, expected to reach USD 180 billion in 2030 from USD 103 billion in 2021, as per reports by Astute Analytica & Grand View Research.

The Indian steel industry has entered into a new development stage, post de-regulation, riding high on the resurgent economy and rising demand for steel. Rapid rise in production has resulted in India becoming the 2nd largest producer of crude steel during the last four years (2018-2021), from its 3rd largest status in 2017.

India is one of the key players and leading producers in the steel wire market, owing to a strong domestic market. The growth of the Indian steel wire industry is being driven by multiple factors like rapid urbanization, infrastructure development, industrialization, construction

activities, transportation and mobility, need for lightweight materials across automotive and aerospace segments,and growing demand from the energy sector. The construction industry is a major consumer of steel wire products. The increasing demand for infrastructure development in India is driving the growth of the construction industry, in turn driving the demand for steel wire products. Steel wire is also increasingly being used in automotive applications, as automotive manufacturers are increasingly using steel wires in automotive structures and parts owing to their easy processing and characteristics of ductility, high tensile strength, and corrosion resistance. The growing demand for fuel-efficient and lightweight vehicles is driving the use of steel wire in automotive applications. The energy sector has also become one of the thriving sectors in the last few decades, with steel wires being predominantly used in manufacturing transmission lines, steel core wires, overhead power lines, and ground wires for wind power. Growing demand from the energy sector is one of the factors driving the steel wire segment's market growth.

Additionally, as the steel wire industry continues to evolve constantly, new technologies are being developed to improve the performance and quality of steel wire products. There's a huge push towards value addition and enhanced quality which matches internationally acceptable quality standards. This enables the manufacture of international quality steel wire and wire products which throws open a wide market nationally and internationally for us. The technological advancements are helping to meet the growing demand for steel wire products in a variety of applications. Thus, demand from these sectors are pushing the growth of the Indian steel wire industry.

Government Initiatives Fostering the Industry

The Indian government has been providing support and nurturing the growth of the steel wire industry through a number of policies. In 2017, the Indian government introduced the National Steel Policy (NSP) aiming to take India's steel production capacity to 300 million metric tons by 2030, as well as enhancing India's domestic consumption, producing high-quality steel and making India's steel sector globally competitive. The NSP 2017 Policy was aimed to boost economic growth through measures such as meeting steel demand domestically through availability of raw materials and capacity additions and in a costeffective manner.

The Indian government launched another major policy in 2019, called the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy, which provided a framework to facilitate and promote establishment of metal scrapping centers in India for scientific processing and recycling of ferrous scrap generated from various sources. Through this policy the government helped create a conducive ecosystem for the entrepreneurs and investors to establish scrapping centers in the country. This is to recycle and reuse scrap to produce high quality steel. This will ensure more steel production and, thus, reduce dependency on imports.

Under the recent Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Specialty Steel, launched in 2021, the government aims to promote specialty steel manufacturing in India, through attracting capital investment, generating employment as well as promoting technology up-gradation in the steel sector. With a major fiveyear financial outlay of INR 6322 crore, the scheme has taken up 67 applications from 30 companies in December 2022. This will attract a committed investment of INR 42,500 crore. The government's support for

the steel wire sector will help the industry to grow and meet the growing demand for steel wire products in India and around the world.

The government has also taken steps to promote ease of doing business, attract foreign investment, establishment of Steel Zones and Clusters, promotion of greenfield investments, and encourage research and development in the steel sector for better quality and cleaner steel production, and trade agreements. The government has also announced a policy for providing preference to domestically manufactured iron and steel products in government procurement. The government is providing incentives to put up steel wire plants in rural and semi-rural areas, providing export incentives for export of high carbon, alloy steel and spring steel wires, as well as reducing power tariffs for industries to make them a viable unit.

Additionally, the government has undertaken infrastructure projects that boost demand for steel wire, such as the development of smart cities, metro rail systems, and rural electrification. These initiatives create a favorable environment for the growth of the steel wire industry and provide opportunities for domestic manufacturers to meet the increasing demand. In addition to this, the government's emphasis on Make in India and selfreliance has further bolstered the steel wire industry by promoting domestic manufacturing. This has led to a more robust and competitive domestic steel wire market.

Challenges and Redressal

There are several challenges hindering the operational efficiency, innovation, and growth of the Indian steel wire industry today. Major challenges are the lack of technical know-how, lack of modern steel wire plants with latest technology, lack of research and development activities, non availability of skilled manpower and non

abidance to the best global practices. The industry also lacks the technical infrastructure that is required for improving quality and productivity, thereby affecting the overall cost effectiveness of the production process.

Other major challenges is the competition from companies from Turkey, Vietnam and South Korea; cheap import of wires from China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Turkey etc., interrupted power supply for steel wire production, dependence on costly coal imports resulting in higher steel prices, frequent change in raw material prices, and logistics and transportation problems.

The industry will have to prepare to provide the best quality products at competitive prices. The price of the steel wires largely gets influenced by the cost of the raw material which are mainly imported. Hence, in order to effectively compete with manufacturing hubs like China and other global players, the Indian steel wire industry may need to procure raw materials at a competitive price.

While the industry has grown at a

robust pace over the last three years, it is witnessing a relative slowdown, due to surplus production capacities across the sector. After a period of over three years, the demand for steel wires seems to finally be lower than the available manufacturing capacities and this is resulting in a pressure on the operating margins in the shortterm.

These challenges are crucial in nature and need to be addressed to ensure the industry's competitiveness and sustainable development. With the growth of the Indian economy and the increased focus on manufacturing, India is soon going to be the manufacturing hub of the world and the steel wire industry cannot stay far behind during this phase of growth. To address the surplus capacities manufactured, we will have to find ways to improve our export share in this market. It is crucial for the steel industry to focus on optimizing costs throughout the value chain, including raw material procurement, production processes, and supply chain management. This may involve exploring alternative sourcing options, negotiating favorable pricing

contracts, improving operational efficiencies, and adopting costeffective technologies. Lastly, it becomes important for the government to create a conducive business environment.

Path to Growth

India's steel industry is currently in a new stage of development, where the market is enjoying rising steel demand from multiple growing industries. As the steel consumption increases following the increase in infrastructure, automobile, energy and technology sectors, the Indian steel wire industry shows major scope for growth. The steel wire industry is an essential cog in the system of the working of a developing nation, and with the support of the various initiatives and policies by the Indian government, the multifold development of the industry will further foster India's steel industry.

In the longer term, the industry outlook continues to be quite strong and the Indian steel sector should continue at a much faster pace compared to the global steel sector. To stay ahead of the curve, industry stakeholders need to deliver ESG performances at par with global counterparts. Due to the energy intensive nature of the processes, we need to start making a concerted effort towards adopting clean technologies and reducing emission. Observing the ever-increasing importance of the steel wire industry, Wire & Cable India conducted interviews with major companies, where they shared their contributions to the steel wire industry through their manufacturing operations and product lines as well as their expert insights on the current scenario of the global and Indian steel wire industry, the Indian government's initiatives for the steel-wire industry's growth, the challenges faced and how they can be solved.

Global Wires India-Tata Steel Aims to Double Capacity to 1 Million Tons by 2030

Global Wires India (GWI), a division of Tata Steel

Limited, is a preferred supplier of steel wires across diverse industry segments ranging from construction, automotive and power to general engineering and retail. The company, with a combined annual manufacturing capacity of 670,000 MT, manufactures a wide range of value added product offerings like motor tyre bead (MTB), low relaxation pre-stressed concrete (LRPC), induction hardened and tempered (IHT), knotted fence, and 3D weld mesh. GWI's future plan is to double its capacity to 1 million tons by 2030. In a recent conversation with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Anurag Pandey, Executive-in-Charge, Global Wires India-Tata Steel shared about the company's journey, specialized products and their USP, along with his thoughts on the current scene of the steel wire industry and how the company is working to overcome the challenges.

Wire & Cable India: Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones, and achievements of your company?

Anurag Pandey: Global Wires India's (GWI) strong presence for 7 decades has helped grow and achieve many milestones. From being incorporated in 1958 as Special Steels Private Limited to becoming a subsidiary of Tata Steel in 1979 and subsequently, to becoming a division of Tata Steel in 2002, GWI has come

a long way. GWI is planning to double its capacity to 1 million tons by 2030 by ensuring that changing expectations and requirements of customers are being met.

Keeping pace with the mega trends that are shifting the global world through urbanization, changing economic power, and technology, Tata Wiron is set to take full advantage of the boosted infrastructure, automotive, and energy sectors. Our product offerings have all set industry

Mr. Anurag Pandey, Executive-in-Charge, Global Wires India-Tata Steel

benchmarks in terms of quality and to deliver application support expertise.

Growing in volumes in value added product offerings like Motor Tyre Bead (MTB), Low Relaxation Pre-Stressed Concrete (LRPC), Induction Hardened and Tempered (IHT), knotted fence, and 3D weld mesh, GWI seeks to successfully leave its mark. We have been touching lives of millions of customers every day and we take pride in saying that one in every 3 tyres in India runs on the tyre bead made by GWI, 2 out of every 3 flyovers in India stand tall on our LRPC strands, 1 in every 2 eggs In India are laid in a cage made from Tata Wiron, and 1 out of every 2 two-wheelers manufactured in India uses Tata Steel suspension wire. Tata Wiron is poised to grow through entry in the higher technology arena while also focussing on scaling up downstream play.

WCI: Brief us about your specializedproductsalongwiththeirUSPs.

AP: In the auto segment, Tata Wiron has helped the import substitution for spring manufacturers by bringing indigenous IHT (Induction Hardened Tempered) wire which otherwise was imported. We enjoy a healthy 80% market share in IHT 2W/3W suspension segment, enabling 90% localization of the category. In the fencing segment, we have added two new products offering - knotted fence and 3D weld mesh, which have proved to be a game changer in the fencing segment. Knotted fence is a uniquely designed and technically superior fencing solution, designed to offer maximum protection through a unique cross lock knot, which has improved the overall strength of the fence by 3 times more than a conventional fence. Owing to variable spacing, the product is 25% cheaper than the chain link solution. Through 3D weld mesh, we have offered aesthetically superior and robust one stop fencing solution which is 25% cheaper than traditional brick wall.

Superior quality, high durability, easy installation, and complete impenetrability offered by this solution provides convenience and peace of mind to consumers. At Tata Wiron, we work tirelessly to serve our purpose to attain excellence through purposeful innovations and responsiveness while enabling improvement in quality of life.

WCI: Please share your views on the Indian vis a vis the global steel wire industry. What is the role of the Indian government in the growth of this sector?

AP: The global steel wire industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5-6% by 2030 with the Asia Pacific region accounting for over 40% of consumption as well as production of steel wires. The main drivers of this growth would be improved construction activities in India and China, as well as the replacement market in developed markets such as Europe and US.

The global steel wire industry is highly fragmented with the top 5 producers accounting for only 32% of global production. This trend is expected to continue with more new entrants coming from both developed and emerging markets. The Indian steel wire industry has come a long way since its establishment in the 1920s. If we look at the wire demand, nearly 88% of wires are in carbon steel grades against the global average of 56%. Low per capita steel consumption in India against the world average and various government schemes will drive the steel wire growth in India. For example, the government has approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Speciality Steel, with budgetary outlay of USD 6.32 billion over five years. Current PLI Scheme covers 5 categories of steel wire and with phase 2 of PLI in motion further scope of products are expected to be widened. The Indian government has also launched various schemes to

support greener products and processes which have helped the steel as well as steel wire industry players to move towards net zero carbon emissions by 2045-2050.

WCI: What are the major ongoing challenges in the Indian steel wire industry?

AP: Like any other industry, the steel wire industry is also affected by cost and availability of raw material, technological advancements, price fluctuations, government policies and regulations, competition from imports and other supply and demand side factors. Needless to say, the companies have to continuously invest and adopt advanced technologies to remain competitive in the domestic as well as global market. Indian steel wire manufacturers face strong competition from imported products, particularly from China, which puts pressure on local manufacturers to improve their cost competitiveness. Fluctuations in global demand for steel wire products and price volatility impacts the profitability. The industry and the government need to monitor and adapt to changing market dynamics to maintain steady growth. Responsible supply chain should be a major focus given the industry is growing steadily and the companies have to adapt necessary changes in their processes to adhere to environmental obligations.

WCI: How can these challenges of the industry be addressed? How is your company contributing towards this transition?

AP: The upstream value chain needs to grow in tandem with the increasing steel wire demand. Along these lines, Tata Steel long products are expected to grow to 13 million tons by 2030 a/a the current level of 5 million tons. Moving towards technologically advanced and value-added products is necessary to stay away from commoditization and be ahead of the market. To address this, we have

introduced IHT (Induction Hardened Tempered) wire, Aayush coating, knotted fence, 3D weld mesh, etc. As a player, one needs to diversify their product offering or the target market

to remain immune to cyclicity in the business. We are constantly reviewing our product offerings and target market to adapt to the changing market dynamics. We at Tata Wiron,

believe in growing responsibly and we are focusing consistently in adapting greener processes and products to achieve zero liquid discharge and reduction of carbon emissions.

Tata Wiron awarded “Brand of The Year Award” in Auto and Infrastructure Category by Marksmen Daily in association with India Today (Print Partner - Hindustan Times)

Viraj Profiles Aiming USD 3 Billion Turnover in Next 4 Years

Established in 1992, Viraj Profiles Private Limited has emerged as the leading manufac-

turer of stainless-steel long products globally with its integrated manufacturing facilities and premium quality for three decades. With a production capacity of 528,000 tons per annum, Viraj manufactures stainless steel products like wire rods, wires, fasteners, bright bars, profiles and flanges in various grades and sizes. Moving forward, the company aims to increase its turnover from USD 1.2 billion to USD 3 billion within the next 4 years.

In a recent interview with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Rakesh Chauhan, CEO, Viraj Profiles Private Limited, shared insights about the company's journey, manufacturing capabilities, product portfolio, market footprint, USPs, CSR initiatives and future plans.

Mr. Rakesh Chauhan, CEO, Viraj Profiles Private Limited

Wire & Cable India: Could you give us a brief overview of the business journey of your company.

Rakesh Chauhan: Viraj is a 30-yearold company that started with a melting shop in 1992. Within 3 years, stainless-steel production commenced. Equipped with integrated manufacturing facilities and trust in delivering premium quality, Viraj Profiles has emerged as the leading manufacturer of stainless-steel long products globally. We have been serving the industry for 3 decades and have excelled with the support of our customers. They are the most important pivot for us, and all our efforts are only to sustain and build relations with them. Viraj Profiles' traditions, business principles and ethical practices have propelled it to the forefront of the industry.

WCI: Kindly tell us about your company's manufacturing capabilities, infrastructural setup and product portfolio.

RC: Our integrated manufacturing process starts from scrap processing within our own scrap yard. We sort scrap in our Zurik sorting plant based on the requirement of the melting shop. This is the first step in the value chain. Next, we have the melt shop which has “Computerized Intelligent Refining System”, induction furnaces, AOD's and continuous billet casters. Our rolling mills include a wire rod mill, section rolling mill and round rolling mills. Both our wire rod and section rolling mills have level 3 automation. These mills work depending on the product size and form. These rolling mills feed our wire, bright bar, profiles and fastener mills. Additionally, we have a forging shop which feeds our flange and forge bar mills. Also, we are set to start production of seamless pipes by the middle of next year.

WCI: Please shed some light on Viraj's clientele and market footprint.

RC: Our presence is all around the world. We export our products to over 1300 customers based in 96 countries across 6 continents. We have over 90 certifications and approvals for our products, which are used in a rich and diverse list of industries such as oil & gas, petrochemicals, food & beverages, construction, shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, defense, and marine industries.

WCI: What according to you are the USPs of your company, setting it apart from the competition in the market?

RC: Our USP is our relationship with our customers, which is never just a buyer-seller relationship. Though business is done on the basis of proper fundamentals, we have a familial connection with all our customers. We have built detailed systems to ensure quality, delivery, and after-sales services so that customers are completely assured and satisfied. Another big USP we have is our team of extremely talented and dedicated professionals backed by a corporate culture of openness and collaboration. We focus on automation, with all our machinery being equipped with level 2 or level 3 automation. We also have regular reviews to ensure that we keep up with the demands and requirements of our customers.

WCI: What are the ongoing or upcoming developments at Viraj?

RC: In the recent past, instead of making heavy investments in our capacity, we have been investing in removing bottlenecks in the value

chain. For example, earlier we had a mismatch in the capacities of our rolling mills vis-à-vis melting capacity and then a mismatch between our finishing capacity and rolling capacity. This was worked upon, and today we carry out full-capacity melting and finish it completely. Moving forward, our next step is to diversify into new products and increase our capacity in our existing product range.

WCI: Moving forward, what are the future plans for growth at your company?

RC: We have multiple projects in the pipeline. For this year, green manufacturing and green steel are our key focus areas. A major project we have undertaken is getting our facilities audited. The Europe branch has scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 regulations and we are currently required to report and cover scope 1 and scope 2. Our carbon footprint is around 0.7, which is much better than any global player. Moreover, we have started the process of auditing scope 3, which is expected to be done by the end of this year and will come into force within the next 2 years.

We're aiming for green steel certifications and have also invested in a 100megawatt solar power project, which covers almost 40% of our electricity requirements. Following this huge step towards carbon footprint reduction, we are now working on our next project to utilize another 100 megawatts of solar power. So, almost 80% of our energy needs would be fulfilled via greener alternatives. Our current turnover is around USD 1.2 billion, and our vision is to make it a USD 3 billion turnover

“

Viraj focuses on automation, with all its machinery being equipped with level 2 or level 3 automation.

Our integrated manufacturing facilities, based in India, have a production capacity of 528,000 tons per annum.

company within the next 4 years. That's a big target and we are confident that we will achieve this.

WCI: How does Viraj invest towards CSR initiatives?

RC: We have a lot of CSR initiatives running near our manufacturing facilities in Tarapur. To help schools impart education, we have taken the responsibility to provide hardware and books for underprivileged children. We also run a school called Viraj Shri Ram Centennial School, which is one of the best schools in the Palghar region. It admits students from places as far away

Our presence is all around the world, we export our products to more than 1300 customers based across 96 countries spread across 6 continents.

as Vapi and Gujarat and imparts quality education to them. In addition to this, we have vocational training centers where women from nearby villages get trained in various skills like candle making, stitching, etc. We also provide medical help for many villages around our factories.

Additionally, we offer CSR support on a global scale. For instance, a few months back, when Turkey experienced a significant earthquake, we contacted the Turkish embassy and requested for a list of urgent supplies they needed for aid and provided the same to them.

Sterlite Power Commences Aerial Operations for Flagship Mumbai Urja Marg Power Transmission Project

Sterlite Power has deployed state-of-the-art lightweight helicopters to overcome the challenges of terrain and speed up material transfer to fasttrack the construction process of the Mumbai Urja Marg project (MUML). The MUML project is a vital cog in the Centre's plan to fulfill the escalating electricity demands of Mumbai.

May 31, 2023

Sterlite Power has announced the commencement of

aerial operations to expedite the construction of its flagship Mumbai Urja Marg Project (MUML), the 400kV transmission corridor connecting Padgha to Khargar, which links Mumbai to the national grid. To fast-track this project, Sterlite Power has deployed state-of-the-art lightweight helicopters to overcome the challenges of terrain and speed up material transfer. The aerial operations will involve the movement of around 3000 metric tonnes of material over a period of 2 months.

The lightweight helicopter AS 350 B3 with a load-carrying capacity of up to 1000 kgs per sortie will be pressed into service to transport heavy equipment and material across several locations in and around the Mumbai region. To carry out this herculean task, a 13-acre helicopter yard has been constructed to house and load the machine for sorties. Sterlite Power's Mumbai Urja Marg project is a vital cog in the Centre's plan to fulfill the escalating electricity demands of Mumbai. As a project of national significance, MUML is being closely monitored by the

Prime Minister's Office via the PRAGATI Portal. Once operational, the project will have the potential to carry more than ~2000 MW of additional power to Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.

Synergy Steels: Expanding ValueAdded Products Range to Cater to Evolving Market Demands

Synergy Steels Limited is

one of the leading and most trusted stainless steel companies in the country. The company offers a range of high-quality value-added stainless steel long products, catering to various industries and applications. Their latest product, the stainless steel rebar, is an ideal choice for infrastructure and construction projects as it is corrosionresistant and durable. The company witnessed a 10x growth in revenue, with an increase from USD 30 million in 2012 to USD 315 million in 2019. In a recent interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Anubhav Kathuria, Director, Synergy Steels Limited talked about his company's journey and growth, recent developments, product portfolio along with his inputs on the challenges in the Indian and global steel wire industry, and how to overcome them.

Mr. Anubhav Kathuria, Director, Synergy Steels Limited

Wire & Cable India: Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones and achievements of your company?

Anubhav Kathuria: Established in 2012 in Alwar, Synergy Steels is one of the fastest growing stainless steel manufacturing companies in the country. Throughout our existence, we have remained committed to continuous improvement, focusing on innovation and adopting new technologies to enhance our products and services. We have experienced significant growth in revenue, with an increase from USD 30 million in 2012 to USD 315 million in 2019, representing a substantial growth of 10x. This achievement corresponds to a CAGR of 42%. Additionally, our operations consistently generate positive EBITDA within the industry, contributing to month-on-month stability. Our overall business strategy is aligned to ensure consistent year-on-year growth.

Currently, our strategic focus lies in expanding our operations to include value-added products such as wire, bright bars, and fasteners. To support this expansion, we have been steadily increasing our melting capacity and diversifying our product portfolio. One of our significant achievements is our dedication to sustainability. We have forged alliances with solar companies to ensure that 50% of our energy requirements come from renewable sources. This commitment to clean energy not only contributes to our environmental stewardship but also aligns with our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and create a more sustainable future. Furthermore, we prioritize ESG performance and continually strive to improve in these areas year after year. Our focus on sustainable practices, technological advancements, and diversified product offerings positions us as a dynamic and responsible player in the stainless steel industry. As we continue our business journey, we remain dedicated to delivering high-

The government has implemented reforms and programs such as the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for specialty steel, foreign direct investment (FDI), establishment of Steel Zones and Clusters, promotion of greenfield investments, research and development for better quality and cleaner steel production, and trade agreements.

quality products, embracing innovation, and adhering to sustainable practices, all while striving for excellence in every aspect of our operations.

WCI: Brief us about your specialized products along with their USPs?

AK: We offer a range of high-quality value-added stainless steel long products that cater to various industries and applications. Our most recent launch, the stainless steel rebars are corrosion-resistant and durable, making them ideal for infrastructure and construction projects. These rebars provide enhanced structural integrity, longevity, and design flexibility while minimizing maintenance needs. Our stainless steel wire rods serve as a vital raw material for the production of wires and bright bars. These wire rods are widely used in the construction and infrastructure sectors. With their mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy, our stainless steel wire rods enable the production of valueadded products that find applications in sectors like construction, engineering, and electrical industries. In order to further expand our product range, we have recently introduced 5mm stainless steel wire rod across various grades. Known for their aesthetic appeal, our stainless steel bright bars are also extensively used across various industries, including kitchens, home appliances, and consumer durables. Bright bars are processed to manufac-

ture handles, shafts etc, enhancing the visual appeal and functionality of a wide range of products. Our extensive range of stainless steel fasteners encompasses 26-27 different types, making them versatile and suitable for a wide range of industries. These fasteners are known for their strength, durability, and corrosion resistance. They provide reliable and secure connections in industries such as construction and infrastructure development, ensuring the longevity and safety of assemblies. Synergy Steels has been the pioneer in stainless steel flats, and we have been instrumental in delivering and catalyzing the growth of the utensil market in India. With our focus on quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction, we strive to deliver exceptional products that meet the unique requirements of our clients.

WCI: What have been the recent developments at your organization and what are your future growth plans?

AK: At Synergy Steels, we are committed to continuous growth and innovation. In line with our mission to maintain a high quality and diverse product line, we have recently launched production of stainless steel reinforcement bars (rebars). These rebars are designed to offer exceptional corrosion resistance and fire resistance, making them an ideal choice for construction projects. By introducing these rebars, we aim to provide our customers with efficient,

reliable, and durable solutions that enhance the durability and strength of concrete structures, especially in coastal areas. Further, we have also expanded our product range to include 5mm stainless steel wire rod across various grades. As we look ahead, diversifying our product portfolio remains a key focus area for us. We aim to expand our range of value-added products to cater to evolving market demands and customer requirements. We will also continue to invest in research and development to stay at the forefront of technological advancements, ensuring that our products meet the highest quality standards and offer innovative solutions to our customers.

WCI: Could you tell us about your major projects and clientele you are catering to?

AK: As an ISO 9001:2015 certified company, we have a state-of-the-art industrial set-up with customized plants equipped with the latest technology-driven machinery. With our commitment to delivering excellent quality, exceptional service, and timely delivery, we have established ourselves as a leading manufacturer of top-quality stainless steel flats, billets, and wire rods. With a capacity to produce 2,50,000 tonnes of stainless steel, a turnover of more than USD 315 million, and a continuous expansion into value-added products, we have emerged as a key

player in the stainless steel long products market. Our major stainless steel and rolling mills are based out of the Matsya Industrial Area in Alwar, Rajasthan, which is at a 140 km distance from Delhi. Over the past two decades, we have built a vast clientele across India, Europe, the Middle East, South America, Southeast Asia, and North America, solidifying our position as a trusted name in the industry. All major fastener and wire producers around the world remain our customers.

WCI: Describe your infrastructure and manufacturing setup for the steel wire sector along with their manufacturing capabilities.

AK: We operate three state-of-the-art manufacturing setups, including a steel melting shop, wire rod mill, and Alwar rolling mill. Our facilities are equipped with advanced testing infrastructure and automated machinery, ensuring high-quality production. We also have a corporate office based out of New Delhi, India. We have a wire drawing facility, precision heat treatment, SMS with AOD, and continuous caster located in the Matsya Industrial Area in Alwar, Rajasthan. The integrated stainless steel melt shop in Alwar has integrated raw material handling yard, test furnaces, quality control labs for metallurgical research, induction furnaces, AOD, billet caster with a melting capacity of 250,000 MT per annum. The integrated wire rod mill is fully automated with a reheating furnace, precision heat treatment and annealing facilities, pickling facility and garret coiler to produce wire rods between 5-34mm. We have a super specialized downstream value additive product portfolio with advanced testing infrastructure that includes wire drawing lines to produce fine wires, stainless steel flats, bright bars, fasteners and stainless steel rebars. We have recently introduced stainless steel rebars to our product lineup, in addition to the introduction of 5mm stainless steel wire rods in various grades. With these new additions, we

reaffirm our commitment to innovation. We constantly strive to deliver high-quality value-added stainless steel long products and enhance our product offerings.

WCI: Please share your views on the Indian vis-a-vis the global stainless steel wire industry. What is the role of the Indian government in the growth of this sector?

AK: The stainless steel wire industry plays a crucial role in the global economy, with applications in construction, automotive, and transportation. The industry has witnessed significant growth due to the increasing demand for stainless steel wire products worldwide. The global stainless steel market had a value of USD 112 billion in 2022. It is projected to reach USD 223.89 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 8-9% during the forecast period, driven by investments in the construction industry, which are anticipated to augment market growth during the forecast period. India is a key player in the global steel wire business, benefiting from a substantial domestic market. The Indian government has been actively supporting the steel and stainless steel industry through various initiatives, including the National Steel Policy 2017, which aims to increase the country's steel production capacity to 300 million metric tons by 2030. Additionally, the government has implemented reforms and programs such as the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for specialty steel, foreign direct investment (FDI), establishment of Steel Zones and Clusters, promotion of greenfield investments, research and development for better quality and cleaner steel production, and trade agreements. With growing demand across industries, the stainless steel wire industry is expected to expand globally. By embracing sustainable practices considerations, the industry can

“

Incentivizing the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies and cleaner production processes will help the industry reduce its environmental impact and ensure compliance with regulations.

successfully meet market demands, while also contributing to a greener and more sustainable future.

WCI: What are the major ongoing challenges in the Indian stainless steel wire industry?

AK: There are several challenges that face the Indian stainless steel wire industry today. These challenges are crucial in nature and need to be addressed to ensure the industry's competitiveness and sustainable development. The industry is facing a shortage of skilled labour, including technicians, engineers and operators, hindering operational efficiency, innovation, and growth. The industry also lacks the technical infrastructure that is required for improving quality and productivity, thereby affecting the overall cost effectiveness of the production process. Many manufacturers, especially the MSMEs are facing challenges in accessing the

necessary funds and expertise to upgrade their production processes.

WCI: How can these challenges of the industry be addressed? How is your company contributing towards this transition?

AK: To address these challenges, it is important to focus on bridging the skill gap through training programs and providing opportunities for workforce development. Investing in research and development will enable

the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, leading to increased innovation and productivity. Additionally, incentivizing the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies and cleaner production processes will help the industry reduce its environmental impact and ensure compliance with regulations. These measures will contribute to the growth and sustainability of the Indian stainless steel wire industry.

Nirmal Wires' R&D and Product Portfolio Expansion to Enhance Efficiency and Capacity

Originating in the year 1981, Nirmal

Wires (P) Ltd. is one of well-renowned names in the industry which is fulfilling the requirements of high-quality industrial products. Nirmal Wires' product range consists of GI wires, welding electrodes, aluminum conductors, galvanized stranded wires, galvanized steel wires, high carbon steel wire, deformed steel bars, and others. By exceeding customers' expectations with their products and services, Nirmal Wires has maintained healthy relations with its wide range of customers. In a recent conversation with Mr. Nirmal Saraf, Managing Director, Nirmal Wires Private Limited, spoke about the company's history and journey, specialized product portfolio, recent developments, views on the Indian and global stainless steel wire industry, ongoing challenges in the Indian stainless steel wire industry and solutions to the challenges.

Wire & Cable India: Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones and achievements of your company?

Nirmal Saraf: Our journey began in 1971 with Shri Ramautar Saraf at the helm. Fueled by the spark to create the best quality steel products in West Bengal he established a small wire drawing unit under the corporate entity Central Store Supplies (P)

Limited incorporated in 1942. After many years of hard labor and facing multifarious challenges, he kept the flame alive, and in 1985 put up a steel wire galvanizing plant under the corporate entity Nirmal Wires Private Limited incorporated in 1981. He handed over the torch, kindled by him, to his sons Mr. Nirmal Saraf, Mr. Raman Saraf and Mr. Piyush Saraf. In a few years, we had established a

Mr. Nirmal Saraf, Managing Director, Nirmal Wires Private Limited

C-164, Site-1, BSR Industrial Area, Ghaziabad-201 001.

Email: info@zenithmachines.com | zenithmach@gmail.com

Website: www.zenithmachines.com

Weldaids Ltd.

PRODUCTION PROGRAMME

Ÿ Straight Line Wire Drawing Machine (SLM)

Ÿ Inverted Vertical Drawing Machine (IVD)

Ÿ Rod Preparation Systems

Ÿ Wet Drawing Machines

Ÿ Rod Break Down Machines

Ÿ Stress Relieving & Strand Annealing Furnace

Ÿ Stranding Machines

Ÿ Vertical Drop Coilers

Ÿ Spool And Coil Take Ups.

TURN KEY PROJECTS

Ÿ Plant For Stainless Steel Wire

Ÿ Plant For P.C Wire

Ÿ Plant For Galvanised Wire

Ÿ Plant For ACSR Conductors

Ÿ Plant For Ribbed Wire

Ÿ Plant For Bead Wire

Ÿ Plant For Spring Steel Wire

Ÿ Plant For MIG Wire

Ÿ Plant For Brass Wire

flourishing business in the steel products industry mainly steel wires and rolled products. The torch burning brighter than ever before was handed over to the third generation of leaders: Mr. Varun Saraf, Mr. Prateek Saraf, Mr. Vidyut Saraf and Mr. Parag Saraf. They have carried the torch far and wide and are now meeting customer needs in over 40 countries around the globe.

Moving from one milestone to another, we have now expanded our product range to over 100 SKUs of different products including galvanized and black steel wires, aluminum conductors, ribbed wires, welding electrodes and hot rolled steel products. Some of our wires and their vast applications include- wires for producing umbrella ribs, various types of springs, wires for earthing, wires of staying, armoring of cables, and concrete re-enforcement wires. These wires are used in transmission, distribution and generation of power, security and protection, fencing, general engineering, automotive, amongst others.

WCI: Brief us about your specialized products along with their USPs.

NS: We have an expansive product range of over 100 SKUs of different products including galvanized and black steel wires, ribbed steel wires, welding electrodes, aluminum conductors and hot rolled steel products. Some of our wires and their vast applications include- wires for producing umbrella ribs, various types of springs, wires for earthing, staying, armoring of cables, and concrete reenforcement.

One of our newest products is Niznal™, a zinc aluminium alloy coated wire, that redefines strength, durability, and reliability. Niznal™ is a high-performance wire made from a special alloy of zinc and aluminum, which gives it superior corrosion resistance and durability compared to

With the growth of the steel industry, there's a huge push towards value addition and enhanced quality which matches internationally acceptable quality standards. This enables the manufacture of international quality steel wire and wire products which throws open a wide market nationally and internationally for us.

a traditional galvanized wire. It provides up to 6 times longer life (as compared to a standard GI wire) and therefore lower product lifecycle cost.

We have also launched ASTM class B and class C zinc coated wires. These provide a heavy coating of 850 gms, with maximum durability and enhanced corrosion protection. These heavy coated wires are designed for use in harsh and corrosive environmental conditions (eg: salty and moist atmosphere near seashores.) We stand out in the wire and cable industry as a holistic solutions provider. We don't just guarantee product quality; we guarantee extensive after-sales service, and a robust customer feedback collection system to further our customer-first commitment.

WCI: What have been the recent developments at your organization and what are your future growth plans?

NS: Some of our recent developments have been the production line that was designed, installed, and commissioned in house for our newest product NiznalTM. We are immensely proud of all the work put in by our technical team to successfully launch this product. Along with this we have also developed ASTM class B and class C zinc coated wires as well as highspeed wire drawing processes. Future product offerings include zinc wires, zinc aluminum wires, low relaxation prestressed concrete wires and patented steel wires. Along with this

we are constantly working in R&D on ways to make our production process more sustainable, galvanizing without the use of acids and flux, and ways to increase efficiency and thus capacity.

WCI: Please share your views on the Indian vis-a-vis the global stainless steel wire industry. What is the role of the Indian government in the growth of this sector?

NS: With the growth of the steel industry, there's a huge push towards value addition and enhanced quality which matches internationally acceptable quality standards. This enables the manufacture of international quality steel wire and wire products which throws open a wide market nationally and internationally for us. Such opportunities were so far not accessible to the steel wire and wire products industry due to paucity of raw materials of proper quality. Consequently, the growth in the steel wire and wire products industry will be greater than the growth in the steel industry itself. However, the downstream industry will have to meet the challenge of producing world class products and more importantly providing world class services along with them. The Indian government needs to encourage the production of value-added products by various measures. Primarily, the availability of world class raw materials at international FOB prices so that the downstream industry can compete in global markets.

WCI: What are the major ongoing challenges in the Indian stainless steel wire industry?

NS: Some of the major ongoing challenges in the Indian steel wire industry are unsteady availability of steel wire rods of proper quality, less to no awareness of potential products and its potential uses in different infrastructure projects and agriculture, housing, horticulture, non-availability of state-of-the-art process technology to ensure quality of finished products and cost economics, as well as the fragmented nature of the industry, with a major chunk of the players are small and

scattered, making it difficult to come together.

WCI: How can these challenges of the industry be addressed? How is your company contributing towards this transition?

NS: The biggest challenge faced by the steel wire industry at large is the availability of steel wire rods, and for this to change primary producers need to increase production, moderate prices, and focus on quality production. Along with this the steel wire industry needs to modernize process technology and work on gathering the best skilled labor and machinery to

produce top quality products. This supplemented by ample marketing and awareness of products can help push the industry to greater heights. We, as a company, are working towards accessing raw material from the best in the country and we have made ourselves present on all public forums to make sure we are accessing the best quality of raw material. We also prioritize accessing top technology from the best in the world supplemented with in-house development. Building a strong technical team with the best training and knowledge has been crucial for enhancing capacity for us.

Sikora's LASER Series 2000/6000 Feature New Swiveling Measuring Head Concept

Sikora's Laser 2000 and 6000 series introduce next level precision with their various laser-based gauge heads providing highest reliability in production and quality end products. Their special feature is the swiveling measuring head concept, allowing the measuring head to be easily moved out of the working area.

May 10, 2023

easuring technology specialist Sikora's LASER MSeries 2000 and 6000 provide unparalleled precision, high availability and production-proven design. Both the series include various laser-based gauge heads that continuously measure contactless diameter and ovality of cables during extrusion. Users benefit from the highest reliability in production and quality end products. The compact and slim measuring heads of the LASER Series 2000/6000 are designed such that the optical components are located in protected areas so that process-related dust and dirt particles do not affect the measurement. In addition, the diffraction analysis detects unavoidable, gradually emerging contamination and reports it long before the measured values are affected by it. The smaller gauge heads of the LASER Series 2000 are equipped with a proven multi-slot protection. The larger gauge heads, which cover a product diameter

from 30 mm (1.2”), as well as all 3-axis gauge heads are designed open at the bottom so that neither water nor dirt can enter the gauge head.

A special feature is the swiveling measuring head concept, which allows the measuring head to be easily moved out of the working area. The measuring heads are free of wear parts, retain their precision throughout the entire operating life and require no calibration or maintenance.

Mukand Improves Steel Products' Quality Through Silicon Metal Usage in EOF Tapping

Registered in 1937, Mukand Limited started

operations as a 're-rolling mill' and a foundry. Today, the company is one of the leading manufacturers of steel and stainless steel long products and heavy engineering equipment. Mukand has manufacturing capabilities to produce more than 400 grades. Mukand recently used silicon metal during the tapping in EOF, which resulted in minimizing the levels of aluminum and titanium in the final steel product, and improvement in the quality of the company's steel products. In a recent conversation with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Shashibhushan Upadhyay, President, Mukand Limited, spoke on various topics like the company's journey, recent developments, the current scenario of the global steel wire industry, the challenges faced by the Indian steel wire industry and how to overcome them.

Wire & Cable India: Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones and achievements of your company?

Shashibhushan Upadhyay: Mukand Limited, a Bajaj group company, is a leading manufacturer of specialty steel long products and heavy machinery in India. Incorporated in the year 1937, the company produces alloy steel from its facility in Hospet, Karnataka and stainless steel from its facility in Thane, Maharashtra. The company is

also in the business of design, manufacture and commissioning of heavy machinery to a cross section of industries. It was in the year 1939, at the behest of Mahatma Gandhi, Shri Jamanalal Bajaj and Jeewanlal Motichand Shah took over the company from Shri Lala Mukund Lal who wanted to devote all his time to the freedom struggle. Coming to 2023, today Mukand is established as one of the leading manufacturers of steel and stainless steel long products and heavy engineering equip-

Mr. Shashibhushan Upadhyay, President, Mukand Limited

ment. Our steel and stainless steel products are used across various industries including automobile, the industrial machinery division, designs, manufactures, assembles and commissions heavy-duty cranes, bulk material handling equipment, process plant machinery and turnkey projects. These heavy cranes are primarily used in power industry, metals production, steel industry, automobile sector etc.

WCI: Brief us about your specialized products along with their USPs.

SU: Mukand Limited has manufacturing capabilities to produce more than 400 grades. The wires manufactured by us vary in the size range of 5mm to 30mm and can be supplied as cold finished, soft annealed and spheroidized annealed, pickled and hardened condition. Our modern and technologically upgraded wire rod mill is equipped with a walking hearth furnace and on-line measurement and automatic coil handling system. We have also deployed online automatic inspection for size and surface defects to ensure that nothing but the best is delivered to our customers. The state of the art manufacturing facility also boasts of loop control cooling for wire rods ensuring optimal properties suiting customers' processes.

WCI: What have been the recent developments at your organization and what are your future growth plans?

SU: Mukand Limited shall continue to focus on increasing efficiency, improving quality, and increasing its output in the year ahead. The company has invested in cutting-edge technology and modernized its production processes to ensure that its products are of the highest quality and are produced with minimal waste. In the last year, we developed several new grades in our steel business for various applications like prestressed wire, fastener Industry, seamless tube

This demand is driven by the growing need for lightweight materials across various sectors, including automotive and aerospace. Manufacturers are actively responding to this trend by investing in innovative approaches to produce steel wire products that offer exceptional strength, resilience, and corrosion resistance.

application, oil and gas industry, automotive crankshaft, railways and others.

All these new grades are specifically developed for demanding applications, in consultation with its customers. The company's team of experts worked closely with its customers to understand their needs and requirements, and the company is proud to have developed a material that offers a unique combination of strength and corrosion resistance and can withstand extreme pressure and extreme temperature conditions. Mukand has also implemented the usage of silicon metal during tapping in EOF. This innovation has resulted in minimizing the levels of aluminum and titanium in the final steel product, particularly for spring application grades. This has led to a significant improvement in the quality of our company's steel products, making them more suitable for various industrial applications.

WCI: Please share your views on the Indian vis a vis the global steel wire industry. What is the role of the Indian government in the growth of this sector?

SU: As a steel manufacturing company, we believe that the Indian steel wire industry holds significant potential in the global market. India has witnessed steady growth in this sector, driven by factors such as increasing infrastructure development, construction activity, transpor-

tation and mobility and industrialization. India has witnessed substantial growth in its steel wire production capacity in recent years. With the establishment of new manufacturing facilities and technological advancements, India has the ability to produce a wide range of steel wire products to meet domestic as well as international demand.

The global steel wire industry, on the other hand, has a diverse production capacity spread across various countries, with established players in developed and emerging economies. One of the significant trends influencing the global steel wire industry is the increasing demand for superiorquality and high-performance steel wire products. This demand is driven by the growing need for lightweight materials across various sectors, including automotive and aerospace. Manufacturers are actively responding to this trend by investing in innovative approaches to produce steel wire products that offer exceptional strength, resilience, and corrosion resistance. These advancements enable them to meet the rising demand for cutting-edge solutions that align with the evolving requirements of industries seeking lightweight yet durable materials.

The Indian government plays a crucial role in fostering the growth of the steel wire industry. Various initiatives and policies implemented by the government of India like the National Steel Policy, which seeks to boost the

nation's steel production capacity to 300 million metric tons by 2030 and enhance the competitiveness of the industry. The government has also taken steps to promote ease of doing business, attract foreign investment, and encourage research and development in the steel sector.

Additionally, the government has undertaken infrastructure projects that boost demand for steel wire, such as the development of smart cities, metro rail systems, and rural electrification. These initiatives create a favorable environment for the growth of the steel wire industry and provide opportunities for domestic manufacturers to meet the increasing demand. In addition to this, the government's emphasis on Make in India and selfreliance has further bolstered the steel wire industry by promoting domestic manufacturing. This has led to a more robust and competitive domestic steel wire market.

In a nutshell, the steel wire industry is projected to grow, owing to its increased demand from various

industries from across the globe. There has been a significant rise in global buyers expressing interest in establishing enduring partnerships with Indian companies, which is an extremely positive development. However, it becomes imperative for the Indian steel wire industry to shift its focus towards a more qualitycentric approach in order to bring India to the forefront of the industry.

WCI: What are the major ongoing challenges in the Indian steel wire industry?

SU: With the growth of the economy and the increased focus on manufacturing, India is soon going to be the manufacturing hub of the world and the wire industry can not stay far behind when this growth happens. As a country, we might not be able to utilize the full capacity of wire manufacturing so we will have to find ways to improve our export share in this market. However, the road to this may not be as easy as it sounds. The industry will have to prepare to provide the best quality products at

competitive prices. The price of the steel wires largely gets influenced by the cost of the raw material which are mainly imported. Hence, in order to effectively compete with manufacturing hubs like China and other global players, the Indian steel wire industry may need to procure raw materials at a competitive price.

Also, it becomes crucial for the steel industry to focus on optimizing costs throughout the value chain, including raw material procurement, production processes, and supply chain management. This may involve exploring alternative sourcing options, negotiating favorable pricing contracts, improving operational efficiencies, and adopting costeffective technologies. Lastly, it becomes important for the government to create a conducive business environment. This can include measures such as reducing import duties on raw materials, streamlining regulatory processes, and providing incentives to promote cost competitiveness.

WCI: How can these challenges of the industry be addressed?

SU: Addressing these challenges requires collaborative efforts from industry stakeholders, government support, and a proactive approach to innovation, infrastructure development, skill enhancement, and market adaptation. By addressing the pricing challenges and improving cost efficiencies, the Indian steel wire industry can enhance its competitiveness on the global stage and effectively compete with manufacturing hubs while meeting the demands of international buyers. By continuously optimizing processes, by adopting advanced manufacturing technologies, and promoting innovation we can establish a competitive edge in the market.

ISO 9001-2015 Co.

With its presence for over 40 years in supply of machinery to the wire and cable sector the India-based Sarvasv Group has primarily been known to infuse its machinery with innovations so as to take care of a client's minutest needs.

SARVASV with time has earned the reputation of being the most reliable supplier and partner for supply of machinery for Wire and Cable Manufacturing. It has manufacturing units that are equipped with the most sophisticated and modern machinery and equipments, which is complemented by highly qualified team of professionals who are always striving hard to improve on the already attained success. It has also been exporting its machines to various countries across the globe like Middle East, UAE, Bangladesh, Nepal, Iran, Africa, Europe andAustralia.

Our Product Range & Services

• High Speed Skip Stranders (AI, Cu, Steel and Insulated Cores)

• Skip Laying Machine for AB Cables

• Rigid Stranding Machine. (Steel, AI and Cu)

• Rigid Stranding Machines With Batch Loading (Steel, AI and Cu)

• Armouring Machine.

• Core laying Up Machine.

• Armouring Cum Laying Machine. (Multi Purpose)

• Special Planetary Stranders I Anti Torsion Machines

• Double Twist Bunching Machines

• Drum Twister for LT /HT Power Cables

• Extrusion and Sheathing Lines. (PVC and XLPE)

• Dual Automatic Spoolerfor Rod Break Down Machine (AI and Cu)

• Rewinding Lines, Take Up Units, Payoff Units and Catterpillar Units

• Taping Solution for PVC, Copper & Steel

• High Speed Tubular Stranding Machine Upto 36 Wires (AI, Cu and Steel Ropes)

Sarvasv Machinery and Equipments Pvt. Ltd.

Regd. & Corp. Office: B-200, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi-110020, INDIA

Factory: B-194B/195, RIICO Industrial Area, Kahrani, Bhiwadi Ext, Rajasthan-301019, INDIA

Phone: + 91-11-66401582 / 83 Mobile: + 91 9871163831

Email: info@sarvasv.com • varun@sarvasv.com

Website: www.sarvasv.com

Rigid Stranding Machine

Armouring Machine

Double Twist Buncher

Skip Stranding Machine

Drum Twister

Auto Loading Machine

Miki Wire Works Introduces “Green Route” for High Carbon Wire, Now an Industry Practice

Miki Wire Works Private Limited is a trusted

name in the steel wire industry, with a vision to adapt their processed product line to keep pace with new concepts and products. The company's manufacturing units are present in four locations, with their mother plant in Ranchi, Jharkhand, and the rest in Visakhapatnam, Bangalore and Nagpur, respectively. The plant has a current capacity of 1 lakh tonnes per year, out of which they utilize 85 percent. In a recent conversation with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Mahesh Poddar, who also happens to be former member of Parliament & SWMAI past president Chairman, Miki Wire Works Private Limited, shared the company's overview, manufacturing plants, sectors catered, the organization's recent developments, his views on the current state of the steel wire industry, the Indian government's support, challenges faced and how to overcome them.

Wire & Cable India: Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones and achievements of your company?

Mahesh Poddar: Miki Wire Works Private Limited, Ranchi has emerged as a multifaceted, well- diversified and a professionally managed company. In a span of over 40 years, the Miki Wire Group has grown many folds; our wings have now spread to all corners of India. With four manufacturing units spread across India, Miki Wire is a trusted name in the steel wire industry, owing to its superior quality and supply chain management. We now cater to the 20% of the railway concrete sleeper wire

requirement of the Indian Railways. Our continued investments in superior technology consistently push products to the highest quality standard. We have consistently been learning and reinvesting back into the company. We make sure to focus on relevant products, demanded byourconsumers.

WCI: Describe your infrastructure and manufacturing setup for the steel wire sector along with their manufacturing capabilities and total production capacity.

MP: Our production facilities are present in four locations, namely, Ranchi, Visakhapatnam, Bangalore

Mr. Mahesh Poddar, Former Member of Parliament; Past President of SWMAI and Chairman of Miki Wire Works Private Limited

and Nagpur. Most of these plants cater to their nearby areas, but our Ranchi plant, which is our mother plant, caters to consumers from Agarthala to Jammu. We are mainly catering to two sectors, one is concrete sleeper reinforcement for the Railways and the second is PCC reinforcement. We have recently started making automotive spring wire and LRPC strands. In terms of capacity, we currently have a capacity of 1 lakh tonnes per year, out of which we are achieving about 85 percent of the capacity. Our other wires are for rolling shutters springs, umbrella ribs, fibre wire, etc.

WCI: What have been the recent developments at your organization and what are your future growth plans?

MP: It was my personal ambition to produce steel wire through a green route. Recently, we have also started to produce wires with the dia of 12mm or 14mm, high carbon grades; drawing through the mechanical decaling route. We also introduced green induction heating for stress relieving of the wire, eliminating lead and Furnace oil as heat transfer medium to ensure consistent quality. Additionally, we are constantly looking out and experimenting with the products, which reduce power requirements and create high quality products. Fortunately, we have access to wire rods from most of the steel

producers in the country, allowing us to continue with our innovative ideas. We are planning to produce more spring wires and specialty wires. We have also decided to improve the efficiency of our existing facility, through cutting down the cost and modernizing the machines, so that we remain efficient and our profitability is protected though it is a “decades“ old MSME unit.

WCI: Please share your views on the Indian vis-a-vis the global steel wire industry. What is the role of the Indian government in the growth of this sector?

MP: Globally, the steel industry's growth naturally propels the growth of the steel wire industry. This refers to the fact that if the steel industry grows manifold, the steel wire industry will also be growing. India has a stable and ambitious government, with clear goals. The Indian government has set various targets following strict timelines, and one of the major targets set by the government is that India will become a developed nation by the time India completes 100 years of independence. In order to achieve this feat, every industry has to take major leaps, in terms of both volume and technically niche products. Talking specifically about the steel industry, globally economic development is also matched with the per capita demand

of steel of a particular country or economy. Today we can see that China is producing nearly half of the world's steel, whereas India's production is lagging behind. However, the government has now set a steel production goal for 300 million tons by 2030, which further involves subtargets like 55 million tons of special steel. In addition to this, the way our industry's growth is mostly driven by domestic demand, this seems like an achievable goal, despite global slowdowns. In order to achieve this goal, the government is providing major support through PLI schemes, promotional or supportive activities, opening up of mining activities, major amounts being spent on infrastructure, power sector reform and growth particularly through solar power availability in an ever-growing quantum. These are a few things which emphasize the seriousness of the growth of the steel industry. We have witnessed how China has taken a big leap in terms of production, from 2004 to 2014. I can visualize similar growth in India in the next few years.

WCI: What are the major ongoing challenges in the Indian steel wire industry?

MP: One major challenge is that ever since the country's independence, no major investment and technology upgradation has been made in the steel wire industry. This resulted in many organized, big factories being closed down and many small medium-sized enterprises coming up and witnessing significant growth. Today, some of the major steel producers are taking help from smaller enterprises for steel wire production through conversion routes. In this way they have the advantage of raw material, brand and a cheaper working environment of small scale factories. Another issue is that after free trade policy was introduced, some liberal imports took place in the steel sector. This prompted Western India to grow faster in the steel wire industry and the Eastern region, which had better raw material availability, lagged behind. In the meantime, the emer-

gence of the secondary or smart steel sector started, with pockets located in places like Raipur and Durgapur. These small mills produced steel through induction or alternative routes, were cheaper and also invested in downstream steel wire making. Though they did not invest in making very high end products, they took over almost 6070% of the commercial domestic market. North has the largest consumption, while south has very small capacity. We also face the issue of poor exports, stunting the growth of the domestic market. However, the secondary sector consolidated its position in TMT bars also and almost 65-70% of the market share for TMT bars in India is due to the secondary sector. However, in many developed countries, the usage of TMT bars is reducing and being replaced by wire mesh and deformed wires, which can pose another opportunity, if this trend comes to India. The growing power cost to the small and medium industries in many states is also a cause of worry. Multiple PLI proposals have been put before the government, but many of those companies will not invest that amount of money and will eventually not be eligible for PLI. Another major challenge is the capacity of individual plants and the overall capacity of the steel wire industry, which is far lesser than China. One of the reasons behind this is poor and irregular availability of wire rod and its unstable pricing. Second reason is that the use of steel wire is still not very popular. Third reason is that the spectrum of steel wire products which are made to be

exported are still insignificant. Moreover, steel producers, particularly the bigger ones, have not taken any initiative to promote downstream industry. If we have a target to produce more steel and more wire then simultaneously we have to look for areas with higher demand for the product, within India as well as outside. Though the government has taken initiative to provide raw materials, that is steel wires, at the export pricing somehow it has not become popular as of yet or even taken off .

WCI: How can these challenges of the industry be addressed? How is your company contributing towards this transition?

MP: Challenges come with opportunity. I would suggest that the government allow a small window for actual users so that they can import wire rods for their own consumption from across the globe. These wires can be consumed either for domestic purposes or be processed, downstreamed and re-exported.

Apart from that, I would suggest that manufacturing space be provided near the power generating stations where the losses of the electricity distribution company are not loaded, so cheaper power is available to the industry. I believe that stable pricing, easy availability of wire rods either from domestic sources or global players can also be supported by the government. The government should also set a more suitable minimum threshold limit for PLI investment required and fix the scheme according to that, apart from capacities promoting additional capacities. We at Miki have gradually been shifting from low-end commodity products like binding wire to automotive spring wire, LRPC wire, and higher end wires. Moreover, we have been modernizing our plants for efficient functioning. Our group has also branched out to meet local needs so that we meet the demand on a local basis, as well as source raw materials from nearby. This is how we have been overcoming these hurdles and growing. We believe that the industry must remain hopeful, as the industry is finally showing signs of overcoming the negative period we were going through. I am sure the government's liberal policy to commercially mine the minerals, non tariff barriers on the finished wires, wire products, setting up separate export targets for steel wire sector out of engineering goods export, will help the industry as well as the nation.

Prestress Steel to Establish Cold Ribbed Manufacturing Plant with 20,000 TPA Production Capacity in Silvassa

Prestress Steel LLP, a member of Gita Group, is a

manufacturer of top quality medium and high carbon steel wires for Infrastructure, power, automobiles and general engineering sectors, since 1994. The company currently operates 4 strategically located plants across India in Silvassa, Bajpur and Bangalore respectively; delivering an output exceeding 72,000 metric tons annually. The company is set to establish a new cold ribbed wire manufacturing plant in its Silvassa unit, with an annual production capacity of 20,000 MT, within the next few months. In a recent interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Sampath Gilada, Managing Partner, Prestress Steel LLP shared about the company's journey, manufacturing setup, production capacity, product portfolio, clientele, recent developments, his views on the current scenario of the steel wire industry, the challenges and how they can be overcome.

Wire & Cable India: Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones and achievements of your company?

Sampath Gilada: Gita Group was established in the early 1960s by the Gilada and Tapadiya families in Karnataka. The Group has four PC, galvanized and allied products and wire manufacturing units located in Silvassa (Dadra & Nagar Haveli), Bajpur (Uttarakhand) and Bangalore

(Karnataka). In addition, the group also has seven sleeper units in India and two units in Africa. We also have seven PC pole manufacturing units, five pulses units, besides having a distinct infrastructure division dedicated towards water supply and road projects. Further, we have our presence in segments such as real estate, power generation, refractory manufacturing, and ductile engineering castings for railways and automo-

Mr. Sampath Gilada, Managing Partner, Prestress Steel LLP

FEATURE

biles with a global turnover of INR 1400 crore in FY 2022-23. Prestress Steel LLP, formerly known as Prestress Wire Industries, had started during the year 1994 with the capacity of 3,500 MTPA and now, the company has grown to reach the annual production capacity of 100,000 MT with its four distinct manufacturing plants. The company has a diverse range of products such as single and stranded PC wire, ACSR core and stranded wire, special ACSR wire with 19 wire strand, earth wire, commercial galvanized, nail wire, screw wire, spring steel like bedding and shutter wires, as well as bailing wire luggage spring. Our PC wires and ACSR wires are exported to the Middle East, Bangladesh, Turkey, Africa, and European markets on a regular basis.

WCI: Describe your infrastructure and manufacturing setup for the steel wire sector along with their manufacturing capabilities.

SG: Each of our manufacturing units are state-of-the-art, having high capacity in straight line wire drawing manufacturing having annual production capacity of 80,000 MT, along with galvanized wire pad wiping facility and eco friendly pickling and furnaces along with solar rooftop photovoltaic plants as well as Rainwater harvesting capabilities. All of the units are ISO 14001, OHSAS and BIS-approved, ensuring the satisfaction of our customers with respect to

the quality of the products. At present, we are operating in the northern, southern and western region in India and moving forward, we are looking to establish our presence in the Eastern region as well.

WCI: Brief us about your specialized products along with their USPs.

SG: Prestress steel LLP is the sole manufacturer in India of specialized ACSR conductors having mega high strength with tensile strength of 16002400 MPa according to BSEN 50189, ASTM B 957, IEC 60888 & IEC 63248 which are used extensively in HTLS/ GAP type conductors. Prestress Steel LLP is also catering to specialized spring steel requirements of sizes ranging from 1.40mm to 8.00mm for mattress manufactures as well as bags or suitcase manufacturers all over India and in Middle East, Bangladesh, Turkey, Africa and the European markets. The unique selling point of these products is that they are import

substitutes, having high quality with reasonable costs.

WCI: What have been the recent developments at your organization and what are your future growth plans?

SG: Prestress Steel LLP is coming up with a cold ribbed wire manufacturing plant in our Silvassa unit, having an annual production capacity of 20,000 MT, within the next few months. Cold ribbed wire is an alternative to the traditional TMT bars for concrete reinforcement. Cold ribbed wires use thinner sections for the same in TMT bars. For example, 8mm TMT bars can be replaced with 7mm cold ribbed wires having better tensile strength than TMT bars while also offering significant savings in steel (22-28%) and overall reduction in cost of construction (5-8%). Prestress Steel LLP will be offering FE 550 grade of cold ribbed wires compared to the existing FE 415 grade of TMT bars.

WCI: Share with us about your major projects and clientele you are catering to.

SG: The projects we are involved in are the construction of bridges, dams and national highways. Our prestressed concrete poles are used for power transmission. Our PC pipes are used for water supply schemes and drainage systems. Our concrete railway sleepers are RDSO approved, and our G.I wires are used in conductors such as ACSR conductors. Our spring steel is used in automobiles, mattresses, bags, general engineering etc, and our mild steel G.I

The steel wire industry has high-end critical applications in infrastructure, auto industry, power distribution, defense and other critical industries. The growth of this industry is directly linked to the growth of the infrastructure, automobile and power sectors.

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WCI: Please share your views on the Indian vis-a-vis the global stainless steel wire industry. What is the role of the Indian government in the growth of this sector?

SG: The steel wire industry is a basic infrastructure industry producing various types of steel wires, which have high-end critical applications in infrastructure, auto industry, power distribution, defense and other critical industries. The growth of this industry is directly linked to the growth of the infrastructure, automobile and power sectors. The new National Steel Policy enshrines the long-term vision of the government to give impetus to the steel sector. It seeks to enhance domestic steel consumption and ensure high-quality steel production and create a technologically advanced and globally competitive steel industry. The government has also announced a policy for providing preference to domestically manufactured iron and steel products in government procurement. The government has also approved a

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Specialty Steel. It is expected that specialty steel production will become 42 million tonnes by the end of 2026-27.

WCI: What are the major ongoing challenges in the Indian stainless steel wire industry?

SG: Currently, the quality of wire rod manufactured by Indian manufacturers is not comparable to European and Japanese Standards which ultimately affects the quality of finished wires produced in India. India also has to increase the exports of steel, galvanized steel products and especially specialty steel and capture the market of Japan, Korea, China and other European countries. Finances being expensive in India compared to other countries, including China, Korea, and Japan, a part of the inflated cost invariably devolves into product costs, close to USD 40.00 per ton, making the final product expensive and thus uncompetitive. Add to that the problem of steel having a cyclical demand in India. The monsoons put the brakes on construction, the primary consumer of steel. As we are a developing economy we also have low per capita consumption. Furthermore, steel-making is a power-intensive business, and India is a power-deficit

country despite a large number of PPAs being signed in the mid-90s and early 2000s. The deficiency of electricity puts India at a disadvantage when it comes to producing steel the way it wants to. There might be some respite with the right mix of renewables and thermal power.

WCI: How can these challenges of the industry be addressed?

SG: In recent years, the Government has passed reforms for the growth of the steel industry in India. The Government allowed 100% FDI through automatic route for the steel sector in India. The NSP 2017 Policy was launched, aimed to create a welldeveloped and highly competent steel industry to boost economic growth through measures such as meeting steel demand domestically through availability of raw materials and capacity additions and in a costeffective manner. The Government notified the SSRP to provide guidelines for metal scrapping centers in India. The framework provides guidelines on scrap segregation, collection, processing, etc. in a scientific manner. This is to recycle and reuse scrap to produce high quality steel. This will ensure more steel production and, thus, reduce dependency on imports. The PLI for Specialty Steel Scheme by the government aims to promote manufacturing of specialty steel in India through capital investment, employment generation and technology upgradation, thus, reducing dependence on imports in meeting the domestic demand. The Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order policy was enacted to maintain quality control and ensure quality steel products to consumers through the adoption of Quality Control Orders (QCOs) which made BIS Standards mandatory. These measures are helping to provide an impetus to India's steel industry and thus, helping boost economic growth of India.

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H. D. Wire to Foray into Fencing Products Segment: Value Added Products Made from In-House Manufactured Wires

H. D. Wire Private Limited was established in the year

1988 and is now a recognized name in the manufacturing, supply and trading of unlimited compilation of galvanized wires and cables. The company's product portfolio includes cable armor wires and strips, galvanized steel wires, high carbon steel wires, M S and galvanized binding wires and weld mesh. H. D. Wire's Indore plant consists of a wire rod storage area, pickling lines, wire drawing machines, annealing furnaces and patenting lines, fine wire drawing machines, galvanizing lines, packing areas and loading stations, as well as finished goods storage areas. In a recent interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Dilip Dev, Managing Director, H. D. Wire Private Limited, shared the company's journey, specialized products and their USP, recent developments at the company, manufacturing capabilities, as well as his thoughts on the current scene of the steel wire industry and how the company is working to overcome the challenges.

Wire & Cable India: Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones and achievements of your company?

Dilip Dev: Established in the year 1988, H. D. Wire Private Limited, is one of the eminent manufacturers, suppliers and traders of an unlimited compilation of galvanized wires and cables. Our product collection encompasses flat cable armoring wires, round cable armoring wires and

aluminum conductor steel reinforced, which are proffered in a diversified range of specifications, to cater to the several demands of our esteemed purchasers in the business. Named as one of the preferred choices in the business, our company has reached great success heights, in the past decade. Backed by a magnificent infrastructure facility and an efficient team, which stand as our biggest support in attaining the various

Mr. Dilip Dev, Managing Director, H. D. Wire Private Limited

organizational objectives, along with the client satisfaction, our company is quite popular. Equipped with a series of machines, tools and equipment that help us with the obstruction-free production, storage and loading and unloading of the proffered assortment, our infrastructure is extremely spacious. Furthermore, we are based on the foundation of moral values & principles and involve in transparent and ethical business dealings only.

WCI: Brief us about your specialized products along with their USPs.

DD: Our product portfolio includes cable armor wires and strips, confirming all major world standards. Our galvanized steel wires have a narrow size tolerance and uniform physical properties throughout the length. We also provide high carbon steel wires with wider size range from 0.27mm to 10.00mm, narrower control on physical properties and dimensions

and confirming to all major world standards. Our M S and galvanized binding wires have consistent wire diameter resulting in higher length per unit weight, as well as uniformly soft and available in attractive packing of 5 kg, 10 kg and 25 kg. These wires are made for various segments like infrastructure, agricultural & low cost housing security. We also manufacture weld mesh, which is made available in galvanized varieties also.

WCI: What have been the recent developments at your organization and what are your future growth plans?

DD: Currently, our focus is on increasing the volumes vertically and concentrating on products where our acceptance is higher. Our focus is also to add new value added products that can be made from wires we manufacture in-house. This will result in inhouse consumption and also result in higher margins, that is, entry into the fencing products segment.

WCI: Share with us about your major projects and clientele you are catering to.

DD: In the power segment, we cater to companies like Apar Industries, L&T IDPL, Gupta Power, Havells, Polycab,

Total installed capacity in India for wires is estimated at 5 MMT and the plain carbon steel accounts for 4.4 MMT. The average growth for the wire industry is at 5% per annum.

Finolex, KEI, Torrent Power, and many others. We also serve the auto ancillary industry, to companies like Suprajit, Ramsons and Acey. We supply galvanized wires to the dedicated retail network in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Moreover, we supply weld mesh to Megha Engineering, Koya & Co., L&T , Welspun, and others.

WCI: Describe your infrastructure and manufacturing setup for the steel wire sector along with their manufacturing capabilities

DD: We have major following operations in our plant at Indore. The Indore plant consists of a wire rod storage area, pickling lines, wire drawing machines, annealing furnaces and patenting lines, fine wire drawing

machines, galvanizing lines, packing areas and loading stations, as well as finished goods storage areas.

WCI: Please share your views on the Indian vis a vis the global steel wire industry. What is the role of the Indian government in the growth of this sector?

DD: For the year 2021, the steel production for the world was at 1911.9 million MT with China producing

1032 .8 MMT followed by India at 118.1 MMT. Per capita consumption of steel stood at 228 kg for the world, and 691 kg for China. The same for India was 70 kg. Out of the total steel consumed in India the wire accounts for 5%. Total installed capacity in India for wires is estimated at 5 MMT and the plain carbon steel accounts for 4.4 MMT. The average growth for the wire industry is at 5% per annum.

WCI: What are the major ongoing challenges in the Indian steel wire industry? How is your company contributing towards addressing these challenges?

DD: Major challenges, as per us, are lack of modernization, lacking in “scale of economy”, availability of skilled manpower and lack of research and development activities. At the same time, higher logistics cost also accounts for higher landed cost at the consumer's end. At our end, we are trying to address the issues by rationalizing the product mix, concentrating on our core competency and trying to consolidate and strengthen our market shares in the chosen areas. We are also going for value added products and forward integration in selected areas.

“

For the year 2021, the steel production for the world was at 1911.9 million MT with China producing 1032 .8 MMT followed by India at 118.1 MMT.

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Bharat Wire Ropes: INR 600 Crore Company with a 72,000 TPA Production Capacity

Established in 1986 in Mumbai, Maharashtra as a wire

rope and speciality wires manufacturing company, Bharat Wire Ropes Limited is now a multi-billion enterprise and one of the largest manufacturers of wire ropes and slings in India with an ever growing global presence. The company manufactures strands, wire ropes and slings for use in various industries such as general engineering, material handling, onshore and offshore oil exploration, and others. In a recent interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. M.L. Mittal, Managing Director, Bharat Wire Ropes Limited, spoke about the company's history and journey, specialized product portfolio, recent developments, views on the Indian and global stainless steel wire industry, ongoing challenges in the Indian stainless steel wire industry and solutions to the challenges.

Wire & Cable India: Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones and achievements of your company?

M.L. Mittal: Bharat Wire Ropes started in 1986 and the company was acquired by us in 2010. Since then, we have focused on growing the company from an SSI unit to a nearly INR 600 crore company in a span of 12 years. We established a state of the art wire rope manufacturing plant in

Chalisgaon, Maharashtra, which is one of the largest plants globally, exporting to over 52 countries. Moreover, we got listed on NSE & BSE in 2016 and now we are ramping up capacity to increase our capacity utilization. BWR has always believed that to make a quality product, we need quality machines and that is the reason, we have installed the best machines from reputed manufacturers across the globe. We have

Mr. M.L. Mittal, Managing Director, Bharat Wire Ropes Limited

invested in cutting-edge technology, some of which is developed 'inhouse' helping us to be more efficient. Our focus on quality and value creation has helped us gain some of the biggest clients globally, a testament to our vision of becoming one of the largest manufacturers of steel wire ropes.

WCI: Brief us about your specialized products, along with the recent developments at your organization.

MLM: Our core product is wire ropes ranging from 5mm to 90mm with maximum reel weight of 60 MT, with applications in elevators, mining, cranes and material handling. We have 14 different licenses along with ISO from TUV. We have managed to produce wire ropes that have achieved the highest breaking loads in the world. In terms of recent developments, we are currently focused on increasing capacity utilization by adding balancing equipment. We are also adding new products to cater to various demands which were previously not part of our product portfolio.

WCI: Describe your infrastructure and manufacturing setup for the steel wire sector along with their manufacturing capabilities.

MLM: Our Chalisgaon unit, one of the world's largest wire rope making facilities, is set up in an area of 64 acres which commenced full operation in 2016. We have machines imported from Germany and South Korea consisting of brands like Sket and Steuler. This is one of the most advanced units for wire rope production with backward integration up to wire rods which is our raw material. This enables us to have full control on the quality and specifications. Our total combined wire rope manufacturing capacity is 72,000 MT per annum.

I believe that India is at the cusp of a breakout in manufacturing, with a strong thrust from the government in this sector. With improving infrastructure, educated manpower, PLI schemes, export incentives and a strong domestic market, we are in a strong position.

WCI: Please share your views on the Indian vis a vis the global steel wire industry. What is the role of the Indian government in the growth of this sector?

MLM: I believe that India is at the cusp of a breakout in manufacturing, with a strong thrust from the government in this sector. With improving infrastructure, educated manpower, PLI schemes, export incentives and a strong domestic market, we are in a strong position.

WCI: What are the major ongoing challenges in the Indian steel wire industry?

MLM: Major challenges are the lack of

technical know-how and exposure to the best global practices, as well as competition from companies from Turkey, Vietnam and South Korea.

WCI: How is your company contributing towards addressing these challenges?

MLM: Bharat Wire Ropes has started working closely with educational institutes and the academia to give us an edge especially in the wire ropes sector. Furthermore, we are also focused on improving our value proposition by improving efficiency and quality. This will, in turn, help the industry to grow and cater to the global market.

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Established in 1981, Vividh Wires Limited is the stain-

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Wire & Cable India: Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones and achievements of your company?

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Mr. Ashwani Gupta, Executive Director, Vividh Wires Limited

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WCI: Describe your infrastructure and manufacturing setup for the steel wire sector along with their manufacturing capabilities.

AG: Our manufacturing setup comprises the latest straight line drawing machines, along with other top-of-the-line fine wire drawing machines. We have invested heavily in our infrastructure and sourced the best machines from India and abroad. This allows us to make the best quality wire at a much higher efficiency. Our current setup allows us to cover the entire range of wire from 0.04 mm to 8 mm thickness, for applications as diverse as fasteners, springs and welding consumables in more than thirty different grades of stainless steels, duplex steels and high nickel alloys. For our new unit, we are sourcing the best available machines from the leading manufacturers across the globe to further augment our production capabilities.

WCI: What have been the recent developments at your organization?

AG: We are currently in the midst of a major capacity expansion with the establishment of our second unit in Greater Noida, the foundation stone for which was virtually laid by the Hon'ble Prime Minister - Mr. Narendra Modi. The plant is extremely modern, heavily automated and designed with a very holistic vision to consolidate our position across the various segments being catered by us. The plant is being designed with a production capacity of around 15000 MT per annum, and we hope to commission it by the end of this year. With a capital outlay of over INR 600 million, the plant is being designed with the best available machinery and international safety

standards. This new unit will allow us to establish a greater foothold in the export market, and significantly reduce our order turnaround times.

WCI: Brief us about your specialized products along with their USPs.

AG: We are amongst a handful of companies that are able to offer our entire product basket of super-fine wires and MIG/TIG wires in extremely complex grades such as Inconel, Hastelloy and Duplex Steels. We have a very strong R&D team that is constantly innovating and improving. As a result, we have a number of specialized products that have been perfected over the years.

WCI: Please share your views on the Indian vis-a-vis the global steel wire industry. What is the role of the Indian government in the growth of this sector?

AG: The Indian steel wire industry has been rapidly growing over the past few years, especially post-Covid. While the various policy announcements, such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, made by the government have helped, I believe that the major reason for growth has been a long-term change in the global supply chain. Additionally, the rising energy costs in Europe have made the Indian steel wire industry a lot more cost competitive as compared to our European counterparts, leading to a substantial rise in export opportunities for the Indian steel wire sector. However, to maintain this steady growth, I believe that more policy certainty and export incentives from the government will allow the industry stakeholders to better

capitalize on the available opportunities and consolidate our position as a formidable player in the global supply chain.

WCI: What are the major ongoing challenges in the Indian steel wire industry?

AG: While the industry has grown at a robust pace over the last three years, we are witnessing a relative slowdown, resulting in the surplus production capacities across the sector. After a period of over three years, the demand for steel wires seems to finally be lower than the available manufacturing capacities and this is resulting in a pressure on the operating margins in the short-term. In the longer term, the industry outlook continues to be quite strong and the Indian steel sector should continue at a much faster pace compared to the global steel sector. However, to stay ahead of the curve, industry stakeholders need to deliver ESG performances at par with our global counterparts. Due to the energy intensive nature of the processes, we need to start making a concerted effort towards adopting clean technologies and reducing emission. This will not only help us avoid the type of issues being faced by China today, but also, allow the Indian steel wire industry to drive a healthy socioeconomic growth and contribute to the growth of India's GDP.

WCI: How can these challenges of the industry be addressed? How is your company contributing towards this transition?

AG: As I mentioned previously, the key long-term challenge which needs to be addressed is the need to reduce

In the longer term, the industry outlook continues to be quite strong and the Indian steel sector should continue at a much faster pace compared to the global steel sector.

emissions and improve ESG accountability. At Vividh Wires, we are amongst the early adopters of solar power and the captive solar plant at our Greater Noida unit has so far offset more than 1200 MT of carbon

emissions since its commissioning. We are currently working on plans for a much larger off-site solar plant and our target is to be completely carbon neutral within the next few years.

“

The rising energy costs in Europe have made the Indian steel wire industry a lot more cost competitive as compared to our European counterparts, leading to a substantial rise in export opportunities for the Indian steel wire sector.

NKT Confirms 320 kV HVDC Export Power Cable System Order for East Anglia THREE Offshore Wind Farm

NKT has been awarded the order for HVDC export power cable system for East Anglia THREE offshore wind farm, following the contract signed by them. The contract value is over EUR 250 million in market prices. NKT expects to deliver the project in 2025.

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power cable system for the prospective offshore wind farm, East Anglia THREE from the project developers ScottishPower Renewables (SPR), after having signed a contract for the same. The turnkey contract comprises the design, manufacturing and installation of the complete 320 kV HVDC export power cable system. The contract value is over EUR 250 million in market prices. NKT expects to deliver the project in 2025. The upcoming East Anglia THREE offshore wind farm will consist of 95 wind turbines located 69 km off the UK coast in the North Sea covering an area of 305 km2. Once in operation, the wind farm will be able to generate up to 1,400 MW renewable power meaning a valuable contribution to the UK Government's ambition of having 50 GW offshore wind in operation by 2030. NKT President and CEO, Claes Westerlind said, “We are very pleased to confirm the award with ScottishPower Renewables and we look forward to contributing to the project with our HVDC turnkey capabilities and know-

how. Offshore wind is key for the green transition of the power supply and with the potential to supply over one million UK homes with renewable offshore wind energy, East Anglia THREE is an important step in connecting a greener world.”

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Fortran Steel Envisions Utilizing 100% Plant Capacity by 2025

Fortran Steel Private Limited was conceived in 1991 to

manufacture a wide array of hot rolled and structural steel products. The company's wire plant produces hard bright wire, HHB wire, annealed wires, galvanized wires, alloy steel wires, MS flat wires and others. Whereas, the company's rolling mills produce round bars, flat bars, bright bars, bright bars, all produced in MS and stainless steel. In a recent conversation with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Jatin Parekh, CEO, Fortran Steel Private Limited, shared about his company's business journey, recent developments, USP, product portfolio and shared his thoughts on the challenges in the Indian and global steel wire industry, and how to overcome them.

Wire & Cable India: Could you please take us through the business journey, milestones and achievements of your company?

Jatin Parekh: Since its establishment 30 years ago, Fortran Steel has continuously evolved as a steel company, and is a regular supplier to some of the top companies in India and to over 23 countries like the Gulf countries, Africa, South America, Europe and others. Initially, Fortran manufactured steel rounds, flat bars and wires of commercial and general engineering grades. Today, the company also manufactures stainless steel bright bars and special grades of wires especially in alloy steel, high carbon steel, spring steel, and others.

WCI: Brief us about your specializedproductsalongwiththeirUSPs.

JP: The products manufactured at our

wire plant include hard bright wire, HHB wire, annealed wires, galvanized wires, alloy steel wires, MS flat wires, wire nails, CO wires and stainless 2 steel wires. Our rolling mills produce round bars, flat bars, bright bars, bright bars, all produced in MS and stainless steel. Our USPs include catering to the OEM sector with a special thrust on the niche market, competitive price, timely delivery, effective redressal of quality complaints and timely delivery of invoice along with the material test certificate.

WCI: What have been the recent developments at your organization and what are your future growth plans?

JP: Recently, Fortran has been focusing on strengthening the sales team, and we have been appointing product-wise

Mr. Jatin Parekh, CEO, Fortran Steel Private Limited

sales managers with our team of sales coordinators. We are also gradually moving towards a more systemoriented process, where we focus on development of new OEM and their vendor registration. Fortran is also putting more impetus towards the growthof exportand inductionof OEM customers for value added grade, working towardschemical freeprocesses, inlinegrinding and shot blasting. In terms of our future plans, we aim to increase our existing plant's capacity to 100 percent by 2025, along with implementing forward and backward integration to enhance the production capacity of the plant further. We will purchase machines for straight line wire production and grinding machines. Fortran is also aiming to set up a stainless steel plant for billets and rounds. We also aim to set up a digital marketing team for online marketing, and increase production by means of additional equipment and enriching product mix.

The size of the steel wire industry in India is approximately 3.2 million tonnes in terms of volume, and USD 2.1 billion in terms of value, combining both organized and unorganized sectors. Approximately 75 percent of total production comes from organized producers and the rest from the unorganized counterpart.

WCI: Share with us about your major projects and clientele you are catering to.

JP: The major projects we have been involved in are the Nagpur metro rail project, Samruddhi Mahamarg highway project, Mumbai TransHarbour sea link, Mumbai-Delhi corridor and the Bullet Train project. We provide wires to the fastener, railways and infrastructure industries; special steel to the automobile,

railways, infrastructure, barbed wire, fastener and wire mesh industries; fasteners and bright bars to the vendors of automobile, shipping and railways industries; and fan guards to the railways coaches.

WCI: Describe your manufacturing setup for the steel wire sector.

JP: Our wire plant comprises a wire drawing unit with a 1.50mm to 13mm range, an annealing furnace, a coating or plating section, cutting and spooling

units and a quality control laboratory. The specific capabilities and equipment of a wire plant can vary depending on the type of wire being produced for particular applications.

WCI: Please share your views on the Indian vis a vis the global steel wire industry. What is the role of the Indian government in the growth of this sector?

JP: The size of the steel wire industry in India is approximately 3.2 million tonnes in terms of volume, and USD 2.1 billion in terms of value, combining both organized and unorganized sectors. Approximately 75 percent of total production comes from organized producers and the rest from the unorganized counterpart. India constitutes 1.3 per cent of the global wire exports and approximately 3.2 percent of Indian production caters a portion of the global markets.

The fortunes of the steel wire industry are closely linked to the fortunes of the primary steel industry.

Internationally steelmakers prospects to 2023 are mixed, due to consolidations in most parts of the old industrial world; a resurgence of steelmaking capacity addition in the Far East (particularly in India), in Latin America (Brazil), Vietnam, Indonesia and in the Middle East; a revitalization of the Russian steel industry and continued massive

expansion in China. One factor stimulating new capacity is the technological revolution which is sweeping the industry. The Indian government is taking multiple steps to play their role in the growth of this sector. The government has applied anti-dumping duties on high carbon, alloy steel and stainless steel wires because of dumping from countries like China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Turkey, among others. The government is also building pressure to make allocation of special steel wire rods like high carbon, alloy steel and spring steel regularly from the primary producer. Furthermore, the government is providing incentives to put up steel wire plants in rural and semirural areas, providing export incentives for export of high carbon, alloy steel and spring steel wires, as well as reducing power tariffs for industries to make them a viable unit.

WCI: What are the major ongoing challenges in the Indian steel wire industry?

JP: Significant investments are needed to set up modern steel wire plants with new technology adoption. Some challenges are low per capita consumption of steel wire, cheap import of wires from China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Turkey etc., interrupted power supply for steel wire production, dependence on costly coal

imports resulting in higher steel prices, frequent change in raw material prices, and logistics and transportation problems.

WCI: How can these challenges of the industry be addressed? How is your company contributing towards this transition?

JP: The industry challenges can be addressed through various ways. The government can take initiative through financial institutions and receive bank support for easy and flexible financing. This can be done by approaching banks and financial institutions for lower interest financing for the MSME sector as well as getting in touch with foreign banks. The government should also advocate the idea of using more steel wire, both galvanized and stainless steel, in infrastructure, steel and concrete buildings, through technical presentation, literature, experts professional, exhibition, trade fair etc. It is also imperative that the government fix import prices for the wires and discourage usage of imported wire by way of making easy availability of the right type of wire quality domestically, to procure maximum from the domestic source by means of monthly and quarterly contract.

To ensure uninterrupted power supply from the government and private power plants, we must put up a solar plant to ensure uninterrupted power supply to our unit. We must also explore areas for coking coal mines and get the right quality of coking coal from the domestic source by reducing ash content through coal washeries. Government should also intervene to curb the logistics cost by standardizing freight charge on a per kilometer basis, as well as further enhance highway development. We must increase our transporter base so that through the way of tender, a minimum logistic price is arrived at. The steel wire industry is in a dynamic environment, therefore to keep a tab on the market dynamics and accordingly decide the short term strategy.

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Polycab India: “Industry is WellPrepared to Meet Technological Advancements of Tomorrow”

Polycab India is engaged

in the business of manufacturing and selling wires and cables as well as fast moving electrical goods. Apart from wires and cables, the company manufactures and sells FMEG products such as electric fans, LED lighting and luminaires, switches and switchgear, solar products and conduits & accessories. With R&D as a key strength, Polycab continues to achieve product differentiation and offer a unique value proposition to its consumers. In a recent interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Bhushan Sawhney, Executive President & Chief Business Officer, Polycab India Limited shared his insights on the current scenario and growth drivers of the wire and cable industry, the challenges faced by the industry and what its future looks like, the R&D scene in the wire and cable field and Polycab's investments towards R&D.

Mr. Bhushan Sawhney, Executive President & Chief Business Officer, Polycab India Limited

Wire & Cable India: What is the current scenario of the wire and cable market?

Bhushan Sawhney: The wire and cable market is witnessing strong growth due to urbanization, infrastructure development, renewable energy expansion, and the demand for highspeed data transmission. The rising number of construction projects and the need for efficient power transmission is driving the demand for cables. Moreover, the widespread use of smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices is fuelling the requirement for reliable data transmission cables. This dynamic market is evolving to meet diverse industry demands, making it a key sector for innovation and technological advancements.

WCI: What are the challenges faced by the wire and cable segment?

BS: The wire and cable segment faces several challenges despite its strong growth prospects. One major challenge is the volatile price of raw materials such as copper and aluminum, which significantly impacts the cost of production. Another challenge is the need for continuous research and development to keep up with evolving technologies and industry standards. Moreover, the industry needs to focus on developing more sustainable materials, promoting recycling initiatives, and adopting eco-friendly manufacturing practices. This will not only help reduce the environmental footprint of the segment but also meet the growing demand for environmentally conscious products.

WCI: What is the R&D scenario in the wire and cable field?

BS: The wire and cable industry is actively engaged in research and development to drive innovation and address the evolving needs of various sectors. Companies are investing in R&D to develop new technologies, materials, and manufacturing processes that will improve performance, efficiency, and safety in the

industry. For instance, prominent players in the wire and cable market continuously investing in R&D efforts focused on developing flame-resistant cables to enhance fire safety and reduce environmental impact. The industry is investing in R&D to optimize energy efficiency and sustainability. R&D initiatives are aimed at exploring insulation technologies to enhance energy efficiency in cables, particularly in the context of renewable energy transmission. The wire and cable industry recognizes the importance of R&D to stay competitive and meet the evolving demands of sectors such as construction, telecommunications, and renewable energy.

WCI: What are the recent R&D and innovations at Polycab?

BS: At Polycab, R&D remains one of our key strengths which enables us to achieve product differentiation and offer a unique value proposition to our consumers, distribution, dealers as well as institutional customers. Our in-house R&D center, located at Halol, Gujarat, is certified by the Department of Science and Industrial Research (DSIR, Government of India), and is continuously working on new product development in the wire and cable space. A large team of R&D and technical professionals support the manufacturing function through their expertise in research process, design, performance and project management, and cater to evolving market requirements such as fire-retardant, fire survival, low smoke and multi-chemical resistant compounds. We also collaborate with various external technology consultants to develop many first-to-market technologies.

WCI: What is the future of the wire and cable industry?

BS: The future of the wire and cable industry is poised for remarkable advancements and growth, fuelled by ongoing R&D efforts. With a focus on innovation, the industry is set to meet the evolving demands of infrastruc-

ture development, renewable energy transition, and technological advancements.

The wire and cable sector is embracing the shift towards renewable energy sources. R&D initiatives are focused on creating specialized cables that can effectively transmit electricity from solar farms, wind turbines, and other renewable sources to the grid. These advancements will support the growing demand for clean energy and contribute to a sustainable future. The wire and cable industry's future is promising due to its strong focus on R&D. Through ongoing innovation, the industry is well-prepared to meet the demands of infrastructure development, renewable energy transition, and the technological advancements of tomorrow.

WCI: What are the drivers responsible for the growth of the wire and cable segment?

BS: The growth of the wire and cable segment is driven by several key factors, which are shaping its positive trajectory. One of the primary drivers responsible for the growth of the industry is the technological advancements, because as industries embrace automation, digitization, and smart technologies, there is a need for cables that can support high-speed data transmission, power efficiency, and connectivity. The expansion of transportation networks, construction of commercial and residential buildings, and investment in energy infrastructure is also contributing to the demand for reliable and efficient cables. Another factor is the expansion of renewable energy generation, including solar and wind power, which requires specialized cables for transmitting electricity from these sources to the grid. In addition to this, the wire and cable industry is continuously improving the safety standards and energy efficiency of its products. This includes developing flame-retardant cables, using ecofriendly materials, and optimizing power transmission to minimize energy loss.

DEM, Italy, Offers Innovative, Automated, and Customized Solutions for Wire Rolling

Market and competition go

hand-in-hand, and every organization has its own strategy to face

them. While some engage in price competition, others focus on quality. Innovation is another basis of market competition, and probably the most interesting. It not only keeps its adopters ahead of their immediate competitors but the market interested in their actions. Hence, they are always relevant and often the drivers of change, upgrades, and new technologies. In a conversation with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Stefano Zuttion, Chief Executive Officer of DEM Group, shares how the company keeps itself ahead of its competitors using innovation and customized solutions.

DEM Group is an Italy-based wire manufacturing equipment provider. Since its establishment in 1996, the company has always used innovation and diversification of solutions and equipment offered as its market strategy. The most recent of its innovations include the self-developed digital platform WIRE UP, and Spring Wire lines.

Mr. Stefano Zuttion, Chief Executive Officer of DEM Group

Wire & Cable India: Please tell us about your company.

Stefano Zuttion: Our company DEM is a mechanical engineering company based in Italy. We provide specialized equipment to the wire industry to process various types of wired and reinforced steel.

We began our journey in 1996 by selling Cold Rolling Cassettes for reinforcing wires. Since then we have expanded our manufacturing capabilities and capacities in various instances while diversifying our product line to its current status. In 2001, we ventured into manufacturing profile wire rolling lines; in 2003 we commissioned our first reinforcing wire rolling line for bars; in 2012 we supplied a fast Profile Rolling line for flats and squares smaller than 1 mm used as electronic wire; in 2015 we diversified to manufacture a Hot Rolling line for special shapes; in 2018 we launched Direct Wire Rolling (DWR), a concept that revolutionized fabrication of reinforcing steel bars, and WIRE UP, the DEM digital platform. In 2020, we successfully commissioned our first induction and tempering line for Automotive Spring Wire, while in 2023 we are going to commission a newly conceived FCW (Flux Cored Wire) line for welding wire having superior qualities.

Apart from product-based diversification, we have also entered organizational partnerships for better technological development. In 2007, we entered a share-holding-based group partnership with EVG, Austria, and in 2016, we acquired TEI to integrate inhouse software and automation development.

As of 2023, we offer a vast spectrum of rolling technologies with customized degrees of automation. Our technologies could be used to manufacture various types of wires and coils from both ferrous and non-ferrous materials.

WCI: Please tell us about your manufacturing setup.

SZ: Our manufacturing setup is based in Udine, Italy, and spans over 5,500 square meters. This facility is equipped with our in-house engineering setup, and manufacturing and assembling area. We employ a workforce of 70 people, who oversee all functions including technical office, accounting, sales, assembling, workshop, and commissioning, as well as all after-sales-service. The majority of our manufacturing operations are concentrated in Italy and Europe. All our assembling operations are followed by equipment testing, with the targeted material, and we invite our customers to support these trial runs. Shipping and installation are included in our services and they follow successful trial runs, to the satisfaction of our customers.

This overall setup will increase by 1,500 square meters by the end of this year, as we are extending a bay and expanding the administrative area.

WCI: Please elaborate on the product portfolio of the company.

SZ: We manufacture line equipment for Profile Wire Rolling (PWR), Reinforcing Wire Rolling (RWR), Reinforcing Wire Stretching (RWS), Spring Wire Lines, FCW Flux Cored Welding Wire Lines, and Cold Rolling Cassettes (CRC). Our CRC lines could be used for both normal lengths and micro-rolling as well, differentiable on a models-basis. These lines could be used for the production of different wire castings, including wire uncoiling, wire preparation, wire calibration, rolling section, wire cleaning, wire quality, wire stretching, pulling section, and profile packaging.

Additionally, we offer DEMengineered products as complementary equipment for mentioned lines, such as tying and strapping machines, bar sorting, and handling, hot rolling lines, inline wire annealing, technology for superconductors, stainless rebar rolling, wire rope compacting, calibration stands, zinc wire rolling, etc.

Profile Rolling is among our main products as they have applications in many industries, like automotive, construction, power generation, and distribution. Our product line could be used to work with all types and grades of ferrous and non-ferrous materials. They can easily be used to shape profile wire, steel wires, high carbon, low carbon, stainless steel, or copper wires for energy. On the other side, the Reinforcing Wire lines are based on structural wire mesh and have the majority of applications in the construction sector. Furthermore, we have the technical capabilities to study, design and build special lines. In terms of yearly sales volume, we ship approximately 4 to 6 PWR lines, and 25 to 30 CRC lines for reinforcing wire.

WCI: Quality and production efficiency are very important for any manufacturer in this world. How do you help your customers achieve these two aspects?

SZ: We ensure a connection with our customers since the beginning of the project, as we like to solve our customer's problems. Hence, we prefer to work jointly with our customers right from the equipment's design stage. We offer innovative

India is an important market for DEM Group, and we wish to collaborate within the territory rather than simply from outside. In the coming years, our name will be heard more in the Indian market.

equipment which is automated to the maximum to ensure comfort and fewer complications for the operator employed by our customers. We also offer operator training support, wherein we provide the basic knowhow to them, which they can use to operate the equipment through all possible types of operations.

In 2018, we launched our very own DEM digital platform, namely WIRE UP, and it is now available to all our customers. All our manufactured machines are connected 24 hours a day, through an integrated digital interface. WIRE UP helps our customers to track production, support maintenance tasks, and support all the tool tracking with a 3D catalog of all drawings, and spare parts.

Our in-house service center is always in touch with our customers, providing round-the-clock support through a remote connection. Apart from technical support we also provide processing and product manufacturing support to our customers as they put our equipment in use.

WCI: What is your USP that keeps you abreast with your competitors and peers in the market?

SZ: There are varying bases of market competition, such as price-based competition. If we look at pricing, we acknowledge that DEM is not the cheapest one, however, as there are various types of market competition, we score on innovation and optimum solutions provision.

At DEM, we innovate a lot and are constantly adding solutions and new tools that could be integrated into our existing lines. In the last 4 years, we have integrated into our machines - quick changeovers, assisted changeovers, high speed, and all additional features which our competitors are yet to offer. We offer customized solutions to our customers, through technological packages (for PWR and RWR) and industrial automation (for PWR, RWR, and RWS). While technological packages are advanced solutions to improve performance, industrial automation is our complete in-house set-up to complement new or revamped

equipment and to provide on-time service.

We offer DEM engineering to develop “fit-for-purpose” products and equip the same with our digital WIRE UP interface to provide digital monitor, control, and upkeep of the equipment. Hence, our innovation keeps us abreast of the market.

WCI: Are there any other new developments or future plans at your company? What would you like to share about the Indian market?

SZ: We are working on different strategic expansions, however, they are still under-development stages. As for the Indian market, it is a very important market for us and we would like to collaborate and cooperate with Indians more closely. We have been working with Indians, but from outside India, and we wish to at some point be more connected within the Indian territory. Presently, we do have a couple of customers in India, but admittedly the scope is vast. Undoubtedly, in the coming years, India will experience a huge expansion in terms of DEM's presence in the market.

Plot No. C-121,TTC IndustrialArea, MIDC Pawane, Navi Mumbai- 400705, Maharashtra, India.

Mobile: +91 98218 56789

E-mail: info@lifelinetechnologies.in

Website: www.lifelinetechnologies.in

Domeks, Turkey, Combines Spooling & Coiling in Newly Launched Line

Domeks Makine

Limited is a Turkey-based machine manufacturing company, whose products find application in highspeed coiling and reel packaging lines for cable manufacturers. Domeks has recently launched a new spooling and coiling line, which integrates some unique features that are still foreign to the market. In a conversation with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Ömer Yilmaz, Deputy Director General of Domeks Makine A.S., highlighted the key features of their new launch, Triple Quadro. Further in the interaction he also shared why they have concrete expectations of the new launch's success.

Wire & Cable India: Congratulations on the new launch; please tell us about your new machine's key features and advantages.

Mr. Ömer Yilmaz: Thank you very much. Our latest model is called Triple Quadro, and we are offering this machine in different sizes according to different types of cables and products. It is the fastest of all our lines till now, which is also one of the USPs. It can easily achieve 8 coils per minute for 100 meters wires, and for shorter lengths, ranging from 5 meters to up to 25-30 meters, it can easily produce the output radius of 10 to 11 coils per minute. Moreover, this latest model of ours is equipped to combine spooling and coiling modes on the same machine.

Price-based competition is not justified for Triple Quadro. It combines spooling and coiling production on a single line without compromising with speed and quality. It manufactures six spools per minute and 8 coils per minute, for the bigger radii.

Left to Right: Mr. Orhan Özbaran, General Manager, Domeks Makine A.S., Mr. Ömer Yilmaz, Deputy Director General, Domeks Makine A.S.

We can now do away with the stretching function, especially in European countries towards a sustainable and environment-friendly manufacturing practice. Plastic usage is becoming more restricted and with this model, we can now remove stretch usage and plastic film. The inclusion of a third hand helps us move out the coils or spools products without stretching them. In fact, we can take into consideration our customers' requests and put the coils inside the carton boxes, or use other packing solutions like tying or strapping.

WCI: Could you elaborate on the automation features of this machine? How does this new machine place you in the market, against your competitors?

ÖY: This machine uses servo controllers, with almost all motors being servo-controlled, and position controlled. The technology gives us the ability to manufacture better layers and precise traversing control and good products. In the market, this machine is among the first models to have application flexibility with lots of different products. It is why I mentioned that it is a significant advantage, the biggest in fact, is that we are able to combine coiling and spooling on the same machine. Its speed and function place it yards ahead of other technologies on the market, and there is no other line that works spools and coils together. The manufacturing capabilities are also great, as in spool mode it manufactures up to six spools per minute, and in coil mode up to 8 coils per minute, for the bigger radii.

Price-based competition, in our opinion, is not applicable to this machine. It is not justified for a machine with such unique features and capabilities.

WCI: What kind of market response do you expect in the first year of launch? How many orders of this machine are you expecting?

ÖY: We are already receiving good feedback from the market and have concrete reasons to expect good order numbers since the machine enables high-speed production and has applications for inline operations in the US market as well. The inline operations are not common in Europe but in the US they are a normal occurrence. Our machine's features have been successful in earning regional interest and we have been getting queries.

Overall, we have good expectations for this machine for this year.

WCI: We recently met your colleague at an exhibition in Mumbai, and it was clear that the market is responding favorably to Domeks. What are your plans for the Indian market going forward?

ÖY: It has been our observation that the Indian market is

greatly inclined towards quality, and fast production, which are the defining features of this machine. Hence, we are naturally expecting a positive response from the market for our launch.

Moreover, in the Indian market, especially the cable industry, the selling rate for exports is increasing day by day, majorly to European and the US markets. The market competition becomes more cut-throat in terms of exports, and fast lines can easily become a determinant of a company's success in foreign markets. Furthermore, our line can also be used to combine with the carton box applications, actively prevalent in the local Indian market. Summarily, our machine has a great future, based on its features and advantages, in both Indian and foreign markets.

“

It has been our observation that the Indian market is greatly inclined towards quality, and fast production, which are the defining features of this machine.

KLJ Group: Largest Manufacturer of Plasticizers & Polymer Compounds in South Asia

KLJ Group, with a legacy of over 56 years (since

1967) is the undisputed market leader in the field of polymer compounds, plasticizers, chemical distribution and real estate. KLJ Group is one of the largest players in all the fields they have chosen to be in. Living by their motto “Trust Built on Performance”, the market looks at KLJ as the ultimate solution provider whenever there is a fresh demand or new regulation or demand for import substitution. Not to rest on their laurels, they continue to remain hungry for the newer markets and applications, enabling esteemed customers to reach unexplored and valueadded markets. In a recent interview with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Kamal Jain, Managing Director, KLJ Polymers & Chemicals Limited, shared about their product portfolio and manufacturing capabilities, their recent developments, their strengths and USPs and also their success mantra for continuous growth.

WCI: Brief us about your product portfolio catering to the wire & cable industry, along with its infrastructure setup and manufacturing capabilities.

KJ: A major part of our focus in the manufacturing side of business is the wire & cable industry. We offer products like; all kinds of plasticizers used in wire & cable, PVC compounds covering a wide range of applications, XLPE (Sio and PX–up to 72 KV) with semicon compound to supplement

the same, range of ZHFR covering entire application spectrum (up to 60 LOI), XLPO in a comprehensive range of hardness, TPEs, PE (MDPE, HDPE) and color & functional masterbatches in PVC, PE and EVA bases. We also offer solutions to the wire & cable industry based on engineering polymers like PA.

We are also the largest global manufacturer of secondary plasticizers i.e. CPW. Our new backward integrated 3,00,000 TPA

Mr. Kamal Jain, Managing Director, KLJ Polymers & Chemicals Limited

STE is one of the biggest FRHC copper rods manufacturers in India with over 4 decades of scrap handling experience.

We have the technology of continuous copper rods which is supported by oxy fuel from Linde. We use this technology to process the raw materials and produce copper wire rods utilizing technologically efficient and environmentally friendly processes.

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productivity.

AT WE BUILD STE TRUST, WE ALSO SELL COPPER RODS

Every coil manufactured undergoes rigorous testing at our in-house testing laboratory. These technology and production facilities allow us to create high-quality, competitive products. While creating the products that are superior in quality, we also ensure to give our topmost priority to the environment in order to create a sustainable ecological system.

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primary plasticizers plant in Bharuch, with captive production of 1,00,000 TPA of PA, is the most competitive primary plasticizer plant to serve the industry. Our cuttingedge manufacturing facilities at Silvassa & Bharuch in India, Rayong in Thailand, and ultra-modern Chlor Alkali plant in Qatar are equipped with state-of-the-art technology & equipment, producing a wide range of products to meet the customers' requirements. Qatar plant with caustic-chlorine as main product is also having a major forward integration to produce chlorinated paraffins as well as other chlorinated products. We are also into benzyl derivatives and expanding.

WCI: What are KLJ Group products' application areas and what industries you cater to?

KJ: We re- strategized on our polymer compound segment in 2003. The hard work of the last 20 years has enabled us to successfully cater to a very wide range of industries from wire & cable to medical disposables/equipment, footwear, automotives, electrical & electronics, white goods, railways, defence, etc. As a prominent name in the segments that we cater to, our focus is not only the domestic customers but we also work with our global customers across continents to meet the ever demanding market & regulatory requirements. Our experience of handling multiple polymers for a wide range of industries also helps us to offer innovative solutions as well as import substitutes to our valuable customers.

WCI: Outline the new product developments of KLJ Group.

KJ: Our business is based on the mantra 'Change is the only Constant'. So we keep innovating and striving for newer solutions to be the torch bearer of the industry. Some of our recent developments and offerings are:

l Tree retardant XLPE compound

l Semicon compound; bonded & strippable for both sioplas and PX technology

l Higher temperature rating/oil resistant automotive compounds

l Compounds for E-beam curing

l Solar cable solutions

l High speed house wire PVC compounds

l PA based sheathing compounds

l Transparent insulation compounds with different base polymers

l Color and functional masterbatches in PVC, PE and EVA bases

WCI: What are the USPs of your company? How do you ensure that you serve your customers better than your competition?

KJ: We live by our motto “Trust Built on Performance”. This may give you an idea about our USP and how the market differentiates us from others. With our commitment to offer the best, be it products or costperformance, we offer best value to the customer. We make continuous efforts to facilitate innovation in the company by constant up-gradation of skills of our people & hardware. The market accepts us as a solution provider with high-quality products

that meet their evolving requirements. Our commitment towards our customers is to help them to 'Stay Ahead-Stay Healthy' and work with them in the true sense of partners-inprogress. This is what the market values us for.

WCI: Tell us about your current market presence – both domestically and internationally.

KJ: Our market presence is a result of our commitment to be a trustworthy partner with a true sense of collaboration to the customers. Long term relationships are forged with mutual respect and transparent working. We are the biggest supplier of plasticizers & polymer compounds for the wire & cable segment in the country. Our products are exported to more than 90 countries in the world.

WCI: What is your success mantra and what are the reasons behind your phenomenal growth?

KJ: It is a strong priority for us to remain in close contact with our customers & deliver quality products on time. Our people are trained to turn around the new developments much faster than our peers in the industry. Striving for excellence, dreaming for the best and determined to achieve the same, makes us what we are today and will define where we will be tomorrow & beyond. We have been recognized for our true spirit by the market and are the market leader in every segment that we are present in.

KLJ Group is the correct solution provider, whenever there is a new requirement or demand for import substitution or new regulations. Our facilities are truly world-class with

Our new backward integrated 3,00,000 TPA primary plasticizers plant in Bharuch, with captive production of 1,00,000 TPA of PA, is the most competitive primary plasticizer plant to serve the industry.

“

Our products are exported to more than 90 countries in the world.

over 75 compounding lines, widest range of polymers and applications, ISO/IEC 17025:2017 (NABL) certified laboratories, R&D facilities recognized by the Department of Science & Industrial Research and Application Laboratory to validate new developments. In our case, we feel that word-of-mouth publicity is the biggest positive contributor in our growth, as any news travels faster in the industry being closely knit. Our customers are our true brand ambassadors. If we stay true to our

course, the market will continue to keep us ahead. We are also very much focussed on our customer outreach program, with personal visits and participation in industry exhibitions, seminars, conferences (both domestic & overseas). We strive to have an impactful and respected growth.

WCI: How do you view the wire and cable industry and the market potential for your product line?

KJ: The industry now is more

technology driven and is focused on aspects like fire safety, safer chemistry and long service life. These shifts in the business approach coupled with emerging applications like solar energy and electrical vehicles will lead towards the next phase of growth. Another growth driver is the boost in government investment on infrastructure. As a solution provider, we are flexible, adaptive and committed to exceed the industry needs.

“

Our cutting-edge manufacturing facilities at Silvassa & Bharuch in India, Rayong in Thailand, and ultra-modern Chlor Alkali plant in Qatar are equipped with state-of-the-art technology & equipment.

The industry now is more technology driven and is focused on aspects like fire safety, safer chemistry and long service life.

CSM Metalurji Set to Establish New Factory near Istanbul, To be Triple the Size of Existing Factory

Wire & Cable India: Please give us a brief overview of your company, along with its history.

Established in 2002, CSM Metalurji is a machinery, lines and

equipment manufacturer for the steel wire industry. Based in Istanbul, the company's major work areas are wire drawing, galvanizing, patenting and phosphate coating processes. CSM Metalurji is not only a manufacturing company, but also serves as an engineering company by designing and producing the most suitable machine equipment and process equipment for the steel wire industry. The company is set to establish a new factory near Istanbul which will be triple the size of the current factory and is expected to be operational around the beginning of next year. In a recent interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. İnanç HÜRTÜRK, Deputy General Manager, CSM Metalurji, shared about the company and its history, the manufacturing facility, equipment involved and product portfolio and the USP of CSM Metalurji.

İnanç HÜRTÜRK: CSM Metalurji is a manufacturing company for the machinery, equipment, and lines of all grades of steel wires, for the steel wire industry. Our company was established in Istanbul in 2002 as a product of an experience of more than 30 years in the fields of process and manufacturing engineering in the iron and steel industry. CSM Metalurji caters to customers who want to produce steel wires and products, design high efficiency plants and provide services at all stages from production to installation and commissioning of the products to marketing of the products. We are not only a machine manufacturer, but our engineers also design and produce the most suitable machines and process equipment for the steel wire industry with its extensive process experience, making us an engineering company as well. So everything is planned and designed in-house. And we try to use the best equipment from major brands like ABB and Siemens. Even after the commissioning of our equipment, we continue providing consultancy services for customers to get ideal working conditions.

WCI: Can you shed light on your manufacturing setup, equipment involved, and product portfolio?

Mr. İnanç HÜRTÜRK, Deputy General Manager, CSM Metalurji

İH: All our production takes place inhouse, in our factory in Istanbul. Our current factory is spread over an area of about 5,000 sq m. However, we will soon set up a new factory near Istanbul which will be almost three times bigger than the current factory and is expected to be operational around the beginning of next year. All of our manufacturing equipment that we use in our workshops consists of CNC machines. Our product portfolio covers dry drawing machines, wet drawing machines, annealing, patenting and hot dip galvanizing lines, chemical and mechanical cleaning equipment, tubular stranders and supporting equipment like zinc wiping systems, waxing units, wire pointers, uncoiling and coiling equipment, spooling, etc.

WCI: Could you shed some light on the product portfolio and major clientele?

İH: Steel wire drawing, galvanizing, annealing, patenting and phosphate coating processes are the most ambitious areas of CSM Metalurji. Our product portfolio with regard to

the wires and cables segment comprises mechanical descaling, chemical descaling, dry drawing lines of all diameters starting from 0.7 mm up to 14 mm and ranging from low carbon, medium carbon to high carbon, accessories regarding the drawing lines, hot dip galvanizing lines with zinc coating ranging from heavy, low and custom/commodity coating. We also have a specially designed computer controlled wiping system for heavy coatings, which is fully automatic and controlled with very tight tolerances. Controlling the weight of zinc coating is very important because zinc is an expensive material. Additionally, we have annealing lines for batch annealing or inline annealing, along with tubular stranders, pointers, and others. We've been in the market for over 20 years. We have supplied machinery and lines to Europe, Russia, the Middle East, the Balkans and Turkey, and are now aiming towards the American markets.

WCI: What is the USP of your company? Why should any buyer

buy your machinery as compared to your peers?

İH: The steel wire business is a very competitive market. So the machines or the equipment that you use should be cost effective, efficient. Our biggest advantage is that we can produce at high speeds with high efficiencies. For the galvanizing lines, we have about 95% operational efficiency. In terms of energy and other consumables, our lines are very cost efficient. For the wire drawing machinery, it depends on the customer's capabilities, but the machines can work at 85% with drawing speeds up to 36 meters/second. Being aware of our responsibilities for our children and for the next generations, all our equipment is environment-friendly. Moreover, the entire CSM team comes from the wire production industry, allowing them to have an in-depth know-how of the entire wire production procedure, including the problems faced in wire production and coating as well as their solutions. This is a huge advantage as we can provide better help to our customers in their operations through our highly experienced team.

Group Nirmal Unlocks the Future TM with Niznal: Redefining Possibilities in Coated Wire Technology

Mr.Prateek Saraf, Director at Nirmal Wires Private Limited, talks about the launch of Niznal and the company's focus on innovation and technological advancement.

In the ever-evolving world of industrial wires, Nirmal

Wires (Group Nirmal) has consistently been at the forefront of innovation and excellence. As a leading name in the industry, we are proud to introduce our latest TM breakthrough product, Niznal – a Zinc Aluminium Alloy coated wire that redefines strength, durability, and TM reliability. With Niznal, we aim to set new benchmarks and provide our customers with a wire that exceeds expectations in every aspect.

At Nirmal, we have built our reputation on a strong foundation of quality and innovation. With over 50 years of experience and expertise in wire manufacturing, we have always been committed to pushing boundaries and meeting the evolving needs of our customers. The decision TM to introduce Niznal stems from our unwavering dedication to delivering cutting-edge solutions that address industry challenges.

Mr.Prateek Saraf, Director at Nirmal Wires Private Limited.

TM The Birth of Niznal

Recognizing the need for a superior coated wire that offers exceptional corrosion resistance and longevity, we embarked on an extensive research and development journey. Our team of experts, equipped with in-depth industry knowledge and technical expertise, worked tirelessly to create a wire that would surpass existing TM options in the market. The result is Niznal – a gamechanging product that combines the strength of zinc, the durability of aluminum, and the expertise of Nirmal Wires (Group Nirmal).

TM

What Is Niznal ?

TMNiznal is a high-performance wire made from a special alloy of zinc and alumnium, which gives it superior corrosion resistance and durability compared to a traditional galvanized wire. It provides up to 6X longer life (as compared to a standard GI Wire) and therefore lower

TM product lifecycle cost. Once installed, Niznal requires minimal maintenance and provides long-lasting performance, allowing users to focus on their projects with

complete peace of mind. This unique attribute saves time, TM effort, and resources, making Niznal the ideal choice for those seeking reliability and convenience.

TM Applications of Niznal

TM The utility and usage of Niznal are diverse and impressive. It has found applications in industries such as gabion, fencing, weld mesh manufacturing, construction, and agriculture, among others. From strengthening gabion boxes to supporting crops in agriculture, from securing loads in shipping containers to providing TM strength in fencing structures, Niznal excels in every domain.

TM

As we introduce Niznal to the market, we invite our valued customers and partners to experience the unparalleled quality and performance it offers. We are confident that this remarkable wire will exceed your expectations, elevate your projects, and contribute to your success.

TM Choose Niznal, and embrace a new era of strength, durability, and reliability in coated wires.

Kund Kund Polymers: Serving Masterbatches to the Wire & Cable Industry Since 5 Decades

Started in 1989, Kund Kund Polymers (KKP) is an SCJ

group company specializing in colour masterbatches, special additives and speciality compounds for the cable Industry. Through sustained in-house R&D efforts and close association with the customers, KKP manufactures both masterbatches and additives that cater to the needs of various industries such as household, power, control, telecom and instrumentation, and railways. In a recent interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Darpan Jain, Director, Kund Kund Polymers shared about Kund Kund Polymers' services and purpose, the company's extensive product range, their major focus on R&D and innovation, recent developments and growth plans, among many other topics.

Wire & Cable India: Could you please give us a brief overview of Kund Kund Polymers?

Darpan Jain: Kund Kund Polymers (KKP), a unit of SCJ Group, is a leading manufacturer of masterbatches and has been servicing the full spectrum of polymers used in wires and cables application manufacturing for over 50 years. Equipped with state of art labs, R&D and production facilities, KKP's motive is to sell products of consistent quality and technical strength and bring down the customer's existing coloring cost, while duly maintaining

the properties of base compound. The company is tasked with a comprehensive range of color and additive masterbatches such as ultra-violet, anti-rodent, anti- termite, OIT booster, line speed booster and others for all the cable applications, and are available in standard RAL, PANTONE, UL, BS, CMYK and MUNSELL color specs for auto wire and white goods. Kund Kund has the capacity of manufacturing 300 MT per annum of masterbatches and special additives and compounds for the wires and cables industry.

Mr. Darpan Jain, Director, Kund Kund Polymers

WCI: Could you please elaborate on your company's product range.

DJ: We keep developing and adding our specialized products to our existing portfolio. Our diverse product range includes masterbatches with compliance to REACH, RoHS, RoHS 3 (PHTHALATE FREE); telecom cable masterbatches - PE masterbatches, XLPE (Thermoset), HDPE (railway quad cable and telecom and instrumentation cable); special cable masterbatches - TPE, TPR; optical fiber cable masterbatches - nylon and PBT masterbatches; a range of

additives masterbatches - UV resistance, anti-oxidant, anti-rodent and anti-termite masterbatches for both PVC and PE cables; and color masterbatches with high color fastness. In addition to this, we have a wide range of PVC masterbatches for all kinds of wires and cables applications like house wiring, control and instrumentation cables, signaling cables and power cables.

WCI: How does your company foster R&D and innovation?

DJ: With innovation embedded in our DNA, we at KKP are constantly emerging with new products which are globally significant, aimed at providing an environment of utmost safety. A strong, state-of-the-art R&D and production facilities, along with our rich experience in the wires and cables industry, allows us to offer innovative masterbatch solutions for the wires and cables industry. With the efforts of our well qualified and experienced production and quality team, KKP is constantly working

towards identifying industry challenges and designing new products and solutions to tackle them. Our upgraded infrastructure with the latest manufacturing technology as well as testing equipment boosts a state-of-the-art laboratory and plant. We are always close to our customers, with a marketing network covering all geographical locations across the country. Our customer- centric focus helps us to identify their needs and develop customized sustainable products.

WCI: Kindly tell us about the recent as well as upcoming developments at your group.

DJ: We do not limit sustainability to just product development but also ensure that the environmental, economic and the social elements support our sustainable goals. We are proud to be recognized as a ZERO defect discharge company meeting the growing demand for sustainable solutions. Our recent developments include a Carbon-Free black

“ We are proud to be recognized as a ZERO defect discharge company and also meet the growing demand for sustainable solutions.

In Case You Know Fishing Knowing Where to Throw the Hook Will Catch More!

In order to meet the country's power demand, there are several key trends that will be driving the growth and demand in the Indian wires and cables market, namely Smart Grid and digitalization, an increase in infrastructure and construction activities, focus on rural & railway electrification, a growing demand for energy efficiency, growing use of automation and the rise of robotics.

masterbatch in PVC to bring down carbon footprint, an Ambicat masterbatch for XLPE which reduces environmental impact, a ZFFR masterbatch for high speed wire extrusion to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption, and a solar cable masterbatch for solar power application.

WCI: What are the USPs of your company? How do you ensure that you serve your customer better than your competition?

DJ: No other masterbatch manufacturer knows wires and cables better than SCJ, as SCJ started with masterbatch and has been closely working with all the leading companies in India and globally for those new developments and innovations. SCJ Group has a great growth potential and with a progressive approach. We manufacture masterbatches for 28 polymers which, even if you club five international players, will not cover our broad range of products and also prioritize eco- friendliness. The Indian market is a value-sensitive market and can be maintained by spending splendid quality time rather than quantity time. There are a plethora of factors where we have an edge over our competitors by keeping consistent products, timely dispatch which makes it easier for customers to plan and manage their own production schedules. We believe in building communication at all levels with the customer that helps us to strengthen

trust and long-term relationships. Our company's main strengths include a 3 layer quality check, our well qualified and experienced quality check team, well-equipped R&D with the latest technology and on-time delivery to meet the most rigid requirements and expectations. Kund Kund Polymers emphasizes to sell product on consistent quality and technical strength and regularly doing value engineering in product to bring down coloring cost without compromising on quality, hence, duly maintaining the properties of base compound.

WCI: Tell us about your current market presence and growth plans – both domestically and internationally.

DJ: Conducting research on the market and identifying potential opportunities help to identify market trends. Apart from concentrating on high- quality new products development and diversifying our existing product lines we also focus on improving and innovating our production and process control as it helps us to stand out from competitors and establish a network in the target market. By adopting new methods and technology we can keep pace with industry trends and maintain our competitive edge. Our objective is to reach wires and cables customers from any part of the world that need masterbatches, in a short span of time, with a high level of strategy, more efficiently and with a

goal driven planning. In the coming future, by overcoming the roadblocks of growth, with the sustainable development and support of our counterparts we wish to expand our footprint globally.

WCI: How do you view the wires and cables industry and the market potential for your product line? What are the recent trends and the future you foresee?

DJ: The wires and cables market in India has the potential to grow by multi-fold in coming years. The market growth momentum will accelerate at a higher rate because of Russia and Ukraine conflicts. Many leading companies in Europe, America and other parts of the world have reduced their production and are now focusing only on high profit items, therefore, the bulk requirements are getting outsourced. India is in the best position to grab that business and major leading companies are over booked with export orders. Kund Kund Polymers understands their technical requirements very well as we keep visiting all the major exhibitions in the world. Additionally, the initiative taken by the Indian Government by investment in development of infrastructural projects, is driving the growth of the wires and cables market in India. To meet this growing demand of wires and cables, the supply of masterbatch in the industry will be at par. In order to meet the country's power demand, there are several key trends that will be driving the growth and demand in the Indian wires and cables market, namely Smart Grid and digitalization, an increase in infrastructure and construction activities, focus on rural & railway electrification, a growing demand for energy efficiency, growing use of automation and the rise of robotics. By staying abreast of these trends, Kund Kund Polymers can develop innovative masterbatch solutions that meet the evolving needs of customers in the Indian market.

TUBE & STEEL Istanbul and WIRE TECH Istanbul Fairs were held at TÜYAP Istanbul on 24-27 May 2023

With the cooperation of TÜYAP and Messe

Düsseldorf, Tube & Steel, the only specialization fair of Türkiye in the pipe, profile, wire and steel sectors, and Wire Tech, the specialization fair for wire, cable, nail production and technologies, opened its doors to its exhibitors and visitors this year from 24-27 May 2023. The synergy brought about by this cooperation provided a significant increase in the satisfaction rates of both exhibitors and visitors. Both Tube & Steel Istanbul and Wire Tech Istanbul fairs, which are the biggest addresses of all developments and innovations in the sector in Türkiye and Eurasia, brought together the world's leading manufacturers with decision-making, and added strength to the sector.

Tramev: Providing Range of Portable Cable, Wire Cutting Tools Worldwide

Tramev has provided its range of portable cutting tools to various large power cable manufacturers and steel manufacturers across the world since 1977. Tramev's range of supplies includes equipment for cutting and straightening wire up to 52mm and cable up to 180mm, with all products meeting European environmental standards and quality control regulations. The company has also been developing various battery tools for market needs.

Since 1977, Tramev has provided

its range of portable cutting tools to various largest power cable manufacturers and steel manufacturers across the world. The company is a global leader in shears and straighteners supply for the wire industry, and its complete range of supplies includes equipment for cutting and straightening wire up to 52mm and cable up to 180mm. The products manufactured by Tramev meet all European environmental standards and quality control regulations and have Italian design. With the company's effective sales network, Tramev is able to reach customers around the world and help them choose the correct tools for each application. Tramev has been developing various battery tools in the past few years in order to meet market needs, particularly battery straighteners TRBN (up to 20mm) and TRBN32mm (up to 32mm), both tools guaranteeing power, execution speed and safety for the operator.

Furthermore, Tramev's technology is designed to shear, cut off, bend as well as straighten for the most

demanding applications in a safe and effective manner. The powerful compact units eliminate bulky pumps and hoses through their simple plug-in and press-start design concept. The company has been providing its range of portable cutting tools to various large power cable manufacturers and steel manufacturers across the world since 1977. Its cable shears can cut cables up to a diameter of 50mm to 180mm for solid materials. Mr. Zakir Hussain, Managing Partner, Mechiton Engineering Solutions (channel partner for Tramev), says, “Our Tramev, Italy line offers a full range of portable tooling for shearing, cutting, straightening and bending of rebar, metal wire, cables, rod and bar. This range of equipment allows a fast and effective solution to the problems related to wire, rod and cable processing operations. The tools provide quick and efficient cuts with maximum operator safety. Also available are TRBN cordless handheld rod straighteners for safe and simple straightening of wires and rods from coils for easy insertion into a cold heading or wire drawing machinery.”

with the

An upcoming media company, Tulip 3P Media brings out publications for different B2B verticals. Theactivitiesofthecompanynowembraceeventsandmarketresearchaswell.Tulipiscurrently on its way to further expanding its publication portfolio through publications for other business verticalsandarichofferingofothernichemediaservices.

Miltec UV Introduces High Performing, 6000 Watt UV Lamp Xtrema Plus

A major player in the UV curing equipment business for over 33 years, Miltec offers a wide array of eco-friendly microwave UV, arc lamp UV, and infrared curing systems, carefully designed to help clients achieve maximum efficiency and a meaningful competitive edge. Following the footsteps of their successful product Xtrema Eco, the company has now launched Xtrema Plus, a 10-inch electrodeless lamp powered by a 6kW power supply which cures even the most optically dense inks and coatings while using less lamps and consuming less energy than other systems.

Leading US-based microwave

bulbs manufacturer, Miltec UV has been a part of the ultraviolet (UV) curing equipment business for over 33 years. The company has a reputation for sourcing high-quality products from around the world and is always innovating to bring new and improved technology to its customers. In addition to producing its own arc and microwave UV curing systems for industries such as optical fiber, Miltec also patented an optical reflector system for optical fiber curing, creating lamps with bulbs and reflectors that can be changed out in minutes. The company has recently developed a way for Li-ion battery manufacturers to achieve significant savings on production using UV curing technology. Miltec's innovations and contributions to UV technology have made them the source for quality systems and parts. With significant energy and operating savings through efficient design and easy maintenance features, companies will enjoy an attractive return on investment in new lines or upgraded technology for optical fiber draw, coloring, and FRP coating.

Building on the success of the Xtrema Eco, the new Xtrema Plus is a 10-inch electrodeless lamp powered by a 6kW power supply and uses the same patented reflector technology to focus the UV light. This system incorporates a user-friendly design for easy installation, operation, troubleshooting, and maintenance. The device showcases multiple unique features, including the use of a patented FM-3 rear reflector with smaller secondary reflector for improved peak irradiance at the fiber resulting in faster cure speeds, a patented ADV RF screen resulting in higher UV output by allowing more light transmission through the screen, multiple broad spectrum UV bulbs output including high UV-A & B, UV-C for excellent surface cure properties, improved lamp cooling design maximizing the life of lamp parts, easy replacement of outdated microwave powered UV equipment, easy access circuit breakers located on the rear of the power supply, UV bulb rapid start and restart, external magnetron test points for quick diagnoses, remote control interface with full reset capabilities and availability in top or

front connection configurations that can be changed in the field.

The Xtrema Plus UV lamp will produce significantly higher UV peak irradiance and UV energy compared to other competitive UV systems. Higher UV provides multiple benefits, like faster cure speeds which result in higher production speeds, improved adhesion between ink/coating and substrate, improved surface cure properties such as scratch resistance, stain resistance and chemical resistance, enhanced ability to cure even the most optically dense inks/coatings when other lower output UV systems cannot, as well as reduced number of lamps or lamp rows required resulting in less space consumed, less energy consumed, and lower operating costs. The Xtrema Plus UV system is perfectly suited for a wide variety of UV markets and applications, including optical fiber draw towers, coloring, ribbon cables, FRP/GRP, metal pipe/tube coating, and wide web converting. The power supply is compact, easy to install and operate, and is designed to be extremely maintenance-friendly and is field serviceable resulting in lower operating costs.

HFCL Further Increases Optical Fiber Manufacturing Capacity to 33.90 Million Fiber Km Per Annum

India's leading technology enterprise HFCL Limited is set to further expand the current capacity of its high-quality optical fiber manufacturing, from 10 million fiber km per annum to 33.90 million fiber km per annum. The capacity will be added in a phased manner, with the completion targeted by December 2024.

Jun 1, 2023

HFCL Limited, India's leading technology enterprise

offering communication network solutions, has announced further expansion of the current capacity of its high-quality optical fiber manufacturing from 10 million fiber km per annum to 33.90 million fiber km per annum, an increased value from the earlier planned capacity expansion of 24.94 million fiber km. This is in continuation to its earlier expansion plans announced for its existing state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Hyderabad, India.

The company earlier planned an expansion of 24.94 million fiber km. However, HFCL is witnessing strong market demand for optical fiber cable and this strategic initiative aims to achieve the dual objectives of margin accretion and insulation from sourcing vagaries. The company has earmarked an estimated capex of INR 470 crore and will be using debt and internal accruals as the mode of financing. The capacity will be added in a phased manner, with the completion targeted by December 2024. The decision to further enhance

capacity expansion will further lead to operational synergy and help capitalize on the growing market demand for optical fiber cables. The proposed expansion will not only strengthen supply chain capabilities but also improve overall margins of the company.

Ducab Group Signs MoU to Manufacture Power Cables for Electric Submersible Pumps with Baker Hughes

Ducab Group has signed an MoU with Baker Hughes for developing and manufacturing power cables for electrical submersible pumps. A part of the 'Make it in the Emirates' initiative, the MoU also holds the potential for a future agreement regarding Ducab's involvement in manufacturing pumps for Baker Hughes in UAE.

Jun 6, 2023

Ducab Group recently signed an MoU with Baker

Hughes to work towards the development and manufacturing of power cables for electrical submersible pumps. This collaboration aligns with the 'Make it in the Emirates' initiative, and will provide a solution for oil and gas customers, including ADNOC. The 'Make it in the

Emirates' initiative unites major industrial companies and enablers in the UAE to facilitate sharing of procurement plans, investment opportunities, and foster local manufacturing. The MoU also holds the possibility of Ducab's involvement in manufacturing pumps for Baker Hughes in the UAE.

Mohamed Al Ahmedi, CEO of Ducab Metals Business

said: “The agreement we have signed with Baker Hughes not only expands our network of partners but supports the development of cutting-edge products here in the UAE, in line with our ongoing commitment and support for the 'Make it in the Emirates' initiative. For Ducab, it will act as a platform to accelerate the development and manufacturing of power cables for Electrical Submersible Pumps, acting as a dynamic solution for oil and gas customers. More widely, the agreement will help contribute to our national progress and further leverage the UAE's competitive advantages,” he added.

Ajex & Turner Designs Accurate, Quality TW Dies Meeting ASTM Standards

Ajex & Turner Wire Technologies stated that its TW dies are created from high quality raw materials, following accurate quality parameters. The company's trapezoidal-shape dies can be enlarged to provide a greater cross- sectional area of aluminum and match the diameter of the conventional round conductor, resolving the issue of smaller diameter conductors.

Ajex & Turner Wire Technologies has recently shared that the company's TW dies are designed following accurate quality parameters, in order to obtain aluminum strands which are shaped to provide a smooth outer surface that can meet applicable ASTM standards. The dies are made from high-quality raw materials, enabling them to be both efficient as well as long lasting. In order to make the TW dies efficient and long lasting, high quality raw materials like VNT Nano, PCD and Carbide are used.

Ajex & Turner's trapezoidal-shape dies can be enlarged to provide a greater cross- sectional area of aluminum and match the diameter of the conventional round conductor, which resolves the issue of smaller diameter conductors. Regarding the production of dies and extrusion toolings, the company uses artificial intelligence to calculate the hot and cold majoring values, thereby taking into account the shrinkage of toolings. This allows them to visualize how the final product will look, right in the beginning.

Ducab signed an MoU with Baker Hughes for development and manufacturing of power cables for Electrical Submersible Pumps.

Sikora's CENTERVIEW 8000 Ensures High Cable Quality in Product Lines

Measuring technology specialist Sikora's CENTERVIEW 8000 provides continuous online eccentricity, diameter and ovality measurement at highest measuring accuracy. As a true all rounder, the non contact measuring system always ensures the highest product quality.

May 10, 2023

SIKORA's CENTERVIEW 8000

has guaranteed reliable online measurement of diameter, eccentricity and ovality in cable lines for over 15 years. With more than 2,100 devices sold worldwide, the CENTERVIEW product family is the industrial standard. Customers worldwide rely on the non-contact measuring system for quality control of their products, providing continuous online eccentricity, diameter and ovality measurement at highest measuring accuracy. The system measures cable dimensions and ensures minimal material consumption and cost

savings while maintaining product specifications. Two models are available, covering diameters from 0.25 mm (optionally 0.1 mm) to 10 mm and 0.5 mm to 25 mm. There is a great demand for high-quality cables and lines to be able to successfully manage future-oriented projects such as the expansion of the network infrastructure or the switch to e-mobility. The CENTERVIEW 8000 supports this with its wide range of applications. Whether thin coaxial cables, standard data cables, automotive cables or thicker battery cables – the system is a true allrounder and always ensures the highest product quality.

Prysmian Group Invests EUR 120 Million at Finland Strategic Plant for Increased Production of 525 kV HVDC Submarine Cable Systems

Prysmian Group recently invested nearly EUR 120 million towards its Finlandbased strategic plant. The investment, aimed at increasing production capacity of 525 kV HVDC cable systems, will double Pikkala plant's production capacity of 525 kV extruded submarine cables and 400 kV AC cables by 2026. This is the group's second investment following EUR 100 million invested in 2022.

Jun 1, 2023

Prysmian Group has announced a new investment of

around EUR 120 million in its strategic plant in Pikkala, Finland. This new investment, following the EUR 100 million already provided in 2022, is aimed at further increasing the production capacity of the 525 kV HVDC submarine cable systems, supporting the growing market demand driven by the need to develop and upgrade power transmission grids

for the energy transition. The global power transmission cable market is expected to grow to EUR 15 billion by 2030 from around EUR 8 billion reported in 2022.

The new Vertical Continuous Vulcanization (VCV) lines will more than double the Pikkala plant's existing production capacity of 525 kV extruded submarine cables and 400 kV AC cables by 2026. The breakthrough 525 kV submarine cable technology is the group's latest innova-

tion and is specifically designed to support the energy transition thanks to its key features that enable a massive increase in transmission capacity to 2 GW, which is more than double the value achieved with the 320 kV DC systems currently in service.

“The investment is part of the around EUR 500 million capex per year that the group is implementing to support the energy transition, electrification and digitalisation processes, which require the upgrade of power grids and telecom networks. It is also worth highlighting that this massive investment plan is made possible thanks to the Group financial solidity and its proven cash generation capability,” commented Massimo Battaini, Chief Operating Officer at Prysmian Group.

Power Grid Separates Telecom Business into Subsidiary Targeting INR 1,000 Crore Revenue in FY24

Power Grid Corp is ready to separate its telecom business into a subsidiary by June 2023. The new subsidiary will target a revenue of INR 1,000 crore in FY24.

May 24, 2023

Power Grid Corp will separate its telecom business

into a subsidiary by June 2023. The public company will monetize its transmission assets through securitization. The new subsidiary will target a revenue worth INR 1,000 crore by FY24.

In FY23, the business's reported revenue was INR 916 crore, while EBIT was INR 548 crore.

Expecting strong growth prospects for the business this year, Power Grid recently approved INR 259 crore capex to augment the present telecom access network. Currently, Power Grid has over 82,000 kilometers of OFC and optical ground wire network across India.

The company is exploring data centers as a significant business stream and recently got approval to set up one from the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). A 1,000-rack data center is already being built in Mansar, and an edge data center and hyper-scale data center are in the works.

Power Grid has set InvIT to monetize its transmission projects. However, to set up the telecom subsidiary securitization of cashflows will be used to raise funds. It plans to cover last year's target of raising INR 6,800 crore through monetization, which could not happen due to a rise in interest rates and a decrease in asset valuation. Hence, the company explores a securitization route this year.

HFCL Bags INR 222 Crore Order from Reliance Jio

HFCL Limited has bagged a purchase order totaling INR 222 crore from Reliance Jio and Reliance Projects & Property Management Services Limited to supply transmission equipment.

May 23, 2023

Himachal Futuristic Communications (HFCL) Limited

bagged an INR 222 crore order to supply transmission equipment from Reliance Jio and its sister concern Reliance Projects & Property Management Services Limited.

HFCL will supply Reliance Projects & Property Management Services Limited with various types of optical fiber cables (OFC) worth INR 179.24 crore by October, and indigenously design, develop and manufacture 700 Mbps and 1 Gbps point-to-point Unlicensed Band Radios worth INR 42.71 crore for Reliance Jio by July.

Superior Essex Communications Announces Further Investments of USD 73 Million for Texas Plant Expansion

Superior Essex Communications will make overall plant expansion investments of USD 73 million in its Brownwood, Texas plant. The investment will build an additional 90,000 square feet adjacent to the current Brownwood plant, expanding the facility to more than 500,000 total square feet of production.

Jun 1, 2023

Superior Essex Communications has announced

further plant expansion investments of USD 73 million in manufacturing capacity and equipment at its Brownwood, Texas plant to help meet global demand for OSP fiber optic cables, drop fiber and hybrid cables. The investments will create 170 new U.S. manufacturing jobs and support broadband buildouts nationwide to bring high-speed internet and 5G service to all Americans. The expanded facility's increased capacity and other improvements will continue Superior Essex Communications' market leadership in fiber, drop and hybrid cables.

The investment will improve manufacturing equipment and build an additional 90,000 square feet adjacent to the current Brownwood plant, expanding the facility to more than 500,000 total square feet of production. It will support new jobs as well as convert some existing jobs from legacy OSP copper cable manufacturing to focus on optical fiber cables. The expansion also will incorporate green building practices – such as Power over Ethernet

(PoE) lighting and the use of repurposed equipment –and explore the use of solar and battery power sources for the plant. “This expansion will create manufacturing jobs right here in America, which will bring more employment opportunities to the Brownwood region and boost production of American-made broadband products. In doing so, we're demonstrating our commitment to providing 'Build America, Buy America' products that help deliver high-speed broadband services to communities across the nation,” said Superior Essex Communications President Brad Johnson.

CEA

Releases NEP 2022-32: INR 33.60 Lakh Crore Funds

Injection Expected to Meet Power Generation Demands

Central Electricity Authority releases National Electricity Plan 2022-32. An overall financial investment of INR 33.60 lakh crore is expected to meet the power generation capacity addition requirements from 2022-2032.

May 31, 2023

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has notified the

National Electricity Plan (NEP) for the period of 202232. The plan document includes a review of the last five years (2017-22), a detailed plan for the next five years (2022-27), and the prospective plan for the subsequent next five years (2027-32).

According to the NEP document, the projected All India peak electricity demand and electrical energy requirement is 277.2 GW and 1907.8 BU for the year 2026-27 and 366.4 GW and 2473.8 BU for the year 2031-32 as per the 20th Electric Power Survey (EPS) Demand projections. The Energy Requirement & Peak Demand are inclusive of the impact due to the increased adoption of electric vehicles, installation of solar rooftops, production of green hydrogen, Saubhagya scheme, etc.

The total fund requirement for generation capacity addition for the period 2022-2027 is estimated to be INR 14,54,188 crore and for the period 2027-2032 has been estimated to be INR 19,06,406 crore. The estimate of fund requirement for 2027-32 does not include advance action for the projects which may get commissioned after March 31, 2032.

Based on generation planning studies for NEP 2022-27, the likely installed capacity for the year 2026-27 is 609,591 MW comprising 273,038 MW of conventional capacity (coal-235,133MW, gas–24,824MW, nuclear13,080MW) and 336,553 MW of renewable-based capacity (large hydro-52,446 MW, solar-185,566 MW wind-72,895 MW, small hydro-5,200 MW, biomass13,000MW, pump storage plants (PSP projects)7446MW) along with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity of 8,680MW/34,720 MWh.

The likely installed capacity for the year 2031-32 is estimated to be 900,422 MW comprising 304,147 MW of conventional capacity (coal-259,643 MW, gas–24,824MW, nuclear-19,680MW) and 596,275MW of renewable-based capacity (large hydro-62,178 MW, solar-364,566MW, wind-121,895MW, small hydro5450MW, biomass-15,500 MW, PSP-26,686MW; excluding 5856 MW of likely hydro-based imports) along with BESS capacity of 47,244MW/236,220MWh.

The projection of total capacity addition is in line with the target of the country to achieve a non-fossil-based installed capacity of around 500 GW by the year 2029-30. NEP envisages that the share of non-fossil-based capacity is likely to increase to 57.4% by the end of 202627 and may likely to further increase to 68.4% by the end of 2031-32 from around 42.5% as of April 2023.

The average PLF of the total Installed coal capacity of 235.1 GW is likely to be about 58.4% in 2026-27 and that of 259.6 GW of coal-based capacity is likely to be about 58.7% in 2031-32.

As per the National Electricity Plan projections, the energy storage capacity of 16.13 GW/82.37 GWh with PSP-based storage of 7.45GW capacity and 47.65 GWh storage, and BESS-based storage of 8.68 GW/ 34.72 GWh is required by the year 2026-27. The storage capacity requirement increases to 73.93 GW (26.69 GW PSP and 47.24 GW BESS) with storage of 411.4 GWh (175.18 GWh from PSP and 236.22 GWh from BESS) by the year 2031-32.

The domestic coal requirement has been estimated to be 866.4 MT for the year 2026-27 and 1025.8 MT for the year 2031-32 and an estimated requirement of 28.9 MT of coal imports for the plants designed to run on imported coal. The average emission factor is expected to reduce to 0.548 kg CO2/kWh net in the year 2026-27 and to 0.430 kg CO2/kWh net by the end of 2031-32.

Polycab India Partners with National Federation of Engineers (NFE) for Electrical Safety Awareness

Polycab India recently joined hands with the National Federation of Engineers (NFE), to promote awareness towards electrical safety and safe wiring practices. BIS has indicated that NEC 2023 code will become mandatory for all electrical installations in India.

May 11, 2023

ndia's leading electrical goods company, Polycab India Limited (PIL) has partnered with the National Federation of Engineers (NFE) to promote electrical safety in India. The company is sponsoring a series of workshops across Chennai, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Polycab India delivered a presentation on “Safe Wiring Practices” in accordance with the revised NEC 2023

Iguidelines. The presentation was well-received by the attendees, which included electrical consultants, engineers, and contractors. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is supporting this event had earlier indicated in February that NEC 2023 code will be mandatory for all electrical installations in India.

Speaking about the partnership, Mr. Bhushan Sawhney, Executive President and Chief Business Officer (Cables) Polycab India said, "Through our partnership with NFE and BIS, we aim to educate industry professionals on the importance of adhering to the NEC 2023 standards and adopting safe electrical practices."

Sterlite Copper Collaborates with Serentica Renewables to Source Hybrid Renewable Power

Sterlite Copper has collaborated with Serentica Renewables India to build a special purpose vehicle for hybrid renewable energy sourcing. A Power Delivery Agreement, effective for 25 years from the start date of project commissioning, has been signed as part of the deal to source 16 MW of hybrid renewable power for Sterlite's Silvassa Unit.

May 22, 2023

terlite Copper, in collaboration with Serentica

Renewables India Private Limited (SRIPL) is set to establish a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for sourcing hybrid renewable energy. A Power Delivery Agreement (PDA) has been signed as part of the deal to source 16 MW of hybrid renewable power for Sterlite's Silvassa Unit. The hybrid energy project will be constructed on a captive model and will operate on a build-own-operate basis. It is financed on a 70:30 debt-to-equity basis, with Sterlite Copper holding a 26% equity share in the SPV.

The PDA will remain in effect for 25 years starting from the date of the commissioning of the project, with targeted wheeling scheduled for August 2024. Mr. Puneet Khurana, Deputy CEO of Sterlite Copper commented, “Through this collaboration, Sterlite Copper aims to make a smooth transition from conventional thermal power to hybrid renewable energy to reduce its carbon footprint.

The hybrid renewable energy is expected to reduce Scope 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 64,535 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCOe). 2 This aligns with Vedanta's goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

Sidbi Sets up 'Evolve' Project to Finance 50,000 Electric

Vehicles for MSMEs

Sidbi is planning to finance nearly 50,000 EVs for MSMEs, collaborating with Niti Aayog for technical support, while financial assistance will be provided by World Bank, Korea-World Bank partnership facility and Korean economic development cooperation fund. All financing will be done under a new project called Evolve (Electric Vehicle Operations and Lending for a Vibrant Ecosystem).

Jun 6, 2023

Small Industrial Development Bank Of India (Sidbi), in

collaboration with Niti Aayog, World Bank, KoreaWorld Bank partnership facility and Korean economic development cooperation fund, plans to finance electric vehicles for small and medium industrial units. All the financing will be done under a new project named Evolve, which stands for Electric Vehicle Operations and Lending for a Vibrant Ecosystem. Under this project, Sidbi aims to provide affordable commercial financing for EVs, as per a statement by the national bank.

According to statements by Sidbi, technical support will be provided to Sidbi by Niti Aayog, and financial assistance will be provided by the World Bank, Korea-World Bank partnership facility and the Korean economic development cooperation fund. Sidbi has already launched two financing schemes, one scheme for direct lending to MSMEs and another scheme for lending to N, to help them offer lower-cost financing. Mr. S. Ramann, Chairman and Managing Director, Sidbi stated that the

new scheme seeks to finance 50,000 EVs. The Korean economic development cooperation fund's chief representative, Mr. Kim Kisang shared that his government will extend support for the Sidbi programme to address the key barriers to the adoption of EVs as well as knowledge sharing between both countries. Mr. Gerald Ollivier of the World Bank said that the Evolve project is designed to support around 1.5 million EVs and build the ecosystem in the mobility segment.

Union Telecom & IT Minister Approves INR 89,047 Crore Revival Package for BSNL

Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister of Communications & Minister of Electronics and IT, has approved a third revival package of INR 89,047 crore for BSNL. The funds shall help develop the 4G and 5G service offerings of BSNL. Mr. Mahendra Nahata, MD of HFCL details the importance and benefits of the package.

Jun 7, 2023

Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union

Minister of Communications & Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, has approved a third revival package for the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) with a total outlay of INR 89,047 crore,

primarily for expenses related to spectrum for 4G and 5G services.

Mr. Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director of Himachal Futuristic Communications Limited (HFCL), expressed, “BSNL is of strategic importance to the nation and the Government's revival package will go

a long way to safeguard national interest while also promoting competition and consumer choice. The relief package of INR 89,000 crore for BSNL will help it emerge as a strong player, upgrade the operators' network, help deleverage its balance sheet and it will be a

crucial step towards ensuring growth of the telecom sector. It will further result in powering 4G networks in

rural India, thereby unlocking lastmile connectivity and bridging the existing digital divide. With strong data governance practices and a robust cyber resilience framework, the revival of BSNL will help in building resilient network security solutions.”

He further explained, “The increased authorized capital also reflects the Government's commitment towards BSNL's capabilities of driving a larger vision and creating a levelplaying field while also developing a consumer-centric telecom landscape. This strategic decision will further encourage key players like

BSNL to contribute significantly to achieving our Government's vision of building an indigenous 4G/5G India tech stack which will be a huge enabler towards encouraging indigenous manufacturing, innovation, and achieving the vision of an 'Atma Nirbhar' Bharat. As a significant contributor in the telecommunication industry, we foresee this strategic initiative resulting in a plethora of opportunities, and enabling organizations like HFCL to capitalize on our combined field expertise and strong technological capabilities, to offer world-class telecom services.”

Global Green Steel Manufacturers Face a Sharp Increase of 30 Percent in Production Costs

Singapore Green Steel Forum concluded that the current production methods of green steel will lead to a sharp increase of 30 percent in production costs for steel mills, globally. There is a need for a technological breakthrough in green steel production methods.

May 23, 2023

Green Steel production costs threaten a sharp

increase of 30 percent to the existing steel production costs for Indian and global steel mills. The concept is still novel and there is no single technology available. Currently, green steel is produced based on different production process lines with different timeframes.

A Green Steel Forum was organized in Singapore and it was concluded that a technological breakthrough is required to mitigate the threat of a 30 percent cost increase. The forum was attended by over 1,000 delegates.

According to an attending consultancy group official, "Present estimates put production of 'Green Steel' 30 percent higher compared with conventional steel that is being produced currently. He further explained, "The debate is using electric arc furnaces based on green energy, which would be costly, and Blast Furnace (BF), which uses comparatively cheaper coal. BF also offers large volume output compared to EAF.”

Green Steel is however being explored as a norm going forward in the light of NetZero targets. The concepts of collaboration and cooperation among global industries, academics, and technologists to build and scale up

technologies are being discussed.

One other official clarified the mindset, "We are glad that both India and China, as large markets and producers of steel as well as industrial products, are focused on green products and have set net-zero targets."

The officials highlighted the need to shift to green steel, “Scrap is finite and not as easily available in some markets where policies remain weak on recycling material. Though India and China have been driving recycling practices through policies and initiatives, the grade of scrap will be low, given some steel products to be scrapped are decades old.”

Mr.Mahendra Nahata,Managing Director,HFCL

NEC Signs Contract for 2,250 Km East Micronesia Cable System (EMCS) Construction

NEC Corporation has signed a contract for construction, supply and installation of an optical fibre submarine cable system called East Micronesia Cable System (EMCS) with FSM Telecommunications Cable Corporation (FSMTCC). EMCS, supported by the governments of Australia, Japan and the United States, will ensure high-speed, high-quality, reliable, and more secure communications for residents, businesses and governments in the region.

Jun 6, 2023

NEC Corporation recently signed a contract with

FSM Telecommunications Cable Corporation (FSMTCC) for construction, supply and installation of the optical fibre submarine cable system to be called East Micronesia Cable System (EMCS). EMCS, with a total length of approximately 2,250km, will connect four islands amongst FSM (Pohnpei and Kosrae), Kiribati (Tarawa) and Nauru with a large-capacity optical fibre submarine cable. This is the first submarine cable connection for the islands of Tarawa (Kiribati), Nauru and the state of Kosrae (FSM).

EMCS will ensure high-speed, high-quality, reliable, and more secure communications for residents, businesses and governments in the region, as well as contribute to improved digital connectivity and further economic development. The East Micronesia Cable System Project is supported by the governments of Australia, Japan and the United States, and will be implemented with grant funding from the three countries.

Atsushi Kuwahara, Managing Director, Submarine Network Division, NEC

Corporation, said, "With the recent progress of digitalization, internet connectivity and access to digital technologies increasingly affect the economic and social development of every region. It is a great honor that the NEC Group can use its many years of experience in optical submarine cable technology to contribute to the access to information and communications for residents, businesses and governments of Pacific Island countries."

BSES Rajdhani & Sheru Collaborate to Establish India's First Vehicle-to-Grid Station

BSES Rajdhani power Limited has joined hands with Sheru, an energy software company, to establish India's first vehicle-to-grid station, enabling greening of the mobility and energy sectors. This partnership is expected to increase power demand pressures and reinforce the power grid.

May 24, 2023

BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) is collaborating

with energy software company Sheru for the establishment of India's inaugural vehicle-to-grid station, supporting India's efforts towards decarbonization by enabling greening of the mobility and energy sectors. This partnership between BRPL and Sheru is also expected to increase

power demand pressures and reinforce the power grid. The state-of-the-art bidirectional battery-swapping station by Sheru will offer interchangeable batteries for electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and rickshaws, effectively powering their mobility. In addition to this, this station will also support BRPL by fulfilling its power requirements during peak consumption periods.

Planned Route of East Micronesia Cable System

Mr. Shikhar Sharma, Chief Operating Officer of Sheru commented, "Sheru delivers cutting-edge solutions to the power sector. Through our association with BSES, we are ensuring a constant supply of renewable energy for round-the-clock power. Traditional standalone battery storage entails significant capital expenditure. However, Sheru's groundbreaking solution taps into the untapped battery capacity of electric vehicles, thus resolving the CAPEX challenge faced by BSES, while also generating income for EV and battery owners. Given the rapid growth of renewables in our country, our solution has received a warm reception from power distribution companies. We are thrilled about the immense potential of this partnership with BRPL.”

GoI Announces 25-Year ISTS Waiver for Off-Shore Wind Power Projects; Extends Period of Waiver for Green Hydrogen/Green Ammonia Projects

The Government of India has announced a waiver of Inter-State Transmission Charges (ISTS) charges for offshore wind power projects and green hydrogen/ green ammonia projects. All off-shore wind power projects commissioned on or before December 31, 2032, and green hydrogen/green ammonia projects commissioned on or before December 31, 2030, shall be eligible for the waiver.

May 29, 2023

The Government of India has decided to grant a

waiver of Inter-State Transmission Charges (ISTS) charges to off-shore wind projects and extend the waiver to green hydrogen/green ammonia. This has been done to facilitate wider execution of offshore wind energy initiatives, to promote the expansion of green hydrogen/green ammonia projects, and to encourage the offtake of renewable energy from Energy Storage System Projects.

The waiver is claimable by projects commissioned on or before December 31, 2032, for a period of 25 years from the date of commissioning. The off-shore projects commissioned from January 1, 2033, would be given graded ISTS charges. Previously, all wind energy projects were provided waivers up to June 30, 2025. However, now offshore wind projects would be treated separately, and waiver to these would be granted up to December 31, 2032, with graded transmission charges applying thereafter.

The government has also granted a complete waiver of ISTS charges for a period of 25 years from the date of commissioning of the project, for green hydrogen/green ammonia production units, using renewable energy (commissioned after March 8, 2019), pumped storage

S.

1. January 1, 2033 - December 31, 2033 25% of the applicable ISTS charges

2. January 1, 2034 - December 31, 2034 50% of the applicable ISTS charges

3. January 1, 2035 - December 31, 2035 75% of the applicable ISTS charges

4. January 1, 2036, onwards 100% of the applicable ISTS charges

system, or battery storage systems, or any hybrid combination of these technologies. The projects commissioned on or before December 31, 2030, shall be eligible for this waiver. The projects after December 31, 2030, will attract graded transmission charges thereafter. The decision effectively extends the applicability of the waiver date from June 30, 2025, to Dec 31, 2030.

To promote the development of pump storage plants (PSP), the criteria for availing the complete waiver of ISTS charges for PSP projects has now been linked to the date of award of the project rather than the commissioning of the project. This shall be applicable in cases where construction work is awarded on or before June 30, 2025.

No. Period of Commissioning of Offshore Applicable ISTS Charges Wind Power Projects

Table No. 1 - Graded ISTS charges, as applicable on Off-Shore Wind Power projects from January 1, 2033.

S. No. Period of Commissioning of Green Applicable ISTS Charges Hydrogen/Green Ammonia Plants

1. January 1, 2031 - December 31, 2031 25% of the applicable ISTS charges

2. January 1, 2032 - December 31, 2034 50% of the applicable ISTS charges

3. January 1, 2033 - December 31, 2035 75% of the applicable ISTS charges

4. January 1, 2034, onwards 100% of the applicable ISTS charges

The ISTS charges on drawl of energy from energy storage projects, which was earlier granted to the project, will henceforth be available for each individual user of such project. The individual user will get this benefit if at least 51 percent of the energy utilized by the user for charging the storage system is renewable energy. This change has been proposed in view of the fact that in the future the capacity of such storage projects will be shared by many discoms/other users and only some of them may meet this

criterion of 51 percent individually while the same may not be met in an aggregate manner at a storage project level. Moreover, in case a project is eligible for a waiver of transmission charges based on its original COD (Date of Commissioning), the same benefit will continue to be made available if the COD is extended by the competent authority. This is considered necessary to give confidence to the investors who are taking investment decisions based on the present circumstances but their COD may extend beyond the relevant applicable date for transmission charge waiver for reasons beyond their control.

NKT Bags Electric Grid Upgradation Turnkey Project in Stockholm Under 4-Year Agreement with Ellevio

NKT has won a turnkey project for electric grid upgradation by Sweden-based Ellevio. The project will be based in the Stadshagen district, Stockholm area, and will be the first project under NKT and Ellevio's four-year agreement. The Stadshagen project is scheduled to be ready by June 2024.

May 30, 2023

NKT has been awarded another turnkey contract by

Swedish electricity network company Ellevio, for the upgradation of the electric grid in the district of Stadshagen in the Stockholm area. The project is the first one under the four-year frame agreement that NKT signed with Ellevio late last year to reinforce and expand the power grid in central Sweden. The project in Stadshagen will reinforce the grid by replacing three legacy cable connections. As per the turnkey contract NKT will deliver the design, installation including joints and terminations as well as cables for three 110 kV AC onshore connections in a tunnel and a shaft. The cables for the project have been produced by NKT at its factory in Falun, Sweden.

The Stadshagen project will commence now and is scheduled to be ready by June 2024. “It is a pleasure for us to be able to continue our long-standing relationship with Ellevio to secure and upgrade their power cable network in central Sweden. This is yet another project in the Stockholm area that we are carrying out for Ellevio,

and NKT is pleased to use our expertise and track record in such onshore grid upgrading projects,” says Johan Löjdquist, Head of Onshore Sales, Service & Installation in Sweden.

Table No. 2 - Graded ISTS charges, as applicable on Green Hydrogen/Green Ammonia projects from January 1, 2031.

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