Fiber vs Copper by Wire Journal International, Inc.

WIRE JOURNAL

JANUARY 2014

INTERNATIONAL www.wirenet.org

• 2014 WAI officers • IWCS wrapup OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL

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WIRE JOURNAL

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

CONTENTS

Volume 47 | Number 1 | January 2014

F EATURES

Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Industry News . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Steel Edge column . . . . . . . . . 19 Asian Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Fiber Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Fastener Update . . . . . . . . . . 27 WAI News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Chapter Corner . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Technical Papers . . . . . . . . 50-63 Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Report to Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 This report looks at some of the Association activity that took place in 2013.

Wrapup: IWCS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 The IWCS continues its legacy of providing highly comprehensive technical and industry presentations.

Fiber versus Copper . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 7KH ¿QDO FKDSWHU RI WKLV ORQJWLPH FRPSHWLWLRQ IRU WKH “last leg” has yet to be written, but a third party, wireless, wants in too.

Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Career Opportunities . . . . . . . 71 Advertisers’ Index . . . . . . . . . 71

Next issue

February 2014 • wire Düsseldorf preview

T ECHNICAL P APERS ( ALL IWCS) Modernization opportunities for today’s aluminum mills David Gow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 6FUDS UH¿QLQJ IRU FRSSHU URG SURGXFWLRQ Timm Lux and Bernhard Hanusch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 1HZ HI¿FLHQW DQG HFRORJLFDO VXUIDFH FOHDQLQJ technique for ferrous and nonferrous wires Rory A. Wolf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Cover: A comparison of a 0.58 in. fiber optic cable that can serve the same number of ports as 48 Cat. 6A cables. The image exemplifies the bandwidth advantages of optical fiber, but aside from new builds, copper cable often remains a last-leg staple. Photo courtesy of Corning.

JANUARY 2014 | 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE CONTENTS

WAI REPORT

MEMBERS . . . . . . . . 28

WAI’s 2013 annual report looks at organization goals, updates its webinars and website activity and more, including parting thoughts from 2013 President Richard Miller, Southwire Co., below left at Interwire 2013 with Membership Committee co-chairs Tom Heberling and Tim Wampler. The volunteer-driven membership campaign proved to be very successful.

4 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING? . . . . . . 36 Fiber optics has seen stunning growth since the 1980s, led in a big way by China, but at IWCS, Corning’s Brad Boersen observed that the country may have overbuilt its preform and fiber production to the point where it could face hard times and choices in the years to come. Below is a slide from his presentation pointing out the degree of capacity that has been created in China.

The technicians Networking with and new people in the suppliers I’ve industry is the met at WAI’s most valuable shows have asset of WAI helped me membership.” improve our Dick Pechie process.”

WAI helped me branch out into a new career.” Kevin Sopczak

Meeting people I’ve met many through WAI influential is the key to leaders taking you through WAI somewhere including a exciting in your U.S. President.” life and career.” Mark Spencer Lori Parent

I do business internationally and value the friendships I’ve made over the years through WAI.” Mark Mathiasen

Roberto Duralde

I joined WAI to interact with customers in a friendly environment when they are not having issues.”

WAI’s global resources can help me reach Venice. Venus is another story.” Mike Walters

I renew my WAI membership to keep up-to-date with machinery and process developments.” Peter Stewart-Hay

Paul Kulongowski

DISCOVER WAI. Some things you know as well as your name. Other times it takes a little searching to find—or learn— what you need, especially if you are new to the wire and cable industry or plan to keep pace with its innovative advances. Wire Association International (WAI) is the place to start. As a WAI member it’s easy to stay informed. Likewise, you won’t have to dig too deeply to uncover the industry’s rich history and accepted certainties.

WAI members rank NETWORKING as the #1 reason to join.

When you consider that wire making can be traced on one timeline from the golden threads in ancient Egyptian jewelry—through telephony, countless creature comforts, and modern infrastructure— toward yet unimagined applications, you can appreciate your vital role in the wire manufacturing continuum. WAI members represent a living history of the industry. Whatever your direction, if you earn a living with wire, cable, supplies, or equipment you’ve earned a place in WAI’s global network.

MEET YOUR PEERS. ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. JOIN WAI TODAY. L E A R N

M O R E :

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EDITORIAL WIRE JOURNAL

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EDITORIAL

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

Advancing your corporate objectives through WAI There is nothing simple or easy in the business of wire and cable manufacturing, and there is nothing more rewarding than producing a value-added product that plays an essential role in the overall manufacturing sector. In the United States, one in six private sector jobs are directly connected to manufacturing and for every dollar spent by the manufacturing sector, there is an additional $1.48 added to the economy. Just as important is the fact that the manufacturing sector is the largest source of innovation, with two-thirds of R & D coming from manufacturing. The numbers are similar around the globe. I have been involved in manufacturing wire for my entire career and for 25 of those years, I have been with Leggett & Platt (L&P), which is a global manufacturing giant with four business units, 130 manufacturing units, 18,000 employees and operations in 17 countries. L&P started in 1883 (not a typo) with an invention and a subsequent patent for bed springs, which remain an integral component of the business, and one that I am intimately involved with as president of the Wire Group. While L&P has considerable resources, we recognize the value in collaboration, and to that point we are very supportive of select organizations. In the wire sector, that is the American Wire Producers Association (AWPA) and WAI. I can tell you from personal experience that both of these organizations are passionate about the wire business. Over the past three years I have really enjoyed seeing the WAI expand its direction to include more webinars, along with access to hundreds upon hundreds of technical papers in their library. The focus on providing valuable resources to our members will continue. When you consider the challenges of manufacturing, you have to have 100% commitment, and all assistance is welcome. We need to be celebrating innovation, attracting talented professionals, eliminating work place injuries, maintaining a level playing field and understanding trends from a supplier as well as from an end-user perspective, which by the way are all topics being addressed at the WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo, May 6-7, in Indianapolis. There is just too much at stake to not be advancing your organization through your support of the industry.

William (Bill) A. Avise Leggett & Platt WAI President

WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL (ISSN-0277-4275) published monthly by The Wire Journal, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Wire Association International, Inc., which is located at 1570 Boston Post Road, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA, and can be contacted at tel. 203-453-2777; fax 203-453-8384; Internet wirenet.org; e-mail editorial@wirenet.org. Address all correspondence concerning advertising production, editorial and circulation to the above address. WJI is printed in USA. Subscription rates: $110 per year, USA; $120 per year, Canada and Mexico; other countries, $140 per year (includes air mail). Back copies: $10 WAI members, $15 non-members. Periodicals postage paid at Guilford, CT 86$ DQG DW DGGLWLRQDO RIÂżFHV Wire Journal International grants photocopy permission to libraries and others registered with Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 21 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970, USA, for a fee of $0.50 per article. Payments should be sent directly to the CCC. Requests for bulk orders or reprints should be sent to the Wire Journal International, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA. ÂŠ 2014 by Wire Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Publisher of WJI assumes no responsibility for the validity of manufacturersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; claims made herein. Back issues of WJI DUH RQ PLFURÂżOP DQG DYDLODEOH IURP 8QLYHUVLW\ 0LFURÂżOP 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. Phone: 313-761-4700. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wire Journal International, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA.

6 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

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»Absolute purity makes the difference.« Dr. Christian Frank Excecutive Board SIKORA AG

The SIKORA PURITY SCANNER is a system for the online inspection of PE pellets as they are used for the manufacturing of high tension as well as on- and off-shore cables. Contaminated pellets are reliably detected and separated by compressed air, assuring that they initially do not get into the extrusion process. The pellet inspection allows the detection of metallic and organic contaminations inside of the pellet as well as on the pellet surface using a superior combination of X-ray technology and an optical system. PURITY SCANNER • Dual inspection: X-ray and optical • Detection of contaminations from 50 μm on the pellet surface and inside the pellet • Flow rate: 500 kg/h, 1000 kg/h, 2000 kg/h • Hermetically sealed system • Suitable for all kinds of transparent and colored pellets • Automatic sorting • Easy to integrate in existing feeding systems

CALENDAR

CALENDAR March 11-14, 2014: Cabex Moscow, Russia. Cabex will be held at ECC Sokolniki. Contact: Maria Pruzhanskaya, ITE Group plc, maria. pruzhanskaya@ite-exhibitions.com, tel. 44-207-596-5041, www.ite-exhibitions.com, or go to www.cabex.ru/en-GB/. April 7-11, 2014: wire Düsseldorf Düsseldorf, Germany. This biennial event will be held at the Messe fairgrounds. Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, tel. 312-781-5180, info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com.

Center. Contact: Expo Productions, Inc., tel. 800-3675520 or 262-367-5500, cheryl@epishows.com. June 9-12, 2014: Wire and Cable Guangzhou 2014 Guangzhou, China. To be held at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, this event is co-sponsored by Messe Frankfurt. Contact: Elaine Zheng, Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co., Ltd., tel. 86-203825-1558, sps@china.messefrankfurt.com, www.chinaexhibition.com.

May 6-7, 2014: WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. This WAI event, which will be held at the Indiana Convention Center, will include its trade show, technical programs and WAI’s 84th Annual Convention. It will be co-located with AISTech.

June 16-18, 2014: 15th Guangzhou International Metal & Metallurgy Exhibition Guangzhou, China. To be held at the China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex, this event is organized by Guangzhou Julang Exhibition Design Co., Ltd. Contact: MeiWen, tel. 86-1-800-2266711 or tel. 86-20-38621295, meiwen@julang.com.cn, www.julang.com.cn.

May 14-15, 2014: 2014 National Electric Wire Processing Expo Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. To be held at the Wisconsin

June 17-18, 2014: Polymers in Cables Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. To be held at the Hotel Sofitel Philadelphia. Contact: Kelly Cressman,

8 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Sept. 24-27, 2014: wire China 2014 Shanghai, China. To be held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Contact: Messe DĂźsseldorf North America, tel. 312-781-5180, info@ mdna.com, www.mdna.com. Oct. 28-30, 2014: Wire & Cable India Mumbai, India. To be held at the Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre. Contact: see wire China 2014.

Nov. 2014: 63rd IWCS ConferenceTM Providence, Rhode Island, USA. To be held at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Contact: Pat Hudak, IWCS, tel. 717-993-9500, phudak@iwcs.org, www.iwcs.org. April 28-30, 2015: Interwire 2015 & WAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 85th Annual Convention Atlanta, Georgia, USA. WAI returns to the Georgia World Congress Center to stage its biennial trade show, technical programs and 85th Annual Convention.

WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL EVENTS For more information, contact the WAI, USA. Tel. 001-203-453-2777; fax 001-203-453-8384; www.wirenet.org.

Jan. 30, 2014: New England Chapter Meeting Uncasville, Connecticut, USA. The chapter will hold its 20th annual meeting at the Mohegan Sun Resort Conference Center. Contact: Anna Bzowski, tel. 203453-2777, ext. 126, abzowski@wirenet.org.

May 6-7, 2014: WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. See main listing April 28-30, 2015: Interwire 2015 & WAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 85th Annual Convention Atlanta, Georgia, USA. See main listing.

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JANUARY 2014 | 9

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INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS Southwire bid to buy CCI for $786 million would make it #3 in world Southwire Company announced that it has entered into a merger agreement to acquire Coleman Cable Inc. (CCI) in a transaction valued at approximately $786 million, including the assumption of $294 million in net debt. Based on revenue numbers, the deal should see Southwire rise from the fifth to the third largest cable company in the world. The deal, unanimously approved by the Coleman board of directors, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014. CCI manufactures a wide range of cable products for consumer, commercial and industrial applications in three segments: distribution, OEM and engineered solutions. It has multiple brand names, many of which were the result of acquisitions over the years. One key acquisition was that of Copperfield in 2009, with more recent such deals including the acquisition of First Capitol Wire & Cable and Continental Wire & Cable in 2011. CCI, which has 1,700 employees, had 2012 revenues of $914 million. Officials from Southwire, which has some 5,500 employees, welcomed the CII addition, which will bolster its product scope. “The combination of Southwire and Coleman will create one of the wire and cable industry’s preeminent companies with the ability to provide worldclass service to its customers through a more robust and higher-quality offering of products and services, operational excellence and a stronger platform for enhanced product innovation,” said Southwire President and CEO Stuart Thorn. “Coleman’s exceptional engineering capabilities across multiple end markets and stellar reputation among customers make it an ideal fit with Southwire. Our shared focus on technology and innovation will allow us to better serve our respective customers, while also saving them time and money. Southwire’s outstanding team of motivated, loyal and experienced people is one of our greatest strengths, and we look forward to welcoming the talented and dedicated Coleman team to the Southwire family, where together we will achieve new levels of growth, innovation and service.” “We are pleased to announce this transaction, which delivers immediate and certain cash value to our stockholders and supports a strong future for Coleman,” said Coleman Cable President and CEO Gary Yetman. “By partnering with Southwire, Coleman will benefit from Southwire’s extraordinary track record of operational success as we continue to execute on our mission of expanding product offerings and sales and exceeding the expectations of our diverse and growing customer base. As one

of North America’s largest producers of wire and cable, Southwire is a proven industry leader and together we will continue building on the solid momentum our team worked so hard to create.” Until the merger is complete, both Southwire and Coleman will continue to operate as separate companies, a press release said. “Following the transaction’s closing, Coleman’s management team will join the Southwire organization, and Southwire expects to maintain a significant presence in Waukegan.” Southwire agreed to pay $26.25 per share in cash. Following successful completion of the tender offer, Southwire will acquire all remaining shares not tendered in the offer through a second step merger at the same price as in the tender offer, the release said. In a sign of the times, less than one and a half hours after the deal was announced at 9 am on Friday, Dec. 20, a law firm announced that it would be “investigating” to see if CCI’s board of directors had sold the business for less than it was worth. By day’s end, seven more law firms had issued similar announcements. Of note, CCI’s stock had sold for under $10 a share on Jan. 1.

Ulbrich Precision Flat Wire to expand the company’s South Carolina plant U.S.-based Ulbrich Precision Flat Wire, Inc., a division of Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc., plans a $5 million expansion of its Westminster, South Carolina, manufacturing center. A press release said that the expansion, expected to start in the spring of 2014, includes both additional manufacturing square footage and precision rolling equipment to meet increasing demand in key markets. The wire rolling facility produces precision flat and fine wire products as well as photovoltaic ribbon used in the manufacture of solar modules. The Westminster plant also operates a “focus factory” dedicated to R&D of new products and processes. “The state’s attractive tax incentive and ongoing commitment to business and manufacturing, was a key factor in the decision to expand our wire operations in Westminster,” said Dan Day, financial manager of Ulbrich Precision Flat Wire and Ulbrich Solar Technologies, Inc. “These incentives are critical in our ability to grow and remain competitive in a global economy.” Founded in 1924 in Wallingford, Connecticut, Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, Inc., notes that it evolved into a leading international manufacturer of pre-

Does your company have news that belongs here? E-mail it to the WJI at editorial@wirenet.org.

10 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Nexans supplies 5.5-km aluminum cable for German grid infrastructure Nexans reports that it has provided the aluminum underground cable used for a 9000 MW infrastructure project that employs a 110 kV underground cabling as the first stage of grid expansion on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein. A press release said that the customer, E.ON Netz, required the installed 5.5 km cable, valued at about four million euros, to expand its grid infrastructure for a wind energy project. Nexans, it said, installed a double-circuit 110-kV underground cable system for E.ON that it described as “the first of its kind for a German customer.” The section, it said, has been connected as part of the

INDUSTRY NEWS

cision stainless steels and special metals strip and wire. Ulbrich’s products are used for critical applications in industries as diverse as aerospace, automotive, energy, medical, chemical processing and electronics. The fourthgeneration family owned business reports that it employs nearly 700 people globally, with 10 facilities in five countries processing more than 140 alloys.

Project managers and construction managers from E.ON and the other companies involved in the building works at the switching-on ceremony for the underground cable system. concept of the federal state government of SchleswigHolstein to transport wind power electricity inland along the coast in a 20-km wide corridor via underground cables, it said. The 110-kV cable system is the first milestone in the grid expansion concept for Schleswig-Holstein, the release said. “I am really pleased that this cable, which is the first of its cross-section to be installed in Germany,

JANUARY 2014 | 11

INDUSTRY NEWS

is making a contribution to the energy turnaround,” said Wolfram Flebbe, project manager at Nexans Deutschland, at the switching-on ceremony for the cable system. The release noted the following. The cable was installed at a depth of around 1.75 m in PE tubes, between Dieksanderkoog and Marne. It has a cross-section of 2,500 sq mm, and while it has a slightly larger circumference than a comparable copper cable, it is lighter and more cost-effective overall. The transmission capacity of the cable system is 360 MW, enough power to supply the three cities of Flensburg, Kiel and Lübeck with electricity. As part of the cable installation work, E.ON has also started to modify the grid structure, adding a new transformer substation in Dieksanderkoog and upgrading the substation in Marne. The planning and construction work for the Nexans underground cable between Dieksanderkoog and Marne/West was completed in a record time of two and a half years, with the entire cable system taking just six months to install, including underground work. E.ON Netz’s Andreas Fricke said that the west coast wind energy power line project known as “Weststromtrasse” will help to take the strain off the grids. He noted that in Dithmarschen alone, some 1000 MW of wind energy currently being generated cannot always be fed into the grid. A government representative, Dr Robert Habeck, likened the need for the extra transmission capacity with the reconstruction work of East Germany that was needed after reunification.

Bekaert to expand its presence in both Central and Latin America Bekaert reported significant changes that will see the Belgium-based company expand its presence in Central America and Latin America through investments in existing companies, building a new plant and partnering with ArcelorMittal. A press release said that Bekaert, a global market and technology leader in steel wire transformation and coatings, will pursue expansion plans in Central and Latin America, including the start-up of a Dramix® plant in Costa Rica; acquiring a majority position (73%) in an ArcelorMittal steel wire plant in Costa Rica; and going from a 45% minority position to outright ownership of the Cimaf ropes plant in Brazil. Dramix is a Bekaert designed and patented steel fiber for reinforcement of concrete in industrial flooring and building projects as well as for infrastructure applications such as tunnels and mine shafts. The decision to manufacture it in Costa Rica “illustrates the strong belief in continued growth opportunities for innovative products in the construction sector in Latin and Central America,” the release said. The plant will become operational in

12 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

the second quarter of 2014, employing some 60 employees, it said. The ongoing ArcelorMittal steel wire activities in Costa Rica provide the construction, agricultural fencing and industrial applications, the release said. The plant, located in Orotina (near San José), Costa Rica, it said, will be renamed BIA Alambres Costa Rica SA. (BIA stands for Bekaert Ideal – ArcelorMittal). Bekaert will also attain full ownership of Cimaf Cabos, a leading South Americas steel rope producer in Saõ Paulo, Brazil, that is owned by Belgo Bekaert Arames. It will be renamed Bekaert Cimaf Cabos and be part of Bekaert’s global platform. Bekaert will continue its 45/55 partnership with ArcelorMittal in eight other plants in Brazil. The release said that Bekaert’s expansions in Costa Rica will be made by Bekaert Ideal Holding, an 80/20 partnership between Bekaert and its Ecuadorian partners represented by members of the Kohn family. ArcelorMittal will retain a 27% interest in BIA. The news follows a previous report from Bekaert that it plans to phase out its Surrey plant in British Columbia, Canada, as part of a realignment of its steel wire activities in North America in response to weak market conditions.

Copperweld Bimetallics purchases bimetals assets from CommScope Copperweld Bimetallics LLC, a leading global manufacturer and innovator of copper-clad bimetallic wire used in a variety of telecom, utility, transportation and other electrical applications, has purchased certain assets of the CommScope BiMetals® business of CommScope for an undisclosed price. A press release said that the transaction involves the purchase of equipment associated with the manufacture of all copper-clad aluminum and copper-clad steel products. CommScope will retain the processing equipment needed for the production of its GroundSmart® grounding solutions and will continue to manufacture and sell it for use in grounding utility and communications networks, it said. It added that there is a long-term supply arrangement between the two companies for Copperweld to provide bimetallic wire to CommScope as needed for the manufacture of cables and other products. The agreement between the two companies, the release said, coincides with a renewed focus on customer service at Copperweld. “We are constantly striving to improve internal processes to make supply chain management as easy as possible for our customers,” said Copperweld CEO Joe Longever. “In today’s world, no one has time to

Taihan Electric Wire reports winning 3 cable deals worth US$42 million Taihan Electric Wire announced that it has won three contracts to supply three ultra high-pressure cables in the Middle East and Kazakhstan that are worth a combined US$42 million. BusinessKorea reports that two contracts were placed by the Ministry of Electricity & Water of Kuwait to supply power to substations in the Shadadiya region and by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) to lay underground power lines in Dubai, with contract amounts of US$32 million and US$6 million, respectively. The projects, it said, are in progress on a turn-key basis, and Taihan will supply 275kV and 132kV cables, cable joints, and related equipment while being in charge of all of the electric works. The third contract, from Kazakhstan, valued at US$4 million, calls for Taihan to supply 500kV cables to local thermal power stations, the BusinessKorea report said, adding that the company recently won a similar project in Russia. “500kV cable works are the most advanced form of those related to underground power lines and only five to six companies around the world have been engaged in them.” It added that in June 2013, Taihan succeeded in a commercial operation of 500kV cables in Russia for the first time as a Korean power cable manufacturer.

SMS Group: 2013 orders were down, but company outlook remains positive Germany’s SMS Group, whose collective product lines include wire rod mills, expects to see a significant decrease in profit for 2013, reflecting the plight of many potential customers that have been pressured by market conditions. At the same time, the company remains optimistic. “Low utilization of capacities and continuing high raw materials prices are making sales difficult for our customers. That’s why they have been extremely reluctant to invest again this year,” said Dr. Joachim Schönbeck, spokesman of SMS Holding GmbH. “Just like last year, order intake has fallen behind our forecasts. So once again, we have to be ready for under-utilization of capacity in some areas in 2014.” The press release said that the company is seeking to cut manufacturing costs even more with production-

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wait. We strive to respond to the urgencies of the marketplace and lead the industry in serving the companies that depend on us. We are very happy to count CommScope among our customers once again going forward.” A wholly owned subsidiary of Fushi Copperweld Inc., Copperweld Bimetallics LLC operates three facilities in the U.S. and Europe.

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optimized design plus greater efficiency in engineering, manufacturing and logistics. Schönbeck said that SMS Group employment increased to some 14,000 (including apprentices) from 11,822. He explained that the growth came from “the first consolidation of Paul Wurth as well as takeovers of a few smaller companies, but also new jobs in China and India.” The release said that SMS remains committed to high quality. To that end, it will continue producing the most complex components of its machinery and plants in Germany, noting that this is why the company invested heavily over recent years in upgrading its facilities in Hilchenbach and Mönchengladbach. The SMS Group has also expanded its production capacity in China, the release said. “The focus here is on the provision of better customer services locally and the construction of machines specifically designed for the Chinese market. It is a similar picture on the Indian market, where another workshop is currently under construction and scheduled to start operations in 2014.”

Severstal initiates AD investigation into Ukrainian wire rod imports The Eurasian Economic Commission (ECC) has launched an anti-dumping investigation over alleged dumping of wire rods manufactured in Ukraine and imported to the single customs territory of the Customs Union (Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation). A press release reported by steelguru.com, citing the Strategic Research Institute, said that the ECC’s Domestic Market Protection Department received an application from OAO Severstal, a vertically integrated steel and steel-related mining entity, and other Russian manufacturers, about the alleged dumping. The allegations, it said, specifically refer to “hot-rolled wire rod with similar solid cross-section along their whole length in the shape of circles, made from carbon and alloy steel, in coils or cut to a specific length, which may have holes, ribs, grooves and other manufacturing deformations, with or without further processing.” Excluded from the investigation are wire rods made from free-cutting steel, high-speed steel, tool steel, ball bearing steel and corrosion-resistant steel, forged wire rods or rods having undergone cold deformation, bored wire rods and hollow rods used in drilling operations. “Over recent years the volumes of wire rods imported from Ukraine have risen consistently from 469,000 metric tons (MT) in 2010 to 800,000 mt in 2012. In 2013, Ukraine further boosted its imports, with more than 619,000 mt imported into the Customs Union in the first six months of 2013, 63% more than during the same period last year,” the release said. It noted that Ukrainian manufacturers have also expanded exports into Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan at dumping prices, adding that

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the Russian manufacturers spearheading the investigation estimate anti-dumping margins were 12.6%. The dumping of Ukrainian export hot-rolled wire rods “has a significant impact on the performance of domestic companies and causes financial damage to the steel industry of the Customs Union,” the release said. “Severstal plans to actively participate in the investigation to eliminate unfair competition in the domestic market and to reduce the negative impact of dumping from Ukraine,” said Dmitry Goroshkov, the marketing and sales director of Severstal’s Russian Steel Division. The company also supports changes to the laws of the Customs Union to strengthen protective, anti-dumping and countervailing measures, he said.

2 conflicting Chinese priorities: steel production and air pollution China’s manufacturing prowess has been a stunning success story, but it has also been a tale of competing interests: the desire for manufacturing to be able to produce and make a decent profit with a given region’s split need to be able to have manufacturing jobs and tax revenue as well as decent living conditions.

A contrasting view of Handan, which is located in Hebei Province and is said to account for 10% of the world’s steel output. That balance has not been easy to achieve, especially for the Hebei Province of China. Per figures released by China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection on the air quality of 74 monitored cities nationwide for the first 10 months of this year, more than half of the 10 most polluted Chinese cities were in Hebei Province, a key area for steel production.

open our windows at night,â&#x20AC;? one local said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The days are bad, but the nights are worse.â&#x20AC;? The problems are immense, but so is the revenue that is generated, the Want China Times article explained. As of 2012, 148 steel mills were registered in Hebei, with total assets reaching US$157.5 billion, with more than 610,000 people employed by them. The added value of the industry in 2012 was recorded at US$63.6 billion, which accounted for 13.9% of the total GDP that year, the article said. It noted that the industry also contributed tax payments of US$6.6 billion, which was worth 11.6% of the Hebei governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total financial income in 2012.

Report: installed submarine electricity cables worldwide to top 300 by 2023 Submarine Electricity Transmission, a new report from Navigant Research, projects that the number of installed submarine cables will grow from 110 in 2013 to 304 in 2023, according to a conservative forecast, and that the actual results could top 450 by 2023. A press release said that demand for high-voltage submarine electricity cables is growing steadily, as countries and regions make commitments to offshore renewable power generation, link remote landmasses, and interconnect their national grids. As cable technology advances,

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A report in Want China Times said that the government agencies of Hebei Province are being pressured to resolve the pollution problem, but doing so is quite difficult due to the volume of the pollutants, an unfavorable geographical position that makes gas diffusion difficult, and poor management of emissions. Zhou Benshun, secretary of the provincial committee of the Communist Party of China, was cited as saying that the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beijing-Tianjin-Heibei region and its nearby areas are the most polluted parts of China, and Hebei should take the bulk of the responsibility compared with Beijing and Tianjin.â&#x20AC;? Making matters worse is that nearby cities want to see action too, as one research report showed that Beijing emitted 70% of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greenhouse gases, while 30% of its pollutants came from cities nearby. The article said that all cities in the Beijing-TianjinHebei region need to control their air pollution, but Hebei was singled out as the biggest offender. It also targeted the iron and steel industry, which sustains Hebeiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy, as being the single largest pollution contributor. A Dec. 2 article by Ian Johnson in The New Yorker painted a bleak picture of the city of Handan, which has a core population of more than 1.4 million people. He talked to people living near a coking plant and was told of the air saturated with the smell of rotten eggs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

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more projects are being proposed that require longer, deeper, and higher-capacity cables, it said. “Only a few companies have the capability to construct and install high-voltage submarine cable, and the constricted supply chain for these highly specialized and expensive products has limited the industry’s growth in the past,” said Bob Lockhart, research director with

Navigant Research. “The tide has changed, with market entrants from other sectors and other regions of the world beginning to step in to absorb the excess demand.” While the recent economic downturn has slowed the number of project installations, many governments and organizations remain committed to the types of projects that drive new high-voltage submarine cable installations, the release said. Offshore wind farms and grid interconnectors, it observed, “remain a focus of the European Union’s 20-20-20 goal.” The report analyzes the global market for high-voltage submarine cables and also looks at the significant demand drivers for deploying them and related market issues, the release said. It also provides global market forecasts for demand and revenue from high-voltage submarine cables, segmented by world region, project and cable type, technology, and growth scenario, main technology issues and profiles of key industry players, it said. A free summary of the report is at www.navigantresearch.com.

Globenet completes new subsea network extension to Colombia U.S.-based GlobeNet, an international wholesale provider of submarine capacity, reports that it has completed construction on its new extension of its subsea network to Colombia. The build is a direct extension from GlobeNet’s existing subsea cable system connecting the U.S., Venezuela, Brazil and Bermuda, and addresses the increased demand for high capacity in Colombia, a press release said. The subsea extension contract was awarded to AlcatelLucent, and includes the AlcatelLucent 1620 Light Manager, which supports 100Gbps transmission and is fully equipped with advanced coherent technology. “The Latin America region is such a fast-growing market, spurring the need for high performance

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networks,” said Philippe Dumont, president of AlcatelLucent Submarine Networks. The release noted that GlobeNet’s network now spans more than 23,500 km, connecting the Americas over the most advanced submarine technology throughout all of its routes.

FIB reports order for record line FIB Belgium SA, a global supplier of equipment for thermal and chemical treatment as well as for surface treatment of steel wires, reports that it is filling an order for what it said will be the biggest continuous wire galvanizing line in the world.

The headquarters of the Paul Leibinger GmbH & Co. KG in Tuttlingen, Germany. it added industrial inkjet printers, embodying flexibility and innovation in its earliest model, the Codi-Jet, and now with its JET3 and JET2neo industrial small character inkjet printers. The company, which in 1999 brought all its locations and product lines to the home site, said it has plans to further expand the plant, which now has approximately 200 employees. Its main export markets are Asia, with a focus on China, and North America. The family line continues at the company as in 2011, CEO Christina Leibinger joined company managers Günther Leibinger, her father, and Horst Schoch.

A view of the FIB Belgium SA wire galvanizing line.

A press release said that the order for an upgrade comes from Van Merksteijn, a Dutch company that FIB has worked with since 2011. It was scheduled to be commissioned in January. “This one will have the capacity to produce 9.5T/h of galvanized wires in order to feed the various stations for the manufacture of fence panels,” it said, noting that FIB, founded in 1936, has supplied equipment to more than 57 countries.

Leibinger tops 65th year mark Germany’s Paul Leibinger GmbH & Co. KG recently celebrated its 65th anniversary as a global supplier of numbering machines, industrial inkjet printers and camera verification systems. Founded in 1948 in Stetten on the Danube, just 7 km from its current headquarters, the family business is now more successful than ever, said a press release that noted the following. The company was founded by Paul Leibinger, who had the vision to develop unique numbering systems that were more reliable and durable. His achievements were “verified by developments and patent applications over and over again.” After he died in 1963, his son, Günther Leibinger, took over, and continued to grow the numbering machines. In 1992, the company developed camera systems for verification, and in 1996

18 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Belden rated a top innovator U.S.-based Belden Inc., a global supplier of signal transmission solutions, once again topped The Patent Board’s latest list for the Industrial Components and Fixtures industry. A press release said that the results, presented in the Dec. 10, 2013, edition of The Wall Street Journal, noted that for the second consecutive quarter, Belden received the highest score for technology strength, a measure that indicates the overall strength of the company’s innovation and patent portfolio, considering quality and quantity. Based on 13-week rolling averages, the Patent Board’s quarterly scorecard includes more than 50 indicators. “The skills and technologies the industry needs in order to excel are changing, and this recognition by The Patent Board underscores our commitment to innovation in order to benefit our customers,” said Dave Jackson, vice president and general manager at PPC Broadband, Inc., a Belden brand of broadband connectivity solutions. “To provide products and services that help our customers profitably grow their business, we continue to increase our investment in research and development – placing a priority on networking solutions that will support the data demands of our customers, for today and tomorrow.” The release said that Belden, together with PPC, its most recent acquisition, “have secured more patents and pending applications in connectivity technology than any other company worldwide.”

Wire rod’s tale of woe Imagine a high school house party filled with anthropomorphic steel long products. Rebar is holding court on the makeshift dance floor, fending off suitors; merchant bar is flitting around with bowls of chips and drink refills, eager to please; wide flange beams are in the basement playing Magic the Gathering; and wire rod is shunted off to the corner, drinking too much and telling loud, offensive jokes—desperate for attention. “Hey,” says wire rod, “I’m used in construction too—plus a bunch of other stuff. So what makes rebar so special?” Poor wire rod. After suffering along with all the other longs during the height of the Great Recession, the Stumbling Recovery has not been kind to the versatile, market-spanning low carbon product. More than just concrete reinforcement, wire rod is a key component in appliances, heavy machinery, fencing, and even shopping carts. With the rise of consumer confidence and U.S. industrial output, one would assume wire rod would be enjoying a golden period in its long history. But no. It stands in the shadow of its narrow-use cousin—rebar— enjoying none of the robust demand that has rebar “flying off the shelves” according to several distributors. The reasons behind this discrepancy in demand are varied, but there is also the element of supply to contend with. Although major U.S. long product mills are currently running at about 65 percent for wire rod and rebar, wire rod supply is not nearly as tight. In the last few months, some mills have strategically shifted production schedules for rebar to support their pricing policies, and as such, when mills announced price increase upon price increase for rebar this fall, each uptick was easily absorbed into the market. Meanwhile, mills (often producing both product lines) that announced back-to-back price increases for wire rod in November and December were met with hoots, hollers, and juicy blown raspberries. Another factor in rebar’s pricing position is the recent trade case filed against imports from Turkey and Mexico—without the threat of yet another Q1 flood of ridiculously-priced imports, mills are free to set virtually any rebar price they want (although they have been remarkably restrained so far). Wire rod, meanwhile, has made several trips through the rumor mill—a petition against Chinese wire rod always seems just around the corner—with no significant outcome. If mills actually took action against China (which has accounted for only about 43,000 metric tons of wire rod in the U.S. this year, compared to 59,000 metric tons last year and a decade high of 1.2 million metric tons in 2006), perhaps they would be able to corner the market the way rebar mills have. But it might not be that simple. According to one wire mesh producer, China supplies more than just wire rod to the U.S.—the nation exports

many drawn-wire products as well (about 117,000 metric tons have arrived into the U.S. this year alone). This only compounds competition in the U.S.—a problem that can only be solved by stronger demand. And despite wire rod’s versatility, construction appears to be wire rod’s only hope at achieving that goal. Katie Memmel Fortunately, all signs are pointing up. The most recent data show that construction spending is up in the U.S. (October rose marginally compared to September but gained a decent 5.3 percent), foreclosures are down (November stats show a 15 percent decrease from October and 37 percent decrease year-on-year), and in a near-Christmas miracle, the U.S. House of Representatives crafted a bipartisan budget deal that includes a “reserve account” for infrastructure—which basically leaves the option of further infrastructure spending on the table (instead of off the table and shattered on the floor as it was with the disastrous sequester). Of course, it takes time for data to translate into actual orders, but an optimistic outlook might be enough to spur the wire rod market out of its current funk. A bullish attitude, combined with (perhaps) a slightly tighter availability and (maybe) a whiff of petition filing against Chinese wire rod mills (it wouldn’t be the first time U.S. mills started antidumping rumors for their own advantage)…in no time, wire rod could be right there next to rebar, flying off the shelves and absorbing price increases, dancing with popular kids and getting tagged in their selfies.

Katie Memmel is content manager and editor-in-chief of Prime magazine, published by SteelOrbis. She can be contacted at tel. 713-589-6049, kmemmel@steelorbis.com, www.steelorbis.com. SteelOrbis provides steel news, sector analysis, trade statistics on steel, market pricing and more as well as a secure e-trade platform for steel buyers and sellers.

JANUARY 2014 | 19

GUEST COLUMN

THE STEEL EDGE

ASIAN FOCUS

Participants at the HVDC seminar in China were able to hear about the latest technical advances in the field.

Borouge and Borealis highlight HVDC cable solutions in a China seminar Borage and Borealis, suppliers of plastics solutions to the global wire and cable industry, together with Shanghai Electric Cable Research Institute (SECRI), held a HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) seminar in Shanghai, China that focused on the role and importance of the technology. A press release said that some 50 international and national experts, from cable manufacturers, research institutes and utilities took part in the focus on the latest HVDC cable system technology and applications. Key HVDC aspects, it said, were presented by speakers from the State Grid Zhoushan Utility, China Southern Power Grid Guangdong Power Grid Corporation, Fujian Yongfu Project Consultant Co., National Center for Quality Supervision & Test of Wire and Cable, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Tennet, KUL Leuven, Borealis, and others. The two companies note that they are committed to meeting the increasing global demand for XLPE (CrossLinked Polyethylene) through their current and future investments in Borlink technology. Borouge will be producing 350,000 metric tons of LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) per year at its new plant being built in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, as part of the Borouge 3 expansion SURMHFW ³7KLV ZLOO EH D VLJQL¿FDQW VLPLODU DGGLWLRQ WR Borealis’ high pressure LDPE plant that was inaugurated

in Sweden in 2010. This investment in LDPE production spearheads Borouge’s ability to also manufacture innovative Borlink XLPE solutions for the global wire and cable market,” the release said. The seminar was held as part of the companies’ overall approach to being the reliable source. Roland Janssen, Vice President Marketing Centre Wire & Cable at Borouge, and Wei Dong, head of SECRI, welcomed attendees and discussed the importance of developing HVDC technology, which is environmental friendly and YLD HQHUJ\ VDYLQJ SRZHU FDEOH HQDEOHV HI¿FLHQW SRZHU supply over long distances. 7KH +9'& WHFKQRORJ\ LV H[WUHPHO\ LPSRUWDQW WR HI¿ciently connecting renewable energy to existing power GRIDs, Dong said. He explained that this was especially true for China, which “experiences huge development potential as it is currently witnessing a fast economic growth and big demand for electric energy.” Janssen observed that Borouge and Borealis, both leading worldwide suppliers to HVDC cable makers, have 15 years of experience with Borlink™ HVDC materials, which are cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) compounds distinguished with special electrical and superior processing characteristics are inevitable for HVDC cables. Based in Vienna, Borealis has some 6,200 employees in more than 120 countries. It generated 7.5 billion euros in sales revenue in 2012.

Have news that belongs here? E-mail it to editorial@wirenet.org.

20 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Taihan Electric Wire announced that it has won three contracts to supply ultra high-pressure cables in the Middle East and Kazakhstan that are worth a combined US$42 million, the good news following an extended harsh economic period for the company, which saw its president step away from his management rights. BusinessKorea reports that two contracts were placed by the Ministry of Electricity & Water of Kuwait to supply power to substations in the Shadadiya region and by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) to lay underground power lines in Dubai, the contract amounts US$32 million and US$6 million, respectively. The projects, it said, are in progress on a turn-key basis, and that Taihan will supply 275kV and 132kV cables, cable joints, and related equipment. The third contract, from Kazakhstan, valued at US$4 million, calls for Taihan to supply 500kV cables to local thermal power stations, the report said, adding that the company recently won a similar project in Russia. “500kV cable works are the most advanced form of those related to underground SRZHU OLQHV DQG RQO\ ¿YH WR VL[ FRPSDQLHV DURXQG WKH world have been engaged in them. Back in June this year,

Taihan succeeded in a commercial operation of 500kV FDEOHV LQ 5XVVLD IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH DV D .RUHDQ SRZHU cable manufacturer,” it said. In other news, last October, the grandson of the founder of Taihan Electric Wire gave up his management rights to allow a restructuring plan to proceed. Korea Joongang Daily cited Seul as saying in a release that, “It wasn’t an easy decision to leave a company that my father and grandfather built ... .” Taihan, founded in 1955, started to decline in 2004 after Chairman Seul Won-ryang, father of Seul Yoon-suk, died, the report said. Seul’s wife entered management and Seul Yoon-suk, the eldest son, then 24, gave up his studies in the U.S. to return to the company, where he served as president. The company suffered from its failed 2008 ELG WR EX\ 3U\VPLDQ DQG WKH JOREDO ¿QDQFLDO FULVLV Taihan notes that it is still the nation’s second-largest cable maker, just behind LS Cable, with nearly 25% of market share last year. A report in BusinessKorea said that Taihan still has more than 1.4 trillion won of debt but is making progress in restructuring under a creditors’ plan. “However, this will not greatly affect (Taihan’s) performance or restructuring. Most of its core subsidiaries have already been sold, and there is no sign of the wire and cable industry’s escape from the recession.”

JANUARY 2014 | 21

ASIAN FOCUS

Taihan reports cable contracts, son of the founder resigns as president

PEOPLE

PEOPLE After 20 years as CEO of the Niehoff Group, Heinz Rockenhäuser retired at the end of October 2013. He started with Niehoff in 1993 in a transition period following the death of company founder Walter Niehoff in February 1990. A mechanical engineer who had been CEO of a family owned enterprise, he led the company during a period that saw it greatly expand its traditional sales outside western Europe to include eastern Europe as well as other continents and countries like India and China. He championed junior programs and the social involvement of the company, and in March 1996 saw the

Heinz Rockenhäuser, l, former CEO of the Niehoff group, and his successor, Arnd Kulaczewski

publication of the first edition of the customer magazine NIEHOFF-News, now called NIEHOFF Magazine. His departure represents only the third change of leadership in the company’s 60 years. He will remain connected to the wire and cable industry as president of the International Wire and Cable Exhibitors Association (IWCEA) and as vice president of the Interkabel Association. His successor is Arnd Kulaczewski, who previously was managing director (CEO) of Schuler SMG, a German press builder. After earning a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Hanover in 1994, he worked as a design engineer with Schuler Pressen. In 2005, he was appointed to oversee design engineering for a division of about 100 employees. In 2006, he was named managing director of Schuler SMG, s while also being active elsewhere across Schuler AG, including its Chinese sales and service company in Tianjing as well as through coordination of group-wide development, sales and marketing activities in the field of applications in forging technology. Based in Schwabach, Germany, the Niehoff Group engineers and manufactures machinery for drawing, annealing, galvanic electro-plating, bunching, spooling, rewinding and braiding of nonferrous wire as well as for stranding, coiling and spooling of insulated data and special cables.

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David Ferraro, a long-time staffer of Carris Reels, has been named president of the company. He has worked at Carris Reels for 34 years, starting as northeast sales in 1979, national sales in 1984, sales manager in 1986, vice president of sales 2005 and executive vice president in 2012. During his tenure, he has been involved with product development and integration, sales and marketing strategies, and expansion of existing product lines across plastics, plywood, nailed wood, stamped metal and hardboard reels. He holds a B.S. degree from Castleton College and has had leadership training at the University of Pennsylvania. He has also been active in wire and cable David Ferraro industry, serving on the board of directors for both the WAI and the Wire and Cable Manufacturers Alliance. He succeeds Michael Curran, who is retiring after 38 years at Carris. Based in Proctor, Vermont, Carris Reels manufactures nailed wood, plywood, wood/metal, hardboard and stamped metal reels. RSCC Wire & Cable LLC reported two appointments in its Exane business segment. Paul Elsdon, formerly the cell manager of industrial cable products for RSCC, has been appointed to the new position of lean operations manager, responsible for leading project teams that will execute RSCC’s lean initiatives. He joined RSCC in 2010. He holds an MBA degree from Western New England University. Rick Newhall has joined RSCC as Exane QA manager. He was previously employed for over 20 Paul Elsdon years at Ahlstrom, where he started in market services and held various positions, most recently as quality manager. He holds a BS degree in chemical engineering from Clarkson University. Based in East Granby, Connecticut, and a part of the part of the Marmon Engineered Wire & Cable Group, RSCC manufactures specialty power cables for the energy, utility, military, aerospace, transit, industrial and other Rick Newhall markets. Teknor Apex Company has promoted Mike Patel to the position of director of marketing and business development for the Vinyl Division, responsible for product development strategy and coordinating marketing, sales,

Tom Horn has been promoted to vice president of sales for Filtertech, Inc., responsible for coordinating worldwide internal and external sales efforts for the company’s line of equipment and systems for oil, coolant, water process filtration and waste handling. He has more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing, engineering and sales. He has been with Filtertech for 16 years, the last eight as technical sales manager. Prior to that, he worked in similar capacities for other manufacturers. A long-time WAI member, he has authored technical papers and made presentations in theme sessions at Association events, Tom Horn and has served on its conference planning committee and nonferrous program committee and technical council. Based in Manlius, New York, USA, Filtertech, Inc., supplies a wide range of liquid filtration equipment. Coast Wire & Plastic Tech LLC has named David Ibanez as its Chief Operating Officer (COO) as well as supervisor of the sales force to expand to expand the company’s market presence and coverage. He previously worked at Veridiam Incorporated. The company also announced that it has expanded its sales force recently, hiring territory managers in the Southeast, New England and the Mid-Atlantic regions in response to growing demand. Based in Carson, California, USA and owned by Nova Capital Management, Coast Wire & Plastic Tech manufactures custom electronic wire and cable products.

GH Induction Atmospheres has hired Maria Gil Garcia as a European sales engineer, focusing on the aerospace and medical markets. She will maintain existing customers, identify and develop new customers, represent the company at trade shows and exhibitions, and provide support for machine installations. She previously worked for the Biomechanics Institute of Valencia. She holds a degree in industrial engineering and a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Valencia in Spain. Based in Rochester New York, GH Induction Atmospheres is a supplier of customized industrial heating solutions. Delaware Specialty Distribution (DSD), a Data Management Services, Inc. company, and the exclusive authorized U.S. distributor of DuPont Teflon brand fluoropolymers and other DuPont fluoropolymer resin products, has named Robert D. Smith, formerly of DuPont FluoroPolymer Solutions, as vice president of sales and marketing. Smith, who reports to David Jones, president and founder of DSD, has more than 30 years of DuPont experience, primarily in fluoropolymers and most recently as business director and sustainability manager for DuPont FluoroPolymer Solutions. His experience includes both U.S. and global management of sales and marketing, most recently as business director and sustainability manager for DuPont FluroPolymer Solutions. ArcelorMittal reported a number of key leadership changes stemming from a decision to simplify the company’s organization. Company CFO Aditya Mittal will also serve as CEO of ArcelorMittal Europe, with Flat Carbon Europe, Long Carbon Europe and distribution solutions reporting to him. Flat Carbon Americas and Long Carbon Americas will report to Lou Schorsch as CEO of ArcelorMittal Americas. He remains in charge of several corporate activities (strategy, technology, R&D, global automotive and commercial co-ordination). Sudhir Maheshwari will continue his current role as CEO of India and China and head of M&A, finance and risk management. Algeria, Kazakhstan, South Africa and Ukraine will report to Davinder Chugh as CEO of ArcelorMittal Africa and the CIS.

OBITUARY Joseph Hyszczak of Springfield, Massacusetts, USA, who served as the first managing editor of Wire Journal International, from April 1968 to 1971, died Nov. 7, 2013, at age 86. He served in the U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II and had worked in the wire and cable industry for many years. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Irene (Zaremski) Hyszczak; three children; a brother; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

JANUARY 2014 | 23

PEOPLE

technical, and manufacturing activities to ensure successful commercialization. He joined Teknor Apex in 2004 as the Vinyl Division industry manager for wire and cable. He previously worked for three years with The Ruggles Group, a consulting business. Prior to that he had spent 20 years at Madison Cable Corp., where he held positions in general Mike Patel management, business development, technology, quality assurance, and operations. He started his professional career at Essex International, where he carried out responsibilities in engineering and technical management over an eight-year period. He holds a BSc degree in chemistry from the University of Bombay, B.S. and M.S. degrees in chemical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, and an MBA degree from Worcester (Mass.) Polytechnic Institute. Based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA, and a business of Teknor Apex Company, Inc., the Vinyl Division is an international supplier to the wire and cable, and other industries.

FIBER WATCH

FIBER WATCH Questions exist for planned Pentagon fiber optic link for Guantánamo Bay The U.S. detention facility in Guantánamo, Cuba, has been a source of controversy and expense for the U.S., and that continues with word that the Pentagon is considering a fiber-optic link from South Florida to the Navy base there. Articles by Marco Ruiz and Carol Rosenberg of the Miami Herald outline plans by the Pentagon to lay an estimated $40 million underwater fiber-optic cable from Guantánamo Bay to South Florida, an investment they wrote shows that “the military is preparing for detentions and other operations at the Navy base for the long-term.” Below are excerpts from several articles covering the project. The fiber-optics plan is the largest known infrastructure improvement for the base by the Pentagon, which has undertaken expansion and building projects in a mostly piecemeal and sometimes secretive fashion in the decade of housing war on terror captives there. The site is to be used to hold trials for five accused Sept. 11 plotters.

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At Guantánamo, increasing data delivery from the base, which has both the war court and the prison camps intelligence unit, had stretched satellite access from the outpost, and planners studied whether to expand their “terrestrial system,” or go underwater with fiber optics. The base now relies on slow satellite transmissions to the mainland, but satellite links are prone to interference during bad weather, when the century-old outpost may need connectivity the most. The base, population about 6,000, is like a small town with a seaport, airport and the detention center that houses 169 men as captives, with 1,700 troops and contractors on temporary assignment to manage them. The Pentagon also uses the 45-sq-mile base as a contingency site for humanitarian relief operations. It has fields prepared to house in tents thousands of people who might flee social unrest or natural disaster in the Caribbean, as refugees from Cuba and Haiti did in the 1990s. The fact that the investment may be made does not mean that the Pentagon is now preparing for permanent detention of prisoners at Guantánamo. “That naval station’s been around since 1903, and it will live long past the detention mission. It may be a fiscally prudent use of taxpayer funds.”

Updated fiber optic report offers bandwidth insights to strong market “North American Fiber To The Home and Advanced Broadband Review and Forecast to 2017,” a report from RVA, provides a detailed review and forecast of FTTH deployments and consumer desires for advanced broadband applications and services. A press release said that North American FTTH activity is predicted to grow to record levels by 2017, and that the report presents data in a graph-segmented format that includes history from 2001-2012 and a five year (20132017) forecast. “This is led by a host of existing providers, especially in the US and Canada, expanded greenfield

FTTH activity, and exciting new overbuilding activity from providers such as Google and AT&T,” it said. RVA predicts that the number of high bandwidth capacity users (50, 100, or even 1000 Mbps/1 Gigabit) will soon grow rapidly and represent a market niche worthy of serious attention, the release said. It noted that “consumers have unique desires for applications and services given the availability of higher capacity advanced broadband, thus providing many new opportunities for providers of software and video programming.” Observed the release, “Greenfield FTTH was initially not that important because there were over 1.5 million existing lots with a copper infrastructure that had to be used up. Even for new developments, it took time for developers and providers to modify their practices. Now however, many of the old copper lots are finally getting worked off, a high percentage of both new lots and new MDUs are going to fiber infrastructure, fiber costs have decreased and housing starts are again increasing.” The report is based on extensive research involving interviews with hundreds of providers, vendors, and industry experts, and thousands of consumers, and thorough quantitative analysis. It can be purchased for $2,950 (or $2,350 for FTTH Council members).

Innovation meets Tradition booth 10 A 21 April 07 - 11, 2014 Düsseldorf, Germany

CONVENTIONAL WIRE BUTTWELDERS

Type 1-LNV www.strecker-limburg.de www.streckerusa.com

WE SUPPLY THE MISSING PIECE FOR YOUR PRODUCTION!

JANUARY 2014 | 25

FIBER WATCH

The Navy outpost severed ties to Cuban utilities in the early 1960s amid tensions with Fidel Castro. It has no U.S. cellphone service, limited military-run Wi-Fi and slow Internet service. The military could just run a small line for the prison area, but that is not cost-effective. One Army spokesman cited in the story said that there are no plans to provide fiber-optic communications support to mainland Cuba, but another person observed, “It’s going to be for the entire island in anticipation that one day that they’ll be able to extend it into mainland Cuba.”

Time at Indy. The fast track to advance your wire plant operation.

WAI’s next wire & cable adventure will take just two days in Circle City. 176-Stand Wire & Cable Marketplace || Net work ing || Tours || Joint AIST Technical S ession M a c h i n e r y R o u n d t a b l e | | Eq u i p m e n t Fo r u m | | S a fet y and Continuous I mprovement S egments WAI’s Operations Summit & Wire Expo 2014 will help you come up to speed with intense, peer-driven crosstalk about today’s plant management best practices. Save

money. Save time. And put revolutionary ideas into action immediately so that your only extra lap will be your victory lap. Details on the way: www.wirenet.org.

Indiana Convention Center Artifact: Mechanical speedometers rely on a connection with the drive cable—in which tightly wound helical coil springs wrap around a center wire mandrel—that connects to a set of transmission gears. When the vehicle moves, the gears turn this flexible drive cable. The mandrel communicates the rotational speed of the transmission down the cable to the speedometer where both linear distance and speed are calculated. As many as 1,000 revolutions of the drive cable are needed to register one mile on the odometer.

Indianapolis, Indiana || May 6-7, 2014

Co-located with AISTech 2014 Free access to AISTech 2014 exhibits with WAI registration badge.

Fasteners to be used for a desert first Vossloh Fastening Systems, a business of Germany’s Vossloh Group, announced that it has won a contract to supply the fastening systems for the high-speed railway line extending from Mecca to Medina. At its website, the company reports that the contract, worth about 30 million euros, will see Vossloh provide highly sophisticated fastening systems for a “newly built line stretching over 450 km.” The project, it said, represents the world’s first high-speed line across the desert. “Traffic on the all-electrified line, to start up in 2015, will run at speeds of up to 320 km/h and so the journey from Mecca to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s premier port, will take less than 30 minutes and the onward good 400 km to Medina some two hours.” Besides the vast variations in temperature, the system as such must feature both the necessary flexibility and strength to cope with the high speeds and the challenging subsoil, the release said. “This demanding project constitutes another reference in one of the strongest growing rail markets in the world,” Vossloh AG CEO Werner Andree said.

Swedish company reports winning Chinese auto fastener contract Bulten, one of two divisions of Sweden’s FinnvedenBulten, reports that it has signed “a strategically important contract for delivery of fasteners to an automotive manufacturer in China.” A press release said that the contract has a first-year value of some $1.5 million, and that the order “continues over a number of years.” The order, it said, “will thereby strengthen (our) presence on the Chinese market.” The release said that the deal, which includes fasteners for both car production and drive lines, furthers the viability of Bulten division. It noted that Bulten already makes high-quality fasteners at its factory in China. “An important part of our strategy for organic growth is to expand on growth markets and the fact that we have signed a new contract in China is very pleasing,” Bulten CEO Tommy Andersson said. “We see good potential for continued growth in China in the years to come,” FinnvedenBulten President and CEO Johan Westman said.

JANUARY 2014 | 27

FASTENER UPDATE

REPORT

TO MEMBERS

REPORT

2014 WAI Report to Members Whether you are a wire and cable manufacturer or a supplier serving the industry, you have a relentless stream of challenges and opportunities, which are directly LQÃ&#x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

Extensive work by WAI volunteers has helped bolster the Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s membership roster. VKLIWV VXFK DV WKH LQFUHDVHG LQYROYHPHQW IURP WKH HOHFWUL cal sector, or the increased activity from raw material VXSSOLHUV DQG WKHQ WKH HTXLSPHQW PDQXIDFWXUHUV 7KHUH ZDV DQG FRQWLQXHV WR EH D SXVK DQG SXOO EHWZHHQ WKH 8 6 DQG WKH JOREDO LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFHV 7KHUH DUH DOVR LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFHV UHOD WLYH WR WKH VFLHQFH RI ZLUH GUDZLQJ DQG SXUH PDQXIDFWXU LQJ RSHUDWLRQV $IWHU DOO WKH RUJDQL]DWLRQ HQFRPSDVVHV D UDQJH RI ferrous and nonferrous wire and cable manufacturers,

Over the past year, it was my honor to serve as the 3UHVLGHQW RI WKLV VSHFLDO RUJDQL]DWLRQ WKDW VHUYHV WKH HGX FDWLRQDO LQWHUHVWV RI P\ FDUHHU ORQJ SURIHVVLRQ :KLOH , KRSH P\ WHQXUH KDV KHOSHG DGYDQFH WKH $VVRFLDWLRQ IURP ERWK D VWUDWHJLF DQG RSHUDWLRQDO VWDQG SRLQW , DP VLQFHUHO\ JUDWHIXO IRU WKH RYHUZKHOPLQJ VXS port of many of my friends within the industry, but also IURP D QHZ JURXS RI FROOHDJXHV WKDW , ZDV LQWURGXFHG WR

28 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

This picture, which captured the sense of energy at Interwire 2013, ran on the cover of the June :-, issue. VHUYLQJ WKH ZLGHVW DUUD\ RI GRZQVWUHDP FXVWRPHUV 7KLV GLYHUVLW\ LV D VWUHQJWK DQG ZHDNQHVV ,I ZH ZHUH WKH DXWR PRELOH ZLUH DQG FDEOH DVVRFLDWLRQ RI $PHULFD ZH ZRXOG be thrilled with heath of the sector today, but chances are ZH ZRXOGQÂ¶W KDYH VXUYLYHG WKH FROODSVH RI WKDW VHF WRU LQ 7KH :$, %RDUG RI 'LUHFWRUV DQG WKH YROXQWHHU FRUSV EHVW UHSUHVHQW :$,Â¶V FRQQHFWLRQ WR WKH LQGXVWU\ 7KLV JURXS RI YROXQWHHUV GRQDWH PDQ\ KRXUV WR WKH $VVRFLDWLRQ IDFLOLWDWLQJ WKH HVWDEOLVKHG DFWLYLWLHV DQG transferring their expertise and passion for the industry LQWR WKH RSHUDWLRQ 7KH YDOXH LV LPPHDVXUDEOH ZKHQ \RX FRQVLGHU WKDW VHQLRU OHYHO H[HFXWLYHV IURP $UFHORU0LWWDO $VDUFR %HNDHUW *HQHUDO &DEOH *HUGDX ,QVWHHO /HJJHWW 3ODWW 0DU 0DF 0DUPRQ 6RXWKZHVWHUQ :LUH DQG 6RXWKZLUH DUH ZRUNLQJ WR GHYHORS WKH SURJUDP IRU WKH XSFRPLQJ 2SHUDWLRQV 6XPPLW :LUH ([SR 7KHUH LV QR TXHVWLRQ that the program will meet the needs of the industry when LW LV GHYHORSHG E\ WKH OHDGHUVKLS $QRWKHU H[DPSOH RI WKH LQÃ&#x20AC;XHQFH RI WKH YROXQWHHUV RQ WKH RSHUDWLRQ LV WKH SRVLWLYH WUHQG LQ PHPEHUVKLS ,Q WKH SDVW WZR \HDUV WKH 0HPEHU 5HODWLRQV &RPPLWWHH DQG WKH %RDUG RI 'LUHFWRUV KDYH FRQFHQWUDWHG UHVRXUFHV RQ reversing the historical downward trend in members and WKH UHVXOWV KDYH EHHQ DPD]LQJ ,Q OHVV WKDQ WZR \HDUV WKH

WKURXJK WKH $VVRFLDWLRQ 7R PH WKDW KDV EHHQ WKH HQMR\ DEOH SDUW RI P\ VHUYLFH WR WKH $VVRFLDWLRQ ZRUNLQJ alongside some very smart individuals, dedicated to the SURIHVVLRQ DQG WKHUHE\ :$, )URP P\ YDQWDJH SRLQW WKH LQGXVWU\ LV ORDGHG ZLWK WDOHQWHG SURIHVVLRQDOV Richard Miller, immediate past president.

REPORT WAI President Richard Miller makes a point during the Board of Directors meeting that was held at Interwire 2013. The Member Relations Committee, led by co-chairs Tom Heberling, Southwire Company, and Tim Wampler, General Cable Corporation, deserves kudos for developing and carrying out an ambitious membership drive. team has stopped the decline and grown membership by 20%. Relationship selling has been the key in the membership category. Volunteers have approached their colleagues within the industry and suggested that joining the Association provides a personal return, but also supports the wire and cable profession. When one of your peers takes the time to share their story and passion at an event or over the telephone, the message is very powerful. Last year at this time, we introduced our redesigned website, wirenet.org. The reaction has been very positive with regard to content and functionality. Now we want WR LQFUHDVH WKH WUDIÂżF EHFDXVH ZH EHOLHYH LQ WKH YDOXH The home page is a great source for industry news that is updated regularly. The search tool provides access to a robust database and everyone can access the library of technical papers. For members, you can drill deeper in the search and immediately download any paper. The functionality of the web now facilitates 40% of the membership renewals while giving all members the abiliW\ WR FRQWURO WKHLU SDVVZRUGV )URP D ZRUNĂ&#x20AC;RZ VWDQGSRLQW that means we are able to spend less time processing and more time adding value. It also means that you can join online and immediately access products and services such as the 20 archived webinars. This past year, the Association kicked off its new series of webinars presenting the fundamentals of wire and cable manufacturing in more than 30 installments in ferrous, nonferrous, and electrical tracks. The program debuted topics for each segment, including â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ferrous Wire Rod Manufactureâ&#x20AC;? (Parts I & II), â&#x20AC;&#x153;An Overview of Nonferrous Rod and Wire Technology,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Electrical Overview: Resistance and Conductance.â&#x20AC;? Upcoming topics set to appear in early 2014 include a continuation of the three-part ferrous â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cleaning and Coatingâ&#x20AC;? series and a nonferrous â&#x20AC;&#x153;Drawing and Thermal Processingâ&#x20AC;? presentation.

$QRWKHU ÂżUVW IRU WKH ZHELQDUV WKLV \HDU ZDV D SDLU RI dual-language programs presented in cooperation with Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AsociaciĂłn Nacional de Transformadores de Acero AC (ANTAAC) on dies and heat treatment for ferrous applications. All webinars, which are free to members, are recorded and added to the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing archive of more than 20 presentations. Live webinars are available for $55 to non-members, but the video archive is exclusively for WAI members. The webinars series is proving to be an excellent eduFDWLRQDO UHVRXUFH DQG DQ RXWVWDQGLQJ PHPEHU EHQHÂżW Based on survey data collected during each session, it is evident that multiple sites are gathering staff to participate in the webinar collaboratively and to use the program as a complement to their internal training programs. The part that may surprise any of the hundreds that have participated in the webinars is that the high-quality instructors are all volunteers. It is amazing to experience the power of the volunteers who work for the Association in support of our educational mission. The WAI recently introduced the Platinum Membership 3URJUDP ZKLFK UHFRJQL]HV FRPSDQLHV WKDW DUH VLJQLÂżFDQW supporters of WAI and our mission. Below are the newest and the initial members of this special group. New Platinum Members â&#x20AC;˘ Chemetall US, Inc â&#x20AC;˘ Crown Technology Inc. â&#x20AC;˘ Frigeco USA Inc â&#x20AC;˘ S&E Specialty Polymers LLC â&#x20AC;˘ Siemens Industry, Inc â&#x20AC;˘ Standridge Color Established Platinum Members â&#x20AC;˘ Carris Reels Inc. â&#x20AC;˘ Chase Corporation â&#x20AC;˘ Davis-Standard LLC â&#x20AC;˘ Gem Gravure Co Inc â&#x20AC;˘ MGS Manufacturing â&#x20AC;˘ Lloyd & Bouvier â&#x20AC;˘ RichardsApex Inc â&#x20AC;˘ SAMP USA Inc. â&#x20AC;˘ Sonoco â&#x20AC;˘ Paramount Die Co â&#x20AC;˘ Windak USA Inc â&#x20AC;˘ Wire & Plastic Machinery

JANUARY 2014 | 29

WAI NEWS

Jan. 2014

WAI MEMBERSHIP

SPOTLIGHT

This section introduces a new :$,࣮PHPEHU HDFK LVVXH

Joe Ankley President, Emerald Steel Processing U.S.

Q: What does your company do? A: Emerald Steel is a provider of alloy and carbon steel rod and wire for the cold heading and wire forming industry. We offer spherodize annealing, coil-to-coil wire drawing and acid cleaning with phosphate coatings. Emerald Steel is located in Detroit, near many major automotive suppliers. We specialize in high-quality rod and wire with just-in-time service. We can service 4,000 lb orders as well as 80,000 lb orders on a daily basis. Q: What is your role there? A: I’m the president. Q: What do you like best about your position? A: I’m a mechanical engineer by background with a speciality in manufacturing. I’ve only ever known manufacturing. I like working as a part of the Emerald team to develop systems and processes that make it easy for our sales group to sell. It can be product quality or service we are selling – we just need to have repeatable processes that get us to both products. Q: How has the industry most changed? A: The quality of the product heat treatment and coatings has certainly increased as the cold-forming industry continues to make more and more complicated parts on headers. Many cold-heading customers require just-intime delivery of steel rod/wire, often only carrying 24 hours of raw material inventory. That means we need robust processes to meet those daily expectations. Q: How does your company remain competitive? A: By setting and meeting a very high level of service expectations and lean manufacturing concepts. Q: Why did you recently join WAI? A: Actually, I had been a WAI member for a number of years and thought I still was. It wasn’t until I tried to log on to wirenet.org to view an archived WAI webinar that I had heard good feedback on that I found out my membership had expired. Oops! I re-upped, and now I’m a member again. And the webinar was worth the extra effort.

30 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Wendy Glover Controller Southwire Co The following individuals recently joined WAI. Joseph P Ankley President Emerald Steel Processing Christopher Artis Production Planner Southwire Co Shadion A Buckley Process Engineer Bekaert Corp Steven M Capozzi Production Manager East Penn Mfg Co Inc Terry Ken Eason Supervisor Southwire Co

Kai Hartman Mechanical/Process Engineer Univertical Corp Phillip R Holloway Engineering Manager General Cable - Paragould Daniel E Leach Production Supervisor Fluoropolymer Resources Inc Tammy L Leach Scheduler Fluoropolymer Resources Inc Randall C Luebcke Rod & Wire Mill Manager Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc

Mike Pascino Engineering Manager General Cable Corp Roberto A Seta Commercial Director Phelps Dodge International Brasil Ltda Gregg Trebnick R&D & Sales Trebnick Tags & Labels Jerome Ware OPS Safety Specialist Southwire Co John D White Maintenance Planner Southwire Co Anthony Chuck Yearta Process Support Supervisor Southwire Co

JANUARY 2014 | 31

WAI NEWS

Skye R Entrekin Human Resource Specialist Southwire Co

Amandeep Mohey Engineer- R&D Suzuki Garphyttan AB

MEET YOUR PEERS. ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS. JOIN WAI TODAY.

David G Ely President Fluoropolymer Resources Inc

WAI NEWS

WAI

NEWS

William (Bill) Avise to serve as WAI president in 2014 William (Bill) Avise, Leggett & Platt, will serve as WAI president for 2014, succeeding Richard R. Miller, Southwire Co. The other 2014 officers are William Reichert, Champlain Cable Corp., and 2nd Vice President Andy Talbot, Mid-South Wire Co. The WAI officers are key to the direction and planning for events, products and services to serve the WAI’s more than 2,500 members. Steven Fetteroll serves as executive director/secretary and David LaValley is the treasurer.

President: William Avise

operations manager. In 1988 he accepted the position of plant manager with Leggett & Platt at the Merit Steel facility in Kouts, Indiana. Following a promotion to vice president of operations, he relocated to Carthage, Missouri, and became president of the Wire Group in 2009. Avise has been a member of the Wire Association International since 1993 and is currently serving a first term on the Board of Directors. He is a member of the 2012 Conference Programming Committee as well as executive committee liaison to the Exhibition Planning Committee. He has actively participated with the American Wire Producers Association (AWPA) since 1994, serving as the organization’s Operations Committee Chairman from 1999 to 2004.

William (Bill) Avise currently holds the position of president of the Wire Group and vice president of Leggett & Platt. His career in the wire industry started in August 1970 at Union Wire Rope (Armco) in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. From 1970 to 1975, he worked as a wire drawer while attending college at Central Missouri State University. After graduating with a B.S. degree in business in 1975, he became a shift supervisor and progressively worked up to the position of

William Reichert is vice president of operations for Champlain Cable Corp. in Colchester, Vermont. He has been in manufacturing industries for 30 years, 28 of these in wire and cable in various operations, engineering, sales and marketing assignments, with the last nine at Champlain Cable, where he is responsible for facilities in Colchester, Vermont, El Paso, Texas and Leeds, MA. A founding advisor for Wire &

2014 WAI organizational chart

Board of Directors

Following are the committees/boards and chairmen that will help direct the WAI’s activities this year.

Executive Committee President: William Avise Leggett & Platt 1st V. P.: William Reichert Champlain Cable Corp. 2nd V.P.: Andy Talbot Mid-South Wire Co. Members: Anthony De Rosa, Frigeco USA, Inc. David Hawker Nexans Energy Cables North America Immediate Past President: Richard R. Miller, Southwire Co.

32 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

1st Vice President: William Reichert

Lou Arcuri, Tri Star Metals LLC William Avise, Leggett & Platt Richard Baker, General Cable Corp. Neville Crabbe, Leoni Wire Anthony De Rosa, Frigeco USA, Inc. David Ferraro, Carris Reels, Inc. Jaime Fuente, Condusal SA de CV Steven S. Jones, Asarco LLC - Amarillo Refinery Richard Miller, Southwire Co. Patricio G. Murga, Conductores Monterrey SA de CV Mahesh Poddar, Miki Wire Works Jose Ranc, Whitney Blake Co. William Reichert, Champlain Cable Sheldon Scott, Whitney Blake Co. Jan Sorige, Enkotec Co., Inc. Gary Spence, Encore Wire Corp. Mark Spencer, W. Gillies Technologies Andy Talbot, Mid-South Wire Co., Inc. Mark Thackeray, General Cable Corp.

2nd Vice President: Andy Talbot Andy Talbot, Vice-President and General Manager of Mid-South Wire Co. Inc, in Nashville, Tennessee, is a 32-year veteran in the ferrous wire industry. MidSouth Wire is one of the largest independent steel wire producers in the US, with plants in Nashville and Scott City, Missouri. Prior to joining Mid-South Wire in 1999, he served as Plant Manager of the Metrock Steel & Wire Plant (now Leggett and Platt) in Montevallo, Alabama. Prior to that, Talbot held the position of Plant Engineer for Elco Industries / Anchor Wire Division. He worked for several years as an independent wire processing consultant, travelling to Russia, China, Peru, and various parts of Europe and the US. Talbot joined the Wire Association in 2010. He was a member of the Conference Programming Committee that developed the

Richard Wagner, Insteel Industries Bhaskar Yalamanchili, Gerdau Ameristeel

Bylaws Committee Sharon K. Young, Versitech

Education Committee Brian Parsons, Southwire Co.

Exhibition Planning Committee Jan Sorige, Enkotec Co.

Finance Committee Ronald R. Reed, Lloyd & Bouvier

Memorial Awards Committee Anand Bhagwat, Minova International

Interwire 2011 technical program. He holds a joint patent for an innovative retail package used in the point-of-purchase nail and fastener market.

Executive Committee and Board of Directors for 2014 This year, the WAI Executive Committee will consist of William (Bill) Avise, Leggett & Platt (President); William Reichert, Champlain Cable Corp. (1st Vice President); Andy Talbot, Mid-South Wire Co. (2nd Vice President); Richard Miller, Southwire Co. (Immediate Past President); and members Tony De Rosa, Frigeco USA, Inc. and David Hawker, Nexans Energy Cables No. America. WAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full Board of Directors includes Lou Arcuri, Tri Star Metals LLC; Avise; Richard Baker, General Cable Corp.; Neville Crabbe, Leoni Wire; De Rosa, David Ferraro, Carris Reels, Inc.; Jaime Fuente, Condusal SA de CV; Steven S. Jones, Asarco LLC - Amarillo Refinery; Allen Lindholm, Arcelormittal Long Carbon NA; Miller; and Patrico G. Murga, Conductores Monterrey SA de CV. Also, Mahesh Poddar, Miki Wire Works; Jose Ranc, Whitney Blake Co.; Reichert; Sheldon Scott, Whitney Blake Co.; Jan Sorige, Enkotec Co., Inc.; Gary Spence, Encore Wire Corp.; Mark Spencer, W. Gillies Technologies; Talbot; Mark Thackeray, General Cable Corp.; Richard Wagner, Insteel Industries, Inc.; and Bhaskar Yalamanchili, Gerdau Ameristeel.

Member Relations Committee Thomas Heberling, Southwire Co. Tim Wampler, General Cable Corp.

Nominating Committee Dane G. Armendariz

Oversight Committee William Reichert, Champlain Cable Corp.

Paper Awards Committee Bhaskar Yalamanchili, Gerdau Ameristeel

Publications Committee Dane G. Armendariz

WAI Chapters India Chapter, Italy Chapter, Mid-South Chapter, Midwest Chapter, New England Chapter, Ohio Valley Chapter, Poland Chapter, Southeast Chapter, Western Chapter

JANUARY 2014 | 33

WAI NEWS

Cable FOCUS and a member of the Wire and Cable Manufacturer's Alliance (WCMA), he is an active member of the WAI, where he has served as a member of the board of directors and the finance committee as well as several conference committees. He has also served as a part-time instructor at the University of Vermont, where he teaches Production and Operations Management in the MBA program. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in chemistry and an MBA.

WAI NEWS

Update: all but 14 booths taken for WAI’s trade show in Indianapolis As of press time, all but 14 of the available booths for the trade show at the WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo have been booked for the event to be held May 6-7 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.

add nore booth space is limited, said WAI Sales Director Bob Xeller. “This would be a good time for companies that have delayed acting to do so,” he said. This marks the first time that the Association has staged a trade show in Indiana. The WAI will be co-located at the convention center with AISTech. The event will include WAI’s 84th Annual Convention and a technical program that will be presented in the March issue. For more about either booths or sponsorship opportunities, contact Sales Director Bob Xeller at tel. 203-453-2777, ext. 119, bxeller@wirenet.org, or Anna Bzowski at tel. 203-4532777, ext. 126, abzowski@wirenet.org.

2014 article index is up for review

WAI looks to follow the success that the Association’s trade show saw in 2012 in Dallas, Texas. WAI Sales Representative Anna Bzowski said that there are just 14 booths left out of the show floor inventory of 196 booths at the Indiana Convention Center. All of the eight island booths have been taken, but if there is enough demand, the floor plan can be extended some. The ability to

The Indiana Convention Center will host the WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo 2014.

34 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

An index of news articles published by WJI in 2013 can be accessed at www.wirenet.org by clicking on “WJI” then “WJI Article Indexes.” Readers can view/download the PDF version of article indexes back to 2006, including Industry News, WAI News, Chapter News, Exhibitions and Conferences and Technical Articles and features.

Scheduled for the come-back trail this month: the WAI Connection The WAI Connection, a twice-monthly e-news letter that for years had been sent to WAI members until it was halted about a year or so ago, is scheduled to return this month. “We were surprised by how much interest there was in the newsletter,” said WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll. “We still get members who ask whatever happened to it, and while we halted it because we were providing daily content at our website, we believe that this is a good time to bring back this member benefit.” WJI Editor Mark Marselli said that the newsletter will return in a somewhat different form. “We don’t see much value in repeating news stories that can already be found on the website, so we’re going to focus on other elements. Each installment will have an educational element, be it industry direct or indirect, and there will be Association news, the names of new WAI members as well as some fun stuff.”

Members of 3 WAI chapters can seek college scholarship for their children

Networking expert to speak at New England Chapter meeting on Jan. 30

Three Wire Association International chapters, in conjunction with the Wire Foundation, are seeking applications from the children of chapter members in good standing for their 2014 Scholarship awards. Members of the New England, Midwest and Southeast chapters will soon receive letters inviting applications. Submissions must be postmarked by Monday, March 31, 2014. The chapter scholarship program got its start in the New England chapter in 2006, and then the Midwest and Southeast chapters in 2008. The Wire Foundation connection allows donations to support the chapter scholarship funds to be tax deductible. For the New England and Midwest chapters, eligible candidates for the awards are graduating high school seniors continuing their education in college. The Southeast Chapter also allows continuing college students to apply. Non-members of WAI who have students who would be eligible for the scholarships are welcome to join WAI and their respective chapter. For more details, contact WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll at tel. 203-453-1777, ext. 115, or at sfetteroll@wirenet.org.

An expert on networking will be the keynote speaker when the New England Chapter returns once again to the Mohegan Sun Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut, to hold its 20th annual meeting on Thursday, Jan. 30. The keynote speaker, Bill Kenney of Test My Pitch, LLC, has been an active networker for the past 30 years. In the corporate world, he learned how to successfully navigate the executive hallway as well as assimilate quickly in frequent promotions to new regions of the country. In 1997, he founded The Small Business Network, a networking organization of over 100 noncompeting businesses in the Hartford area. In 2002, he published Why Don’t Doctors Cold Call, a popular guide to business networking. The event will also see the introduction of new officers for 2014. Registration for the event is $130, $120 for WAI members and $110 for New England Chapter members. Sponsorship opportunities and discounted room hotel rates ($139) are also available. For more information, contact WAI’s Anna Bzowski, tel. 203-453-2777, ext. 126, abzowski@wirenet.org.

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CHAPTER CORNER

WRAPUP

IWCS

WRAPUP

IWCS:

Charlotte event a tech success

The International Cable • Connectivity Symposium, better known as simply IWCS, once again proved to be a solid technical success. The event, held Nov. 10-13 at the Charlotte Convention Center, reflected the strength of the organizer’s ties with key industry manufacturers. IWCS CEO/Director John Barteld said that a total of 105 technical papers were presented, and that the Professional Development Courses held on Sunday and Monday had 92 registrations, including a few from people who took more than one course. The plenary session had “outstanding feedback from all,” he said, noting that the panel discussion was especially good. Over the last six years, IWCS has staged its annual event in Providence one year and then Charlotte the next, but the Rhode Island location has held greater attendee appeal, especially for the tabletop exhibits. That trend continued, Barteld said, as attendance at Charlotte was 960. “With attendance down from last year’s 1,100+, it follows that attendance in the exhibit hall would be negatively impacted. Also, we have a number of exhibitors who simply will not exhibit when we are outside of New England. All of this will be taken into consideration by the IWCS Board of Directors as future plans are set.” The tabletops had modest traffic, but a lot of new products/services were displayed by exhibitors, including a

dozen or so at the New Product Presentations session. Many of those can be seen in the Products section that starts in this issue on p. 64. The Executive Track, as ever, was quite informative. Rob Daniels, CRU, gave his outlook for the global insulated metallic market, which he valued at $171 billion in 2012, noting the fiber optic market for that same year was about US$10 billion. His projection for the 2013 calendar year was that copper cable production would grow 2.6%, down from 3.1% in 2012. That would still be markedly down from pre-recession highs, but the outlook is better for 2014, which should see growth topping 4% and as much as 4.6% in 2015. Focusing on China, he noted that its metallic cable production continues to grow, but at a slower rate. He also observed, “In any global market China is by far the most important country, and what happens in China has a big impact on the global market. However, where markets are not global what happens in China is of less importance outside China.” More of his comments are presented in the feature that begins on p. 40. CRU’s Patrick Fay noted that in just six years China went from representing 25% of world optical fiber demand to 50%, and that in 2012 Chinese factories made more than half of optical cable, up from 24% in 2006. From a global reach perspective, FTTX premises have reached a world total of 18% in 2012, he said.

Attendees were able to stop by the tabletop displays as well as attend the adjoining New Product Presentations.

Keynote speaker Morgan Kurk, CommScope, spoke about the seemingly endless potential for wireless.

36 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

WRAPUP The Executive Panel, moderated by RSCC’s Robert Canny, l, included panelists (l-r) Eddie Edwards, CommScope; Clark Kinlin, Corning; Patrice DuBois, OFS Fitel; Steve Szymanski, Prysmian Group; and Bob Kenny, General Cable.

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WRAPUP

Jim Carlini, Carlini & Associates, spoke about the cost of disruption, a factor that he observed seldom gets the consideration it deserves when it comes to planning. Whatever the system, there are internal, external and hidden costs and challenges, from spare parts to rush projects to the weather. Failure to plan properly can result in unplanned delays for redos or upgrades. He declared that he does not agree with the saying that “Time is money” as “Money can be replaced, but time can’t.” The Executive Panel discussion, moderated by RSCC’s Robert Canny, proved to be quite entertaining, as the participants (Clark Kinlin, Corning; Eddie Edwards, CommScope; Bob Kenny, General Cable; Patrice DuBois, OFS Fitel; and Steve Szymanski, Prysmian Group), covered a Attendees at a technical session. The event included 105 technical papers range of industry topics. Edwards said that as well as Professional Development Courses presented over two days. with some 50 billion devices connected according to Erickson, “We see a lot of Corning Inc.’s Brad Boersen also spoke on the fiber outgrowth, both short and long term.” Kinlin added that wirelook, noting that the global optical fiber market has grown less is where the action is. “It’s a lot like fiber was in the more than 300% over the last decade. The Chinese market late 1980s. More companies are moving R&D to wireless. became the first one ever to exceed 100 million km of annu... This is undried cement,” he said. DuBois said that teleal deployment, including 500 million km from 2002 to com should be a steady driver in emerging countries, and 2012, a period during which it accounted for 63% of global that bend-insensitive fiber is a must for future data centers. growth. However, the Chinese market now has too much Szymanski said that he sees growth in composite cables for capacity, too many competitors and too much inventory, he towers and a retreat of cables with large numbers of fibers. said. More of his comments are in the feature that starts on Kenny observed that wireless has a lot of potential, but p. 40. the downside is that it needs to be much more reliable and Morgan Kurk, CommScope’s senior vice president of better able to handle more bandwidth, which will require wireless, spoke passionately about the future of wireless. a lot more wireless towers. The panelists agreed that everHis comments are also presented in the feature. increasing demand for more bandwidth bodes well for optical fiber; that copper cable’s obit, written years ago by fiber proponents, was somewhat premature; that the good news about wireless is that the word is an oxymoron as there is a lot of value-added wire in wireless; and that business looks especially good for companies that can serve those multiple markets. Innovation is a driver of technology, and one application of that could be seen at IWCS. For the first time, attendees, who hailed from 32 countries, were able to view and access much of the event content before they left home. “We had an incredible number of downloads on our conference APP, and will revise that communications tool to be useful year round,” Barteld said. “The pre-availability Attendees did more than just take notes during the Executive Track session. 38 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

WRAPUP Rob Daniels, CRU, gave his outlook for the global insulated metallic market. of event content also saw a significant number of downloads. So much so, in fact, that we will end the printed and bound version of the conference proceedings in favor of the event website, archive and USB stick. The 2013 papers are on the IWCS archive now and enjoying good traffic.”

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JANUARY 2014 | 39

FEATURE

not alone for the ‘last leg’ Fiber versus copper for “the last leg” has been debated about for years, and while this feature returns to that topic it also recognizes the “x” factor that is part of the discussion: wireless, which has attained a consumer “must” status that has fed heady growth reminiscent of the early days of fiber deployment. This feature includes a range of observations on the “big picture” outlook as well as looks at bandwidth deployment choices, and more.

Modest growth for copper, China fiber slows The outlook for the global insulated metallic cable market in 2014 may not be cause for popping champagne, but it is far, far better than the depths experienced in 2009. At the recent IWCS event in Charlotte, North Carolina, CRU analyst Rob Daniels valued the global insulated metallic (copper and aluminum) market at $171 billion in 2012. Based on results to date in 2013, the projection is that the global market grew a tepid 1.8% for the first half of 2013, was improving slightly and would end the year with a 2.6% increase. That is below CRU’s initial projections and less than the 3.1% of the prior year, but the outlook is better for 2014, where Daniels sees growth topping 4%, and as much as 4.6% in 2015. By regions, Daniels said that Europe and Northeast Asia will see a slight decrease in metallic cable consumption in 2013 while North America slowed markedly from 2012. The developed markets generally are down, resulting in significant overcapacity in many countries, he said, citing generally lower operating margins in European and other markets. CRU believes that 2014 will be better, and since the metallic cable market has consistently outperformed GDP, this leads to a sense that “that current economic forecasts point to more upside potential than downside risk.” While the overall picture is good if not stellar, “we are not optimistic that cable industry profitability will improve markedly in 2014.” Corning Incorporated’s Brad Boersen, Director, Strategy– Optical Fiber and Cable, also spoke at IWCS, focusing on the global optical fiber market. He noted that it has grown more than 300% over the last decade, some 350% from 2002 to 2012. The Chinese optical fiber and cable market, not surprisingly, was the key driver, as during that period it accounted for approximately 63% of global growth. The country became the first one ever to

40 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Corning Incorporated’s Brad Boersen spoke about the optical fiber outlook at IWCS. exceed 100 million km of annual fiber deployment, including ~500 million km from 2002 to 2012. There is a flip side, however, to those results. Boersen raised the question of China’s future growth. In some ways, despite its size and volume of business, China should not be considered a developing market for optical fiber, he said, explaining that this assessment is related to the country’s approach to the fiber evolution. Global fiber development began in the early 1980s through 2001, a period that saw tremendous growth driven by long haul, regional, metro and a “developed” market centric, he said. That was followed from 2002 through 2012 by a period of stunning growth from a combination of China and access and wireless investments in developed markets. During those stages, China made extensive investments in production sites. China, he pointed out, today

has begun, and it is going to be a challenging one for fiber producers, as China has begun maturing and the focus is shifting to developing markets that have seen far less optical fiber deployment than developed countries.

Alcatel-Lucent: fiber (mostly) is the solution Fiber is the future of fixed access broadband, but copper will continue to be a factor in the last telecom leg. Below, Dr. Stefaan Vanhastel, who leads marketing for AlcatelLucent’s Fixed Networks business, shares his thoughts on the field.

makes most sense. For greenfield installations, fiber is the obvious choice. For existing developments, and especially urban areas, the choice is far more difficult. FTTH is obviously costly. You have to dig up roads and drill in to Pretty much everyone agrees that fiber is the ultimate people’s houses to install it. To give end goal for fixed access connectivity as it is simply the you an idea of scale, if the cost facmost long-term, future-proof solution. However, it takes tor to deploy a DSL service is taken time and money to get there, and the considerations Dr. Stefaan to be 1 (as the copper is already depend on where one is located. For instance, some servVanhastel ice providers are faced with broadband targets, such as installed), the equivalent for FTTH those laid out by the European Commission, which wants is 15. all households and businesses in the E.U. zone to have A trend today is to take fiber to “the most economical access to 30 Mbps broadband by 2020, and at least half point,” as close to the customer as possible but that point of all households to have 100 mbps. In the U.S., the also has to be at a place where the business case still National Broadband Plan is also calling for 100 Mbps makes sense. Common examples are FTTN (node) and for at least 100 million U.S. homes by 2020. Service FTTB (building). The final connection from node to subproviders are also faced with stiff competition from cable scriber uses the existing copper infrastructure, but because the length of copcompanies. And of per is much shorter – typicourse consumers cally tens to a few hunare always craving faster connectivity. dreds of meters – the posSo there is a need sible broadband speed is to provide what we much higher. This allows call “ultra-broadservice providers to begin band” very quickmonetizing an ultra-broadly. band service very quickly What’s clear is and use the immediate revenues to fund longer-term that deploying fiber everywhere FTTH projects. Even so, takes a lot of time. using the previous scale, A study from FTTN costs a factor of five Heavy Reading while FTTB is a factor of estimates that it 10. However, both these can take 10 years Alcatel-Lucent chart showing cost comparisons for different methods options avoid the biggest to cover 50% of a of reaching customers. hurdle for operators, and country with that is gaining access to the FTTH. But service home. And entering the providers (and end-users) can’t always wait that long, home is usually expensive and time-consuming – not to which is where copper comes in: since the copper wiring mention a big inconvenience for the end-user. So, there are serious costs and logistical challenges in is already in place, a simple upgrade can give you more getting access for those final few meters of FTTH. Hence bandwidth very quickly, and in a cost-effective way. Today, it’s no longer about the medium; it’s about the the interest in one of the many flavors of FTTX. Take the business case. Service providers need to be able to mix center of a historic European city with many protected buildings that are very difficult to modernize and make and match copper and fiber according to where each

JANUARY 2014 | 41

FEATURE

has more than 200 fiber cable plants, which is more than the rest of the world combined. The result, he suggested, is that the Chinese market now has too much capacity, too many competitors and too much inventory, a condition made even worse as margins are too low. The third stage

FEATURE

the installation of fiber very, very difficult. In these cases, the existing copper wiring can still be used with for ultrabroadband using VDSL2 vectoring today and G.fast in a couple of years. With technologies like these, copper will be a long-long-long-term solution in these types of cases. For new applications (greenfield), fiber will be the technology of choice (if you’re going to dig, you’re going to install fiber). Can copper really handle the speeds that customers are demanding? Well, a recent report from Broadband Stakeholder Group estimates that the median U.K. household will require bandwidth of 19 Mbps by 2023, while the top 1% of high usage households will have demand of 35-39 Mbps. Other broadband projections forecast a need for 100 Mbps by 2020; not coincidentally, this is also the target set in most national broadband plans. These speeds can be achieved on existing copper networks using current commercial technology: VDSL2 and VDSL2 vectoring. The latter can achieve speeds of up to 100 Mbps over 400 meters (a typical FTTN deployment). To put 100 Mbps in perspective, a family could watch four different

high-definition films on Netflix (even in tomorrow’s Ultra-High Definition format that has four times the resolution of HD), record another channel in 3D, play an online video game, make a Skype call, and have the whole family surfing the Internet, using cloud-based applications, and watching YouTube all at the same time. G.Fast is the technological successor to VDSL2 and will be commercially available in 2015. It promises speeds on existing copper infrastructure of 500 Mbps up to 100 meters, and over 1 Gbps over 70 meters (typically a FTTB or FTT-curb deployment). In short, copper has the potential to fulfill consumers’ need for speed for many years to come. Where service providers can economically deploy FTTH, they will. Where they can’t, they will install FTTX, getting fiber closer to the customer, hence shortening the length of the final copper connection and boosting its potential speed. As a result, more people will have access to ultra-broadband speeds, sooner. And that’s what counts.

Wireless: posed for the short wired solution At IWCS, keynote speaker Morgan Kurk, problem, has moved indoors. From a practical note, 80% CommScope’s senior vice president of wireless, spoke of cellular communication begins or ends in a building, passionately about the future of wireless, noting that it he said. increasingly appears to be the end solution for the last While the bandwidth ability of current wireless netmeter. That is not a bad thing, he told the wire industry works was questioned during the panel discussion, Kurk audience, because just as the “paperless” office has been maintained that wireless is continuing to evolve to meet found to require a lot of paper, wireless will require a lot an ever increasing demand. Although technology changes of wire. and increased spectrum By 2016, Kurk said, there have improved network will be 19 billion connected capacity, the key to massive devices, 2.5 devices for every increases in capacity is nethuman on earth, and those work density, he said, notindividuals will use it to its ing the following. Initial fullest, at a projected rate of 1 cellular systems started as billion gigabytes of data omni cells, radiating the downloaded every day. “I see same signals in all direcno end to this,” he told attentions. They quickly were dees. It is another step in an swapped out for three secelectronic evolution that has tor cells and are currently evolving to six sector and been taking place for some time. Phones used to be beyond. Moreover in urban wired, and now they are wireareas, cell sites that were less. TVs used to be wireless, Keynote speaker Morgan Kurk, CommScope, spoke about once considered very desirthe seemingly endless potential for wireless. then they were wired, and able (they were very high now they are becoming wireup on the tower) from a less again. Offices, homes and coverage aspect are less viable when trying to add capacity. The industry buzz cars are all are increasingly going wireless, and there is widespread dependence on smart phones and tablets. word “small cell” is ultimately under the umbrella of denCellular, once thought to be a highly mobile outdoor sification and is a key to adding capacity to the network.

42 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

View of how wireless technology is evolving to improve coverage.

FEATURE

Kurk told WJI that he expects the last link to the consumer to eventually go completely wireless, although he noted that that link will be relatively short in distance. “There will likely be fiber or copper to the home for quite a while, driven by the huge bandwidth demands of video (TV or streaming). This is less of a technical issue for wireless, but rather a question of economics. Depending on the way operators charge for data, wireless could compete to the house with fiber or copper, but that would require the big data pipes to be in the neighborhood, so that one wireless transmitter was serving only a limited number of houses. In either case, the place that wireless is substituting for wires is for that last link within the home. For example, you likely have wi-fi for your computer, rather than hooking up to the wall in each room.”

e -lin n i ic le lab ra son i a av ult ow GEO N h W: wit ning NE a cle

On a technical level, wireless could compete to the home, Kurk said, noting the following ways that it already does. Satellite internet access is available to 3MB, and people buy it in rural areas where it is not economical to run fiber or copper to a single house. Cell phones have mostly displaced traditional landlines, and wireless local loop (WLL) systems started providing internet to the home as far back as the early 2000s, again mostly in rural areas, for internet access up to 2-3 MB/s. “If you are asking how this (wireless) will likely go mainstream, the answer is it will be an evolution,” Kurk said. “While it is technically possible today, in some areas there are not enough frequencies to support the bandwidth economically (semi-urban and urban areas), while in others (rural and suburban), there are plenty. Over a period of time in older neighborhoods where there is no conduit and it is hard to get or upgrade wires, this will happen, while new places with easy access to the home will stay wired to the home. To the user, there will be no difference, because the device will receive wi-fi like signals or cellular like signals without distinction.” In terms of wireless, “we’re nowhere near the limits of technology,” Kurk concluded.

JANUARY 2014 | 43

Cat. 8: a product ahead of its time ... for now It’s hard to market a product that has key technical elements yet to be resolved, let alone finalized and commercialized, but Cat. 8 cable is being prepared to be a realworld solution for 40 Gbit/sec data transmission over twisted pairs. The process, which involves not just expertise but coordination of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and the International Organization for Standardization/ International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC), is not going to be completed anytime soon. By one projection, it could take till late 2015, as there are multiple technical issues to resolve, just one being compatibility between existing connectors, but the final version of Cat. 8 cable may support frequencies of up to 2 GHz, double that specified for Cat. 6A cable. A report by Richard Mei, CommScope’s R&D Director of the Transmission Solutions Department, focuses on some of the advantages of having a copper-based solution. “Historically, the most cost-effective solution for data center connectivity has been Ethernet over twistedpair cabling. This is the preferred way of connecting servers to switches, where ubiquity and ease of use is crucial. Thus, research into 40GBase-T helps demonstrate a

more cost-effective alternative to existing fiber or twinax solutions. The adoption of 40GBase-T in data centers will bring huge advantages to enterprises, opening up fresh possibilities for connectivity as well as supporting a structured cable design and a host of new data-intensive applications. “Twisted-pair cabling with the RJ-45 connector has always been the technology of choice for IT professionals, owing to its low cost and ease of use. IT professionals are also hugely experienced with this technology, since it has been an industry standard since the 1980s. This means specialized data center personnel need not be retrained to install or maintain 40GBase-T infrastructure, significantly reducing the time and costs associated with deploying the technology. “Twisted pair also seamlessly supports a range of different Ethernet speeds through autonegotiation. Unlike fiber

Network cables in a technology data center. or twinax solutions, twisted-pair cabling can automatically switch to a different data rate. This ability makes twisted pair extremely versatile and allows data center managers to gradually and cost-effectively evolve their networks. For example, an IT manager could install a 40GBase-T switch at the end of a data center row to provide connectivity to a handful of servers that are highly virtualized and require high-speed connections.” Mei observed that the need for Cat. 8 is reflected in the more demanding Class II designation being considered by TIA. “The development of the study group for Class II recognizes advances in transmission technology needed for 40G applications. TIA TR-42.7 technical experts previously rejected a proposal to develop Cat. 7A cabling. The decision to develop Class II instead is further confirmation of the need for higher bandwidth and technical improvements beyond Cat. 7A needed for 40G applica-

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FEATURE

tions. The decision to develop Class II up to 2,000 MHz is a clear indication that Cat. 7A cabling specified up to 1,000 MHz will be insufficient for 40G applications. In the most recent IEEE meeting, experts in the 802.3bq task force affirmed the optimal bandwidth for 40GBase-T is way beyond 1,000 MHz. The latest development in standards makes the future-proofing claim of the existing Cat. 7A/Class FA components/channels an unlikely event.” One of the most recent updates on Cat. 8 cabling is a Dec. 19 video by Andy Jiminez, vice president of technology for Anixter, which has been involved in the Cat. 8 development process. “There’s a lot of confusion right now in the marketplace as far as what is the next generation or the next cabling system that’s going to be out there.” He said that, hopefully, Cat. 8 will be specified for up to 50 meters. “There’ll be at least two connectors and whether it’s an unshielded or shielded system we don’t know yet. I think there is a lot of ... talk that still needs to be happening within the committees to gain consensus as to what is the appropriate media type.” Jiminez said that IEEE, which is developing the electronics, is “looking at ranges between 10 meters, 30 meters, upwards of 50 meters, but I think the whole point with the standards developing process is that it’s still ongoing, there’s a lot of talk, and I think if there are suppliers and vendors out there stating that they have Cat. 8 systems in the market, I think it’s a little bit early. But I think the good news is that as we move forward, we’re going to have standards in place that will support data rates beyond 10 Gbit Ethernet for your servers and we will have 40 and 100 Gbit standards for the backbone systems within a data center.” In “The Future of Copper Cable, a recent paper from Optical Cable Corporation, the company notes that as data rates increase, more fiber will be deployed in data centers, but that does not mean that copper will be forced out. “Copper systems have the advantage of costing less, being able to support a wide variety of data rates including remote power delivery, and the installation process is simple and well understood by manufacturers, distributors and installers. Another advantage of copper is that it utilizes the RJ-45 interface and is capable of supporting electronics that auto negotiate network speeds between older, slower equipment and newer, faster devices. This allows the installation of new equipment without having to replace every device in the network.” The OCC paper said that the applications are not limited to data centers. “Even though Cat8/40GBASE-T is being developed primarily for the data center market, it is likely that this technology may ultimately be implemented in short link environments and fiber to copper zoned deployments. The departure from the requirement to support lengths up to 100 meters for the new Cat. 8 standard may be interpreted by some that the end is in sight for copper structured cabling; however it is apparent that fiber and copper solutions will co-exist for years to come.”

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Words of wisdom (or discord) from fiber guru The long-ago predicted demise of copper cable for the last telecom leg has been muted by significant advances in the copper cable technology, but one fervent believer in optical fiber insists that it will eventually be squeezed out. Below are some short takes from Jim Hayes, president of the Fiber Optic Jim Hayes Association (FOA), on a number of topics, most of which seem to relate back to his belief that copper cable’s “last leg” obit is inevitable. For more about FOA, go to www.thefoa.org. Real-world bandwidth capacity needs. If you are just surfing the web, a few Mb/s is fine - your download speed is mostly limited by the server speed. But the majority of internet data today is video downloaded from Netflix, which represents about 1/3 of all U.S. internet traffic, YouTube which is about 15% and other video services like Apple TV, HULU, etc. Here at FOA, we have installed and tested DSL, cable modem, satellite and cellular Internet connections. If you test our connection speed in the mid-morning, all give us about 15-20Mb/s. But by 4 pm, when everyone is home from school and starting to get home from work, the effective speed drops to about 2 Mb/s, a 90% drop, because everyone is streaming video for the evening. Here the faster speed on connections to the subscribers will provide better service for everyone, but it also requires ISPs to back it up with higher connections to the Internet backbone too. In terms of capacity, copper cable starts to look impractical at more than 1 gigabit per second; multimode fiber cable, widely used for data centers, can be impractical at 10 gigabits; and singlemode fiber has virtually no limits. The advent and potential of Cat. 8 cable. Look at Cat 8. It is intended as a way to compete with fiber in the data center only, not for general enterprise LAN use like Europe’s Cat. 7/Class F cabling. It only works for 40G and most users like Google do not plan on a 40G upgrade as it is not economical but are going to 100G and straight to single-mode fiber. It will have no impact on the enterprise LAN or premises cabling market because it probably won’t be compatible with prior systems (a first for a TIA cabling product.) Copper is being reduced to patchcords with fiber elsewhere in the OLAN systems. Did you know that 100,000 users at the new Homeland Security center in Virginia will save 500 tons of copper with an OLAN? For the typical office or home user, wireless will be their only connection. We have several MacBook Airs

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and iPads and all offer only wireless connectivity. Every time UTP Cat. x gets developed, it takes 5-10 times as much electrical power to make it work compared to fiber. Or like Cat. 8, it’s hoping to get it to work for 30 meters. 30 meters! DVSL2, VDSL2 vectoring and G.Fast. All these copper technologies are just “life support for aging copper.” The “cloud” impact. The “cloud” cannot succeed without higher speed Internet connections, not only to the customer but on the backbone connection to the ISP. If you switch to cloud computing, you go from having a LAN that keeps most traffic internal to the company to depending on the bandwidth and reliability of your ISP connection. Most companies today have ISP connections of 10Mb/s or less. How will that load up when everybody is transferring files back and forth through it instead of connecting to servers on the company LAN? Now is when you need faster broadband connections, and that means fiber. And we won’t talk about cloud security issues, will we NSA? Wireless. Wireless is not just cellular towers. It is WiFi, white space, WiMAX and cellular off conventional towers, microcells, femptocells, etc. Everybody is focused on data (I recently saw an announcement for a meeting focused on “carrying voice on LTE” which is pretty strange for a wireless connection to a device that has “phone” in its name!) For every device people use, wireless is the preferred means of connection for mobility. Wired connections will be reserved for data centers, wireless access points, cellular antennas, and high performance computers. That means that premises cabling will drop in market value and as it gets faster and larger, move from copper to fiber. Hybrid cables. One of the biggest applications for this is FTTA (Fiber To The Antenna) for cellular wireless. It can also be used for WiFi access points or the new microcellular antennas. Other advances. Have you been following Optical LANs? It’s a category of LANs that includes the old structured cabling standard for “centralized fiber” or Fiber To The Desktop (FTTD), plus two new options created from FTTH systems, PONs and P2P - point to point - Ethernet. This is getting big. It basically replaces the traditional LAN architecture with a passive optical cabling system that connects to wired devices (the usual Cat. 5 Ethernet port or wireless access point) using a copper patchcord. Yes, it replaces all that mass of Cat. 5 cable with a passive optical fiber network to a local switch. It is being rapidly accepted by the government

copper pair to a subscriber needs testing, often several pairs to find a good pair or bonding pairs to get sufficient bandwidth for basic broadband. Then a tech has to go into the subscriber’s unit to set up the xDSL modem. Then you are committed to keeping that copper working with xDSL through four seasons and maybe replace the electronics several times when you need to upgrade the customer’s speed. All that to keep Your timeframe for copper’s “demise.” Here is a from installing the short fiber point where you have to be run to the customer. careful who is talking. You FOA chart comparing bandwidth modes. When it comes time to also have to factor in the upgrade to FTTH, you are geography. Doing FTTN requires running fiber basically going to throw all that equipment and work away to install a passive fiber distribution hub and the short fiber into the neighborhood and upgrading the old run into the subscriber’s unit, then set up a FTTH ONT. pedestal/vault/etc. by replacing old copper patching systems, all passive, with a fiber to copper xDSL node. That Does anyone ever really look at the true cost of all this? equipment will require bringing power to the equipment and paying the utility bills for the future use. Then every

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(some U.S. agencies require it), convention centers, hotels, large corporate LANs, because it’s half the cost of a traditional LAN and costs about 80% less to operate. One U.S. government user is building a new OLAN for about 100,000 users that will save over 500 tons of copper compared to traditional structured cabling.

Australian broadband plan: FTT(Naysayer) In a perfect world, broadband choices would be simple, but once real-world factors, such as costs and logistics, are considered, the results can be a clear-cut case of wellintentioned head butting, such as going on in Australia. The Australian government’s efforts to deploy the National Broadband Network (NBN) has been an epic battle between NBN Co., whose mission is to cost-effectively roll out the network, and those who believe that its decision to change from mostly Fiber To The Premise (FTTP) is a major mistake. “The comprehensive analysis of Australia’s largest national infrastructure project has found that the existing NBN plan is forecast to miss its completion date by three years and would cost A$73 bn to complete,” declared a press release from NBN Co., an entity created to carry out the government project. “However an alternative approach is capable of delivering very fast broadband to Australians sooner and at less cost to the taxpayer.”

Students view an NBN traveling truck display that was used to educate people about the broadband plans. At one point, the ambitious project was to provide FTTP for some 93% of premises in Australia by June 2021, but following much controversy over the cost, the planning and a change in government, the plan now is to depend on FTTN, with FTTP for about 22% of the population. The fiber category includes a mix of greenfields areas, some switching of existing copper and areas where the NBN fiber rollout has already advanced. “The NBN can be rolled out faster and at a much lower cost by combining proven technologies with existing capable networks,” said Executive Chairman Dr. Ziggy Switkowski. “By 2019, at least two-thirds of Australians in the fixed-line footprint would have access to download speeds of up to 100 Mbps from NBN Co., compared to only 57% under the re-evaluation of the previous plan. The proposed model could save taxpayers more than A$31 billion compared to the current FTTP-only rollout. It would also mean less disruption and less invasiveness

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to the homes and driveways of millions of Australians.” However, that reasoning has not gone over well with opponents of the plan, who insist that anything less than FTTP is a mistake, such as the below perspective in an article entitled, “NBN Myths.” “The short effective life of FTTN is becoming apparent, and countries which previously installed FTTN systems (like Germany, New Zealand and the U.K.) are now gradually replacing their networks with FTTP. So (now the idea is to) roll out a cheaper, short-term network instead of leap-frogging it for the NBN. He’s suggesting we roll out a network that other countries have already decided is inadequate, and are replacing. And that is the first crux of the FTTN debate: It is unarguably a stop-gap solution. Even manufacturers of FTTN equipment say ... they expect FTTP to be the standard within 10-15 years. “While in theory FTTN is a cheaper option, that only applies if it’s done by the incumbent telecommunications provider. In other words, Telstra. Without Telstra’s cooperation, an FTTN network would likely cost almost as much as the NBN. ... the total cost of an FTTN network covering ~95% of Australia would have been A$30-35 bn dollars. This comprised $15 bn for the network construction, plus a further $15-20 bn for compensation to Telstra for taking their copper network. “Considering the total NBN cost is A$36 bn (including several billion for rural wireless and satellite services), spending A$30-35bn on a vastly inferior FTTN system is hugely inefficient, without even considering the fact that additional funding would be required for wireless and/or satellite services for the final ~5%.” However, Switkowski counters that the current approach would resemble the architecture of similar broadband rollouts in other advanced economies, as it embraces FTTN, HFC (i.e. the cable broadband network), FTTP, fixed wireless and satellite as well as future advances in telecommunications technology. “This approach should also be able to deliver access to wholesale speeds of up to 50 Mbps to 90% of Australia’s fixed-line footprint and wholesale speeds of up to 100 Mbps to 65%-75% by 2019. It would reduce costs and bring forward revenues, reducing peak funding from an estimated $73 bn to $41 bn under the revised outlook.” To which NBN replies, “FTTN would have been a great idea five years ago. But now, it’s out of date. Countries around the World are already beginning to replace their FTTN networks with FTTP. The NBN is our opportunity to leapfrog these countries, and save the billions of dollars associated with the double-upgrade. FTTN, while an incremental improvement on what we have now, is a short-sighted waste of time and money that will still leave Australia lagging behind the rest of the developed World, squandering billions of dollars on obsolete technology in the process.”

Bandwidth is a necessity for companies, but just how much one needs and how best to access it is not always so clear, especially as the technology and options continue to change, making it hard to know what makes most sense at a given point. That scenario also applies to the WAI. WAI’s headquarters was built in 1976 running a tokenring network using twin-axial cable, and the system was

Chuck Szymaszek displays an archived WAI webinar that “mobile” members can view. upgraded to Cat. 5e cable in 2002. In earlier years, WJI sent its files on various media (floppies, CDs and DVDs) by courier to its printer in New Hampshire. In the early 1990s, WAI opted for a pair of T1 lines for $1,400 a month: one for data and one for the phone system. At the time, it seemed like a godsend as it allowed the issue to be electronically uploaded at the stated rate of 1.544 Mb/s, although the actual results could be far less than that. The process of sending the issue files, which can range in size anywhere from 3 GB to 9 GB, was started near the end of the workday, the hope being that the transfer would be completed by the next morning. In 2009, WAI switched to a high-speed cable Internet system. For less than a sixth of the cost, it allowed 16 MB down and 2 MB up, and the issue could now be uploaded in a matter of a few hours. In some ways, though, that timeframe seems far less acceptable in an era when every week there is news of further transmission records being set for fiber. Alas, fiber is not near the suburban location of WAI headquarters. WAI, which had eight servers, has started moving its content to the cloud. On the plus side, the Association expects to pare down to three servers and see substantial savings from reduced costs for licensing and energy. The flip side, however, is that to access the stored information still takes bandwidth to pull those same cloud files back down to WAI computers to work on. So, a file stored on a local server, which might take 10 seconds to open, would still take one minute to open from the cloud. Ideally, WAI

would pay an up-front cost to get a fiber connection, but the question is whether it actually makes sense to switch from the high-speed cable that currently provides its bandwidth. WAI has many cloud services in place already, including its Association Management System (AMS) that has over 5,500 downloadable technical papers and reports. Wirenet.org, the Association’s website, has cloud storage for its archived webinars and more than 60 past issues of the WJI. WAI also has cloud storage for corporate files so that staff can share documents whether they are in the office or not. All of these uses demand the ability to push and pull large files quickly via the Internet. “Fiber could be a way to go in the future, but because of higher costs due to our physical location, it makes it too expensive,” said WAI Manager of Information Technology Chuck Szymaszek. He pointed out that while fiber would be a long-term solution, it is not available now. Even if it were, there are other costs to be considered, including switches, routers and network cards that would all need to be upgraded as well as O/S drivers that may not be available for older computers. “When we installed our high-speed cable line at headquarters it was a nominal cost. For now, we have to wait until the cable company has enough customers in the area to make it feasible for it to do such an upgrade. At that point, we will give that option a hard look.” Regarding wireless, Szymaszek said that while WAI is located near cell towers, they are only 3G capable. He noted that internal high-speed wireless is available at headquarters for guests, although that it is segregated from the internal network for PCI/DSS compliancy. “Will we ever go to a true ‘cell-only’ wireless network? I would think it would be highly unlikely due to our location and cost reasons,” he said. “On the plus side, we recently upgraded our cable line to a 50 MB down An interior view of part of WAI’s and 10 MB up to current wiring setup. help alleviate some bottlenecks, but we will watch and wait until something in the area makes it cost-effective to move to a faster connection.”

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Broadband case study: WAI headquarters

TECHNICAL PAPERS

TECHNICAL PAPER Modernization opportunities for today’s aluminum mills Advances in technology offer opportunities for significant improvements in reliability, production, product quality and extended life in aluminum mills, many of which are more than 20 years old and could greatly benefit by these incremental improvements. By David Gow

In its earliest days, aluminum was considered a precious metal, measured in ounces, not tons. Through the 19th century, there were few uses imagined for it beyond jewelry and fancy goods. Extracting it from alumina or bauxite through an electrolytic process created more aluminum, but few markets. Once the aviation industry discovered the application of this lightweight, flexible, yet durable metal, however, it gained commercial value as the “metal of modernity.” Demand soared. From aluminum foil to B-52s, this previously misunderstood metal was valued around the world. When markets first wanted flat rolled aluminum, companies such as Reynolds and Alcoa responded with flat roll mills that developed closer tolerances and higher speeds from the 1930s to the 1950s. With the additional property of good electrical conductivity, demand for aluminum rods grew over time, as the wire drawn from them would supply those cable manufacturers expected to supply the pathways of electrical power transmission over long distances1. In 1964, Southwire partnered with Morgan Construction Company, a long-standing designer and manufacturer of long rolling equipment for the steel industry, to supply rolling mills for its copper and aluminum continuous casting systems. A successful relationship between Southwire and what is now Siemens VAI continues to this day. Together they have built and installed more than 100 copper and aluminum rod mills and completed close to 30 mill upgrades. Southwire remains unique among equipment suppliers in that it operates its own rod mills, for both aluminum3 and copper1. The initial SCR® (Southwire Continuous Rod) system for aluminum, launched in 1969, was a two roll arrangement that produced rods with a more homogeneous and refined grain structure. The system incorporated a standard Morgan NoTwist® Mill, which offered an eight- to 13-stand horizontal/vertical roll configuration, a constant pass line, a simple roll parting adjustment system for precise alignment of mill rolls, a cobble detection system, and oil film bearings to accommodate greater rolling pressures, higher speeds,

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closer finished rod tolerances and longer bearing life. All were on a mill train with tied-drive system through a single motor and bevel gear arrangement housings. Southwire installed the system in its rod and cable mill plant in Hawesville, Kentucky. This system was capable of producing multiple sizes and varying grades of aluminum rod to meet changing market demands. To achieve this, each stand initially had a manually adjusted roll parting mechanism to produce products of different sizes, generally ranging from 9.5 mm to 25 mm in diameter, but not limited to this size range. In addition, its design allowed for increased production rates with the addition of a bigger casting wheel and one or more roughing stands to expand system capacity2. The rolling system has undergone a number of changes over the years as available technology evolved. The first aluminum systems rolled electrical conductor (EC) grade aluminum rod. New electrical and mechanical alloys required more robust equipment to handle the extra rolling load and torque. In the 1980s, gear boxes were standardized. Commercial gear boxes proved easier to install and became less expensive. The stands, however, continued to be tied into the mill train. Since 2003, the introduction of individually driven stands has resulted in more cost-effective equipment designs and brought far more flexibility to the SCR systems. This modular design also allows for quick installation, as well as future upgrades. Mill owners can increase tonnage and the rolling rate by modernizing the roughing mill with bigger motors and gear boxes and a larger cast bar. Southwire’s Hawesville, Kentucky facility offers examples of aluminum mill upgrades. Their No. 1 mill started up in 1969, rolling a 3440 sq mm (5.33 sq in.) cast bar down to 9.5 mm rod at eight metric tons per hour (Mtph) with 12 stands. However, after undergoing several mill upgrades, this 47-year old mill now rolls a 5800 sq mm (9 sq in.) bar down to 9.5 mm on 13 stands at 13 Mtph. The increased separating forces required

Incremental mill improvements can deliver significant savings Given the development of new technologies now available for older, installed mills, there are a number of creative solutions to modernize them and revitalize production for new markets. These upgrades can improve safety, reduce maintenance costs, reduce product defects, and improve mill reliability and utilization, thus increasing the millâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production rate. Their installation also minimizes downtime.

Entry shears Many early-generation, low-tonnage aluminum mills were supplied without a fully automated entry shear. Adding an automatic entry shear (see Fig. 1) provides customers with a means to continuously crop the cast bar at start-up until metallurgical properties are suitable for rolling. The cropped bars are removed via a crop bar handling system where they are collected for future re-melting. The automatic entry shear also prevents interruptions in the casting operation when unexpected cobbles occur in the rolling mill or coiler area. These shears greatly reduce the need for manual hydraulic cutters, which improves operator safety, allows the operator increased time to clear troublesome cobbles in the rolling mill, and protects the rolling mill from possible damage by preventing additional material from entering the mill. They include a proprietary knife blade design that shapes the front end of the bar for more consistent and reliable thread up and comes in various widths to suit the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cast bar requirements. The small investment and flexible design accommodates customer requirements both for present needs and for future demands.

TECHNICAL PAPERS

to roll the larger sections exceeded the theoretical hydrodynamic bearing limits, proving that the stand capacities were much greater than originally calculated using the engineering analysis tools available at the time. A noteworthy discovery, as it would allow many installed mills to increase tonnage rates without significant investment. It also allowed SCR to minimize the number of stands required in the design of new systems. A similar situation exists on their Number 2 mill, which was initially sold by Morgan Construction to Reynolds Metals in 1966, before it was purchased by Southwire and relocated to their Hawesville facility in 1969. This 14-stand mill was originally designed to roll 3225 sq mm (5 sq in.) square aluminum billets, but after system upgrades by Southwire now rolls a 6840 sq mm (10.6 sq in.) continuous cast bar at 14 Mtph. In addition to upgrading continuous cast rolling systems supplied in partnership with Southwire, Siemens VAI also offers solutions for customers that roll product on conventional billet mills and want to increase production rates, roll different grades of material, or improve finish product sizing. There are numerous ways to achieve this, but each situation is unique and requires an intensive engineering review with the customer of existing motors, reducers, rolling stand capacities, and lubrications systems to determine the best path in achieving future production goals.

Fig. 1. Automatic entry shear with crop discharge table and scrap chute.

Intermediate shears On larger aluminum mill systems with four to five roughing mill stands and an 8-stand finishing mill, it is generally advantageous to add an intermediate shear (No. 2 shear). The rolled bar may begin to exhibit some front end splitting, making the entry of the bar into the finishing mill stands prone to misfeeds, cobbles, and possible rolled-in defects. Adding an intermediate shear allows customers to crop the splintered front end and provide a more shaped section, which helps the advancing bar to thread more easily into the finishing mill. The shear minimizes yield loss and can be designed to cut varying grades, sizes, and temperatures of products. Also, in the event of cobbles in the finishing mill, the No. 2 shear allows the roughing mill to continue to operate so the remaining process material can be cleared. The shear reduces cobble clearance time and increases operator safety, as it eliminates any manual intervention when threading the head end through the mill or when cobbles occur in the finishing mill.

Fig. 2. Modular intermediate shear solution.

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rolling torque transmission. With a small investment in a hydraulic reaction arm and a specially designed mechanical tool (see Fig. 4), existing mills can now experience the same benefits as the newer installations. • Special ergonomic roll handling tools (see Fig. 5) have been developed to help Fig. 3. Multi-pass rolls increase roll Fig. 4. Mechanical puller with hydraulic clients avoid injury utilization. reaction arm. when transferring and manipulating large rolls from the mill roll Modular solutions are available whereby shear, reducer, and storage area to the rolling stands for installation. These inexmotor can be mounted, aligned, and coupled on a common pensive tools allow customers to manipulate the mill rolls sole plate to allow for a one-piece installation, minimizing into position for safe and easy installation on either the downtime required for the upgrade. Fig. 2 provides an horizontal or vertical stands. example of a modular solution under design for a customer • QUICK COOL™ Roll Cooling Headers (see Fig. 6) in France that decided to replace their 35-year-old hydraulic have been the standard on Morgan No-Twist® steel rod mills linear shear with a four-blade rotary shear. The new shear for more than a decade and have recently been designed for will fit into an existing space and, once installed, will use on non-ferrous mills. Rather than flooding the mill roll improve factory safety by eliminating manual intervention, area with coolant, the QUICK COOL header design optireduce crop lengths by 50%, and allow cutting of new matemizes coolant use by strategically placing the flow directly rial grades at colder temperatures and higher tonnage rates. on the face and groove of the mill roll where it can most effectively dissipate heat. Additionally, the lead orifices are Rolling stands improvements designed to provide coolant at the precise location where the bar exits the stands, where the roll is at its highest temperaSome of the modernization options available to today’s ture. The tangential design of the lead orifice is intended to customers include: improve oxide stripping. • Upgrade to multi-pass mill rolls, which allow customers to maximize mill roll utilization and minimize mill roll Coiler system investment. A simple change of flinger arrangement and spacers allow customers to move from a used roll groove to Over the years, there have been a number of developments a fresh groove. Once grooves are worn from use in the mill in the process of handling the finished rod and forming it into they can easily be turned down multiple times until they coils for subsequent feeding into wire drawing machines. reach their minimum diameter. It is estimated that four roll Depending on the customer’s budget and product handling turn downs are possible. requirements, some of the available equipment used for coil• Based on three grooves per roll (see Fig. 3) on the last ing are as follows: finishing stand, a groove life of 5,000 to 8,000 metric tons, Pipe type coiler. This simple coiler is referred to as an “eleand four roll turndowns before reaching minimum roll diamphant trunk” coiler and is a very economical solution for syseter, mill rolls are estimated to last from 60,000 to 96,000 tems producing less than 5 mtph. It consists of a delivery metric tons. pipe, bent to allow passage of the rod, and a raising and low• Older-generation mills have used crude practices to ering mechanism which monitors the loop diameter. When install and remove mills rolls with hammers, slug wrenches coiling into a basket, this coiler defines or restrains only the and torches. These mounting and removal methods, not conoutside diameter, and when coiling on a stem pack, it defines doned by Siemens, are imprecise and often inconvenient for just the inside diameter. the operator, and can potentially lead to equipment damage. Fixed laying head coiler. The fixed laying head coiler has a On today’s modern mills, it is standard practice to provide pipe support with a special rotating pipe that is bent to a spehydraulic roll mounting and removal tools, which allow cuscific curvature to allow smooth passage of the rod. By osciltomers to safely and quickly install rolls with the correct lating the speed of the laying pipe rotation, ring diameters can amount of pressure, optimizing the wedge effect between the be varied to allow production of densely laid coils. roll pinion, taper sleeve and roll to allow the maximum Orbital/vertical laying head coiler. This constant speed 52 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

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coiler includes a pipe bent to a carefully configured shape to optimize the pipe life and allow smooth passage of the rod. It includes a revolving, motor-driven ring distributor on which rod loops of constant ring diameter are deflected against a free rotating inner drum to form coils with an orbital pattern. Orbital Fig. 5. Roughing mill roll manipulator. Fig. 6. QUICK COOLwater coils are preferred by headers. many customers due to their payoff characteristics. Dual-reel coiler. into the catcher as the coiler rotates, which binds the rod Considered the standard for coiling rod on aluminum rolling around the mandrel like a capstan after the formation of two mills, this technology produces coils with several pieces of or three wraps. equipment, which form what is generally referred to as a Fleeter traverse system: The fleeter system traverses the dual-reel coiler arrangement. A short explanation of the funcrod across the face of the coiler mandrel to form tightly comtion of each piece of equipment and the modernization pacted layers of rod. The fleeter is integrated into the rolling opportunities that exist are provided as follows: mill controls to allow automatic speed adjustment based on Divide shear: Located at the end of the quench line, the product size and finishing speed and uses a robust ball screw divide shear is used in conjunction with a rod diverter, which design driven by a servo motor to provide better accuracy repositions the rod into the path of the divide shear blades to and repeatability of coil lay. divide the continuous rod, making a new front end for transCoilers: The coilers used in the dual reel coiler arrangefer of the product from one coiler to the other. Recent develments were once big, expensive pieces of equipment, driven opments include replacement of the belt and pulley system by a large bevel gear drives. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more effective solution with a direct motor to shear drive arrangement and a servois a belt-driven, dual-reel coiler, a spooling system that promotor-driven diverter for faster response time and more preduces high quality, dense, levelwound coils. The flexible cise control of the rod. design allows for both in line â&#x20AC;&#x153;up and downâ&#x20AC;? (see Fig. 7) and Chopping shear: Found after the divide shear, the chopping side-by-side arrangements (see Fig. 8). This system catches shear is used when cobbles occur downstream of the divide and spools rod coming from the continuous cast rolling line. shear. In the event of a cobble, the stock is switched to the When one reel is full or reaches the desired weight, the syschopping shear until the cobble can be evacuated and coiling tem makes a divide cut and automatically switches rod over can resume. The latest developments include a motor directto another reel without lowering exit speeds. The dense coils ly coupled to shear arrangement and an improved six-blade fit more compactly in shipping containers for product intenddesign to allow smaller, more manageable scrap chops. ed for resale. Coilers today can be designed to produce coils De-energizing cyclone: Downstream of the chop shear, the of varying inner and outer diameters and weights to support de-energizing cyclone decelerates scraps by delivering rod to ever-changing market demands. The coiler comes equipped a cyclonic tub, which removes the energy from the rod before with either a manual or powered fixed swivel removable safely depositing it into scrap buckets located at mill floor flange design, which eliminates the need for jib cranes, elevation for easy removal and future re-melting. As a scrap resulting in a faster and more streamlined coil removal bucket is filled to capacity, a switch mechanism allows rod to process. The drive system can be customized to allow coiling be deposited into an empty scrap bin. This equipment has of different finish product sizes, grades of aluminum, and always been supplied by Siemens, but on some early-genertonnage rates. ation mills supplied by others, this equipment was not provided and scrap spears were allowed to collect on the mill Auto strapping floor, creating an unsafe working condition. Systems are designed for four-way strapping (see Fig. 9) Rod catcher arm: The rod catcher unit is located on the for more security during long haul transportation. Coil strapcoiler near the fixed flange to assist threading the rod onto the ping occurs while a coil is still on the mandrel and is normalcoiler mandrel reel. A precision rollerized guiding system, the ly accomplished by an operator manually feeding strap catcher arm directs the rod into a groove between the fixed through a fixed strap guide system recessed into the removflange and the coiler mandrel. The catcher arm forces the rod able and fixed flange of the coiler. However, an alternative to

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Control systems All systems within the dual reel coiler arrangement are designed with electrical or pneumatic controls to prevent environmental and safety issues caused by leaky, aging and poorly maintained hydraulic systems. Replacing hydraulic controls also prevents the possibility of hydraulic oil leaks onto the finished coil which can lead to quality rejection claims from Fig. 7. In line up/down coiler Fig. 8. Side-by-side coiler arrangement. the customer. Besides the benarrangement. efit of being cleaner, electrical systems are more precise and can be supplied with diagnosthe manual method is to add an automatic strapping system, tic systems to help troubleshoot when problems occur. which reduces manpower requirements and supports the faster banding and coil removal times required on higher tonCase studies: low tonnage mill nage mills. Two-thirds of aluminum rolling mills demand is for low tonnage systems that produce one to eight metric tons per Automatic coil unloader hour. An example of this type of mill is in Oman (see Fig. 11), Depending on the customer budget, coils can be removed where Southwire built a continuous cast aluminum mill for a manually by insertion of a C-hook into the coiler mandrel or customer in 2009, to produce EC and 6201 aluminum alloys via an automatic unloading system. The automatic unloading at a tonnage rate of 8 Mtph. This mill consisted of a 500 mm system (see Fig. 10) is the preferred method as it reduces (20-in.) entry shear, three 325 mm independently driven manpower and speeds up the coil removal process. The roughing stands, seven 205 mm independently driven finishunloader system is supplied with a cart located under the coiling mill stands, and a complete dual reel coiler arrangement. ers which lifts the coil off the collapsed mandrel and traverses offline. Based on a rolling millâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s requirements, the system Case studies: high tonnage mill can be equipped with additional features such as automatic A copper producer in Jiangsu Province, China, wanted to coil roll off, palletizing, downending, shrink wrap and coil expand into the aluminum power conductor market. Beauty tagging. Sun Holdings Ltd., part of the Heaven and Earth Dragon Group, contracted with Southwire to build a high tonnage

Fig. 9. Coil with four-way strapping. 54 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Fig. 10. Automatic unloading.

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continuous rod system that would roll 15 metric tons per hour of aluminum rods. Southwire turned to Siemens VAI for the engineering, manufacturing and commissioning of the rolling mill and coiler equipment. Currently this mill is under installation and set to be commissioned sometime in 2013. The mill has been designed to produce rods that are 9.5 mm, 12 mm and 15 mm in diameter. It has 11 stands, an entry shear and table, and a dual-reel coiler.

New systems, new approaches Any modernization project will involve some downtime. But there are new approaches to minimize that non-productive period. Doing as much work in advance to install a new system has proven to generate significant time savings. One modular mill configuration has been tested successfully with the motor and gear box mounted on a common sole plate, leveled, aligned, and coupled in the Siemens manufacturing shop, ready for rapid installation at the customer site. Using this revised supply model, the installation and commissioning can be completed on an accelerated schedule. Considering the age of certain systems still in operation and their high maintenance costs to keep them running, this faster installation model is particularly appealing. Facing more and more competition, rod mill owners can’t shut down their mill

Fig. 11. Oman mill during construction.

for extended periods to make major upgrades and continue to serve their loyal customer base. Mills need creative, “plugand-play” solutions that minimize the impact on their business, and these innovative, factory-built modular rolling

Fig. 12. Inside views of Beauty Sun’s new 11-stand, 15 mtph aluminum rod mill installation.

Fig. 13. Chain-driven mill prior to replacement.

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TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 14. Modular mill prior to shipment.

housings, hydraulic roll mounting and removal for fast roll changes on the finishing mill, QUICK COOL Spray headers for efficient roll cooling, integrated cobble detection system, stainless guiding equipment for precise alignment of the product to the mill rolls, individually driven roll stands, multi-pass mill rolls to maximize roll life and minimize roll inventory, and built-in lubrication and soluble oil supply headers. It is estimated that this modular system (see Fig. 15) reduced the installation time of the equipment by 30 to 35%.

Fig. 15. Modular equipment during and after installation. mills respond to this requirement. One recent example of how this concept’s application was applied is with a customer in Malaysia with an 11-stand chain-driven mill (see Fig 13). This mill had operated successfully for more than four decades, but the chain drive developed problems more frequently. Rather than continuing to patch the system, the customer selected the SCR modular solution. The replacement modular mill reduced the number of stands to 10 yet maintained the same production rate. The modular mill as it left the factory (see Fig. 14) was equipped with all the latest features, including heavy duty universal roll

Summary The author has shown a number of ways to extend mill life and improve reliability for the world’s aging installed base of aluminum mills. New technologies, particularly pneumatic and electrical controls, as well as innovative equipment designs and dual reel coiler, offer incremental improvements that generate savings through increased production and reduced maintenance requirements.

David Gow is the nonferrous long rolling business manager for Siemens VAI, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, where he has worked for more than 20 years, with previous positions in ferrous project management and aftermarket service management. He holds an MBA degree from the Isenberg School of Business, University of Massachusetts, as well as an MBA in management from ichols College. This paper was presented at WAI’s 83rd Annual Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, May 2013.

Gow 56 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Scrap refining for copper rod production Use of computer-aided modeling has been found to be far superior to linear approximation for designing a pickling plant system as the latter method is not able to accurately take into account aspects that are needed for optimum results. By Timm Lux and Bernhard Hanusch

Using scrap suitable for fire refined copper products moves more and more into the focus in order to improve the situation under economic aspects. The ANDRITZ Maerz Directto-WireÂŽ technology is a fire refining technology for the optimized production of copper rod (FRHC copper rod) and comparable products from copper scrap. In this paper different furnace types are discussed and examples are given, where these furnaces should be installed in new and existing copper plants. Further the possibility to introduce the fire refined high conductivity copper using offline and inline mixing concepts is discussed.

ly for copper products. Higher polluted scrap has to be processed via cost and energy intensive tank house operations. The ANDRITZ Maertz DTW technology presents a wide range of furnace concepts for the processing of different copper scraps directly into copper products. Depending on the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs different kind of furnaces can be offered. The production volume can be realized between 20 and 800 mt/d. DTW can be installed as a stand-alone production line or combined with existing furnaces and casting shops. Depending on the input material composition, the raffination extent and the product quality, the refined melt can be used directly (inline) or via a second melting stage (offline). See Furnace Concepts Fig. 2. The offline solution typically using ingot casters or The aim of the ANDRITZ Maerz Direct-to-Wire (DTW) even anode casting wheels to form an intermediate product technology was to minimize the production costs of FRHC further offers a big flexibility as it allows an easy mixing of copper. Fig. 1 shows the traditional way of scrap recycling. the FRHC copper and cathode copper for blending. The addiOnly scrap with no need for raffination could be used directtional costs for melting in the shaft furnace in this scenario should always be compared to the lower shaft furnace efficiency, when running the shaft furnace with reduced capacity using an inline concept. There are four typical furnace concepts2: Hearth-Shaft Furnace with combined Refining Furnaces. This furnace system is for the production of FRHC copper in a large and efficient scale. Elliptical Furnace. This is a new furnace type developed and patented for smaller capacities offering high efficiency and low investment costs for melting, refining and casting of up to 60 Fig. 1. Conventional production from Cu-scrap to Cu-product. JANUARY 2014 | 57

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TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 1. Maerz DTW® - furnace concepts.

mt of FRHC copper per day. TBRR (Top Blown Rotating Refiner). A modified MAERZ TBRC for refining application, it features a very high melting efficiency due to oxygen technology and the rotating vessel. Up to three batches per day can be produced. It needs to be combined with a separate furnace for casting. Tilting Furnace. Maerz standard furnace for melting refining and casting of different amounts of copper scrap, it has been continuously improved to achieve good energy efficiencies and high flexibility. FRHC copper rod has become in some fields of application a growing alternative to ETP copper rod. In contrast to ETP, the FRHC copper cable scrap cannot be charged to the ETP producing cathode shaft furnace in large amounts. Furthermore, it is difficult to differentiate both types of scrap in advance. Therefore, companies traditionally focusing on ETP copper rod also consider entering the FRHC copper rod market. The DTW technology is based on Andritz Maerz’s 100 years of experience in furnace building and knowledge in copper metallurgy. Technological innovations, such as purging systems, high pressure refining systems and special refining additives are used together, in order to achieve an optimum refining result with a minimum of production costs. Depending on the scrap quality a different refining approach is chosen. While scrap of good quality can be refined in a single refining stage using only silica, limestone or iron to build the right slag, lower scrap qualities may require a multi stage refining using further additives to remove undesired impurities. For an economic production of FRHC copper the right balance between cheap low quality copper scrap on the one side, and rising production costs on the other side has to be found.1 See Fig. 3. According to the individual requirements of the customer

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the FRHC copper can be produced with different furnace concepts used for melting, refining and casting. Generally, the following furnace set ups are recommended for different production volumes: • 20 mt – 60 mt per day with a Maerz elliptical furnace for melting, refining and casting, expandable by a second furnace for minimum investment. • 60 mt – 450 mt per day with a flexible Maerz tilting furnace for melting, refining and casting, also expandable by a second furnace. • 240 mt – 800 mt per day with a high efficient Maerz hearth shaft furnace for melting in combination with two Maerz drum-type furnaces for refining, holding and casting.

Fig. 3. Relation between scrap quality and production costs.

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by the standard for FRHC copper. Slag formed during the oxidation is removed after oxidation. Depending on the input material quality, a multi-stage oxidation may be required, possibly charging special additives and slag forming agents. The input materials for the DTW process are various copper scrap types of different quality. Compared to the tradiProcess technology tional recycling route the input material qualities for the The DTW process allows the wire production directly from DTW process are limited. Therefore, the costs for anode castscrap, namely only after pyrometallurgical refining without ing and electrolytic refining can be saved. Suitable qualities the production step electrorefining. This fire refining comare scrap classes 1, 2 and 3 (Table 1). The total input-mix is prises on the one hand the oxidation step to remove the less typically composed of different amounts of these three classnoble impurity elements from the copper, and on the other es. The use of low grade (class 3) scrap is desirable from an hand a reduction step to achieve the oxygen content required economic point of view, but metallurgically limited because of the high impurity content. Quite often the amount of class 3 scrap is limited to 10%. A typical international product standard for fire refined rod is the FRHC copper quality (Fire Refined High Conductivity; US standard C11020) with the following requirements (the European standard is given in Table 2): • Min. 99.90% Cu+Ag • Max. 0.04% O2 • Max. 0.04% minor elements (400 ppm) After melting the scraps, the following process steps are necessary for DTW: oxidation, deslagging and reduction. The most important step is oxidation, which is further described below: During the oxidation phase the impurities (or minor elements) have to be removed. Oxidation can be carried out by using air, oxygen-enriched air, or pure (technical) oxygen. Elements less noble than Cu are removed from the melt (Fe, Al, Si, P, and Zn)1. Their oxides easily separate from the melt and are collected in a liquid slag (or in flue dust). The refinement of elements like Sn, Pb, Ni, As and Sb is possible only to a certain extent because of their thermo-dynamic Table 1. Scrap classes for DTW process. behavior. Adjusting suitable temperature ranges as well as adapted oxygen potentials is evident for treating this group of impurities. Furthermore, an individual slag design is essential for an efficient removal because the conversion of these elements into slag is incomplete. The usage of refining slag supports a good raffination and avoids undesirable copper oxidation. The most common slag system (liquidus temperature and liquidus range) in copper metallurgy is the system CaOFeOx-SiO2 (CFS). The CFS slag provides good solubility for a wide range of impurities and minor elements. The viscosity allows a good metal/slag separation and slag handling (deslagging). Slag formers like silica, Table 2. FRHC Cu spec per European Standard E 1977: 1998 (equivalent to limestone and iron scrap are ISO 1337: 1980). cheap, and in a well defined • 30 mt – 160 mt per day using the offline concept with an ingot caster and an elliptical or tilting furnace or a combination of these with a Top Blown Rotary Refiner (for higher melting efficiency).

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composition their impact on refractory wear is less compared to other systems. However, the conventional CFS slag is limited in a certain aspect: elements like Sn, Pb, Ni, As and Sb cannot be removed only by conventional oxidation. They have a similar enthalpy of oxide formation as Cu. The easiest way might be to increase the amount of slag formers. Under economical aspects this option is limited due to copper losses within the slag. Refining slag is not only collecting the impurities oxides, but also some copper is lost with the slag. The total amount of copper losses – oxidized and entrained – have to be considered. It is difficult to find one slag that can be used to remove all impurities for the DTW process. Depending on the impurity level in the scrap-mix and the corresponding limitations in the final product after raffination the CFS slag can be adapted by adjusting single components. If this conventional procedure is not sufficient, there are generally two further approaches to improve the situation: • Multiple raffination (oxidation, reduction, changing slag) • Addition of fluxes after deslagging However, many factors, as mentioned above, but also process time for additional refinement, as well as refractory wear and costs for additives have to be taken into consideration.

References 1. T Lux, C. Wenzel and J. Köhlhofer, ANDRITZ Maerz Direct-to-Wire® Technology, Optimized FRHC Copper Production, Interwire 2011, Atlanta, USA 2. T Lux and J. Köhlhofer, Theory of Constraints. Dealing with Production Bottlenecks. proceedings of EMC 2011.

Conclusion The amount of FRHC copper rod produced per year has constantly increased over the last decades, creating an alternative to ETP copper in many applications. The interest in FRHC copper is further driven due to the fact that FRHC copper cable scrap coming back into the recycling cycle is hard to be differentiated from ETP copper cable scrap. But other than the ETP, the FRHC copper cable scrap cannot be charged to the cathode shaft furnace. Therefore, companies today focused on high quality ETP copper rod also consider entering the FRHC copper market. These companies focused on the high quality ETP copper rod production are mainly using rod lines with a high annual capacity of more than 200,000 mt per year, as they have already realized in the past the cost advantages of large lines. But for the FRHC production today only small production systems with a limited efficiency are available on the market. However, with the Maerz DTW technology it is not only possible to realize furnace systems for smaller lines with an improved efficiency, but it is further possible to build large furnace systems for the efficient production of up to 260,000 mt of FRHC copper per year or more. These furnace systems can be either installed in new lines or they can be used to upgrade the various existing copper rod lines that are already in operation. Due to the main approach to reduce the production costs of FRHC copper, while making the refining technology understandable and manageable for all operators, the DTW technology is an interesting technology for existing and future copper rod producers.

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Lux

Timm Lux is head of marketing and sales for the Copper Division of Andritz Maerz GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany. Before joining the company in 2008, he started his career at ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe in the technicalcustomer service. He earned a M.Sc. degrees in industrial engineering and mechanical engineering from the RWTH Aachen University, Germany, and also studied at the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), Barcelona, Spain. Bernhard Hanusch is head of process technology at Andre MaerzGmbH. This paper was presented at WAI’s 83rd Annual Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, May 2013.

New efficient and ecological surface cleaning technique for ferrous and nonferrous wires A newly-developed atmospheric plasma technology has been developed that removes drawing lubricants and oxide contaminants at significantly lower energy consumption rates. By Rory A. Wolf

Wiring used within industries such as aerospace, military, automotive (tire wire), electronics, and fabrication/welding require clean bonding surfaces. Ferrous and nonferrous wire materials inclusive of copper, stainless steel, nickel, aluminum and alloys thereof all benefit from surface cleaning prior to downstream processes. There has also been a meteoric rise in the development and use of greater alloyed metals, creating more demands on wire cleaning processes. Current wire cleaning techniques include acid baths, salt baths, chemical-based reactive low pressure plasmas, high energy/high frequency ultrasonic cavitation, electrical pre-annealing systems with induced atmospheres (N2 or steam), and gas-fired annealing systems with reducing gas atmospheres (0% O2 and up to 10% reductives with gasrich burner protocols). Acid waste streams (e.g., alkalines for degreasing, phosphoric acids for removing stearate soaps), high volume chemical or gas consumptions, high electrical energy consumption, and low operating speeds characterize these processes which are intended to remove wire surface contaminants created in association with the drawing process. Contaminants typically removed include, but are not limited to, calcium and sodium stearate lubricants after the drawing process, or lubricating oils remaining following wet drawing processes. Industrial challenges to achieving clean wires include repeated annealing cycles, the use of high filmstrength lubricants in the drawing process, maintaining die life and surface finish, and non-uniform anneal scale contamination. However, with the appropriate wire cleaning process, strict wire cleaning objectives can be met. An ideal systematic wire cleaning technology would feature a wet chemicalfree, dry surface treatment process which can offer: removal/ablation of surface contaminants; dry, wet chemicalfree process; surface activation to promote adhesion of coatings; low footprint; low operational and maintenance costs; long MBTF; electronic controls; and highly user friendly control interface One such process approaching these features is atmospher-

ic pressure plasma technology (APPT). Evolved from lowpressure regimes, APPT has become a promising tool for cost efficient, ecological surface cleaning of metals.

Atmospheric plasmas & metals cleaning The establishment of efficient atmospheric pressure plasma technologies to replace traditional methods to clean, create depositions of thin films, and functionalize surfaces of metal substrates constitutes a very critical area of current research and development. The increasing concern for the development of environmentally friendly and sustainable technologies has led to a focus on cold plasma technology which represents an efficient alternative. Atmospheric plasma treatments can remove oils from metal surfaces, for example. This surface conditioning can also act as a preparation step for thin film deposition of monomers such as hexamethyldisiloxane or enameling to achieve corrosion protection. This interfacial layer can also be functionalized to favor the adhesion of additional extruded polymer layers. An ecological process, atmospheric pressure plasma â&#x20AC;&#x153;dry etchingâ&#x20AC;? is a technique which can be employed to clean organic oil layers from metal surfaces in an in-line, continuous manner. The surface etch rate will depend upon the physical and chemical properties of the oil, the thickness of the layer, the substrate, and on the plasma process parameters. The speed of removal of the organic layer will be accelerated by an oil with high vapor pressure and low viscosity. Of greater conduciveness will be an oil contamination layer containing hydroxyl and ester groups, and free of heavy metal ion additives. Etch rate dependence will also concern plasma process parameters such as gas flow rate, energy density and dwell time. All of these parameters will affect substrate temperature, which is a key factor in plasma etching as well. Industrial applications have favored plasma gas mixtures consisting of oxidizing as well as reducing components. More recently, metal products pretreated by atmospheric pressure plasma processes have tendered new facilitations

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such as in automobile parts painting, manufacturing of printed circuit boards, and for improving electromagnetic interference shielding adhesions between the different kind of materials, including water-borne adhesives and paints. Surfaces are therefore activated for metal/polymer or metal-metal composites by atmospheric pressure plasma systems. Heretofore however, there has been little pre-established in the form of explanations relative to the surface phenomena for hydrophilic properties established by this technique for metal wire surfaces, as well as how to obtain optimized conditions for hydrophilic surface conditions using atmospheric plasma. To understand the chemical reactions and functionalization phenomena on metal surfaces, ESCA (XPS) and AFM methods are commonly used for plasma-treated surfaces under optimum conditions. Surface energy and surface aging characteristics are commonly measured either by contact angle or dyne solutions. Two atmospheric plasma regimes which are now being employed for efficient bare wire cleaning are flame plasmas and blown-ion air plasmas. Both feature high velocity, high density discharges which are conducive for removing wire surface contaminations at high production speeds.

Flame plasmas A flame plasma (see Fig. 1) is formed when a flammable gas and atmospheric air are combined and combusted to form an intense blue flame. The surface of materials are made polar as species in the flame plasma affect electron distribution and density at the surface. Polar functional groups such as ether, ester, carbonyl, carboxyl, and hydroxyl are contained in a flame plasma, and these can be incorporated into the surface of amorphous materials such as polyolefins and affect the electron density of the polymer material. With metals, there is simply a deposition of these polar groups to the surface. This polarization and functionalization is made through reactive oxidation of the surface. ESCA analysis shows, for example, that oxidation depth through flame treatment is 5-10 nm with polymers, and with metals there are minimal surface-oxidative species. Flame plasma treatmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oxidative effects, due to reactions with OH radicals in the flame, result in a highly wettable surface which is relatively stable upon aging. Flame plasma systems are manufactured with two primary burner configurations: ribbon and drilled port. Ribbon burners ae typically constructed with a cast iron body and with stainless steel ribbons which are meshed (or opposed to each other) to construct varying pilot and main flame patterns. As the number and size of the open areas created by various ribbon mesh patterns increases, so does the capacity of the ribbon burne. Drilled port burners, the technology applied in this study, are typically manufactured with brass, stainless steel and/or aluminum and offer the flexibility of having varying arrays of port diameters and port rows for wide design and treatment adaptations, and with these port configurations having the ability to be slide in and out of the burner body construction for application-specific treatment requirements. 62 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Fig. 1. Port-based flame plasma. Practical applications of flame plasmas has established that base substrates are optimally treated by a flame plasmas when they are positioned approximately 5-8 mm above the inner luminous flame cones (known as the primary treatment zone). Line speed and burner output (BTUs/min./incremental burner length) will affect this positioning. The treatment byproducts to be exhausted from the open-air cleaning location include contamination particulates which are volatilized, vaporized or ablated, carbon dioxide, and water vapor, and small ppm of CO.

Blown ion (air) plasmas This type of atmospheric air plasma system (Fig. 2) pushes pressurized air past a single electrode which discharges inside the treating head. The electrode energizes electrons which, through bombardment, create positively charged ions within the discharge chamber. The air pressure forces the ions to accelerate and stream out of the tip of the head at high velocity toward the substrate surface. Again, through direct contact, these ions positively charge the object's surface, increasing its surface energy, cleaning the surface of low molecular weight contaminations, and making it more receptive to adherends such as jacketing extrusions, inks and coatings. Because the discharge occurs inside the treating device head, blown ion systems can treat conductive and un-conductive materials. Often, preparation o substrate surfaces typically involves mechanical, chemical or vacuum plasma cleaning

Fig. 2. Blown ion air plasma.

Table 1. Atmospheric (bown ion, flame) plasma-indced wire surface wettability protocols.

techniques. While effective in removing a large range and portions if contaminations, these processes are well distinguished by slow cycle times and capital intensiveness. Atmospheric blown ion surfaces are well suited for continuous in-line surface cleaning of wire surfaces at higher line speeds. A second surface effect of blown ion systems can be surface roughening for organic materials such as polymers. Surface roughening can increase the surface area of substrate, yielding better potential adhesion between the substrate and the interface (ink, coating, adhesive). The third effect is chemical modification of the surface. Ion bombardment can alter the chemical structure of the surface by breaking existing bonds, producing a more reactive surface. The treatment byproducts to be exhausted from the open-air cleaning location include contamination particulates which are volatilized, vaporized or ablated, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and small ppm of NOx.

Wolf

An assortment of bare metal wire materials were sourced with standard surface contamination conditions for atmospheric plasma cleaning using either 1) a single blown ion (non-arc, zero voltage potential) plasma discharge, or 2) a single burner flame (non-arc, zero voltage potential) plasma discharge. Plasma device treatment gaps were 6mm for the blown ion device and 38 mm for the flame plasma device. Gap variation is specific to discharge density zones within each respective plasma. Plasma discharge dwell times (power density) were determined and applied on the basis of sufficient cleaning (wettability) levels achieved. Within Table 1, pre- and post surface wettabilities as a function of wire surface type, as are the applied plasma density wettabilities, along with protocol processing speed which is a component metric with the plasma density calculation.

Conclusions The data provides clear evidence that the high velocity atmospheric pressure plasma surface cleaning regimes of blown ion and flame can efficiently clean a wide range of bare wire surfaces. A unique outcome is that the above levels of surface wettability were achieved with single head devices which occupy extremely small production line footprints compared to current state chambered cleaning systems. The expectation is that employing multiple device heads (on opposite wire sides for 360º cleaning) would not only increase surface cleanliness/wettability levels, but also enable linear increases in cleaning process speed.

Bibliography Gener Bellinger, Modeling & Simulation an Introduction. System’s Thinking. Online, 2004. [Cited: 12 22, 2010.] http://www.systems-thinking.org/modsim/ modsim.htm. DP Johnson, DP. 2005. Theory of Constraints. Dealing with Production Bottlenecks. 2005.

At the time this paper was written, Rory Wolf was vice president of business development at Enercon Industries Corporation, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, USA. He has 28 years’ experience in international positions in the plastics and packaging industries. He has specific experience in polymerbased flexible packaging, polymer surface modification systems, and printing industry segments. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. He is division council member, PLACE Division, in Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI); executive board member for the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE); and a member of the Society of Plastics Industry (SPI). He has published 26 technical papers, 35 industry articles, and two books of the topic of plastic surface modification by atmospheric plasma technology. This paper was presented at WAI’s 83rd Annual Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, May 2013. JANUARY 2014 | 63

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Test protocols and results

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

PRODUCTS AT IWCS PRODUCTS The below products were all either shown or discussed at the recent IWCS event that was held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

A thousand units sold (and counting) At IWCS, Germany’s SIKORA AG was able to talk about a noteworthy hallmark: the sale of the company’s 1,000th X-RAY 8000 NXT, a unit made in Bremen and delivered the month before to a customer in China. A press release said that the proven measuring system has continued to be an industry staple. “Our X-Ray measuring device has proven itself for more than 20 years as extremely innovative and reliable in numerous production lines for high voltage cables,” said Harry Prunk, a company director who noted that the company has “a market share of 87% with this device.” The release said that when the first X-RAY 8000 was delivered in 1993, it was common to use diameter measuring devices in CV lines to measure the outer diameter of the cable directly inside the telescopic tube after the extruder. The X-Ray device records the measuring values of the diameter as well as the wall thicknesses and insulation layers online, meaning during production of the cable directly after the extruder. It could measure each of the three insulation layers (inner semiconductor, insulation and outer semiconductor) of M and HV cables for wall thickness as well as eccentricity. Centering the crosshead at the start-up of the line drastically reduced start-up scrap and allowed wall thickness control of all three extruders. The X-Ray models today are used in nitrogen lines for M, HV and EHV cables, but also for on- and offshore cables usually produced on CCV or MDCV lines. In 2007, the X-RAY 8000 NXT was introduced with a reliable “X-ray window” in the telescopic tube that was made from ceramic material that did not react with fission products. The system needed no calibration as the cable dimensions are directly derived from the scan image. The X-RAY 8000 NXT, an industrial standard, also led to the X-RAY 6000 series for use in jacketing lines and, most

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recently, as a way to verify the purity of insulation materials for the extrusion of high voltage cables. Contact: SIKORA AG, sales@sikora.net, www.sikora. net; in the U.S., Sikora International Corp., tel. 770-4861233, sales@sikora-usa.com, www.sikora-usa.com.

Plenum PVC jacket compound employs a bio-based plasticizer A new PVC jacket compound for plenum cable that allows manufacturers to increase the level of renewable resources in their products while reducing their carbon footprint was introduced by Teknor Apex Company at IWCS. A press release said that BioVinyl Fireguard® FG910B-01 compound combines two technologies: Fireguard low-smoke, flame retardant PVC for plenum cable and BioVinyl™ PVC, incorporating phthalate-free plasticizers produced from plant byproducts. The compound is comparable to a standard Fireguard plenum compound of similar hardness in terms of temperature rating, tensile properties, low-temperature brittleness, oxygen index, smoke and extrusion performance, but the new ROHS-compliant material does not contain any REACH-designated SVHC, contains no bromine or antimony flame retardants and has a low VOC content, it said. The compound, which has an acid gas content of 18%, a rate well below the typical 24 to 25% range for standard PVC, was described in the release as being ideal for Cat. 5e and 6 LAN cable and fiber optic cable buffer and jacket. A four-pair Cat. 5e cable using the compound for jacketing has successfully met NFPA 262 requirements, as has a 3 mm Simplex cable with a tight buffer and jacket, it said. As the Fireguard FG 910B-01 employs a plasticizer that is based on a naturally occurring renewable resource rather than on petrochemicals, the result is a significant reduction of the carbon footprint in comparison with standard plenum PVC compounds, said the release, adding that “as PVC resin itself is over 50% derived from seawater, this new compound has much lower greenhouse gas emission potential compared to non-PVC alternatives.” Contact: Teknor Apex Company, www.teknorapex.com.

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

Gauges with linear sensor technology offer even better diameter control At IWCS, Switzerland’s Zumbach Electronic AG, represented in the Americas by Zumbach Electronics Corp., highlighted the company’s new MSD diameter gauges that are based on linear sensor technology that allows cost-effective, synchronous multi-axis measurement of diameter and ovality. The new gauges complement the highprecision, laser diameter measuring heads of the Zumbach’s ODAC® series, a press release said. “The experience of 57 years with on-line and off-line measurement and control technology has led to a product characterized by the most current and sophisticated technology and functionality as well as by the well-known Zumbach accuracy and reliability. Thanks to this ‘Linear Sensor Technology’ (pat. pend.) it was possible to build very compact yet accurate measuring heads.” The new gauges offer unique measurement technology for products up to 200 mm outside diameter, the release said. The new product line with two colored LED light sources allow simultaneous scanning in each axis, and the new concept allows even a four-axis measurement of products up to diameter 54 mm, it said, adding that the performance is trouble-free even with product vibration. Other features include integrated extraneous light filters that prevent occurrence of measurement errors that to date seemed unavoidable and perfect performance even with reflective surfaces, thanks to the use of different color lighting for each measurement axis. At IWCS, Zumbach staff also discussed other recent advances, such as Laser Surface Velocimeters LSV 1000/2000 and UMAC® RZ65, a new ultrasonic wall thickness scanner that will be presented in this section in future issues. Contact: Zumbach Electronic AG, www,zumbach.ch, sales@zumbach.ch and Zumbach Electronics Corp., sales@zumbach.com, www.zumbach.com.

CCG Group’s FluoroFoam foamable pellets are ‘next-generation’ ready At IWCS, Cable Component Group staff discussed the company’s technology range, showcasing its chemically foamable Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) pellets

for plenum cable insulation that best exemplify the company’s engineering innovation. FluoroFoam has been developed for Cat. 5e, 6 and 6A, as well as CCG’s cable fillers, i.e., crossweb, tubes and tapes, a press release said. It notes that foamable cable materials improve cable flexibility, enhance electrical performance and the lower combustible footprint enables improved fire retardancy and lower smoke characteristics. “In today’s world of ever-increasing data transmission speeds required by banks, brokerages, on-line retailers, hospitals, etc., the demand for lightning-fast data transmission is paramount. Foamed fluoropolymers optimize electrical performance by mitigating signal loss or attenuation.” CCG’s patented flap-top design, which uses FluoroFoam, is a dominant product for the increasing demand for Cat. 6A cabling, the release said. Currently, the Telecommunications Industry Association is working toward the adoption of a 40 GB per second data standard for the so-called Cat. 8 cabling, it said. “Based on this trend for even higher electrical performance, CCG’s FluoroFoam foamable pellets for insulating is an enabling technology. These proposed 40 GB or higher cables will likely utilize an overall aluminum mylar shield to mitigate alien crosstalk to adjacent cable that are nested together in the horizontal raceways of commercial buildings. CCG’s complete package of foamable FEP insulation, its foamed Flap-top separator, along with aluminum mylar overall shield, is the next generation of LAN cable plenum materials.” Contact: Cable Component Group, tel. 860-599-5877, customerservice@cablecomponents.com, www.cablecomponents.com.

System provides precise measurement for the lay length of twisted pairs At IWCS, U.S.-based Beta LaserMike exhibited its patented LayScan system that it said can help manufacturers produce higher quality cable in less time and at a lower cost. A press release said that the LayScan measurement system offers manufacturers an accurate and consistent method to measure the lay length of twisted pairs used in telecommunication cables. Until now, it said, the ability to accurately measure the lay length of twisted-pairs at the cabler and twinner stations has been a manual and time-consuming process. “This manual process results in

JANUARY 2014 | 65

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

inaccurate and unreliable measurements. Factors such as the pair lay length and the variations of the lay in twistedpair Cat. cables, such as Cat. 5e/6/6a/7a products, directly affects crosstalk performance. Cables that do not meet the far- and near-end crosstalk and product quality specifications wind up being scrapped, significantly costing manufacturers in rework, materials, and overall productivity losses.” The LayScan system, the release said, enables manufacturers to simultaneously measure four pairs at the cabler to confirm the accuracy of twisted-pair cable construction during production. The non-contact system uses four individual pair lay sensors and Beta LaserMike’s LaserSpeed length and speed gauge to perform the high-speed lay length measurements. A data acquisition and control system effectively collects and processes each lay length in the cable and allows the full use of the customer’s off-line analysis tools such as trend charts, statistical analysis, or FFT analysis to observe, measure, and report systematic lay variations. The LayScan system, it said, measures lay lengths up to 25.4 mm (1.0 in) at speeds up to 152.4 m/ min (500 ft/min) with 0.025 mm (0.001 in) accuracy. Contact: Beta LaserMike, www.betalasermike. com.

Polymers good for extreme conditions The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, reports that it has developed a new hightemperatureresistant TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) with the creation of its latest innovative product, Estane® TS92AP7, which was showcased at IWCS. With its 125°C rating, Estane TS92AP7 is the next generation of high-temperature-resistant, easy to process

66 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

TPUs from Lubrizol Engineered Polymers, a press release said. It noted that the TPU significantly extends the range of temperature resistance for wire and cable jacketing in high-demanding markets from oil and gas to transportation. In addition to its resistant to high temperatures, Estane TS92AP7 offers low temperature (-40°C) bending properties, superior abrasion and cut through resistance and excellent chemical, hydrolysis and biogas resistance. The new 125°C rating comes via the recently revised UL 1581 standard. Recognizing the lack of TPU-specific tables under the UL 1581 reference standard, Lubrizol submitted a proposal to create two new tables with higher temperature ranges (90ºC and 105ºC). This Lubrizol proposal was ultimately approved, leading to the revised UL 1581 standard in early 2013. Thanks to this revision, TPUs can now be rated for 90°C and 105°C. In addition, the aging time required for certification was reduced to just seven days, making the qualification process quicker and less expensive. For the 125°C rating, TPU can be rated using the existing criteria listed per UL1581. Product samples available upon request. Contact: The Lubrizol Corporation, tel. 888-234-2436, www.lubrizol.com .

Proven measuring system now offers further innovation for manufacturers At IWCS, LaserLinc highlighted NetLinc™, to provide a streamlined interface that carries data direct from scanning laser micrometers to any Windows-based PC or laptop via a standard Ethernet cable. A press release noted the following about the new feature, which allows customers to simply plug one end of the cable into any PC, laptop, or all-in-one box running Total Vu software, and the other into the NetLinc micrometer. NetLinc can also connect a micrometer to plant networks, streaming the data to a Total Vu PC via standard Ethernet TCP/IP.

Driving factors in the development of NetLinc included utilization of new technologies, cost effectiveness, and flexibility, the release said. NetLinc connectivity is being incorporated directly into LaserLinc’s micrometers. To obtain the same benefits, existing customers can use an adaptor. Options include encoder and digital input.

TPV jacketing compound offers multiple production advantages During the New Product Presentation at IWCS 2013, Paul Lorigan, technical director of T & T Marketing, Inc., introduced TPE 2575 HFFR, a halogen-free, flame retardant thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) compound that the sales, distribution and compounding services company developed.

A press release said that TPE 2575 HFFR provides cable makers with halogen-free VW-1 flame performance. “It exhibits a low heat release and very low smoke evolution in cone calorimeter testing. Toxicity measurements are very low as measured in ASTM E662 Condition 800. The compound has good flexibility, good physical properties, a very low brittle point and excellent processability. The low specific gravity of this compound allows cable manufacturers to use less material to achieve cable diameters,” it said. The physical properties are well balanced with respect to softness, tensile strength and elongation, the release said. The new stabilization technology employed enables a 105°C thermal rating per Underwriters Laboratories test conditions. When tested according to ASTM D 746 the low temperature brittle point was found to be lower than -70°C, which was the limit of the test equipment used, a performance that should enable the compound to eas-

ily pass cold impact and bending requirements at -40°C and colder. After receiving technical information regarding this product, it said, several T & T customers have expressed interest in sampling the material. Contact: T & T Marketing, Inc., www.ttmarktinginc.com.

Tandem line is able to produce special fiber optic constructions At IWCS, KC Machine, represented in the U.S. and Canada by Progressive Machinery, Inc., showcased the company’s technology for special tactical optical fiber cable and other special indoor optical cable. A press release said that the company, whose workforce includes 50 engineers, focused its R&D on creating a tandem planetary and extrusion line for special optical fiber constructions that overcome the shortcomings of traditional SZ stranding process while guarantee better stability and efficiency. The company notes the following

about its three tandem line models: the KC400/12M+60 has 12-position planetary/60 mm extruder, DIN 400 reel size, 80-200 mm lay range, 140 rpm cage speed); the KC300/9M+45 has a nine-position planetary/45 mm extruder, DIN 250-315 reel size, 50-150 mm lay range, 160 rpm cage speed; and the KC250/4M+45 has a fourposition planetary/45 mm extruder, DIN 250 reel size, 25-150 mm lay range, 255 rpm cage speed. The release said that a typical tactical/industrial optical fiber cable, which generally has 2 to 12 tightly buffered fibers that are wrapped with aramid yarn and jacketing, need to have a small diameter, a wide temperature range and enhanced flexibility. The standard SZ stranding could reach high speed but impacts high compression of the tightly buffered fiber due to cross binding while a planetary system, despite its lower running speed, enjoys critical advantages such as a more stable lay, higher flexibility and more accurate tension control of fibers and aramid, it said. The tandem line, the release said, also has a high-speed and low-tension 18/24-head aramid yarn server, with load cell tension feedback control; a payoff for steel wire or

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PRODUCTS & MEDIA

LaserLinc is recognized industry-wide for its highly accurate/highly-adaptable non-contact laser scan micrometers and its UltraGauge+™ ultrasonic measurement system. The company’s devices measure OD, ID, wall thickness, eccentricity, concentricity, and other characteristics, for industries including wire, cable, fiber, hose, tube, pipe and centerless grinding. The micrometers interface with PLC-regulated or other process control systems via the SmartLinc™ processor, or with any Windowsbased PC via the TLAser400™ micrometer interface card or NetLinc. PC-interface requires Total Vu™ software, LaserLinc’s sophisticated, yet operator-friendly measurement/data processing package. Contact: Jeff Kohler, LaserLinc, jeff.kohler@laserlinc.com, www.laserlinc.com.

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

FRP for high speed, compact design, stable performance and good tension control; and a 45 mm/60 mm extruder and crosshead for high output and consistent extrusion. Contact: in U.S./Canada, Erik Macs, Progressive Machinery, tel. 774-244-4105, sales@progmach.com, www.progmach.com, or Yang Chi, KC Machine, tel. 86-136 0183 2441, yangchi1120@vip.163.com or yangchi1120@hotmail.com, www.kcmachine.com.cn.

Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) for polymers characterization At IWCS, NETZSCH Instruments N.A. LLC launched the DSC 214 Polyma, engineered from the ground up for laboratory analysis of polymeric materials used in the production of wire and cable including adhesives, coatings, cladding materials, and more. The heart of the new DSC, a press release said, consists of a specially-designed low-mass furnace for extremely fast heating and cooling rates of up to 500ÛC/min, a novel diffusion-bonded sensor, and a unique crucible design called “Concavus,” optimized for maximum thermal contact with the new sensor, enabling very high measurement sensitivity and reproducibility. The DSC can be automated for unattended analysis of up to 20 samples and, for quick sample turnaround, the system can be combined with either a refrigerated intracooler or liquid nitrogen cooling system to reach measurement temperatures as low as -170ÛC. Sample preparation has also been greatly simplified with this system via the exclusive NETZSCH SampleCutter, designed to safely and uniformly cut plastic samples for optimal thermal contact with the crucible bottom. The DSC 214 Polyma system also includes a cleverly-conceived antistatic “3-in-1 Box” containing 96 pre-sorted and cleaned Concavus pans. The box allows for safe transportation and easy handling while providing a smart archiving system. R&D and QC/QA applications include characterization of glass transition, crystallinity, melting points, curing behavior, and oxidative induction time according to ASTM D3895. Contact: Bob Fidler, NETZSCH Instruments North America, LLC, tel. 704-516-1581 (cell), bob.fidler@ netzsch.com, www.netzsch-thermal-analysis.com

68 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

A single new brand name represents a wide portfolio of industry products At IWCS, staffers from Dow Electrical & Telecommunications (Dow E&T) told attendees that the company they know and trust has united its offering to the telecommunications industry under the Dow AXELERON™ name, underscoring its commitment to provide the marketplace with accelerated solutions that focus on increased speed of data transfer. The Dow AXELERON™ product family includes the entire portfolio of solid, cellular and coaxial insulation as well as jacketing compounds for coaxial, copper LAN/twisted pair and fiber optic cables and will be used for all existing grades as well as all new products that will be offered as Dow E&T implements its growth strategy to bring new and innovative solutions to the market. A press release said that the organization believes that not all cables are created equal and wanted to clearly articulate that quality materials are needed to make reliable, efficient cables. To that end, it said, a growth strategy has been developed to not only accelerate solutions to the market to meet current and future needs, but to create a distinctive and memorable brand – Dow AXELERON™. Dow E&T notes in the release that it has provided excellent materials to the telecommunications industry for more than 40 years. Further, that it understands the trend towards increased speed of transfer influences cable compound design. The Dow AXELERON™ family of products is designed to address: • Signal efficiency • Low attenuation • Ease of installation • Insulation efficiency • Manufacturing consistency • Crack resistance • UV resistance • Mechanical strength Dow E&T’s R&D strength, combined with its polymer science and testing/validation expertise, continue to drive momentum in meeting industry needs and expectations to achieve the data transfer speed that is essential for its customers’ success – all supported by the Dow AXELERON™ brand, the release said. For more information, visit www.axeleron.com.

WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS seeking positions are entitled to free “Position Wanted” classified ads. Limit: one ad per issue, three ads per year. This benefit is not transferable to nonmembers or to companies.

BLIND BOX INFO: Responses to Blind Box ads should be addressed to: Wire Journal International, Box number (as it appears in print or on-line), P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578 USA.

CLASSIFIED AD RATES: • $1.30 per word for WJI and on-line classifieds at wirenet.org (20-word minimum). • Blind box numbers, add $25. • Boldface headlines, add $6 per line (up to 18 characters per line). Specify category.

PAYMENT POLICY: All ads must be pre-paid.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES ACCOUNT/PRODUCT MANAGER WANTED. Wire & Cable Distributor (W&C) is seeking Account/Product Manager for CT, RI, and southern MA territory. Experience required: 5 years in sales and 5 years in W&C industry. Must have a record of proven sales results. Must reside in MA, CT, RI, NY, or NJ and be able to work independently. Technical and marketing experience a plus. Opportunities for advancement are available. Industry leading pay and benefits will be offered. Please

DEADLINES: Copy is due a full month in advance. Contact: classified@wirenet.org for more details.

send resume to jhoogendoorn@ ttmarketinginc.com. SALES ENGINEER. CT based privately held wire manufacturer is seeking a motivated metallurgical engineer to lead its sales, customer service and be a technical resource for manufacturing. Five years industry experience. We are a smoke and drug-free EOE, Send resume to: HR@jelliff.net.

WIRE INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES WANTED DISTRIBUTORS WANTED WORLDWIDE for PRO-pHx Acid Purification chemistry and filtration equipment. www.PRO-pHx.COM Contact: C. T. Philipp at prophxinc@ aol.com, or Telephone 1-501-6099808 SALES POSITIONS. International Wire Die USA is seeking wire die representatives. Wire Industry Sales persons are needed to sell wire dies

COMMISSION BROKERS, INC. EQUIPMENT SPECIALISTS TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRE & CABLE INDUSTRY APPRAISERS • COMMISSION BROKERS • INDIVIDUAL PIECES OR ENTIRE PLANTS

FOR SALE

Due to pending retirements, Lloyd & Bouvier Inc, Clinton MA, is looking for a National Sales Manager. Qualified candidate should possess a minimum of five years Wire & Cable manufacturing experience, with an emphasis on equipment functionality and application a plus, and five years sales experience with proven sales results. Position is located in our Clinton, MA facility. Salary is negotiable and commensurate with experience. Competitive benefit package and relocation assistance offered. Looking to fill position Q3 2014. Interested candidates should forward resume to: Ronald Reed, Lloyd & Bouvier Inc., 56 Sterling Street, Clinton MA 01510 (ron@lloydbouvier.com). Lloyd & Bouvier provides used, new and rebuilt equipment to the Wire & Cable industry (www.lloydbouvier.com)

1 - HACOBA Model DF24 24-Carrier Braider 2 - WARDWELL 24-Carrier Braiders 1 - TRENZ 64-C Horizontal Braider 4 - NEB Harness Braiders, 32-C and 48-C 1 - NEB 72-C #2 Braider, Long Legs, Motor 1 - STEEGER 16-C # Double Head Braider 15 - KINREI 560mm, 760mm D.T. Bunchers 1 - REEL-O-MATIC 24” Caterpuller Capstan 2 - FARRIS 22”, 30” Caterpuller Capstans 1 - ALLARD 36” Closer 2 - NEB 12-Wire 8” Vertical Planetary Cablers 1 - ALLARD 30” S.T. Closer 1 - DAVIS STANDARD 4.5” 24:1 Extruder 2 - DAVIS STANDARD 1.5”, 3.5” Rubber Extruders 1 - DAVIS STANDARD 2.5” Hi-Temp Extruder 1 - DAVIS STANDARD 1” 24:1 Extruder 1 - LESMO 1800mm Gantry Payoff 1 - HALL 40” Motorized Payoff w/4F12 Dancer 1 - DYNAMEX Tape Payoff, Model TPB30-2-D 1 - ROSENDAHL 630mm P/A Dual Reel Take-up

1 - SPHEREX 18” Dual Reel Take-up, refurbed 1 - CLIPPER Model SP16 Dual Spooler 1 - AL-BE Model MS12 Respooler, 18” Reels 1- TULSA 36” Rewind Line 1 - METEOR Model ME301 3-Head Winder 1 - TEC Model DTC630 D.T. Twister 2 - ENTWISTLE 4WDT24 4-W 24” D.T. Twisters 2 - NEWMCO 16” Quadders 1 - METRONIC AlphaJet C Inkjet Printer, 2005 1 - PWM Model EP500 Rod Welder 1 - HALL Tape Accumulator 1 - EUBANKS Model 4000-04 C/S Machine 1 - SCHLEUNIGER Model UC3750 Cutter 1 - SCHLEUNIGER Model EC3200 EcoCut 1 - SCHLEUNIGER Model ES9320 EcoStrip 1 - SCHLEUNIGER Model HS4500 Hot Stamper 1 - SCHLEUNIGER Model CT32, CT42 Crimpers 1 - IDEAL Model STP Stripper, Part #45-930

Contact: Martin Kenner

COMMISSION BROKERS, INC. P.O. Box 8456 • Cranston, RI 02920-0456 • Tel. (401) 943-3777 • Fax: (401) 943-3670 WEB: www.commissionbrokers.com • E-MAIL: marty137@aol.com

JANUARY 2014 | 69

CLASSIFIEDS

WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFIED AD INFORMATION NAME _________________________________________________________________________TITLE _________________________________________________

CLASSIFIEDS

COMPANY ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CITY ________________________________________STATE _______________POSTAL CODE _____________________COUNTRY _______________________ PHONE ______________________________FAX________________________________EMAIL _______________________________________________________ AD CATEGORY____________ ISSUE YOUR AD BEGINS___________E-mail_____________________________________ NUMBER OF ISSUES RUN _______LAST ISSUE ________________RUN TILL FURTHER NOTICE? YES____ NO ____ FULL RUN (WJI & ON-LINE) YES____ NO ____

BLIND BOX? YES____ NO ____

WAI MEMBER? YES____ NO ____ WAI MEMBERSHIP # ______________________ (Applies only to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Position Wantedâ&#x20AC;?)

for international manufacturer. Territories available: Germany and Italy. Competitive compensation package, flexible hours. Must know English, plus German or Italian, and have industry experience. Contact: simon@dshaidies.com or brendang@dshaidies.com or tel. 800-887-8552, 860-884-1270/978500-5837.

PERSONNEL SERVICES â&#x20AC;&#x153;LET OUR SUCCESS BE YOUR SUCCESSâ&#x20AC;? Wire Resources is the foremost recruiting firm in the Wire & Cable Industry. Since 1967 we have partnered with industry Manufacturers to secure the services of executives, managers, and thousands of key individual contributors. Contact: Peter Carino, pcarino@ wireresources.com or onlone at www.linkedin.com/in/petercarino1/

Please e-mail the requested information to: WAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cindy Kirmss at ckirmss@wirenet.org. For more details, you can call her at 203-453-2777, ext. 116.

Wire Resources Inc., PO Box 593, Riverside, CT 06878, tel. 203-6223000. www.wireresources.com.

DIES APOLLO DIA-CARB COMPANY Sells Natural/PCD diamond dies. Fair prices/excellent lead times. Contact Paulette, Owner/Sales Tel. # 1 (508) 226-0946 E-mail: apollodie@comcast.net

MACHINERY

MANUFACTURING MANAGER A Dallas, TX manufacturer of nails is looking for a dynamic Manufacturing Manager

WWW.URBANOASSOCIATES. COM. For New (Hakusan Heat Pressure Welders, Ferrous & NonFerrous; Marldon Rolling Ring Traverses) & Used Wire & Cable Equipment (buttwelders, coldwelders, ers and pointers). Tel: 727863-4700 or by e-mail, please send to urbassoc@verizon.net.

Responsibilities include: ) ! # # $ #$! $ #( ! "" ) % + " ! & # ( # ) # # $" "" # ! $ " $ $ #$! ! "" "

Requirements ) $" ! ) ( !"* ' ! $ #$! # ) ( !"* ' ! & # $ #$!

$ #( "("# "

Email Resume to PSWrecruiting@gmail.com

70 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

MEDIA THE SMALL SHOP. This book, 327 pages, by Gary Conner, the author of Lean Manufacturing for the Small Shop, describes Six Sigma and how it is used bysmaller companies. It includes a CD-ROM. Price, $95, $75 for WAI members, plus shipping. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Store.

ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE

Amacoil Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 3

,ƵĞƐƟƐ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35, 39

Anbao Wire & Mesh Co Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Inosym Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31, 34

Beta LaserMike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Keir Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16, 47

Borealis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Lamnea Bruk AB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Cable Consultants Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Lloyd & Bouvier Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Carris Reels Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 4

EŝĞŚŽī 'ŵď, Θ Ž <' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Commission Brokers Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69

Paramount Die Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Conneaut Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2

Pressure Welding Machines Ltd . . . . . . . . . .37

George Evans Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Proton Products Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4, 27

Goodwin Machinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Queins Machines GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Equipment Sales | Equipment Purchasing | Reconditioning Services www.wireandplastic.com | Info@wireandplastic.com

JANUARY 2014 | 71

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

ADVERTISERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; INDEX

ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE SIKORA AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Sjogren Industries Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 August Strecker GmbH & Co KG . . . . . . . . . .25 dD^ ^Ć&#x2030;Ä&#x17E;Ä?Ĺ?Ä&#x201A;ĹŻĆ&#x;Ä&#x17E;Ć? DÄ&#x201A;ĹśĆľÄ¨Ä&#x201A;Ä?Ć&#x161;ĆľĆ&#x152;Ĺ?ĹśĹ? Ĺ˝ /ĹśÄ? . . . . . . 8

March 2014 WJI â&#x20AC;˘ preview: WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo Advertising Deadline: Feb. 1, 2014

tĹ?Ć&#x152;Ä&#x17E; Î&#x2DC; WĹŻÄ&#x201A;Ć?Ć&#x;Ä? DÄ&#x201A;Ä?Ĺ&#x161;Ĺ?ĹśÄ&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ç&#x2021; Ĺ˝Ć&#x152;Ć&#x2030; . . . . . . . . . . .71 Woodburn Diamond Die Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 tÇ&#x2021;Ć&#x152;Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x2030;Ä&#x201A;ĹŹ /ĹśÄ&#x161;ĆľĆ?Ć&#x161;Ć&#x152;Ĺ?Ä&#x17E;Ć? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9, 15

WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL ADS t / KĆ&#x2030;Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ä&#x201A;Ć&#x;Ĺ˝ĹśĆ? ^ĆľĹľĹľĹ?Ć&#x161; & Wire Expo 2014 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 t / DÄ&#x17E;ĹľÄ?Ä&#x17E;Ć&#x152;Ć?Ĺ&#x161;Ĺ?Ć&#x2030; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

WIRE JOURNAL I N T E R N A T I O N A L

NORTH AMERICA

EUROPE

Robert J. Xeller Anna Bzowski Wire Journal International 1570 Boston Post Road P.O. Box 578 Guilford, CT 06437-0578 USA Tel: 203-453-2777 Fax: 203-453-8384 sales@wirenet.org

8 . )UDQFH 6SDLQ +ROODQG %HOJLXP 'HQPDUN 6FDQGLQDYLD Jennie Franks David Franks & Co. 63 St. Andrewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Road Cambridge CB4 1DH, England Tel/fax: 44-1223-360472 franksco@btopenworld.com

72 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

SALES OFFICES ASIA/WAI ,1',$ŕŻ&#x2013;2)),&( *HUPDQ\ $XVWULD 6ZLW]HUODQG Dagmar Melcher Media Service International SpitzwegstraĂ&#x;e 4 82402 Seeshaupt Germany Tel: 49-8801-914682 Fax: 49-8801-914683 dmelcher@t-online.de

,QGLD Wire & Cable Services Pvt. Ltd. (WCS) 501, Rainbow Plaza, S. No. 7 Pimple-Saudeagar Vil. Rahatani, Pune - 411017, India Huned Contractor mobile - +91 988 1084 202 hcontractor@wirenet.org

Amacoil/Uhing Traverse Winding Drives For level winding everything from hair thin fiber to heavy gauge rope and chain Adjustable Linear Pitch Free Movement Lever

Adjustable Travel Length Automatic Reversal No Threads to Clog or Jam By belting the traverse shaft to the spool shaft, traverse movement is automatically synchronized with spool rotation. Set the adjustable pitch to match the diameter of the material being spooled. Regardless of how fast or slow the spool rotates, the Uhing traverse will always move at the correct pitch. To spool a different diameter wire, just change the pitch setting. • No electronic controls or programming • Virtually no maintenance

Call or email for brochure: 1-800-252-2645 (Toll free) amacoil@amacoil.com

Many sizes; 7 to 800 pounds of thrust

2100 Bridgewater Rd, PO Box 2228, Aston PA, 19014 Phone: 610-485-8300 • Fax: 610-485-2357

www.amacoil.com

One call does it ALL.

Your dependable source of custom reels, spools and packaging since 1951. ///////////// ///// /////////// Vermont Vermont Connecticut California Michigan North Carolina Virginia Virginia Mexico

WWW WWW.CARRIS.COM .C ARRIS A .COM Rutland, VT Enﬁeld, CT Madera, CA A Galien, MI Statesville, N NC Fincastle, V A VA Monterr eyy, Mexico M Monterrey,

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773-9111 • 2,1 773-9111 • 2,3 773-9111 • 2,6 773-9111 • 2,4 773-9111 • 2,2 773-9111 • 2,5 52-81-83-16-73-90

(802) (860) (559) (269) (704) (540) (011)

770-3551 Fax 749-8558 Fax 674-1614 Fax 545-3401 Fax 873-0654 Fax 473-2278 Fax 52-81-83-16-73-95 Fax

Custom Solutions for the Reel World.

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