Wire Bulletin - Jan 12

VOLUME III | ISSUE I | JANUARY 2012

Rs. 125

WIRE BULLETIN India’s Quarterly Bulletin Dedicated to the Wire and Cable Industry

Strong exhibitor support for wire Düsseldorf 2012

ASK THE EXPERT Q: What are the differences in the various types of wire annealing processes?

See answer on p. 17

wire Düsseldorf 2010 attracted 69,200 visitors.

NEWS BITES • Aksh has launched a flat drop cable called ‘Magiq’ for small fiber counts needed in the final sections of an optical network.

• ShowMeCables.com, an online retailer of cables and cabling supplies, has redesigned its website to include new functional features.

• Lapp India has set up a centre of excellence in Bangalore to enhance academia-industry interaction.

QUOTABLE QUOTES We view India as one of the most “important and dynamic markets in the world, with forecasts of it becoming the third largest automotive market by 2020.” ~ Philippe Varin, Chairman, PSA Peugeot Citroën Courageous reforms have led to “enormous economic growth in India.” ~ Gerhard Schroeder, Chancellor, Germany

IN THIS ISSUE: Editorial .............................. 2 Calendar & Event Review ..... 3 Industry News ..................... 4 Business Innovation ............ 6 Corporate Focus.................. 8 Featured Concepts ............ 10 Global News...................... 12 Products, Media, & Technology .................... 13 Production Tips ................. 16 Ask the Expert ................... 17 Technical Article................ 18 Economic News ................. 21 People on the Move........... 22 Ad Showcase..................... 24

The two leading international trade fairs for the wire, cable, pipe and tube industries, wire Düsseldorf and Tube Düsseldorf, respectively, have garnered the support of more than 1,810 companies from around the world that will exhibit March 26-30, 2012, in Düsseldorf, Germany.

At this early stage, the wire Düsseldorf event involves 1,005 exhibiting companies from 45 countries with the traditionally

strong participation of exhibitors from Italy, Belgium, France, Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, Great Britain, and Germany. A high number of registrations from Sweden have also been received. The majority of the overseas space reservations have come from the U.S., China, India, and Taiwan. Overall, these 1,005 companies currently occupy about 5,92,000 sq. feet of net exhibit space. wire Düsseldorf will present wire production and finishing machinery; tools and process engineering auxiliary materials; materials; and special wires. Also on display will be innovations in cable; measuring and control technology; testing technology; logistics; conveyor systems; and packaging.

Manufacturers of wire, cable and fiber glass machinery as well as wire and cable producers and suppliers will occupy Halls 9 to 12, 16, and 17. Hall 15 will house fastener continued on p. 5

CCI implements InnoVites software solution InnoVites B.V. announced that Mumbaibased Cable Corporation of India (CCI) has selected the company’s integrated InnoVites Cable© and CableBuilder© software for their operations. InnoVites delivers an end-to-end industry solution that includes its Cable ERP software and Cable Design software. According to a press release, during interactive sessions with all levels of the CCI management the InnoVites team demonstrated the added value of its integrated business solution for the cable industry. The close match with the cable industry processes is what gave the InnoVites’ solution a unique platform.

CABLEWIRE 2011: A huge success The Indian Electrical & Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA), the representative organization of the Indian electrical, industrial electronics and allied products industry, organised CABLEWIRE 2011, the seventh international technical conference on cables and wires on November 17-18 at Hotel Intercontinental The Lalit, Mumbai.

With its theme ‘Powering Growth Through Innovations’ the conference focused on new/improved technology trends in manufacturing, development of new insulating materials, condition monitoring and online assessment, new techniques for installations and maintenance, enhanced safety aspects, and developments in cable accessories.

Around 235 delegates attended the conference including end users, manufacturers, raw material suppliers, as well as personnel from research, development,

and testing institutions. Delegates represented Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, The Netherlands, UAE, and the USA.

Suresh Prabhu inaugurated the CABLEWIRE 2011 conference.

Suresh Prabhu, the former union cabinet minister for power, inaugurated the conference. Vijay Karia, Chairman of the CABLEWIRE 2011 Organising Committee, continued on p. 5

Sterlite awards contracts of Rs 500 Crore

Sterlite Grid Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sterlite Technologies Ltd., recently awarded contracts through International Competitive Bidding (ICB) to various companies for the supply of equipment, engineering services, procurement, and construction in support of transmission systems and sub-stations that will be set up at Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) and at Dhule (Maharashtra).

The total value of these contracts amounts to Rs 500 crore. Contracted companies include: Hyundai Heavy Industries Company Ltd. (South Korea), Baoding Tianwei Baobian Electric Co. Ltd. (China) and Areva T&D India Ltd. The sub-stations are part of the transmission systems’ strengthening project

awarded to Sterlite Grid Ltd. on a ‘Build, Own, Operate and Maintain’ (BOOM) basis wherein the transmission lines would be commissioned within three years and the company would operate and maintain the same for a minimum tenure of 35 years thereafter.

Pravin Agarwal, Wholetime Director Sterlite Technologies, said “We remain committed to charge our transmission systems as per schedule. The award of these contracts is a very important milestone in the project execution of the Bhopal-Dhule transmission system.”

These transmission systems will transmit power through a network of about 2,200 km of transmission lines and two sub-stations in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar and Assam. Sterlite currently has a portfolio of three projects with a total value of about Rs 40 billion.|WB

“To take forward our strategy we need an IT system that supports our business for today and tomorrow. That’s why we looked for a ready-made solution that understands our business and enables us to improve the efficiency of our processes,” said Rohan Khatau, Business Development Manager, CCI. Albert Groothedde, CEO, InnoVites, said “The agreement with CCI is another confirmation of the market leadership of InnoVites in India. From our office in Hyderabad we serve the wire and cable industry in India and abroad.”

CCI was founded in 1957 by Siemens AG, Felten & Guileaume AG of Germany and the Khataus and Thackerseys of India. It caters to the diverse needs of its customers by combining the necessary hardware, software and infrastructure to manufacture a diverse range of power and control cables with a nationwide sales and marketing network, and regional warehouses supported by more than 500 employees. From its two manufacturing plants in Nashik, CCI produces a wide range of PVC, XLPE and elastomeric insulated power and control cables from 250 V to 500 kV.|WB

A D V E R T I S M E N T

See page 7.

JANUARY 2012

EDITORIAL

A

s we begin on a fresh note, everyone wants to know how the wire and cable industry will fare in the year 2012. The apprehension is natural given the fact that the last year witnessed a lot of volatility with domestic and international scenarios affecting the growth rate.

WIRE BULLETIN Publisher | Steven J. Fetteroll Editor | Huned Contractor Contributing Writer | Mark Marselli Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications | Janice E. Swindells Graphic Artist | Adrienne E. Simpson Advertising Sales | Robert J. Xeller & Anna Bzowski

If you want the bad news first, investment banking major Morgan Stanley has revised downward its economic growth forecast for India in 2012 to 7.4 per cent. According to the report, the main factors that could adversely impact the markets include oil prices, inflation, high rates, slowing growth, and alleged corruption scandals.

However, let’s move on to the good news. A report titled ‘Indian Steel Industry Outlook To 2012’ states that the Indian crude steel production will grow at a CAGR of around 10 per cent in the coming months. Moreover, the government’s proactive incentive plans to boost economic growth by injecting funds in various industries such as construction, infrastructure, automobile, and power will drive the steel industry in the future. The report also reveals that steel consumption in India is expected to grow significantly in the coming years as the per capita finished steel consumption is far less than its regional counterparts.

Further, the telecom sector continues to be a success story and the demand for optical fiber is expected to grow at a compounded annual rate of more than 17 per cent. Today, India is already the third-largest consumer of optical fiber in the world. Following this trend, India’s leading manufacturer, Sterlite, is in the process of enhancing its annual fiber manufacturing capacity to 20 million kms, putting it in the top three globally. On a parallel note, the fastest growing segment is that of high voltage cables where the market, after being sluggish for many years, has now picked up and is projected to double in the next three years. As such, multinational cable companies are increasingly entering the Indian market.

Meanwhile, the Indian passenger car market is slated to grow to more than 9 million per annum by the year 2020. Currently, India is poised to cross a major milestone by producing 3 million cars and thus overtaking Brazil to become the sixth-largest producer. This certainly will boost the demand for wiring harnesses. Therefore, let the year begin with a drum roll rather than a mere tweet. Happy New Year!

Huned Contractor Editor hcontractor@wirenet.org | hunedc@gmail.com

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Editor: Huned Contractor.

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CALENDAR & EVENT REVIEW Event Review

WORLD CALENDAR

CabWire World Conference 2011

January 10-13, 2012: Gujtech Ahmedabad, India. Gujtech features more than 5,000 products including equipment, construction tools, ceramics, IT products, industrial textiles, steel items, plastic products, foundry, and casting equipment for the technology, automation, construction, and CNC machine sectors. Visit: www.gujtech.com.

January 12-15, 2012: Constro Pune Pune, India. This exhibition for the construction industry features design and drawing aids, automation products, office equipment, furniture, computers, software packages, surveying and levelling instruments, construction materials, chemical additives, sealants, power generation, and transmission equipment. It will be held on the Engineering College Ground. Visit: www.constroindia.org.

January 18-22, 2012: ELECRAMA Mumbai, India. The 10th edition of ELECRAMA, organized by The Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA), will focus on power transmission, distribution and modernization; electrical and industrial electronics; development of smart power grids; and technology partnership opportunities. Other topics include future supply chain trends, logistics, and vendor capability assessment.Visit: www.elecrama.com.

February 17-20, 2012: Engineering Expo Aurangabad Aurangabad, India. This trade show highlights products related to hydraulics & pneumatics, machine tools & accessories, castings & forgings, plastics & packaging, electrical & electronics, auto components, instrumentation, material handling, automation and process plant machinery & equipment. Contact: Infomedia 18 Limited, A Wing, Ruby House, J.K. Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai - 400 028. Tel.: +91-022-40302323.

March 20-23, 2012: Cabex Expo Russia Moscow, Russia. Cabex Expo is dedicated to the design, installation, and integration of wired and wireless network systems. Products include power cables for stationary installation, oil extraction cables, alarming and blocking cables, communication cables, cables with mineral insulation, fiber optic cables, fire safety cables of different application, wires for overhead transmission lines, connectors for fiber optic components, equipment, tools and devices for assembling cable and wire products, and switch equipment. Visit: www.cabex.ru.

March 26-30, 2012: wire 2012 Düsseldorf Düsseldorf, Germany. At wire 2012, exhibitors from the wire, cable, and fiberglass machinery as well as the wire and cable production sector, and wire manufacturers and suppliers will present their products in Halls 9-12, 16, and 17. Additionally, fasteners will be in Hall 15 and spring making in Hall 16. (See p. 1.) Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, 150 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2920, Chicago, IL 60601, Tel.: (312) 781-5180, Fax: (312) 781-5188, E-mail: info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com.

Following successful events in Stresa, Prague, Bologna, and Istanbul, Associazione Costruttori Italiani Macchine per Filo (ACIMAF), Comite Europeen de la Trefilerie (CET), The Wire Association International, Inc. (WAI), and the International Wire & Machinery Association (IWMA) collaborated once again to hold a major wire and cable conference at the Congress Center Düsseldorf, November 78, 2011. Joining the team of co-organisers for the first time was the International Wire & Cable Exhibitors Association (IWCEA).

The conference featured 29 presentations given by a panel of both ferrous and nonferrous expert speakers as well as table-top exhibits. In addition, factory tours included Drahtwerk, Cologne—a manufacturer of high-quality technical wires, steel wire, prestressed steel wire and strands—and Leoni Kerpen, Stolberg—a manufacturer of data cables for information technology.

The IWMA Educational Trust fund provided 12 free registrations to students in the wire and cable sectors, which were made available on a first-come first-served basis.

Parts2Clean Visitor participation at the 9th Parts2Clean exhibition held at the Stuttgart Exhibition Centre, October 25 to 27, 2011, rose by about 18 per cent. The trade fair for industrial parts and surface cleaning drew 237 ex-

hibiting companies from 15 countries that displayed their products and services. The exhibition spread over 65,000 sq feet of net exhibition floor space.

Concrete RFQs and prospective orders were brought by some of the 4,779 visitors from 49 countries, 18.4 per cent of whom came from outside Germany.

“Parts2Clean is now well-established and is becoming more and more international.

In addition to visitors from the German speaking countries, we also had visitors from Hungary, Poland, England, Brazil, Turkey and Singapore at our booth, and they brought along concrete problems that have to be solved. The exhibition went off very well for us this time too and we will exhibit again in 2012 in any case,” said Karl-Heinz Schoch, director of the cleaning technology business division of Elma-Hans Schmidbauer GmbH & Co.

Dr. Uwe Anton Schubert, global area sales manager at Dürr Ecoclean GmbH, said,“On the one hand, we took advantage of our trade fair presentation to introduce new products and to exhibit our broad-ranging product portfolio. On the other hand, we set ourselves the goal of refreshing business relations with existing customers and establishing contact with new companies, and we succeeded in both areas in a well-balanced fashion.”

The 10th Parts2Clean will take place at the Stuttgart Exhibition Centre from October 23 to 25, 2012.|WB

May 22-23, 2012: WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo 2012 Dallas, Texas, USA. The exhibit and conference, organised by The Wire Association International, Inc, incorporates technical paper presentations, a comprehensive exhibit, on-floor production solutions demonstrations, networking activities and more. Contact: The Wire Association International, Inc., 1570 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT 06437 USA, Tel.: (001) 203-453-2777, Fax: (001) 203-453-8384, www.wirenet.org.

September 25-28, 2012: wire China 2012 Shanghai, China. wire China 2012, the 5th All China International Wire and Cable Industry Trade Fair will be held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center along with Tube China 2012. An expected 1,400 exhibitors will participate.Exhibit categories include wire, fastener and spring manufacturing and finishing machinery, process technology tools and auxiliary process technology equipment as well as special wires and cables, measuring and control technology and test engineering. Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, 150 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2920, Chicago, IL 60601, Tel.: (312) 781-5180, Fax: (312) 781-5188, E-mail: info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com.

October 8-12, 2012: World Steel Conference New Delhi, India. The World Steel Association (WSA) will hold the World Steel Conference in India in 2012. The conference is intended to make the steel industry more sustainable in view of the recent global economic uncertainties. The WSA represents 170 producers, accounting for 85 per cent of the world steel production. Visit: www.worldsteel.org.

October 30-November 1, 2012: Wire & Cable India 2012 Mumbai, India. Organised by Messe Düsseldorf, this show will be held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon (East). Exhibits will include wire manufacturing and finishing machinery, casting, surface and heat treatment, rolling, pressing, forming, wire cleaning, machining and coating, cable and stranding machines, cutting and marking machines, cable sheathing and insulating, measuring and controlling technology, quality hat assurance and measuring systems, lubricants, mation t r o f in e v a adhesives and packaging, coding and printing Do you h his section? t equipment, welding and electrode manufacturing elongs in it by e-mail to: machines, and wire product manufacturing b ubm Please s @wirenet.org. machinery. Visit: www.wire-india.com.

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JANUARY 2012 | 3

INDUSTRY NEWS Samrat Wires orders hydrogen annealing facility To meet growing demand and to maintain the company’s quality, cost, and delivery parameters, Samrat Wires P Ltd. has embarked on an expansion programme to reach 14,000 metric tonnes per annum and has ordered a hydrogen annealing facility from Ebner, Austria.

The company is the first service provider cum manufacturer in the country to opt for a hydrogen annealing furnace with the objective of repositioning itself to become the most preferred source for alloy steel wires.

Some of the salient features of this furnace include: zero addition to the level of decarburization present in the input wire rod; minimum spherodisation of 95 per cent; uniform grain size; bright wire surfaces; and shorter cycle and lead times facilitating customer deliveries.

Samrat Wires is an associate unit of the Gita Group. Established in 2005, the company manufactures CHQ and other alloy steel wires for fasteners and bearing industries in all grades such as SAE 1541/EN8D, SAE 4140/SCM 440/SAE 4135/SCM 435, AISI 10B21/15B25, AISI 15B41, SAE 1008/ 1010/1015, SAE 52100/EN 31, and SAE 8620.

Cords’ new unit ISO approved Cords Cable Industries’ new manufacturing unit at Kaharani in Rajasthan has received ISO 9001:2008 certification from TUV Rheinland. With the successful completion of the certification process, the company plans to aggressively initiate plant approval procedures with various public sector companies, project authorities, consultants and major EPCs. With this new development Cords’ total output will be Rs 30 crore (or USD 7 million) per month which the company expects will reach Rs 40 crore

(or USD 9.30 million) per month by the end of Q3 2011-12. The plant has a further capacity for production which will be used progressively.

Rajasthan the site of Cord Cable unit.

The company was established in 1987 to meet the growing requirement for high-quality customised cables. Its products include LV power and control cables, instrumentation cables, thermocouple extension cables, compensating cables, telephone cables, panel wires, and customised cables. Its main manufacturing facility is spread 21,800 sq. metres in the Bhiwadi industrial area in Rajasthan. The company has a complete testing facility and several manufacturing processes stages including rod breakdown, wiredrawing and compounding, to finished products.

Indonesian aluminium cable output to increase The chairman of the Indonesian Cable Manufacturers Association, Noval Jamalullail, said that the country’s aluminium cable production will increase by 20 per cent from 1,50,000 metric tonnes to 1,80,000 tonnes in 2012. He said the first part of the government’s ambitious 10,000 megawatt power plant program, which was started in 2006, had contributed to the increase. “The programme is a big project and it needs to be completed by the end of this year. And then we aim to boost the aluminum cable produc-

tion which is used for power plant transmissions,” Noval said, after a mini seminar on the upcoming Wire and Tube Fair (see p.1).

The second part of the power plant programme will begin in 2012. He added that factory expansion was a part of the plan to increase production. Currently there are 38 factories that produce aluminium cable.

“However, expansion does not mean that we build new factories. It only means that we add the required equipment that the factories do not yet have,” Noval said. The association’s data shows that Indonesia’s annual cable production is 5,00,000 tonnes, consisting of power cable at 3,10,000 tonnes, telecommunication cable at 1,30,000 tonnes, special cables at 50,000 tonnes and enameled wire at 10,000 tonnes.

The products are sold both in local and foreign markets. Local buyers include state power company PT PLN, state telecommunications company PT Telkom, state railway operator PT KAI and to buyers in the private (malls) and retail sectors. Meanwhile, its foreign markets include Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Dubai, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Yemen. “We are currently focusing on the local market, especially with the 10,000 megawatt project,” Noval said.

KEC awarded order from Saudi Arabia

KEC International, India’s second-largest maker of electricity transmission towers, has bagged three new orders worth Rs 400 crore, including a Rs 306-crore contract from Saudi Arabia. The company, which is a part of the RPG Group, is involved in infrastructure engineering, procurement, and construction activities.

The order from Saudi Electricity Company is for 380 kV double circuit overhead transmission lines. A statement from KEC International said the order was secured through the firm’s joint venture with the AlSharif Group. The contract is expected to be completed in 24 months.

“In India, the company has secured two new orders for 400 kV double circuit overhead transmission lines: one order is from Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) and other from a private customer – VISA Power,” the statement noted. The PGCIL contract, valued at Rs 70 crore, for a transmission line in Salem, Tamil Nadu, is to be completed in 27 months. The Rs 24-crore order from Visa Power, also for a transmission line, is expected to be executed in 12 months. With these contracts, the company’s order book is about Rs 8,450 crore.

“We are happy to keep the continuous momentum of new orders despite the challenging global economic environment,” said Ramesh Chandak, KEC International MD and CEO.

RTF expands manufacturing facility Nashik-based Right Tight Fasteners India P Ltd. (RTF) has expanded its bolt manufacturing capacity to approximately 10,000 metric tonnes in the size range of M5-M22.

The company has also installed sophisticated facilities for heat treatment, zinc plating, zinc aluminium flake coating, bolt

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forming and secondary operations. RTF was founded in 1979 by Balbir Singh Chhabra. It began as a small factory of just over 10 people with sales of a few thousand rupees.

Today the company has an annual output of more than 9,000 tonnes. It is ISO/TS 169492009-certified with facilities covering 25,000 sq. metres across five locations.

Sumitomo Electric flags off Indian operations

Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., a manufacturer and supplier of wiring harnesses, anti-vibration rubber parts for automobiles, and cutting tools, announced that SEI Trading India Private Ltd. commenced operations on November 1, 2011.

Sumitomo Electric established this locally incorporated subsidiary in July 2011 to reinforce its sales structure in the Indian market.

Since the mid-1980s, Sumitomo Electric and the Sumitomo Electric Group have expanded their business through joint ventures with local companies. In 1996, a liaison office was established to conduct market research and assist in market cultivation.

Aiming at further business expansion in India, described by the company as a remarkably growing economy, Sumitomo Electric established its wholly-owned subsidiary in Gurgaon and has started sales activities. Through the new company, the Sumitomo Electric Group will aggressively promote information and communications systems, railroad and other social infrastructure businesses, in which robust demand is expected to continue, as well as the environment and renewable energy business, whose market is expected to also grow rapidly.

Rivit sets up Indian subsidiary Rivit Srl, based in Bologna, Italy, has established Rivit India Fasteners P Ltd., a subsidiary in India which will operate with its own sales offices and technical services.

The subsidiary’s supplies will be sourced from Rivit, Italy, and warehoused so that it can offer fastening systems, installations tools, and related spare parts to the area’s sheet metal working companies, automotive, transport, electrical appliance, and electronics industries, as well as the channel of dealers and distributors.

Rivit produces and markets a range of fasteners including blind rivets, rivet nuts for laminates, self clinching, welding studs, blind bolts, cage nuts, rivet nuts for plastic, latches, and relevant tools for their placing.

“By establishing a branch in India we are recognising the full potential of one of the most exciting and dynamic markets in the world. The intention is to develop relationships with end customers and to create a distribution network so that all the prospective partners will be able to assure their customers that the range of products, and after-sales service, from Rivit India Fasten-

INDUSTRY NEWS ers will be the same as from the head office with the added of advantage of being easily accessible,” a news report said.

Rural steel demand to rise The demand for steel products, including wire rods, is set to witness a dramatic increase in the rural regions of India. Addressing a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Union Minister of Steel, Beni Prasad Verma, said that they are focused on increasing steel consumption in rural India that currently stands at 8.5 million tonnes.

According to P.K. Mishra, steel secretary, though India has emerged as the thirdlargest finished steel consumer at the global level, there is scope to enhance consumption in the domestic market by tapping the mofussil markets. He pointed out that with a shift in the type of construction design, the use of steel, including wire rods, in rural areas can be enhanced.

India’s rural villages are witnessing a construction boom.

“The global steel consumption is expected to grow by 6.5 per cent and 5.4 per cent, respectively in 2011 and 2012. The industry needs to address the big challenge of managing cost and technology in the field of steel manufacturing,” said C.S. Verma, Chairman, SAIL. India’s rural areas, which account for about two-thirds of the population, represent a large potential for consumption.

Messe Düsseldorf and Grupo Cipa launch new trade fair in Brazil Messe Düsseldorf, the organiser of international trade fairs for the wire, cable and tube sector (see p.1), and its partner Grupo Cipa have announced the launch of a new fair for the Brazilian market. The first ever Wire South America will take place October 8-10, 2013 in parallel with TuboTech at the Imigrantes Exposicoes Exhibition Centre in São Paulo.

Messe Düsseldorf has organized international trade fairs in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Bangkok, South-East Asia; São Paolo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; Mumbai, India; and Moscow, Russia. Welcoming this new addition to the trade fair programme, Werner M. Dornscheidt, chairman and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, said, “We already contribute our expertise in organising high-tech trade fairs around the world. We, in cooperation with our partner Grupo Cipa, are developing Wire South America as an independent fair tailored to meet the local needs in the region. For our customers this will be a gateway to enable them to access the growth market of South America–at an economically ideal moment.”

In 2010 Brazil’s economy saw a growth rate of 7.5 per cent, its strongest in 20 years.

For 2011, economists forecast a growth rate of a little less than 4 per cent. Brazil is now the seventh-largest economy in the world ahead of countries such as Spain, Italy, India and Russia, (for example) and could catch up with the economic heavyweights such as the United Kingdom and France within the next three years. Brazil’s annual

exports increased by about 33.9 per cent to reach USD 242.5 billion over the past 12 months. It is also now entering the implementation phase of infrastructure projects such as railways, ports, airports, power stations and hotels.

bitions for growth in sectors where Bekaert has built up international market presence and technological expertise.”

Mount Joy Wire enters Asian markets

After 20 years of manufacturing high carbon steel specialty wire, American company Mount Joy Wire has announced the expansion of its global presence with a foray into the European and Asian markets adding John D. Stanaway to its team to expedite global market growth by serving as acting agent overseas. “We are more than pleased to welcome John Stanaway to serve as Europe and Asia’s primary contact for all of Mount Joy Wire’s products and technologies,” said Ty Krieger, VP-Operations.

Mount Joy Wire representatives will participate at wire Düsseldorf 2012, Germany, and at Interbrush, May 9-11 in Freiburg, Germany.

The company has recently launched a newly designed website (www.lmjwire.com) where customers can now access product information on springs, brushes, and oil tempered wire. Visitors can request quotes directly from the site and make purchases from the company’s web overstock specials.

JSW Steel signs JV with Marubeni-Itochu Steel JSW Steel Ltd. has forayed into a joint venture with Tokyo-based Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc. to establish a steel processing centre in North India with an investment of Rs 122 crore. JSW Steel and Marubeni will each own 50 per cent stake in the joint venture-JSW MI Steel Service Centre P Ltd. Both partners will invest 50 per cent of the capital cost via equity and the remaining will be funded via debt from banks. The first phase of the joint venture is likely to come on stream during the financial year 2013 along with an installed capacity of 1.8 lakh tonnes per annum. The joint venture will be processing flat steel products like hot-rolled, cold-rolled and coated products to provide just-in-time solutions for important sectors like automotive, white goods, and construction.

Bekaert has had a manufacturing presence in China since the early 1990s; due to growth it now operates 17 sites at eight locations there, including 13 manufacturing plants, an R&D center and engineering plant, a trading company, and the regional headquarters of Bekaert Asia.|WB

wire Düsseldorf 2012 continued from p. 1 technology and Hall 16 will focus on spring making. Meanwhile, with 805 exhibitors from 44 countries, the majority of the European companies registered for Tube 2012 to date are from Italy, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, Germany and Great Britain. Also positive is the number of exhibitor registrations from the Czech Republic. At present, the Tube 2012 exhibitors have reserved 4,89,700 sq. feet of net exhibit space.

Tube 2012 will present the complete spectrum ranging from pipe and tube production to processing. Exhibit categories will include raw materials, pipes and accessories, pipe and tube manufacturing machinery and used machinery as well as tools and auxiliary materials for process engineering and measuring and control technology. Pipelines and OCTG technology, profiles and profile technology, testing technology and special

areas such as warehousing automation and control systems will complement the extensive ranges on show.

At wire Düsseldorf 2010 more than 1,200 international exhibitors presented current trends in the industry and tomorrow’s technologies to approximately 69,200 visitors from around the world.

For details contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, 150 North Michigan Ave., Ste. 2920, Chicago, Illinois, 60601, Tel.: (312) 781-5180, Fax: (312) 781-5188, E-mail: info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com.|WB

CABLEWIRE 2011 continued from p. 1 welcomed the chief guest and conveyed the purpose of the conference. Vimal Mahendru, immediate past president – IEEMA, highlighted the growth of the electrical industry and the activities of IEEMA. While focusing on the development of the power sector after reforms in 2002, Prabhu emphasised on the need of subtransmission and distribution networks to deliver power to the end consumer. He also mentioned the need to revive distribution companies, making distribution commercially viable. Based on industry and stakeholder input, he added that it was necessary to have policies in place that would boost industry growth.

A total of 21 papers were presented during the conference. Three sessions were held on the second day and presentations were made by officials of several organisations including the Central Power Research Institute, Institute of Chemical Technology, Kalpena Industries Ltd., Nexans Asia-Pacific, Singapore, Prysmian PowerLink Srl, Italy, Raychem RPG Pvt. Ltd., and Universal Cables Ltd.|WB

Bekaert expands wire business in Asia Bekaert, a worldwide technological and market leader in drawn wire products and advanced coatings, signed an agreement with Hankuk Steel Wire Co. Ltd. (South Korea) for the acquisition of the Qingdao Hansun steel wire plant in Qingdao (Shandong Province, China). The Qingdao Hansun entity started up in 2008. The modern plant is equipped to produce steel wire products for sectors including for the construction, paper and mining industries. The plant is located near the Qingdao sea port and currently employs 233 people.

Henri-Jean Velge, Bekaert Group Executive Vice President Wire and Stainless Technologies, said, “The integration of this entity will strengthen our position in the Asian market and adds sizable capacity to Bekaert’s current wire platform in China. We welcome the new team and expect that the business addition will immediately contribute to our am-

JANUARY 2012 | 5

BUSINESS INNOVATION

Stephen Wood | IWMA Board Member Stephen Wood, former chairman of the International Wire Manufacturers Association (IWMA) and now an executive member of its board, was present for the wire Southeast Asia 2011 show at Bangkok.

In the course of this interview he shared his opinion that India is poised to witness a tremendous demand for wire and cable and that global access to its industry and the market, along with technological innovations, are leading to better quality products.

IWMA is a corporate membership association for the wire, cable and wire product industries and offers a wide range of benefits, services, and events to promote new technology and growth within the industry.

It has almost 300 member companies in more than 50 countries worldwide.

The following are excerpts from the interview: Q: What’s your perspective on the global wire and cable industry?

A: Even though there is an economic slide across many nations, the fact remains that most of the wire and cable industries are doing pretty well. Look at companies like Niehoff, Rosendahl, Gauder, or Wafios that are very busy with huge projects in different countries. What has happened is that companies which were cash-rich have reinvested in equipment and technology to be able to cater to the fresh slew of demand and that equation is working out well. Then

6 | WIRE BULLETIN

there is the rising demand for steel scrap in countries like India and China. So I would say that the growth pattern is being maintained, especially in the ferrous sector.

Q: What about the Southeast Asian market?

A: As is evident, China is now in the lead and investing heavily in the wire and cable sector. The tables have turned over the years. Earlier we used to use greater participation from Taiwan and the Philippines but now it is China and India. In fact, India has great potential and it would be interesting to see who finally emerges at the top.

Q: What is the key to growth in the wire and cable sectors?

A: Without a shade of doubt I would say that the biggest key to growth in today’s time is technology. The focus in each of the companies is on how to reduce the manpower and use technology to greater effect so as to maximise the production levels with the highest amount of efficiency. This emphasis on technology is also helping improve the quality of products. And that is the demand of the hour because the consumers have started to produce quality products as well. Look, for instance, at the automobile industry across the globe. We have today cars and trucks and two-wheelers that demand the best in raw material because the finished products have to stand up to the tests of international benchmarking.

Q: What are the other factors that are growing in importance?

A: I think the requirements of prospective buyers are very much conditioned by the changing world in which we are living.

As such, the other factors that are growing in importance are energy efficiency, reduction in effect on the environment (pollution and carbon emissions), health and safety, computer simulation systems, etc.

Q: A lot of Indian companies are rushing to collaborate with established wire and cable companies across Europe and the USA. Do you see this as a beneficial prospect?

A: It’s a smart thing to do. Why re-invent the wheel? India has the advantage of making wire and cable products at a lesser cost because of the availability of skilled and semi-skilled manpower and the small and medium-sized companies are eager to join the learning graph so that it does make sense to get into partnerships with global companies that have the technology and the resources of R&D at their command. This is helping the Indian companies to now sell their products in markets outside their own country because of the improvement in product quality. The entire equation becomes cost-effective for both the partners.

Q: But how will these joint ventures be sustained?

A: The trick is in sharing technology through the levy of a user fee. It’s like collecting royalty on each of the products you make in return for the technical expertise that you have provided access to. So in a way the relationship can continue for a long time because both the partners stand to benefit. Also, the foreign companies are finding it feasible to not only just outsource their production but also set up plants in collaboration with their Indian partners.

Q: Why do you think India is a big market?

A: India has potential because the consumption of wire and cable is going to steadily increase. Let us take an example.

The healthcare system in India is now improving and there is a rising demand for products that are used in hospitals and laboratories. Many of these products require spring wires. Automatically, therefore, the demand for spring wires will keep rising.

Similarly, look at the automobile sector in

wire Southeast Asia 2011.

India which is booming because even the middle-class is now able to afford cars and it is quite common to see a household having a car and a couple of two-wheelers. This is going to see a leap in the demand for wiring harnesses and cables and so on.

Therefore, the market for wire and cable products in India is growing in tune with the changing lifestyle of its people.

Q: What are the challenges that lie ahead?

A: As the world moves towards a higher level of environment consciousness, companies will have to install and implement processes that do not harm the eco-system of the world. For example, new processes are being developed for heat treatment so that the residual acids and lubricants do not pollute the air and the rivers. This environmental shift will soon gain momentum in India too and companies will have to adapt to the new requirements.

Q: Why are we witnessing lesser participation of visitors in each of the wire and cable shows in India?

A: That’s mainly because there now are too many shows following each other and that has led to some level of exhaustion.

There should be one big show for one particular geographical location. If you have five shows in a year in India, the footfalls are going to decrease.|WB

In India please contact: Source Smart Namdeo Ranjane 206 Stanford Plaza, B65 New Link Road Andheri(W), Mumbai 400053 Telephone: 22-2673-4850 Fax: 22-2673-4851 Email: sourcesmart@gmail.com

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JANUARY 2012 | 7

CORPORATE FOCUS-INDIA Tomer Engineering Works: In an expansive mode The company’s innovative product portfolio has helped it expand across the country and internationally.

Rohit Tomer Around 30 years ago when Ram Kumar Tomer of Ghaziabad in North India decided to go into business, he believed that the booming two-wheeler industry would witness a huge demand for motorcycle chains.

And that is what led him to set up a small unit to manufacture them. However, even though the product began to find a good market across the northern region, Ram Kumar wanted to bite into something bigger. “He kept studying the market and eventually came to the conclusion that steel wire products offered huge scope. That is how Tomer Engineering Works came to be established,” said his younger brother Rohit Tomer.

Today, Tomer Engineering Works produces wiredrawing machines for stainless steel, high carbon, mild steel, copper, alumunium, and nichrome wires. Some of its products include a die threading-cum-pointing machine for copper and aluminium (9.5 x 2.6 mm); pointing machine for mild steel (5.5 x 2.6 mm); spoolers with capacities of 500/1000 mm and 300/400 mm; rod break-

8 | WIRE BULLETIN

down machine for copper and aluminium wire; a dry block wiredrawing machine for stainless steel, high carbon, and mild steel wire; an intermediate wiredrawing machine for high carbon wire; a stranding machine; a 1+6 skip bow testers; and take-up units.

With clients such as Havells, Power Age, Shriram Cables, Dynamic Cables, Indo Asia Fusegear, Garg Inox, and RPG Cables, among many others, the company has steadfastly grown to reach an annual turnover of over Rs 50 crore which, as Rohit predicts, will double over the next two to three years.

“This will happen because of the increasing demand for steel, copper, and aluminium wire products by the automobile and infrastructure development sectors,” he said.

Given the potential that lies ahead, the Tomer brothers (which includes Krishen Kumar) have been investing heavily in production facilities and technology.

Tomer’s stranding machine, 1+6 skip bow twister, and take-up unit.

Rohit plans to build an additional factory dedicated to producing customised machines for clients. “Today specialisation is the key parameter to creating your own niche in the industry. We have a technically qualified and experienced team of engineers who can take projects starting from the drawing board to the finished product stage. This also includes a servicing and maintenance team that takes care of the customised and off-the-shelf machines. As such, our endeavour is to ensure that the

client does not suffer from any down-time in production,” Rohit said.

As for technology, while the company has been carrying out its own research and development, there has also been sharing of ideas and processes with some German manufacturers. “When it comes to technology, the basic platform can remain the same irrespective of where it is used but then we have to adapt or tweak some of the processes to suit the requirements of our clients in India. We have therefore invested heavily in our own state-of-the-art tool room and other facilities to create indigenous designs and models that may or may not use foreign technology depending on the end use implementation. Fortunately, we now have more than adequate talent in India to the extent that we may soon start sharing our technology with other countries,” Rohit said.

Some of the equipment that the company has on its production floor includes CNC turning machines, profile teeth grinders, slotters, boring machines, milling machines, hobbing machines, and lathes. “There was a time when quality in the wire and cable industry was not too important. But now with India being an equally proficient player in the international market, it has become very important to pay attention to the minutest details and achieve high levels of perfection.

Also, the competition in this sector has become tough. There are many companies that have foreign collaborators, especially from Germany, the U.S., and the U.K., and this makes it all the more important for those without such tie-ups to raise their benchmarking standards,” he said.

With its capacity to make at least two heavy duty machines a day, Tomer Engineering Works is now all set to expand its export market too. “We have been exporting to countries like South Africa,

Bangladesh, and Nepal where the demand for wiredrawing machines has been on the rise due to their respective governments’ bid to improve the infrastructural facilities.

We are now planning to reach out to more countries, especially in the Southeast Asia region,” Rohit said. With its current staff of 130 people, the company also wants to introduce automation in its manufacturing processes. “This is to enable us to achieve greater precision, especially in quality testing procedures,” Rohit said.

Ask him to share his trade secrets for growth and Rohit replies: “There are some important elements that must be in place to be able to not only command a good position in the industry but also ensure consistent growth. These include the ability to keep the cost of production low, be flexible enough to adapt to each client’s needs, innovate and introduce new products at regular intervals, and achieve a high level of perfection in the products you make.” The ISO 9001-2000 certified Tomer Engineering Works has been able to ward off the intense competition from manufacturers in China. “Ultimately it is quality that wins and not the pricing,” he said.|WB Contact: Tomer Engineering Works Unit I - C-42/43 and Unit - II B-5 Sector B-3, UPSIDC, Tronica City, Loni Ghaziabad - 201 102 Tel.: 0120-2696903 E-mail: tomerengineering@rediffmail.com www.tomerengineering.com

CORPORATE FOCUS-INTERNATIONAL Lapp Group: Creating global milestones The growing need for better products in the cable industry prompted the Lapp Group to make innovation one of its key goals.

Oskar Lapp

include ÖLFLEX® flexible oil resistant control cables, UNITRONIC® electronic cable and industrial profibus, SKINTOP® strain relief cable glands, EPIC® industrial rectangular, DIN circular, MIL-style and pin, and sleeve connectors, ETHERLINE® industrial ethernet cables and standard and custom cable assemblies. “Our products have been the backbone of innovation in factory automation, food and beverage, oil and gas, renewable energy, automotive and machine tool industries for over 50 years,” said Ursula Ida.

Ursula Ida Lapp

In the 1950s, the upswing in industrialisation led to a huge demand for cables and conductors. Faced with this development, USA-based Oskar Lapp invented the first industrially produced flexible, colour-coded signal cable—ÖLFLEX® replacing the time-consuming method of manually inserting single covers and switching strands into the outer sheaths. Since then, the Lapp Group has consistently created benchmarks in product development.

The family-owned business, was jointly managed by Oskar and his wife Ursula Ida until Oskar’s death in 1987. Today the couple’s two sons Andreas and Siegbert assist Ursula in running the company, which has 28,000 employees who develop, produce, and sell more than 40,000 products. The company has 15 manufacturing sites, 40 sales companies, and cooperates with 100 national partners worldwide.

The Lapp Group offers a complete one-stop industrial and factory automation solution for cable and connector applications. Its products

Kamisetty The company established Lapp India Private Limited in Bangalore in 1996, which is a 100 per cent subsidiary of the Lapp Group and manufactures the same products offered by the parent company. “We are the pioneers in introducing the concept of ‘total solutions in electrical connectivity’ in India,” said Srinivas P. Kamisetty, Managing Director, Lapp India. A qualified engineer, Kamisetty directs the company’s efforts to use innovation as a model to leverage offerings at multiple levels. He is recognised as a leader in lean manufacturing, enclosure, and specialty cable industries. “The India facility is the third-largest of the Lapp Group producing more than 1,00,000 km of ÖLFLEX® connecting and control cables and insulated single cores.

Lapp India operates through regional marketing units in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, and Chennai with 23 sales offices and a strong network of 100+ dealers throughout the country. In the past few

years, we have been credited with year on year annual growth of about 30 per cent.”

“We are expanding our footprint by starting a manufacturing unit in Bhopal. Having attracted an investment of over Rs 1,500 million, the Bhopal plant will be wellequipped to meet the logistical requirements of the north and east parts of India.

To provide additional value to customers, an increase in the number of service points—a planned 16 across India—is also in the process,” Kamisetty said.

Commenting on what attracted Lapp to India and how it has taken on the role of an important hub for this part of the world, Kamisetty says, “The cable and wire industry in India was pretty unorganised, characterized by the existence of a number of small and big players. The cables and wires were primarily treated as commodities and most of the dealers were importing them to cater to local customer requirements. This scenario presented Lapp with an opportunity to establish itself as the first and only MNC to set up shop in India to cater to the local customer. It also enabled Lapp India to provide customised solutions. Now the manufacturing industry in India is growing to its full potential. Some of the other factors that are likely to influence the growth of this industry are research and development and innovation that will play an important role to increase productivity and produce highervalue added products. Lapp India has increased our presence in the Asian market.”

In terms of increasing operational efficiency, the company has introduced the Lapp Operation System (LOS), an organisational concept to manufacture the best of products for its customers with complete involvement of all the employees by eliminating all types of wastefulness and ensuring the highest quality and on-time delivery. “The primary goal is to reduce lead time and increase productivity,” Kamisetty states. Meanwhile, the company has also paid serious attention to

its corporate social responsibility and has tied up with Mithradham, institutional partner of the International Society for the Promotion of Environment and Renewable Energy (ISPERE) that consists of an informal group of committed experts. “We have been working closely with this institution in providing cables relevant to the solar industry,” Kamisetty said.

Production floor of Lapp India.

Further, to nurture young minds who will go on to shape the development of tomorrow, Lapp India believes in engaging engineering college students through positive interaction. As a result of this exercise, the Lapp Centre of Excellence was established in PSG Engineering College to enhance practical understanding and technology know-how of the students and lecturers.

The company has also been instrumental in sourcing projects from Germany for further development of the students.

Currently, Lapp India is actively involved in heralding 60 years of German companies in India and to commemorate the same, the company recently participated in the 55th AGM of the IGCC (Indo German Chamber of Commerce) in Mumbai on September 23, 2011. It certainly has been a long and exciting journey. And, as the management puts it, there are many more levels to attain.|WB Lapp India Private Limited Plot No. 98 J & K, Jigani Industrial Area, Phase II Anekal Taluk, Bangalore - 560 105 Tel.: 8110-304800 E-mail: info@lappindia.com www.lappindia.com

ASSOCIAZIONE COSTRUTTORI ITALIANI MACCHINE PER FILO ITALIAN WIRE MACHINERY MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION Its aims are: to improve the knowledge and culture of new generations in a highly specialised field with roots in Italy that date back through the Italian Renaissance as far as the iron age by sponsorship of university research, scholarships, seminars and conferences; to encourage and assist engineers and technicians of its member companies in the search for new innovative techniques, seen as victories in the battle for continuous improvement and a job well done; to promote the diffusion of a responsible and professional attitude to the community, the environment and customers; the compliance of all member companies with a set of regulations to govern after sales procedures and prices that will guarantee high standards of quality and good value for money for each and every customer.

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A. APPIANI AEROEL ANGELI ATOMAT A.W.M. BOBBIO BOXY CARLO SALVI CEA COSTRUZIONI ELETTROMECCANICHE COMAPAC WIRE MACHINERY COMETO CONTINUUS-PROPERZI CORTINOVIS MACHINERY DANIELI & C. OFF. MECC. DELISI EFAF ELMECC-WTS EME ELETTROMECCANICA ERBESE ESSEBI EUROALPHA EUROTEK FEDERICO DICK FROMA GCR EURODRAW

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MEMBERS GHISLANZONI UMBERTO HENKEL ITALIA I.LE.S. KONER KONER DIES LUBRIMETAL M+E MACCHINE + ENGINEERING MARIO DI MAIO MARIO FRIGERIO M.E.P. MONTORFANO MORONI & C. O.C.N. OFFICINE MECCANICA TRINCA OFFICINE MECCANICHE DI LESMO O.M.A. OMAS O.M.C. O.M.SA. O.R.I. MARTIN OTOMEC PRAXAIR SURFACE TECNOLOGIES PROMOSTAR PS COSTRUZIONI MECCANICHE REDIES RIGON INSTRUMENTS

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RTP PAGANONI SACMA LIMBIATE SAMP SAS ENGINEERING & PLANNING SCHNELL SIB SICME ITALIA IMPIANTI SICTRA SIF SIMPLEX RAPID S.M.E.I. TEAM MECCANICA TECNOFIL TECNO IMPIANTI TECNOSIDER TECNOVO TEKNODIAM TENOVA T.L.M. TRAFCO TRAMEV VAN DIES VIDA VITARI WELDING WIRE MACHINERIES W.T.M.

Corso Italia, 45 • I 20122 Milano • Italy • www.acimaf.com

JANUARY 2012 | 9

FEATURED CONCEPTS Telecom cables: Riding on reforms he National Telecom Policy 2011 and the growing demand for broadband services will help the telecom cable manufacturers to overcome the slump and reach a crest once again.

T

Sibal

Agarwal

For a couple of years India’s telecom industry has been looked upon as a sunrise sector and the analysis had said that there was only one way for the telecom cable sector to go—and that was upward. How is it then, that the recent figures are causing so many such anxiety? The market for telecom cables showed negative growth in FY2010-11 and stood at an estimated Rs 1,181 crore, recording a dip of approximately 26 per cent from Rs 1,587 crore in FY2009-10. According to industry experts, this dip can be attributed to factors such as rising copper prices, installation deficiencies, network connectivity, and competition. Does it mean that the road is going to be uphill from here on? “No,” said Kapil Sibal, Union Minister of Communications and Information, “because the National Telecom Policy (NTP) 2011 will provide a much wider scope for the telecom industry and its associated players.”

Some of the policy objectives include: • Increase in rural teledensity from the current level of around 35 to 60 by the year 2017 and 100 by the year 2020.

• Provision of affordable and reliable broadband on demand by the year 2015 and to achieve 175 million broadband connections by the year 2017 and 600 million by the year 2020 at minimum 2 Mbps download speed and make available higher speeds of at least 100 Mbps on demand.

• Provide high-speed and high-quality broadband access to all village panchayats through optical fibre by the year 2014 and progressively to all villages and habitations.

• Promote indigenous R&D, innovation and manufacturing to serve domestic and foreign markets.

• Promote the domestic production of telecommunication equipment to meet 80 per cent of the Indian telecom sector demand through domestic manufacturing with a value addition of 65 per cent by the year 2020.

Indian villagers will benefit from broadband services.

Market update The telecom cables market had Sterlite, MP Birla Group (including Vindhya Telelinks Ltd. and Birla Ericsson Optical Ltd.), Finolex Cables, and Aksh Optifibre (including Aksh Technologies) constituting a major chunk of the market share. The domestic market was estimated at Rs 625

10 | WIRE BULLETIN

crore and the exports at Rs 435 crore in 2010-11. The optical fibre segment contributed to 75.2 per cent (Rs 470 crore) of the domestic market share; PE insulated jelly-filled cables (PIJF) contributed 9.6 per cent market share (Rs 60 crore); and the balance of 15.2 per cent (Rs 95 crore) came from the CATV segment.

That the future for the telecom cable market appears to be getting brighter can be ascertained from market leader Sterlite Technologies’ results for the quarter ended September 30, 2011. Out of its net revenue of Rs 707 crore, its power business contributed Rs 515 crore while the telecom business revenue amounted to Rs 193 crore.

During Q2 FY12, the company received new orders valued at about Rs 700 crore for its telecom and power products. This includes an order to deploy a central office broadband system for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) across all its circles, valued at about Rs 114 crore.

“Various utilities across the globe are evaluating their respective countries’ transmission networks and have come up with expansion or renewal plans. We believe that there is lot of untapped market potential and we have been continuously striving to increase our penetration in our existing markets and also expand our presence into new ones,” said Pravin Agarwal, Whole-Time Director, Sterlite Technologies Ltd. Meanwhile, the PIJF market saw little procurement with MTNL being the lone buyer this year. MTNL had invited a tender for supply of 2.795 lakh conductor kilometre (lckm) solid polythene insulated, fully-filled, polythene-sheathed U/G telecom cables. The order valued at Rs 22.36 crore included vendors Singla, CMI, Seichem, Finolex Cables, Sterlite and Paramount Cables.

BSNL did not make any procurement this year though it had invited a tender for 50 lckm (in sizes ranging from 10 to 2,000) PIJF cables. The tender was opened in June 2010. Twenty companies bid for the tender, including Finolex, Sudarshan Cables, Delton Cables, UM Cables, Golconda, LK, SPMT, KEC, Paramount Wire, Paramount Communications, Surana, VTL, Birla Ericsson, Sriram, CKM, Polycab, Singla, Sterlite, Himalaya Cables, and Uniflex. Orders though are yet to be placed since the tender, valued at about Rs 450 crore, has been stuck in a court case.

The optical fibre cable segment too was reported to have performed below par. Tenders invited for BSNL, defense requirements and the Indian Navy did not lead to any orders. BSNL had invited a tender for 60,000 km of 24F optical fibre cable. TTL, the lowest bidder, was awarded 18,000 km at the quoted lowest unit price of Rs 27,871 per km. HFCL, Sterlite, and Finolex refused to accept the order at such a low price. As such, counter advance purchase orders were issued to the other bidders viz., Teracom, Paramount, Birla Ericsson, Vindhya Telelinks, and Aksh for 8,400 km each, totalling 42,000 kms, but these, reportedly, were not accepted.

The order for the defense network to be set up by BSNL also has not been closed. A tender was invited for the procurement, supply, trenching, laying, installation, testing, and maintenance of optical fibre cable

HISTORY OF INDIA’S TELECOM SECTOR The Indian telecom sector has evolved from the bygone days of ‘telephone on demand’ to the advent of 3G telephony. Its history begins with the laying down of the first experimental electric telegraph line in Kolkata. In 1881, telephone services were introduced, with exchanges being opened in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Karachi and Ahmedabad. Following independence, all foreign telecommunication companies in India were nationalised to constitute the Posts, Telephone and Telegraph (PTT), and were under government control.

In the early 1980s, the sector underwent its first wave of change. DoT was established in 1985 to provide domestic and long-distance services in India. Further, in 1986, two wholly government-owned companies—Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), which is now known as Tata Communications, and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) were formed. VSNL and MTNL aimed at providing services to international and metropolitan areas, respectively.

The introduction of the New Industrial Policy 1991 initiated the liberalisation process in India. Telecom equipment manufacturing was also de-licensed in 1991, and the NTP was announced in 1994. The formulation of NTP 1994 was followed by the launch of mobile telephony in India in 1995. However, growth in the initial years was very slow due to high mobile handset prices as well as the high tariff structure of service providers.

The introduction of NTP 1999 heralded pro-consumer policies. NTP 1999 enabled the telecom sector to reach an average subscriber growth rate of more than 35 per cent, primarily due to initiatives taken by the regulator and service providers.

The liberalisation of the sector resulted in the need for a regulator, and the TRAI was established in 1997. In January 2000, the Telecommunications Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) was established to take over the adjudicatory and disputes functions from TRAI. In 2002, the Universal Service Support Policy came into effect, providing statutory status to the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) in December 2003. The fund was introduced to provide access to telegraph services to people in rural and remote areas at affordable prices. In May 2003, the calling party pays (CPP) regime was introduced, through which all local incoming calls were made free. During the same year, the Government of India (GoI) introduced the Unified Access Service (UAS) licensing regime, which permitted an access service provider to offer both fixed and/or mobile services under the same license, using any technology. The GoI subsequently issued licenses in November 2003, January 2004, December 2006, March 2007 and January 2008.

The GoI also introduced the Broadband Policy 2004, which recognised the ubiquitous potential of broadband services and their contribution toward the GDP growth and improved quality of life through e-governance, e-commerce, entertainment, education, and medicine, among others. The Broadband Policy 2004 specified targets in terms of subscribers. In 2004, mobile services had outpaced fixed-line services with nearly 45 million mobile subscribers. Further, in February 2004, the DoT issued guidelines for the intra-circle merger of cellular mobile telephone service (CMTS)/UAS licenses.

In November 2005, new UASL guidelines were issued. The licenses were to be issued on continuous basis without any restriction on the number of entrants in a circle and applications were to be processed within 30 days of submission. In February 2008, the DoT approved the sharing of infrastructure among mobile operators. In March 2008, the TRAI abolished the access deficit charge (ADC), which covered the levy paid by mobile operators to the state-run operator, BSNL. ADC was the fee paid by private mobile operators to the state-owned BSNL, which mainly used the proceeds of ADC to develop rural telephony services. In July 2010, telecom towers were accorded ‘infrastructure’ status by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The GoI commenced the auction for 2x5MHz in the 2100MHz band for 3G services in April 2010, which witnessed fierce bidding for spectrum. The bidding process continued for 34 days, reaching the final stage in May 2010. The seven winners were required to pay Rs 509.7 billion to the GoI. Additionally, the amount payable by BSNL and MTNL for 3G services pushed the total auction revenue to Rs 677.2 billion. Following the auction of 3G mobile services, the government concluded the auction of BWA services across India. The bidding process continued for a period of 16 days, raising Rs 385.4 billion in auction revenues. Thus, the GoI raised in excess of Rs 1 trillion from the auction of 3G and BWA services.

Extracted from “Enabling the Next Wave of Telecom Growth in India,” published by FICCI and Ernst & Young.

and accessories for the construction of an exclusive optical NLD backbone and optical access routes on a turnkey basis for the defense network. This is for OFC-based nationwide optical backbone for 414 defense sites and optical gigabit access networks at 219 army sites. The bidders Aster-VTL, L&T-Sterlite, Teracom-Punj Lloyd, KECFinolex, TCIL-Birla Ericsson, ITI-Aksh and TCIL-VTL are hoping that the orders will be finalised soon.

Potential ahead While the government’s ambitious plan to lay a nationwide OFC network to bring the country’s 12,00,000 villages into the

high-speed Internet fold will lead to a rising demand for optical fibre cables, the additional boost is likely to come from the the availability of 3G and BWA services that will offer voice, broadband connectivity, and high-speed data downloading and computing on mobile devices. Further, what is expected to change the telecom environment over the next decade is the deployment of fibre to the home (FTTH) technology. This will be the first major upgrade to the access network since the deployment of cellular infrastructure in the 1980s and 1990s.

“Increasing broadband penetration in India is going to increase the demand for

FEATURED CONCEPTS telecom cables. New 3G license holders will drive the demand and also the new 2G players,” said R. Sridharan, Sr. Vice President, Birla Ericsson Optical Ltd. In a move that could add to the broadband uptake in the country, Indian Railways is planning to roll out 15,000 route km of OFC through the public private partnership (PPP) route. This cable infrastructure will be used to offer broadband services across the country. Additionally, the government is targeting a transmission line length of more than 4.7 lckm and AC substation capacity of more than 7 lakhs MVA by the end of March 2017, as per the XIIth Five Year Plan. The government is keen to encourage investment in the country’s telecom networks and is providing incentives in support of telecom networks in rural areas from its Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) which will lead to exponential growth in demand for OFC in the future.

Yet another element that is expected to take the telecom cable industry forward is the increasing importance and use of e-governance in India. E-governance helps exploit the power of information and communication technology to transform accessibility, quality, and the cost-effectiveness of public services. Since the advent of IT and communication technology, Indian ministries and government departments have been working hard to computerise their operations to make them simpler and increasingly accessible for Indian citizens. Most relevant information about these entities is now available on their websites, making it easily accessible and increasing transparency. For example, significant progress has been made in the computerisation of railway bookings, allocation of the Permanent Account Number (PAN) to income tax payers, processing of passport application, conduct

of public examination and customs clearance, among others.

Challenges & recommendations A report prepared by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Ernst & Young provides an insight into the telecom sector and lays down various recommendations that can help take the industry forward.

“The present challenges include the licensing and spectrum framework, USOF structure, broadband, equipment manufacturing, infrastructure segment, mergers and acquisitions scenario, taxation and aspects of foreign direct investment (FDI). The opportunities around which the National Telecom Policy initiatives need to be designed include financial inclusion, m-commerce and convergence,” said Virat Bhatia, Chairman, FICCI Committee on Communications and Digital Economy.

Some of the major recommendations that had been forwarded for the NTP framework were: • There is a need to have a single universal license for all telecom services.

• There should be a uniform fee structure across all telecom circles.

• Pure Internet service providers should continue to be allowed without payment of any license fees.

• Provide a clear license renewal regime that includes legislation, renewal procedures, reasons for refusal to renew, and appeals to regulatory decisions.

• The USOF should be used for the provision of public telecom and information services, provision of household telephones, creation of infrastructure for provision of mobile services, and induction of new technological developments in the telecom sector.

JELLY-FILLED TELECOM CABLES (JFTCs) • Very widely used in the telecom sector in India.

• JFTCs have been replaced by OFCs worldwide.

• JFTCs used for the subscribers’ loop to connect a subscriber’s terminal to the nearest telephone junction.

• JFTCs come in different pairs, ranging from 10-2,400 pairs.

• Maintenance cost is five times more than that of OFCs. • Fault rate of JFTC - 11 faults/100 lines/month.

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES (OFCs) • Used for networks on the trunk route where high speed and large bandwidth are required.

• More efficient–higher bandwidth, capable of transmitting voice, data text, and graphics.

• OFC lifespan is around 40 years vs. 20-25 years for JFTC. • Average fault rate of OFC is only 2 faults/100 lines/month.

• OFC is more expensive than JFTC. • Highly inefficient where traffic is low.

• Make broadband connectivity mandatory for all buildings to get completion certificate on the lines of water and power connectivity.

• Create content and applications in regional languages to promote rural broadband.

• Set up country-wide hardware manufacturing cluster parks (HMCP) and upgrade localised infrastructure to support large-volume contract manufacturing.

Concerns Some of the key areas that have often worked as stumbling blocks in the growth of the telecom cable industry are:

• Capacity utilisation of domestic players low in spite of growing demand.

• Revenues and margins of most players have been under strain.

• Dependent on government buying.

• Deferred payment schedules.

• Long-drawn tendering process.

• Controversy about order placement.

• Increased competition and price undercutting.

• Cable manufacturers perceive a threat from new technologies such as wireless in local loop (WILL), satellite technology, etc.

• Considerable variations in the number of lines installed by DoT over the last few years.|WB

JANUARY 2012 | 11

GLOBAL NEWS BRAZIL—Prysmian Group, worldwide leader in the industry of high-tech cables and systems for energy and telecommunications, has won a contract to supply Tim Celular S.A. Brasil (a subsidiary of Tim Brasil S.A.) with more than 1,200 km of optical ground wire (OPGW) telecom cables.

CHINA—Shanxi Zhongyang Iron and Steel Co. Ltd. (ZISCO) signed a contract with Siemens VAI Metals Technologies to add a high-speed mini finishing mill to each of its three rod mills. The new mills, which will be located in a suburb of Zhongyang County, Shanxi Province, will almost double the mills’ production speed. Commissioning is expected in late 2012.

CHINA—Leoni, a leading provider of cables and cable systems to the automotive sector and other industries, has opened another production facility in China. The plant will produce wiring systems for the Chinese car market.

CHINA—CommScope, Inc., a global leader in infrastructure solutions for communications networks, was named a 2011 Top 10 Cabling Brand in China by Cabling Team (C-TEAM) for the second consecutive year and received the highest scores of all the vendors judged.

ENGLAND—Tata Steel is investing an additional £ 4.5 million in its South Yorkshire operations to improve plant reliability and energy efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions, and boost production of high-value steel products.

FRANCE—Nexans, a worldwide leading expert in the cable industry, has been awarded two four-year contracts for a total amount of Euro 15 million by RATP (the state-owned operator of Paris’ public transport systems) to supply specialised railway infrastructure cables that deliver the ideal combination of high performance, safety and reliability for projects to maintain, upgrade and expand the city’s metro and tram networks.

12 | WIRE BULLETIN

FRANCE—Nexans has been awarded a Euro 75 million contract by Statoil to design, manufacture, and supply a total of 165 km of static and dynamic power umbilical and power cables, as well as necessary accessories, for the Asgard oil and gas field in the Norwegian Sea.

IRAQ—Wire manufacturing operations across Iraq can access US-quality wiredrawing die technology, now that global wire die production company Fort Wayne Wire Die has expanded its family of independent sales agents and distributors to include Baghdad-based United Al-Junied Co. JAPAN—Nippon Unicar Co. Ltd., a 50/50 joint venture between The Dow Chemical Co. and Tonen Chemical, has received a Core Partner Award from Furukawa Electric. Furukawa is a diversified manufacturer with strengths in wire and cable production, electronics and automotive systems, energy, and industrial products.

REPUBIC OF KAZAKHSTAN—L S Cable & System has successively won power cable supply contracts worth USD 24 million from Samruk Energy, a state-operated power company of Kazakhstan and USD 9.1 million from ANDE of Paraguay.

SAUDI ARABIA—Saudi Cable Co., a supplier of copper cables, has claimed a USD 16.79 million order from Doosan Co., a diversified firm covering construction and engineering among other sectors, and a USD 14.93 million order from Hyundai Engineering.

REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE—President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, launched the USD 25 million West Africa Regional Communication Infrastructure Programme (WARCIP) in Aberdeen. The project will make communication more affordable for all and will become fully operational by July 2012.

SOUTH AFRICA—Leading wire and cable industry experts gave insight into the specific energy growth and future cable requirements of

the South African market at the Borealis and Borouge Wire & Cable Academy in Johannesburg on November 22-23, 2011.

UNITED

KINGDOM—Nexans has been awarded a contract to supply 130 kilometres of URC-1 cable to Emerald Bridge Fibres Ltd. Emerald Bridge is a joint venture between U.K fiber network provider Geo Networks Ltd. and Ireland’s leading telecom provider ESB Telecoms Ltd., to lay the most recent submarine optical fiber between Ireland and the U.K.

UNITED KINGDOM—Batoyle Freedom Group UK secured an exclusive agreement with Ajex & Turner Wire Dies for the sale of Batoyle lubricants in India. Batoyle, which also manufactures lubricants for the nonferrous tube industry, will exhibit at Hall 11, Booth F02, at wire Düsseldorf 2012.

USA—United Copper Industries, a copper wire and cable manufacturer in Denton, Texas, is now under new ownership. KPS Capital Partners LP purchased all of the assets of United Copper, an affiliate of Grupo IUSA, which is based in Mexico.

USA—DuPont has started a USD 500 million Cooper River Kevlar® facility near Charleston, South Carolina. The plant has state-of-the-art technology to allow DuPont to meet the increased customer demand for advanced protective materials in emerging industries around the world by expanding its portfolio of sciencebased innovations and boosting productivity.

Commercial supply will begin by the end of the year.

USA—Atkore International Inc. has reached an agreement to acquire the assets of Razor Wire International, a manufacturing company specialising in razor wire ranging from 18′′ to 60′′ in diameter. The acquisition will strengthen Atkore’s existing barbed tape product portfolio and market presence in the perimeter security market.

USA—Encore Wire plans to build a 2,02,000 sq feet manufacturing plant and hire up to 100 employees. The commercial, residential and industrial building wire manufacturer is developing the USD 25 million build-to-suit plant to expand its aluminum wire product line.

USA—Emcore Corp., a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components and subsystems for the fiber optics and solar power markets, announced that it has ramped up to full-scale production of 56 gigabits per second (Gbps) Fourteen Data Rate (FDR) active optical cables for high-performance computing, Ethernet router and switch applications.

USA—Prysmian Group announced the introduction of a new outside plant fiber cable named LT20 BBXS that offers up to 19 per cent reduction in diameter, up to 30 per cent reduction in weight and comes standard with BendBrightXS bend insensitive fiber.|WB

PRODUCTS, MEDIA, & TECHNOLOGY Tardeo Road, Mumbai - 400 034, Tel.: +91-22-23523757, Fax: +91-22-23524758/ 66627393, E-mail: pvaid@mbwindia.com, or visit: www.mbwindia.com.

Products Beta LaserMike to debut LayScan measurement system Beta LaserMike, a global precision measurement and control solutions provider, will debut its new LayScan measurement system at wire Düsseldorf, Hall 11, Booth A78. The patent-pending LayScan system, which measures the lay length of twisted pairs in telecommunication cables, uses optical, noncontact measurement technology to perform online, high-speed lay length measurements with accuracies to 0.0254 mm (0.001 in.). It provides high data rate capabilities to precisely determine the lay length variations that are typically caused by twinning and cabling operations. These variations can be readily observed, measured, and reported.

The LayScan system measures lay length of twisted pairs.

The company will also showcase its new three-axis LN Detector, a compact scanning system for the precise detection of shortterm faults (lump and neckdowns) in the wire diameter. The system can scan 360 degrees around a product’s circumference to instantly detect surface profile changes. It can measure wires up to 15 mm (.59 in.) in diameter at line speeds up to 3,000 m/min.

(9,842 ft./min.). It can accept a range of inputs including length encoder, tachometer, line start/stop, and clear faults and can be connected to a host PC or PLC using Ethernet IP, Profibus, and Profinet. The system captures and can report on critical process data such as height, length, number, and location of the flaw.

Beta LaserMike will also exhibit the following non-contact measurement and controls solutions: • CenterScan 2010 eccentricity measurement system • AccuScan diameter gauge • LaserSpeed length and speed gauge • High frequency spark tester and preheater systems • BenchMike table-top cut sample measurement system • DataPro process controller and data management system • SRL Pro online structural return loss (SRL) prediction and analysis system.

For further details contact: Jay Luis, Marketing Manager, Beta LaserMike, Tel.: 937-233-9935, E-mail: jay.luis@ betalasermike.com, or visit: www.betalasermike.com.

BWE Ltd. to introduce new continuous extrusion technology BWE’s new SheathEx™ process for sheathing high voltage power cables, which extends the company’s Conform™ and Conklad™ continuous extrusion technology,

LPWG to show springs, ropes, strands at Düsseldorf SheathEx processes sheathing for high voltage power lines. will be shown at wire Düsseldorf, Hall 11, Booth F26. The SheathEx machine extrudes a continuous and seamless aluminium tube from two 12 mm diameter rods around a high voltage cable core.

The company collaborated with high voltage power cable producers in China to develop the product and process specifications for this new technology. Five installations are now in production; the sixth line will be commissioned during the first half of 2012.

The SheathEx machine incorporates a large crosshead to accommodate the large diameter dies required for cable sheathing.

The aluminium sheath is seamless, with no weld line or bead and the twin groove mode of operation ensures that the aluminium sheath is concentric.

BWE’s patented induction heating system provides even temperature distribution around the tooling, which enables stable running conditions and consistent properties in the aluminium tube.

The feedstock material is standard CCR aluminium rod, which is readily available and inexpensive compared with other materials such as flat aluminium sheets.

The sheathing technology involves a process in which the cable core passes continuously through the crosshead. A cooled insertion tube protects the cable core on entry to the crosshead, and rapid quench of the aluminium tube immediately after the die, prevents thermal damage to the core.

Downstream from the SheathEx machine the cable sheath is corrugated in-line and coiled onto large drums.

For further details contact: BWE Ltd.–U.K., Beaver Business Park, Ashford, Kent, TN23 7SH, England, Fax: +44 1233 630670, E-mail: mail@bwe.co.uk, or visit: www.bwe.co.uk.

Macro Bars & Wires set to show SS wire products

Macro Bars & Wires (India) Pvt. Ltd. manufactures and exports stainless steel wires to more than 50 countries. Being ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 registered and the highest export award winners from the Government of India, they are known for their superior quality and timely delivery. They are an environment-conscious company that uses renewable energy.

Visitors to wire Düsseldorf, Hall 17, Booth A19, can learn about the company’s products including wires of 0.10-24 mm diameter in AISI 200, 300, 400, duplex series and in all finishes and packaging as per customer requirements. With state-of-the-art machinery from specialised companies in the world, the company offers quality products at competitive prices.

For further details contact: Mr. Parikshit Vaid, 304, Bombay Market Building,

Leggett & Platt Wire Group, a part of the U.S.-based Leggett & Platt, Inc., offers various types and grades of steel and aluminium wire. The company—which will exhibit at wire Düsseldorf, Hall 09, Booth F13-02—will be represented by John Stanaway who is now looking after its interests for wire and wire tying machinery in regions outside of the Americas.

For further details contact: E-mail: john.stanaway2@leggett.com or visit: www.leggettwiregroup.com.

PWM to exhibit cold welders

PWM P1000 hydraulic rod welder provides economical welding of large nonferrous wire rod sections.

British manufacturer PWM will showcase its full range of manual and energy-efficient powered cold welders at wire Düsseldorf, Hall 09 Booth B41. The electro/pneumatic EP500 and the electro/hydraulic P1000 rod welders, are the top of the range, designed for economical welding of large nonferrous rod sections up to 16.00 mm (.630′′) diameter. Quiet, clean and easy to operate, PWM rod welders produce reliable consistent welds stronger than the parent material.

PWM also manufactures the HP100 and HP200—energy-efficient portable cold welders that are powered by air/hydraulic intensifiers and equipped with solid steel welding heads for extra strength. Mounted on trolleys, these machines provide an effortless weld on wire 1.00 mm to 6.50 mm (0.039′′ to 0.256′′) diameter. PWM cold welding equipment is made to high quality standards in the company’s U.K. workshops. Dies are individually hand-made in matched sets, in standard or custom sizes, to suit round or profile wire. PWM can also produce dies to weld two different sizes of wire together for specific applications.

The company’s M10, M25, and M30 manual cold welders are hand-held machines used to quickly repair wire breaks in confined spaces. Comfortable to hold and simple to use, they have capacities from 0.10 mm to 1.80 mm (0.0039′′ to 0.071′′) copper/aluminium. The versatile BM10 and BM30 models, which can be used on a workbench or provided with a trolley, will produce strong, consistent welds on wire sizes 0.10 mm to 1.80 mm (0.0039′′ to 0.071′′) copper/aluminium. The larger M101, a robust, heavy-duty machine, for wire sizes 1.00 mm to 3.60 mm (0.040′′ to 0.141′′) copper and 5.00 mm (0.197′′) EC aluminium, has component parts making it easy to maintain. The M101 is one of the company’s best-selling welders; it can be bench-mounted or supplied with a trolley.

Pneumatic versions of the M101 and the P101 are also available.

For further details contact: Kris Lancaster, Tel.: +44 (0) 1304 366057, E-mail: kris.lancaster@btinternet.com.

India’s Sarvasv offers cable machinery, consultancy

Visitors to wire Düsseldorf, Hall 16, Booth C64, can learn more about Sarvasv’s range of products which include: the automatic batch loading rigid stranding lines (for steel, aluminium and copper), armouring machines, core laying up machines, armouring-cum-laying machines, skip stranders, special planetary and antitorsion machines, extrusion and sheathing lines (for PVC and XLPE), rewinding lines, take-up units, payoff units, caterpillar units, bunching machines, taping solutions for PVC, copper and steel, and a high speed tubular stranding machine for up to 36 wires for wires and ropes.

For further details contact: B-200, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase – 1, New Delhi – 110 020, Tel.: 011-66401582, Fax: 01166401584, E-mail: info@sarvasv.com, or visit: www.sarvasv.com.

Rosendahl offers new SZ stranding technology Rosendahl Maschinen GmbH will present the company’s latest advancements and technology—including the current developments for the production of energy, automotive, communication, and fiber optic cables—at wire Düsseldorf, Hall 09, Booth A60. A special preview will be of its new technology for SZ stranding of power cables. The company offers products and turnkey solutions in the fields of extrusion, SZ stranding, fiber optic cable as well as forming, welding and corrugation.

For further details contact: Schachen 57, 8212 Pischelsdorf, Austria, Tel.: +43 3113 5100-294, Fax: +43 3113 5100-51, or visit: www.rosendahlaustria.com.

Prysmian introduces LT20 BBXS Prysmian Group introduced a new outside plant fiber cable, LT20 BBXS, that offers up to 19 per cent reduction in diameter, up to 30 per cent reduction in weight and comes standard with BendBrightXS bend insensitive fiber. The smaller, lighter, bend tolerant cable allows the customer to save money by using smaller, lighter reels during installation, reducing the duct size and achieving longer blowing distances, installing additional cable in a duct that was previously considered full, reducing loads on poles and strand wire, and allowing the use of smaller hand-holes, closures, and pedestals.

According to a company statement, the LT20 BBXS product line performance meets or exceeds industry standards such as GR20, RUS/RDUP PE90, ITU G.652.D, ITU G.657.A2 and is backwards compatible with existing single-mode fibers and loose tube cables.

For further details visit: www.prysmian.com. continued on p. 14

JANUARY 2012 | 13

PRODUCTS, MEDIA, & TECHNOLOGY Teknor Apex to showcase high performance compounds Teknor Apex Co. will highlight PVC elastomer jacketing compounds for the rapidly growing wind energy industry; PVCTPU blends for industrial cable jacketing; and low-smoke halogen-free flame retardant (LS-HFFR) compounds for insulation and jacketing at wire Düsseldorf, Hall 09, Booth F05-03.

Teknor’s compounds are used in industrial robot cable.

Wind Turbine Cable Compounds: The company offers two high-performance jacketing compounds that withstand the harsh cold, exposure to lubricants, and other challenging conditions encountered by control and power cables within the nacelles high atop wind turbine towers. They include Flexalloy® 9609-80, an 80 Shore A PVC-based elastomer, and Apex® N-56001, a 76 Shore A blend of PVC and nitrile rubber. Both compounds exceed application standards for impact resistance at temperatures down to -40ºC; pass required tests for UV resistance, 60-day oil aging at 75ºC, and flammability performance as specified in UL 1685-FT4; and are rated at 105ºC for maximum continuous operating temperature.

Industrial Cable Compounds: Two jacketing compounds based on blends of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) are designed to resist the aggressive end-use conditions often encountered by industrial cables. Applications recommended for Apex® P-55003 and P-55004 compounds include factory automation networks, industrial robots, and other plant systems requiring data or control cable. The compounds exhibit excellent tensile properties, superior abrasion resistance, resistance to oil and chemicals, and toughness at low temperatures and oxygen indices comparable to those of standard PVC jacketing compounds for industrial cable.

HFFR Compounds: HalGuard® halogenfree compounds are highly flame retardant and generate low smoke, while processing on extruders designed for PVC/PE and exhibiting a good balance of mechanical properties. These products meet requirements for audio and video, control, electronic interconnect, and tray cables, power cords, and copper and optical fiber data cables.

Flame performance ratings range from VW-1 (UL-1581) to FT-4 (UL-1685). Service temperatures range from 75ºC to 105ºC. The Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex Co. supplies the wire and cable industry with RoHS and REACH-compliant, UL-Recognized Apex® flexible and semi-rigid PVC, Fireguard® plenum compounds, Flexalloy® UHMW-PVC elastomers, Halguard® low smoke halogen-free FR compounds, and Vidux®, and Polydux® conductive compounds.

At wire Düsseldorf, Mike Patel, Industry Manager, will represent Teknor Apex and Steffen Müller, Sales and Product Manager, will represent the IMCD Group, the European distributor of Teknor Apex’s PVC compounds.

In related news, the company’s thermoplastic elastomers division plans to offer recyclable elastomers to manufacturers in

14 | WIRE BULLETIN

India with its diversified Sarlink brands of TPEs and TPVs. Sarlink TPVs are suitable for various automotive applications. According to Jan Duyfes, TPE Sales & Marketing, India, the Sarlink TPV elastomers are more resistant to high temperatures and weathering than other TPEs, making them a superior alternative to vinyl and rubber for India’s automotive industries. Since the elastomers are recyclable, they provide increased design flexibility for tough constructions, long-lasting sealing solutions, and reduced production expenses.

For further details contact: Teknor Apex Co., 505 Central Ave., Pawtucket, RI 02861, USA, Tel.: 800-556-3864, E-mail: info@teknorapex.com, or visit: www.teknorapex.com.

Dynalab wire harness testers handle AC/DC voltage Dynalab Test Systems, a manufacturer of wire harness test equipment for the automotive and appliance industries, announced that its NX Hipot wire harness testers are now capable of testing with either AC or DC voltage, extending its prior offering of DC-only testers. According to the company, the new NX Hipot wire harness testers offer the same flexibility, accuracy, and ease of use as Dynalab’s line of low voltage NX Testers, plus the additional capability of high voltage testing for insulation resistance up to 1.5 Gig ohm and dielectric withstand up to 1,500 VDC or 1,000 VAC.

Configurations from 64 to 1024 test points are available. Prices start at USD 3,695 for an NX Hipot wire harness tester equipped with 64 test points. All Dynalab NX Hipot wire harness testers can: print a product label only when the wire harness passes all tests; restrict an operator from altering the test program; identify an operator for data collection or product labeling; verify that the correct bar code label is applied to the wire harness; transfer programs from a computer via a memory card; alert the operator if the wire harness is removed before the test is complete; and connect to a network for program file transfers and data collection.

For further details visit: www.dynalabtesters.com.

Bare copper wires from Duplex Pune-based Duplex Wires offers customised bare copper wires from 0.15 mm to 6 mm diameter.

The company uses different types of drawing machines depending on the size required.

The product specifications are ETP/CC/OFC – 6 mm to 3 mm, 3 mm to 1.6 mm, 1.6 mm to 0.45 mm, and 0.45 mm to 0.15 mm.

The Duplex manufacturing facilities include those for bare copper wire, enamelled copper wire, wiredrawing, and annealing.

Machinery includes a continuous reel-to-reel

wire plating line, an eight-strand dip tinning line complete with payoff to take-up on reels or pales, and a continuous synchronizedwiredrawing-annealing-enamelling plant.

According to a company statement, stringent quality checks are followed to ensure that only the best quality wire is delivered to customers. The company has a full testing laboratory facility for chemical and physical parameters.

For further details contact: Mr. Ishwar R G, Tel.: +91-2117-235271, No. A-3, MIDC, Kurkumbha Tal, Daund District, Pune, Maharashtra - 413 802, India.

bles, quickly and accurately. We believe that not only will this product range be the ideal solution for them but will also have wider global market appeal based on the advanced benefits it offers,” said Adrian Thomas, Spectrum’s Asia-Pacific Sales Manager.

SIKORA introduces X-RAY 6000 SIKORA’s ECOCONTROL 6000 processor system measures wall thickness, eccentricity, outer diameter, and ovality for the accurate production of conductor cable with concentric insulation. The eccentricity measurements are displayed at eight points, allowing the operator to center the extrusion tools and control the wall thickness or the diameter to the nominal value. The values are numerically or graphically displayed as cable cross section.

Depending on the application the X-RAY 6000 device can be installed between two cooling trough sections or after the cooling trough. The device can be used for one- or two-layer insulations.

A constant diameter is achieved by using an X-RAY 6000 as hot measuring head after the extruder and a diameter measuring head after the cooling trough in combination with a control. The HC 2000 hot/cold control module can calculate material shrinkage, a consideration for the control of the diameter or wall thickness.

In addition, customers can use SIKORA devices to test and measure their lines to assure cable quality. Insulation is tested online with a high voltage spark tester to detect and document possible irregularities.

Find SIKORA AG at wire Düsseldorf, Hall 09, Booth A41.

For further details contact: SIKORA AG, Bruchweide 2, 28307 Bremen, Germany, Tel.: +49 421 48900-0, Fax: +49 421 48900-90, E-mail: sales@sikora.net, www.sikora.net.

SIENNA 600.

The SIENNA 800 series, with its stationary tooling plate, offers high-speed scanning optical systems for the stripping and marking of a wide range of wires, cables, and other components. It has a process area up to 120 mm by 120 mm (4.7′′ x 4.7′′), dependent on laser type. The system may also be integrated with a wire handling system for laser strip, measure, and cut-to-length applications.

The 800 range also benefits from the high accuracy PLC control system and colour touch-screen HMI with USB port. It is designed to house three laser types depending on the end application. The typical applications for the SIENNA 800 range include stripping insulation from FLC and FFC cables and the removal of enamel from fine and larger magnet wire.

For further details contact: Ms. Rachael Pugh, International Sales & Marketing Assistant, E-mail: rpugh@spectrumtech.com, Tel.: +44 (0) 1656 678043.

Molex unveils new connector, cabling system Molex introduces its MediSpec Medical Plastic Circular (MPC) Connector and Cable System, which features a proprietary low force helix contact design for a high performance and affordable alternative to typical medical circular connectors.

Spectrum Technologies previews new laser wire strippers Spectrum Technologies PLC previewed two new models within an expanding SIENNA laser wire stripper range at the Productronica exhibition in Munich, Germany in November 2011. The new SIENNA 600 and 800 models are aimed at high volume, high precision electronic manufacturing applications.

The SIENNA 600 series includes a range of free-standing, fixed beam laser systems with a high-speed moving stage offering a strip area of 400 mm by 300 mm (15.75′′ x 11.8′′). Its large process area is well suited to large batch processing or long strip requirements for wires up to 6 mm (0.25′′) outside diameter.

The SIENNA 600 can reach a maximum process speed of 300 mm per second (29.5 in per second) and the PLC control system ensures strip accuracies of +/-0.1 mm. A colour touch screen ensures the equipment is simple to operate. The SIENNA 600 system can be used for standard cable stripping, metallic shield scribing, fine magnet wire stripping as well as to process small micro-coax cables for electronic and medical devices, among other applications.

“The SIENNA 600 series was designed with the needs of our Asia-Pacific customers in mind, who required a system that could process large volumes of micro coaxial ca-

The MPC system offers three standard diameters: small (up to 12 contacts), medium (up to 27 contacts) and large (up to 50 contacts), as well as three keying positions, to address various medical equipment applications. The connector uses medicalgrade plastic housing, which provides a lightweight option that can withstand the required medical sterilisation processes.

Colour-coded bezels allow for simple mating in multi-port applications, preventing mismatching.

The MPC system’s modular insert design positions it for medical applications that use fiber optics, radio frequency, power, fluidic, and air couplings. Molex reports that the MediSpec MPC system is intended to provide OEMs, cable assembly manufacturers, contract manufacturers, and research/development professionals with a cost-effective, commercial-off-the-shelf product designed for the medical market. The system’s reliable electrical interface is suitable for applications requiring multiple insertions. The

PRODUCTS, MEDIA, & TECHNOLOGY MediSpec MPC system is also designed to be easily handled, even with surgical gloves.

The MediSpec MPC connectors are built to AAMI-53 specifications and are compatible with the Molex cable assembly portfolio and other connectivity solutions for medical device manufacturers. The new system works with a range of medical electronic systems including patient monitors, diagnostic equipment, and therapeutic devices. “In today’s healthcare environment, medical equipment manufacturers are being driven to reduce costs while continuing to develop superior products that respond to increasingly complex medical device needs,” said Anthony Kalaijakis, Strategic Medical Market Manager, Molex.

For further details visit: www.molex.com/link/medispecmpc.html.

Fine offers braiders for the medical industry Fine International offers 16 and 24 carrier braiders for wire and cable and the medical industries.

Each machine includes a touch screen control panel with PLC, frequency controlled drive for infinite adjustment of braiding RPM, an automatic lubrication system, braiding wire, tape and broken core detection and alarm display. A tape dispenser is included with each unit. The enclosure is sound-insulated with a safety guard door and provides noise protection below 80dB. The 16 carrier units operate up to 150 RPM; the 24 carrier versions go up to 100 RPM. A complete spare parts kit is included with each unit.

The company also offers the same units with digital pitch control. A 16 carrier fine wire braiding system is available, as is a heavy duty version for stainless steel wire.

Additionally, the company offers horizontal braiding systems in 24, 32, 36 and 48 carrier configurations and maypole-style braiders from 12 to 96 carriers.

Find Fine International at wire Düsseldorf, Hall 09, Booth F22.

For further details contact: Fine International Corp., 106 Apple Street, Suite 116, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724, USA, Tel.: 732-933-0040, Fax: 732-933-4005, E-mail: erikmacs@gmail.com, www.fineinternational.net.

KabelSchlepp offers ‘Cables for Motion’ KabelSchlepp, a member of the Tsubaki Group, manufactures cable and hose carrier chains designed to guide and protect moving wires, cables, and hoses in automation and motion applications. The company supplies cable carriers made of steel/stainless steel, solid plastic or plastic with aluminium stays (hybrid cable carriers), in standard sizes or customized in millimeter units. The spectrum ranges from a few millimeters in small sizes, example: for use on inkjet printers, to huge barrel-heavy chains for oil platforms. These are structured for extreme conditions such as heat-resistant or clean room environments.

With the ‘cables for motion’ range, KabelSchlepp offers a selection of cables which are cost-effective, flexible, and durable. “A key factor for our cables is their tested and proven operational reliability, which meets all the applicable standards and directives. A company press release states that it stores several hundred cables types in its warehouse for worldwide availability.

The structured type selection offers a unique combination of performance features

KabelSchlepp designs ‘cable for motion.’

has alphabetical listings of 3,000 companies, which include contact information, product types and cross-references to advertisements, where applicable. Company profiles include up to 10 product types, which are representative of the more than 1,100 product types covered. Other sections display the list of companies in terms of types of business and geographical location.

including a co-extruded colour identification code which serves as a helpful tool when installing the cables into the carrier.

These are also equipped with UV-resistant black outer jacket for outdoor and indoor applications.

For further details contact: KabelSchlepp India Private Limited, B-14, ITI Ancillary Industrial Estate, Mahadevapura (PO), Bangalore - 560 048. Tel: 080-41158997/ 41158998, E-mail: info@kabelschlepp.in, www.kabelschlepp.de.

Marking and coating machinery on display Medek & Schörner will demonstrate highperformance cable marking machines and fiber optic coating systems in the Austrian Pavilion at wire Düsseldorf, Hall 10, Booth A56-01.

CFU head.

The display will include: • High quality gravure printers (LAN and control cables) for speeds up to 1,200 m/min.; • A water misting unit for pre-cooling hot wire immediately after the extruder; • Embossing meter markers/hot foil sequential meter markers for accurate cable length measurement; • A video system for real-time inspection of fast-running cable printing machines; • A laser marking system for cables; • Ring markers for cable and optical fibers; • Top speed optical fiber processing systems; • Optical fiber colour coding up to 3,000 m/min.; • Tight buffering up to 1,300 m/min.; • Fiber ribbon production with excellent ribbon planarity and up to 1,000 m/min.; and • CFU production of compact fiber units Medek & Schörner offers a wide spectrum of machines for marking cables and coding optical fibers, specifically for power, telecom, and data cables.

For further details contact: Medek & Schörner GmbH, Kuefsteingasse 32, P.O. Box 27, 1142 Vienna, Austria, Tel.: +43-1982 32 04-0, Fax: +43-1-982 72 96, E-mail: m+s@medek.at, www.medek.at.

Media

2012 Wire Journal Reference Guide free to WAI members Updated and published annually, the WJI Reference Guide is an international industry buyer’s guide and a directory of WAI members. A USD 125 value, the guide is offered to WAI members free of charge.

The 400+ page publication lists worldwide wire and cable industry manufacturers and industry suppliers. The main section

“Re-engineering marketing to embrace electronic devices will more effectively and efficiently support and service our customers today and into the future. With more and more business being conducted on the internet through mobile devices, doing business with General Cable will continue to be quick and easy from wherever you are, delivering unlimited content in real time.”

For further detail visit: www.generalcable.com.

Technology Nextrom Oy develops VAD technologies

The 2012 edition includes 117 companies from India.

For further details contact: The Wire Association International, Inc., Tel.: 001203-453-2777, Fax: 001-203-453-8384, www.wirenet.org.

Report covers Asia’s insulated cable and wire market Research and Markets offers the Insulated Cable and Wire–Asia report, which includes analyses of insulated cable and wire markets with in-depth perspective on the current trends and future outlook for of 22 Asian markets. Countries covered include: Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand, and Turkey.

Specific analysis includes: • Overall market value and volume for insulated cable and wire by country (2004-2010); • Market value and volume by type (coaxial cable, electric conductors, ignition wiring sets, insulated winding wire, optical fibers, and cables); • Market forecasts through 2016; and • Country overviews and macroeconomic indicators.

For further detail contact: Laura Wood, E-mail: press@researchandmarkets.com.

Directory highlights India’s wiredrawing manufacturers The Directory of Wire Drawing Manufacturers in India, includes the names and product details of 70 of the country’s wiredrawing manufacturers. Entries are listed in alphabetical order and are also organized by location. The guide costs USD 20, or its equivalent in INR. Copies are available by e-mail request to reports@steelguru.com or by contacting Phalguni Pukhrambam, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Tel.: +91 9871193457.

General Cable catalogs are mobile-device friendly General Cable’s interactive catalogs are now mobile-device friendly and available on its website under the heading ‘catalogs’.

The company says the catalogs are compatible with tablet and smartphone devices equipped with AndroidTM and Apple® operating systems. “It was an easy call. This is where our customers are,” said Lisa Lawson, Vice President of Corporate Communications, General Cable. Lawson added,

Nextrom, a premium supplier of manufacturing technology for optical fiber and fiber optic cables, will present the latest advancements and technology highlights, including the current developments in VAD technologies and high-speed proof testing as well as cable production lines for power and automotive industries at wire Düsseldorf, Hall 09, Booth A60.

Recently Nextrom and DSM Functional Materials—a developer of optical fiber coatings—completed trials demonstrating the latest high-speed draw process technology combined with state-of-the-art optical fiber coatings.

Draw of preform.

According to a company report, the trials that used Nextrom’s OFC 20 technology with DeSolite® Supercoatings demonstrated excellent draw performance and resulting fiber performance at all speeds tested, including at 2,500 meters per minute—50 per cent faster than the average production speeds used globally in the industry.

Fibers drawn had excellent cure levels and consistent geometry, both important parameters indicative of fiber draw quality.

Fibers manufactured in the high-speed trials exhibited excellent microbending performance, dynamic fatigue and strip force results—all key properties inherent to DeSolite® Supercoatings.

“Optical fiber manufacturers are challenged with increasing capacity and efficiency to keep up with market demand while also balancing telecom carriers’ heightened attention on improving both quality and performance,” said Steve Schmid, Global Applications Development Manager for Fiber Optic Materials at DSM. “These trials confirm that advanced DeSolite® Supercoatings combined with leading fiber draw process technology from Nextrom can deliver optimal value for industry demands.”

For further details about the company’s participation at wire Düsseldorf contact: Ensimmäinen Savu, P.O. Box 44, 01511 Vantaa, Finland, E-mail: alain.giraud@nextrom.com, or visit: www.nextrom.com. To learn more about the high-speed draw process, contact: Timo Id, Managing Director, Nextrom Oy. Tel.: +358 40 560 6637, E-mail: Timo.Id@Nextrom.com.|WB

JANUARY 2012 | 15

PRODUCTION TIPS Stages and effects of ferrous wire annealing Annealing is a heat treatment and cooling process in wire manufacturing used to soften or reduce hardness in metals, which improves machinability and facilitates cold working of the material. It is used to obtain a certain microstructure that can help prevent defects in the material, which can ultimately lead to wire breaks.

The annealing treatment involves heating to and maintaining a suitable temperature followed by cooling at an appropriate rate, primarily to soften metallic materials. Intermediate and final annealing operations are critical in controlling drawing and forming characteristics of rod and wire products.

The heat treatment is used to: • Homogenise the metal structure after the rod rolling operation; • Relieve strain hardening brought about by cold working during wiredrawing; • Soften the metal; • Alter physical properties of the metal such as ductility, toughness, tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation; and • Produce a desired microstructure.

Metal softens during annealing as a result of recrystallization in which a new, strainfree grain structure is formed. Recrystallization annealing comprises the following three stages.

Recovery. Recovery is the initial softening of a cold worked metal during annealing.

This softening results from a redistribution of any dislocations into a low energy (polygonised) arrangement. Long-range dislocation interactions are also reduced and the elastic stress decreases. The recovery stage begins at temperatures between 399-510ºC

16 | WIRE BULLETIN

(750-950ºF) during the heating of cold worked carbon steel wire.

Recrystallization. During the recrystallization stage, new grains are formed in a deformed or cold worked microstructure.

Dislocation interactions are significantly reduced in the new grains, which softens the metal and decreases the yield strength. The new grains exhibit dimensions that are approximately equal and formability returns.

Recrystallisation of cold worked grains is a function of both annealing time and temperature, the effects of which are closely related. Recrystallisation temperature for carbon steel is 677ºC (~1250ºF). Increasing the amount of cold work lowers recrystallisation temperature and decreases the resulting grain size.

Grain growth. Grain growth of recrystallised grains occurs at an annealing temperature above the needed temperature for recrystallisation. This softens the metal somewhat and the nonuniform microstructure can negatively influence drawability.

Time and temperature of the annealing operation, as well as the rate of cooling, depend upon the material to be heat-treated and the final metallurgical properties expected.

Temperature also affects the strength of the material during these three processes as shown in Fig. 1.

Full annealing Full annealing involves heating ferrous metals above the critical temperature range to obtain full austenitisation, holding at temperature (±5ºC/±10ºF)—also called soaking, and cooling at a rate not to exceed 42ºC (75ºF) per hour to a temperature of 649ºC (1200ºF). Depending on the surface finish or color, the material may be cooled to either 427ºC (800ºF) or 93ºC (200ºF)

under a protective atmosphere. For example, the inner cover is removed in a bell furnace when the wire has reached the example,

Fig. 1. Effect of temperature during recovery, recrystallization, and grain growth on tensile strength. the inner cover is removed in a bell furnace when the wire has reached the desired lower temperature, and the base is recharged. The final structure of the annealed product will be essentially lamellar pearlite.

In-process annealing This refers to any annealing operation applied for the purpose of restoring ductility for further or subsequent cold work. Inprocess annealing an iron-base alloy is heated to a temperature below or close to the lower critical temperature range (subcritical anneal) and held at temperature (±8ºC/±15ºF) in order to induce the rearrangement of the ferritic structure of the metal. The wire is cooled under a protective atmosphere, however the rate of cooling is not critical in this operation.

Spheroidising This heat treatment process is designed to produce a spheroidal or globular form of carbide in steel. One of three methods can

be used to spheroidise iron-based alloys depending on the type of material and the amount of spheroidising required.

The methods are: • Heat above the upper critical temperature range; hold in a narrow temperature range; fast cool to the lower critical temperature range; hold for a period long enough to form the desired structure; furnace cool for two hours; remove from furnace; and cool under a protective atmosphere to the desired uncovering temperature.

• Heat above the upper critical temperature range; hold in a narrow temperature range; fast cool to 28ºC (50ºF) above lower critical temperature; and slow cool through the lower critical temperature 649ºC (1200ºF) at a cooling rate of 5ºC (10ºF) per hour.

• Heat to or slightly below the lower critical temperature; and hold at that temperature for a time sufficient to produce the correct amount of spheroidisation, usually 8 to 12 hours.

Normalising This treatment is often used as a primary heat treatment for rod and bar stock in the presence of a controlled airflow to remove surface blemishes by forming excessive scale. These blemishes, together with the formed scale, can be removed by pickling.

The treatment involves heating to 28ºC (50ºF) above the upper critical temperature range, holding in a temperature range of ±10ºC (±20ºF), and cooling in air or protective atmosphere as rapidly as possible.

See the “Ask the Expert” column on page 17 for additional annealing terminology.|WB Reference Source: Ferrous Wire Handbook available at www.wirenet.org/waistore/index.cfm.

ASK THE EXPERT ASK THE EXPERT

continued from p. 1

Q: What are the differences in the various types of wire annealing processes?

A: The choice of an annealing process

depends greatly on the material and on the desired results of wire surface finish, microstructure, drawing and forming characteristics, and other physical properties such as ductility, tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation.

The following glossary of annealing terms may help: Aluminium Wire Annealing—Annealing temperatures for aluminium and its alloys typically range from 350-450°C (662-842°F), depending on the quality. In the case of pure aluminium and some aluminium alloys, it is possible to partially anneal fully hard drawn material to achieve intermediate tempers.

Black Annealing—Annealing in which no special precautions are taken to ensure the product is free from scale or discoloration.

Box Annealing—Annealing of a metal or alloy in a sealed container under conditions that minimise oxidation. For ferrous alloys, the charge is heated slowly to a temperature usually below the transformation range, but sometimes within or above it, and then is cooled slowly. This process is sometimes referred to as “close annealing” or “pot annealing.”

Bright Annealing—Annealing in a protective atmosphere, usually with reducing gases, to prevent surface discoloration.

Copper Wire Annealing—Annealing temperatures for copper and its alloys typically range from 250-650°C (482-1202°F).

It oxidises rapidly and must be protected during industrial annealing operations unless an oxide scale is desired. Annealing copper in a non-oxidising atmosphere is suitable for copper wire in coils or on bobbins, but cooling after annealing should happen in the complete absence of air to avoid oxidative discoloration.

Finish Annealing—A subcritical annealing treatment applied in cold worked low or medium carbon steel. This treatment lowers residual stresses, thereby minimising the risk of distortion in machining while retaining most of the benefits contributed by cold working.

Flame Annealing—Annealing in which the heat is applied directly by a flame.

Full Annealing—Heating to and holding at a temperature above the upper critical temperature (A3) to obtain full austenitisation, followed by either slow cooling or isothermal transformation below the lower critical temperature (A1). Specific structures and properties obtained depend on the composition and starting microstructure of the steel and on the particular time-temperature cycle employed.

• Lower Critical Temperature (A1)—The temperature at which the transformation from ferrite (body-centered cubic iron) to austenite (face-centered cubic iron) begins.

• Upper Critical Temperature (A3)—The temperature at which the transformation from ferrite (body-centered cubic iron) to austenite (face-centered cubic iron) is completed.

Intercritical Annealing—Any annealing treatment that involves heating to and holding at a temperature between the upper (A3) and lower critical (A1) temperatures to obtain partial austenitisation, followed by either slow cooling or holding at a temperature below the lower critical temperature.

Intermediate Annealing—Annealing of wrought metals or alloys at one or more stages during manufacture and before final treatment.

Isothermal Annealing—Complete or partial austenitisation of a ferrous alloy, followed by cooling to and holding at a temperature at which austenite transforms to a relatively soft ferrite + iron carbide aggregate (pearlite).

Loop Processing Annealing—Wire or rod coiled into overlapping loops on a conveyor which runs through the furnace making it possible to use a much shorter furnace than in strand processing.

Process (or “in-process”) Annealing—Any annealing operation applied to restore ductility for further or subsequent cold work. The term usually refers to a subcritical treatment.

Recovery Annealing—A subcritical annealing operation that provides relief of residual stresses and some softening or recovery of ductility in cold worked steel. Temperatures used are below those that would promote formation of new grains through recrystallisation, and the degree of softening that occurs is less than that obtained by recrystallisation annealing.

Strand Annealing—Passing of wire in single strand form through a furnace.

Stress Relieving Annealing—An annealing treatment specifically for the purpose of reducing stresses in heat-treated or cold worked steels. The temperatures employed in most stress relief treatments are below those necessary for complete recrystallisation.

Subcritical Annealing—Heating to maintain a temperature below the lower critical temperature (A1), followed by cooling at a suitable rate. After drawing, wire is given a sub-critical anneal in either a furnace or salt bath, which conditions the material so it can receive further drawing. Subcritical annealing is used to restore ductility between cold forming or wiredrawing operations, which is often referred to as “process annealing.”

Reference Source: The Book of Wire & Cable Terms available at www.wirenet.org/waistore/index.cfm.

One book.

5,000 answers to wire and cable questions.

Recrystallisation Annealing—Annealing of a cold worked metal or alloy to produce a new grain structure without a phase change.

Salt Bath Annealing—Annealing metal wire by immersion in a molten salt mixture at temperatures up to 700°C (1292°F). Annealing is uniform and the adhering salt film protects the coils against scaling when they are removed from the bath.

Spheroidise Annealing (or spheroidising)— Any annealing treatment designed specifically to produce a spherical or globular form of iron carbide in the steel.

Order your copy online today at:

www.wirenet.org/waistore/index.cfm

JANUARY 2012 | 17

TECHNICAL ARTICLE The reality of crimp force monitoring Crimp force monitors (CFMs) are typically well worth the investment as a useful tool for quality verification. They can help save considerable amounts of time and money in terms of applicator tooling and material scrap.

By Rob Boyd

When properly used CFMs can be a tremendous asset on any production floor.

CFMs have come a long way in the past 15 years in terms of accuracy and ease of use, but many users become frustrated because of a lack of understanding.

Some CFM units are user-friendly yet this tends to make the devices less flexible.

In contrast, units that provide more control to the user for a greater range of applications are inherently more complicated to operate.

Many believe that CFMs will eliminate quality problems and that a CFM can be used on any press.

This article covers basic concepts for novice users of CFMs or those are thinking about implementing them as a part of a quality regimen.

CFMs are more commonly implemented on automatic rather than on bench-top machines because of the rate of termination and the inability for immediate inspection after the crimp. The primary concern is for those who want to implement CFMs on automatic cut, strip, and terminate machines.

However, the same principles apply to bench-top applications.

Input for the article was gathered from leaders in the field of crimp force monitoring including Schleuniger Inc., Komax USA, OES, SLE USA, and KMF Messtechnik GmbH. The following questions shed light on the topic: Do most customers understand how CFMs really work?

Most customers understand the basic settings and functions but not how they really work. Many customers believe that CFMs will solve quality issues regardless of their process or equipment.

What is the most difficult concept to convey to customers?

CFMs look at ‘process variation’ and there are many variables in the process. Different applications may require different CFM parameters. Interpretation of the CFM feedback (i.e., curves) can be challenging.

What are the biggest problems with CFMs? Most problems relate to the quality of the materials and applicators, the set-up of the applications, and the maintenance of the machines and applicators. The customers’ lack of knowledge is also problematic.

What critical factors ensure a successful CFM application?

The wire and terminal combination, and subsequently the headroom, have to be correct. The applicators have to be in good condition and the materials have to be of good quality. Lastly, there must someone who will take the time to fully understand how to best use CFMs.

Basic construction All CFMs share basic design features: a load cell that measures force, a triggering device to start the CFM; and a control unit that performs the analysis.

Force sensors Numerous types of sensors exist for use either on the press frame, in the press ram or in the base plate. They all register the

18 | WIRE BULLETIN

forces that occur during the crimp. Some are better than others but the type and location will be determined by the manufacturer preference, the application or the price.

Frame sensors are common because they are less expensive, much easier to install on a press, and are well suited for most applications. Because they are mounted on the frame, they see the force indirectly through the deflection of the press and are not as sensitive as ring sensors.

Method of use CFM implementation is basically the same on bench-top or automatic machines.

1. Set up the application The first step is to verify all specifications (i.e., crimp height, bell mouth, brush, etc.) before proceeding, otherwise changes to the crimp after the learn process often results in scrap because the CFM sees a different crimp curve and assumes it is bad.

Therefore, ensure the application is perfect before beginning the ‘Teach-In’ step.

2. Teach what is ‘good’

Fig. 1. Frame sensor.

For more sensitive applications, ring sensors can be placed in either the ram or the base plate, which is in the direct line of the force. Ring sensors are more costly and they require custom parts.

Typically, frame sensors are not sensitive enough when working with very small wires and terminals so a ring sensor is required.

Before the CFM can begin to evaluate anything, it needs to know what it is looking for. The user must ‘teach’ the CFM what is good. Typically, teaching a CFM takes between one and six crimps regardless of manufacturer. These parts may be considered good or scrap depending on the customer’s production practices. It is important to check these parts to verify that they are all good pieces, otherwise CFM data may be faulty.

If the operator runs the process with a crimp height that is too high and then verifies that these are correct, the CFM will look for, and accept, parts with high crimp heights and it may reject parts with proper crimp heights. It is similar to a computer in that poor data input results in poor output. If the learn process is successful, the CFM generates the reference crimp curve to which the CFM will compare all subsequent crimps. Each subsequent crimp is analyzed in shape and amplitude to determine if it passes or fails according to the tolerance parameters.

3. Tolerance parameters Fig. 2. Ring sensor in base.

To illustrate CFM sensitivity consider two wires that are identical except for the colour.

When the opposite colour is crimped in the terminal, the CFM sees it as a bad crimp because the force signature is different.

Triggering device A triggering device is required to tell the CFM when to start and stop analysing the force signal. Types include proximity switches and light barriers mounted on the body of the press and encoders connected to the press shaft. Encoders are usually the most reliable and accurate; they are also the most expensive.

Tolerance parameters are the most complicated part about CFMs. If they are set too low the good parts may be identified as bad crimps and the machine will stop often, frustrating operators and wasting time and materials. If they are set too high, bad crimps may pass as good, frustrating customers, which can be much worse than additional scrap. Sometimes a default set of parameters can be used but not all applications are equalivalent. Figs. 3 and 4 show crimp curves for a 26AWG and a 16AWG application, respectively. Although the basic shapes are similar many differences exist in both timing and amplitude.

Electronics The signals from the sensors and triggers are fed into the electronics and combined in the control unit to create a force-angle or a force-time curve consisting of a few hundred data points along the curve. Complex algorithms analyse the curve for shape and amplitude of each point on the curve and compare it to a known, good reference curve. Different manufacturers use different algorithms but all have a series of parameters that must be entered by the user.

In some applications, knowing what parameters to use can be tricky.

Fig. 4. 16AWG application.

Plus/minus tolerances: areas & shape. To analyse the curves look at the area under the curve and the shape of the curve. Both are usually monitored because one parameter might be within tolerance while the other is not. Typical tolerances are ± 4 per cent.

Area of analysis. Typically, only part of the curve is used for the true analysis because some applications will introduce ‘noise’ into the curve that is not critical to the quality of the crimp. Noise can be introduced by a ram that does not slide smoothly, worn tooling, or inconsistent feed or inconsistent bell-mouth position. These issues might not be perceptible at the resulting crimp, but the CFM will detect variation.

Either the CFM algorithms or a ‘filter’ might be used to isolate what portion of the curve is used. Fig 4. shows an example of the small peak that occurs in the beginning of the curve. This occurs when the tooling making the initial contact with the terminal and begins to bend the crimp wings over.

Once they start to bend, the force drops.

However, the real part of the crimp has not even begun to occur yet and so this part of the crimp is not critical. Also, there is usually much more variation in this part of the curve. The example shown is an odd case but it might occur. Therefore, a filter might be used to eliminate this portion of the crimp from the analysis.

Force curve zones. Sometimes it is necessary to analyse different ‘zones’ of the crimp to catch finer defects. Typically, in order to use these zones effectively, the rest of the process has to be very stable. However, each zone will have its own tolerance parameters.

Choosing parameters. Choosing the optimal parameters for an applications and work environment will lead to content operators and happy customers. Given that the materials and tooling are consistent and in good condition, a standard set of parameters can be used for most applications. It is only for problematic applications when the user needs experiment with tolerance parameters. Regardless, the user should thoroughly understand how the CFM is analysing the curve and what factors need to be considered.

4. Run production

Fig. 3. 26AWG application.

Once the teach-in process has been completed and tolerance parameters are chosen, the production can be run. All subsequent crimps will be compared to the reference curve with the tolerance parameters chosen. continued on p. 20

JANUARY 2012 | 19

TECHNICAL ARTICLE The complete system Before any CFM system can be used each factor in the process has to be stable. When there is a challenging situation involving a CFM, most will only consider the wire, the terminal and the resulting crimp. The crimp might appear to be fine but the CFM has identified it as defective. Many quality metrics (i.e., crimp height, crimp width, brush length, etc.) involve only one parameter.

The user also needs to consider the terminals, the wire, the head room of the application, the applicator, the press and the operator or machine, and the tolerance parameters of the CFM. Each variable can affect the crimp curve and all affect the forces detected by the CFM. Unfortunately, the CFM cannot isolate specific variables to analyse; it sees them all as a whole. Therefore, the entire system must yield consistent forces for the CFM to work properly.

Materials: wire & terminals At some point paying less for the materials may cost more on the production floor.

Material quality must be consistent.

Terminals. Many factors contribute to terminal quality. For instance, variations in material stock thickness will cause a variation that the CFMs might detect. Variations in material stock thickness are to be expected and are usually not the main culprit.

However these variations, if extreme, will adversely affect the results of the CFM. Well maintained terminals result in more consistent forces.

Positioning of the terminals matters as does the terminal material, which may contribute to how much variation the CFM sees. Gold contacts typically show more variation than the same contact in another material because softer materials exhibit greater variation in forces. For the same reason CFMs cannot be used on most applications involving pre-insulated terminals because the soft plastic insulation exhibits too much variation.

Using oil on contacts can introduce another variable. Although oil doesn’t cause too many problems when production is running at a normal pace, operators might experience a higher error rate immediately after returning from a break, because the oil on the terminals between the anvil and the oiler has dried slightly, changing the forces.

Improper care of terminals on the spools is another potential problem. The way terminals are stored on the spool affect the way in terminals are presented to the applicator. If the terminals enter the applicator at odd angles, the crimp forces can be affected, introducing variations.

Wire. Non-concentric wire will lead to stripping issues. Also, some insulation materials will adhere to the strands and cause stripping problems. If the insulation concentricity or adhesion is not consistent, a problem may be even harder to isolate.

However, the CFM can detect variations in the force curve when strands have been nicked or cut more easily than can be done with the naked eye. The number of strands in a wire also points to the question of whether the CFM can detect one strand out or not. One strand in a seven-strand wire will have a much larger impact on the force of a crimp than one strand of a 41-strand wire. So, if the CFM can see one strand out of a seven-strand wire, two or three strands may need to be out for a 41-strand wire.

20 | WIRE BULLETIN

Wire & terminal combination It is harder to monitor a 24AWG wire crimped into a terminal that is rated for 24AWG to 20AWG, than it is to monitor the same wire crimped into a similar terminal rated for 24AWG to 28AWG. However, when the wire is small in relation to the terminal wire, placement is critical. The operator may only see that the terminal is crimped on the end of the wire, but the CFM identifies significantly different forces.

Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional pictures of two consecutive crimps in which the wire is undersized for the terminal. There is more consistency in the crimp in Fig. 5 than in Fig. 6. The wire strands end up in different areas of the crimped terminal which may result in different forces. This is a case where it might be difficult to use a CFM. Traditional CFMs are most effective for applications of 24AWG and larger. Smaller applications can be difficult.

The smaller the application the more important it is to have a good head room and an applicator that is in good condition.

Fig. 5.

applications have a head room of 8 per cent or 10 per cent. These applications are difficult to work with because the majority of force is used to crimp the terminal.

Fig. 8. Peak force of the crimp.

Applicators An applicator that is in poor condition can vary the CFM results. A test used two different applicators for the same wire and terminal on the same automatic machine.

The wire was a 16AWG bare copper and the terminal was a rear-feed, brass quickdisconnect. The crimp heights and widths were identical and the resulting crimps from the two applicators were very similar.

However, the older applicator yielded a Cpk value of 0.65 and the newer applicator yielded a Cpk of 1.20. Although both values were not good, a clear diffference exists considering the same wire and terminals were used.

Figs. 9-10 and Figs. 11-12 show the crimp results from the new applicator and the older applicator, respectively. The CFM will be able to detect more of what is happening in the crimp itself because the applicator is not introducing additional variation. Although the crimp may look fine from the outside, the CFM can see defects because the forces vary.

The biggest contributors to this problem are applicator age and lack of proper maintenance. Over time, applicators wear out.

Sometimes an applicator has to ‘settle’ after an adjustment or after new tooling has been installed. After the teach-in process, the forces may continue to drop. Therefore, the CFM quickly starts to register bad parts when they seem good. The reason is that the applicator needed to settle in to the new adjustment. Once it settles in the force measurements will be consistent but it can be frustrating to operators.

CFMs can also help protect your applicator investment. Sometimes it doesn’t take many missed crimps to crack a die or anvil.

The first missed crimp that gets stuck in the die will not affect the tooling. However, on automatic machines without CFMs one missed crimp can quickly become five or six.

CFMs detect these significant variations in force and might stop the machine before any tooling is damaged. Depending on the circumstances CFMs might quickly pay for themselves in tooling cost savings. Regular maintenance of applicators is suggested as is an overall consideration of the age and quality of the tooling. This is especially true if purchasing a new piece of automatic equipment.

Presses CFMs must be used with presses that are rigid and have consistent speed and shut height. Many presses that are older than 10 years are not rigid enough for use with a CFM.

Operator/machine In both cases, the key is wire placement.

Inconsistent wire placement can cause problems with force curves in some applications. This is especially true of the depth of insertion. Novice operators or machines in poor condition may have issues with wire position.

Conclusion Fig. 6.

Head room The head room of a crimp is the difference in crimping forces when the wire is present and when the wire is not present.

This concept helps determine if the CFM can detect one strand out. Fig. 7 shows an approximate 47 per cent difference in force in a 16AWG wire application with and without the wire . Therefore, each strand of a seven-strand wire is will contribute about 6.7 per cent of the force.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

CFMs can save you considerable amounts of money in tooling and scrap costs. They might also allow you to use lower skilled labour on certain applications. CFMs will help you better understand the process and might even identify some problem areas.

This might be seen as either a pro or a con depending on the situation. Because the CFMs look at the complete system, using them might require you to improve quality in other areas like applicator maintenance or material quality. Quality monitoring is always seen as a positive.

Make sure that your equipment is wellmaintained and that you are getting consistent quality from your materials.|WB

Biographical information

Fig. 7. The difference in force with and without wire.

In Fig. 8, the peak force of the curve drops by only 26 per cent and so the effect of the wire on the overall force of the crimp is not nearly as much. In this case, each strand of a seven-strand wire will affect the force by roughly 3.7 per cent—only 1.4 per cent for a 19-strand wire. It is easy to see that using the same tolerances of ± 4 per cent, the CFM will probably not detect a crimp with one strand out as a defect. Some

Fig. 11.

Boyd

Fig. 12.

Rob Boyd is the CST Product Manager for Schleuniger GmbH, Radevormwald, Germany. He has worked with many crimp monitors, written numerous articles, and given many presentations on crimp quality assurance.

ECONOMIC NEWS SIDBI & NSE to set up SME exchange The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) is working with the National Stock Exchange (NSE) to set up a separate exchange for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which will be launched shortly. “It will be a separate exchange within the NSE. It is likely to be operational in this financial year...may be another two months or three,” SIDBI Chairman and Managing Director S. Muhnot told the media. The SMEs would be able to raise equity from the market through the exchange and develop their business, he added. “The international venture funds, which are not coming to the MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprises) sector today, will also come in the sector,” he added.

High interest rate hurting growth The Reserve Bank of India said the country’s growth rate is likely to moderate to 7.57.6 per cent this fiscal. “Since we had 7.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2011-12, we should expect the average for the remaining part of the year to be 7.5-7.6 per cent. This is partly because we have been raising interest rates,” RBI Deputy Governor Subir Gokarn said. The economy, he added, has been slowing down since the last (January-March) quarter of 2010-11 when it recorded a growth rate of 7.8 per cent. The slowdown in the economy impacted the country’s overall investment scenario. Slowing investments were reflected in the index of industrial production (IIP), which dipped to a two-year low of 1.9 per cent. In the first half of the fiscal, IIP grew by 5 per cent, lower than 8.2 per cent growth in the corresponding period last fiscal.

National manufacturing policy approved SMEs will now get access to international funds.

Muhnot said SIDBI has been working to get the companies into the exchange. “We will create funds for the market makers. We will also launch a Nominated Investors Liquidity Fund of about Rs 60 crore this year which will help these market makers,” he informed. He said the second fund will be the India Opportunities Fund of Rs 500 crore. “A third fund is under discussion. It may be of another Rs 300 crore,” he said.

The target is to have at least 10 to 15 companies in a year on this exchange. On whether SIDBI will launch a separate subsidiary for capital market operation, he said: “Right now we are working on the capital market through our own division...and ultimately it will be a subsidiary.”

The Union Cabinet has given its nod to the National Manufacturing Policy that aims to create 100 million additional jobs by 2025 and develop mega industrial zones with world-class infrastructure facilities and flexible labour and environment regulations. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved the policy that also aims to increase the share of manufacturing in the economy to 25 per cent from the current around 16 per cent. According to the policy, the government would help establish national manufacturing investment zones with world-class infrastructure and investment-friendly regulations to boost manufacturing activities.

“China has done it, Germany has done it, Japan has done it and now India has decided to do it,” Commerce and Industry Minister

Singh Anand Sharma told reporters after the cabinet meeting in New Delhi. “No subsidy is proposed for individual units or areas. The basic thrust is to provide an enabling environment for tapping the potential of the private sector and the entrepreneurial skills of the younger population,” he added. The policy envisages specific interventions broadly in the areas of industrial infrastructure development and improvement of the business environment through rationalisation and simplification of business regulations. Besides, development of appropriate technologies, especially green technologies for sustainable development, and skill development of the younger population are envisaged.

India initiates free trade in SAARC In a major trade liberalisation move, India announced the reduction of the ‘sensitive list’ for least developed countries under the South Asian Free Trade Area Agreement (SAFTA) from the existing 480 tariff lines to 25 tariff lines. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his address at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, said India will give zero basic customs duty access to all items removed from the list immediately.

Europe crisis hits Indian exports The Eurozone crisis has begun biting Indian exports which grew year-on-year by 10.8 per cent to USD 19.9 billion in October, the lowest in the last two years. Being pushed

by expensive crude oils and vegetable oils, imports grew at a faster rate of 21.7 per cent to USD 39.5 billion, leaving a trade deficit of USD 19.6 billion – the highest ever in any month in the last four years. From a peak of 82 per cent in July, export growth slipped to 44.25 per cent in August, 36.36 per cent in September and 10.8 per cent in October. “In any sector, it is the lowest in the last three months and the deceleration is uniform,” Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar said.

But, for the cumulative April-October period, exports aggregated to USD 179.8 billion, showing a handsome growth of 46 per cent, thanks to a sterling trend witnessed in the previous months of the current fiscal.

“The picture is not going to be rosy for the next six months,” he said. Steady rise of 31 per cent in imports for the seven-month period to USD 273.5 billion has left the trade gap widening to USD 93.7 billion. “The balance of trade is something to be very worried about because at this rate it is going to breach the USD 150 billion mark for 2011-12,” Khullar said.

The sectors which depend heavily on the European markets have been hit hard. Electronic goods, many of which go to Europe, have shown a deceleration of 18 per cent in October. The export growth has been the lowest since October 2009 when it contracted by 6.6 per cent. During October, several exporting sectors registered a decline in growth. Engineering and petroleum exports grew by only 2.6 per cent and 9.4 per cent to USD 4.4 billion and USD 9.4 billion, respectively.|WB

JANUARY 2012 | 21

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Nagesh

Raja

Nagesh to head Sampsistemi’s India Office In its pursuit of expanding its local reach in the Indian region, Sampsistemi has announced the opening of a new branch office in Bangalore and the appointment of S.V. Nagesh as the director of SAMP India Pvt Ltd. “We have witnessed continued growth in India during the past years. This new office will act as the dedicated local partner for our Indian customers,” said Artemio Affaticati, CEO of the SAMP Group. “Our employees in Bangalore are able to understand the complexity and the specific characteristics of the Indian market in a way that only locals can. Opening a local office emphasises our long-term commitment to the growing Indian market,” he said.

Nagesh will lead the office initiatives and day-to-day operations of the new branch.

“India requires sophisticated wire and cable manufacturing technologies, and SAMP is committed to working together with Indian customers to deliver our best solutions for their operations,” Nagesh said.

Nagesh has 32 years of experience in India, Germany, the U.K., France, and the U.S.A. After graduating in electrical and electronic engineering, Nagesh has worked in all the phases of wire and cable manufacturing including planning, production, marketing and sales, product development, and design.

Gupte

Leong

Before joining SAMP, Nagesh was Executive Vice President (Manufacturing & Technical Support) at Lapp India Pvt. Ltd. and therefore has all the necessary competences to assist customers with the daily and strategic challenges they face. Contact S.V. Nagesh at: SAMP India Cable Machines, No. 23, 5th Cross, Chunchanagatta Road, Yelachenahalli, Parallel to Kanakapura Road, Doddakallasandra Post, Bangalore – 560 062, E-mail: sv.nagesh@sampsistemi.com.

Raja to lead TE Connectivity India TE Connectivity announced the appointment of V. Raja as president of TE Connectivity, India, effective October 7, 2011.

According to a press release, Raja will continue to build the company’s team and operations in India and serve as TE’s executive leader with the government officials and customers in India. He will report to Joe Donahue, TE’s executive vice president and chief operating officer.

“We are pleased to have someone with Raja’s experience and capabilities joining TE,” said Donahue. “He is an accomplished executive, and has a proven record of achieving market growth in India and in the region. His ability to build cohesive teams working across regions and business units is an important element as we expand our energy, automotive and network infrastructure businesses in India,” he added.

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Huber

Lichtscheidl

Prior to joining TE, Raja was president and CEO of GE Healthcare, India. Raja joined GE in 1997 and held a number of positions across GE India. He has more than 31 years of experience working in multinational organizations. Raja was born in Kolkata. He is a qualified chartered accountant and company secretary.

TE Connectivity is a global USD 12.1 billion company that designs and manufactures more 5,00,000 products that connect and protect the flow of power and data inside various products used in virtually every industry such as consumer electronics, energy, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and communication networks.

Gupte joins Metalube team in India Metalube has appointed Amit Gupte as its national sales manager in its recently opened Mumbai office as part of the company’s ongoing international expansion plan.

Gupte, who was previously with Savita Oil Technologies Ltd., has 14 years experience within the lubricants industry. He will work closely with the company’s new distributors Wirex Dies and Steel India Pvt. Ltd., responsible for India’s northern and eastern region and Walson Industrial Supplies Pvt. Ltd. for the western and southern region.

Metalube exports wire and tube drawing lubricants to more than 70 countries worldwide; it has an operating business in Shanghai. China. The company has undergone significant changes in the last few months, with a recent management buy-in and introducing three new directors into the business.

The new team has both commercial and technical experience within the lubricants industry. Company founder David Lee, who will continue as the managing director, said, “We have big ambitions for Metalube and the opening of our office in India is just the beginning. The Indian operation currently offers marketing and technical services along with a product testing laboratory but we have plans to also manufacture lubricants from the Mumbai site. Our aim is to continue to provide the best possible products and services but to also expand our range and grow our client base worldwide.”

The company works with wire, cabling, and tubing manufacturers across the world.

The headquarters are in Manchester, U.K., where the site incorporates offices with warehousing, laboratories and manufacturing facilities. Contact Amit Gupte on +91 9820541993, Neeraj Garg, Director, Wirex on +91 9810878510 and Dharmesh Jariwala, Director, Walson on +91 9824147654.

Teknor Apex Asia Pacific hires Leong Teknor Apex Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. has appointed James Leong as senior marketing executive for vinyl, the company recently announced. Leong will be responsible for marketing a full range of flexible and rigid compounds, which are widely used in automotive, medical, packaging, wire and cable, and other applications, as well as Apex® compounds duplicating vinyl formulations developed by Teknor Apex in the United States. His responsibilities will extend to the

Descovich entire region served by Teknor Apex Asia Pacific, from Oceania through Asia and the Middle East.

“James brings 10 years of experience as a successful manager of polymer product sales,” said Mr. Raja, senior marketing manager for vinyl at Teknor Apex Asia Pacific.

“He will play a key role in building awareness of the Teknor Apex brand throughout the vast region served by our company.”

Prior to joining Teknor Apex, Leong held management positions in sales and business development. He holds a B.Sc. degree from the University of Wales in the U.K. He is fluent in Chinese and English.

Pallmann Group appoints new CFO Bernd Huber has been appointed CFO of Pallmann Group, effective October 1. Pallmann is the world’s largest specialist manufacturer of machines for materials size reduction and processing technology. According to a company release, “Huber is ideally qualified for this position because of his long business management experience in the machine construction sector, as well as working for associated automotive suppliers and also in the consumer goods industry.” His professional career has included 10 years as CFO and later as CEO of a medium-sized automotive supplier company which developed and manufactured automotive powertrain parts and modules for European car manufacturers.

Huber’s work also embraced the company’s other area of expertise, mainly the development, manufacture and international distribution of hydraulic parts for machine construction. Most recently, he has been Head Group Controller for a global automotive supplier company, where his focus was on the manufacture at all the 13 plants, with responsibility for the distribution/development and joint ventures for market development.

Founded in 1903 as an engineering works, Pallmann is a medium-sized familyowned enterprise that has a history covering seven generations of millers and millwrights. Now a global company, the Pallmann Group has specialized in size reduction and processing technology in various sectors. It numbers more than 1,000 machine types in what is the world’s largest range of size reduction equipment for all materials ranging from soft to mediumhard, brittle to tough, as well as fibrous products. To find out more about The Pallmann Group visit www.pallmann.eu.

Next Gen at Medek & Schörner Manuel Lichtscheidl recently joined Medek & Schörner, a company that is led by a thirdgeneration management team. He is son of managing director Werner Lichtscheidl. His initial duties will be to reinforce the organization’s research and development team.

Most recently he held a successful position with one of the world’s market leaders in the field of mechanical engineering.

Lichtscheidl joins Rudolf Descovich, son of principal Kurt Descovich, who has already worked effectively for the company for many years. The duo will maintain tradition and determine the future course of this successful company.|WB

JANUARY 2012 | 23

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