Wire Bulletin - Jul 11 by Wire Journal International, Inc.

VOLUME II | ISSUE III | JULY 2011

Rs. 125

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

Interwire show a huge success

ASK THE EXPERT Q: How can we meet our customers’ requirement of a bright annealed surface on brass wires when the bright surface luster becomes black after annealing?

See answer on p. 17

NEWS BITES • The new Companies Bill promises greater shareholder democracy and stricter corporate governance norms and mandatory CSR disclosure.

The Wire Association International (WAI) Inc’s 81st annual convention and its flagship Interwire trade exposition came to a successful conclusion on May 5 after a four-day conference at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where attendance figures surged beyond the Association’s past two Interwire events. The total attendance reached 4,022, up 19 per cent from the 2009 event in Cleveland, Ohio. Attendees came from 53 countries. “Interwire had tremendous support from the wire and cable manufacturing community. More than 750 wire and cable facilities sent representatives—many sent multiple attendees—all with action items to accomplish at Interwire,” said WAI President Dominique Perroud.

An overview of the 2011 show floor. More than 400 companies were represented at the three-day exhibition. Production solution demonstrations, held through the hall, covered topics ranging from surface treatment technology and roll straightening to FEP foaming technology, wiredrawing lubricants, and wire breaks. Interwire will return to Atlanta, April 23-25, 2013.|WB

• Steel Authority of India Ltd. has decided to rope in a strategic partner to spearhead its plan to set up a 3 million tonnes steel plant in Afghanistan.

Volex and Huawei to supply cable assemblies to Indian markets

• India’s real GDP growth is expected to grow by 8.8 per cent in FY12 after having grown a tad faster at 9 per cent in FY11.

Volex Group Plc., a global source for customised electrical and optical interconnect solutions, has been selected by telecom solutions provider Huawei as a local cable assemblies supplier for both Huawei India and Huawei Indonesia.

QUOTABLE QUOTES fundamental belief is growth “is aOur way of life and we have to grow at all times.” ~Mukesh Ambani, CMD, Reliance Industries

Volex has a production facility in Chennai.

Character will guide all our actions and “decisions.” ~Azim Premji, Chairman, Wipro “Innovation and technology should be used to make services and products avail-

According to these contracts Volex will provide cable assemblies to the Indian telecom market via its Chennai manufacturing facility and deliver products through its two

able to consumers at the bottom of the pyramid.” ~Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Group

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 People on the Move........... 22 Ad Showcase..................... 24

Indonesian factories for Huawei’s telecom customers in its South Pacific region. Commenting on the new relationship, Conway Hui, Global VP, Telecoms and Datacoms at Volex, said, “Volex continues to demonstrate its strong relationship with Huawei as its global cable assembly vendor of choice. Volex’s manufacturing capabilities are well-suited to support the needs of Huawei’s customers in these significant markets. Huawei plans to have its Indonesia operation become the major logistics centre for the South Pacific region, in much the same way as Huawei’s Hungary Logistic Centre is for Europe, Russia, and North Africa.” Volex will supply Huawei India and Huawei Indonesia with subscriber, trunk, and power cable assemblies from its continued on p. 5

Lapp Group to invest in Bhopal Lapp Group, a manufacturer and supplier of high flexibility cables, cable accessories, and industrial connectors, announced a Rs 150 crore investment in Bhopal, to develop a manufacturing unit in Pilukedi, Rajgrah district. Spread over 30 acres, the facility will include three building units with an individual manufacturing apparatus in each. Initially the company will employ around 100 people at the facility, with plans to employ approximately 400 once it is fully operational. “India’s thriving economy is showing a promising outlook and I believe it is the future market of the connectivity solutions’ industry. With the estimated market size of approximately Euro 3 billion, we have a lot to do for the market,” said Siegbert E. Lapp, Director, Lapp Holding AG. Lapp referenced a change in purchase patterns and a shift toward the use of quality products. “Now the quality-conscious

Properzi supplies wire rod mills to Vedanta Aluminium Continuus-Properzi has delivered the fourth casting and rolling AL rod line to the Vedanta site in Jharsuguda in Orissa, which will begin production during 2011. This line is part of the historic contract signed by Vedanta and Properzi at the end of 2008 which included four complete lines of 15 TPH each. Each state-of-the-art line is equipped to produce EC grade AL in the standard diameters of 9.5 mm, 12 mm and 15 mm. The rod coils, up to 3 T each, are destined for both domestic and international markets. Presently, India has one of the lowest aluminium per capita consumption in the world with less than 1 kg per person per year. For reference sake, China’s consumption is presently in the range of 12 kg per person per year and countries like Germany and Italy are in the range of 26-28 kg per person per year.

View of the roughing mill of 15 TPH. *Note that the machinery shown without personal safety protections is for display purposes only. This huge project under completion by Vedanta must be framed under the Electricity Act whose target is to bring electric power to all the villages spread in the vast territory of India. “If we assume that India will follow the route taken by China, we can expect an immense number of projects in India over the next 10 years bringing the aluminium production from the present 1.2-1.3 million tonnes per year to more than 5 million tonnes per year,” a press release from Properzi said. Based in London, Vedanta is a diversified metals and mining group with wide-ranging interests in aluminium, copper, zinc, lead, iron ore, and commercial energy. From a revenue perspective, the company is the largest nonferrous metals and mining company in India. The company’s set up in Jharsuguda, will be one of the world’s largest aluminium production facilities.|WB A D V E R T I S M E N T

See page 7. Srinivas P. Kamisetty, M.D., Lapp India P. Ltd., Siegbert E. Lapp, Director, Lapp Holding AG and Frank Imkamp, CEO & President Asia-Pacific, Lapp Group (l-r). buyer overrides a quantity-conscious one and hence standardised products will witness an upswing in demand, making it essential for us to build up and meet their requirements,” he said. continued on p. 5

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EDITORIAL trough follows a peak—it is an inevitable cycle for the world economy. And as the dark clouds of recession recede, daily improvements prompt the prediction that this high tide of fortune will continue awhile. In India, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that the country is likely to witness an economic growth rate of 9 per cent in 2011-12. And even though double-digit inflation and rising interest rates have put the capex plans of many on hold, it is probable that with the government’s continued investments in the infrastructure, the situation will gradually improve.

In India’s Southeast Asian region the scenario is also encouraging as is apparent from the initial response to the wire Southeast Asia show, to be held at Bangkok from September 13-15. According to a press note issued by the organisers, Thailand will witness strong economic growth of 5.8 per cent while the neighbouring nations ready for better times. With Vietnam (6.4 per cent), Indonesia (6.4 per cent) and Malaysia (5.3 per cent) in the lead, 2011 looks set to herald a new era of sustained growth in the ASEAN economies driven by exports and domestic consumption. Further, the World Steel Association predicts that ASEAN’s steel consumption will touch 49 million tonnes in 2011, with an increase in overall exports and domestic consumption. The region is also a magnet for foreign investments as various ASEAN economies continue to develop manufacturing and infrastructure plans. In view of these facts, WIRE BULLETIN offers an exclusive interview with Mr. Gernot Ringling, Managing Director, Messe Düsseldorf Asia Pte. Ltd., on page 10, who provides a clear perspective on the current trends in this region. Discussions with CEOs from some of the companies that will exhibit at the Bangkok show revealed that the mood is again positive. This is especially so considering that the Interwire show—held at Atlanta in May by the Wire Association International—reported a 19% increase in participation, proving to be a frontrunner for the present turnaround. A common sentiment among Indian company executives is the need for technological and product collaborations between Indian and foreign companies. As such, exhibitions provide the necessary platform to facilitate such sharing. WIRE BULLETIN will introduce its website shortly, another resource for information exchange. We will also be present at the wire Southeast Asia show where we encourage suggestions about what to add to enhance reader value. See you soon! Huned Contractor Editor hcontractor@wirenet.org

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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 Printed and published by Steven J. Fetteroll on behalf of WAI Wire and Cable Services Pvt Ltd and printed at K. Joshi & Co., 1745/2 Sadashiv Peth, Near Bhikardas Maruti Temple, Pune - 411 030 and published at 501 Rainbow Plaza, S. No. 7, Pimple Saudagar, Village Rahatni, Pune - 411 017. Editor: Huned Contractor. WIRE BULLETIN is published quarterly by WAI Wire and Cable Services Pvt Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Wire Association International, (WAI) Inc. ©2011 by WAI Wire and Cable Services Pvt Ltd. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this document or related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means (electronic, photocopying or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Address all correspondence concerning advertising production, editorial, and circulation to WIRE BULLETIN, E-402, Kumar Pragati, Off NIBM Road, Kondhwa, Pune - 411 048, India, Tel.: 9881084202. Individuals on the WIRE BULLETIN team may be contacted by e-mail using first inital and last name @wirenet.org. Printed in India by K. Joshi & Co. The publisher of WIRE BULLETIN assumes no responsibility for the validity of manufacturers’ claims made herein and cannot attest to the accuracy of the included information. Subscription rates: Rs. 125 per year, India. Single copies: $6 in the U.S.; all other countries $7. Periodicals postage paid at Guilford, CT 06437, USA. WIRE BULLETIN grants photocopy permission to libraries and others registered with Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 21 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970, USA, for a fee of $0.50 per article. Payments should be sent directly to the CCC. Requests for bulk orders or reprints should be sent to WIRE BULLETIN, E-402, Kumar Pragati, Off NIBM Road, Kondhwa, Pune - 411 048, India, Tel.: 9881084202. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WAI Wire and Cable Services Pvt Ltd, 501, Rainbow Plaza, S. No. 7, Pimple-Saudagar Vil. Rahatani, Pune - 411017, India.

CALENDAR & EVENT REVIEW Event Reviews

WORLD CALENDAR July 21-24, 2011: Engeetech Bangalore, India. The third engineering industrial exhibition will be held at the Gayatri Hall, Palace Grounds. Various product displays will include: abrasives, adhesives, refrigeration equipment, auto components, blowers, boilers, furnaces, cables and wires, castings, and forgings. The event also includes seminars and serves as platform for idea exchange. Contact: IPF Online Limited | Shafika Building, 17 Kodambakkam High Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai - 600 034, Tel.: 044-42991234, risshy@ipfonline.com, engeetech@ipfonline.com.

ICA and Ducab highlight electrical safety concerns The International Copper Association (ICA) hosted the Water, Energy, Technology & Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2011) March 8-10 at Dubai, where it joined with cable manufacturer Ducab to focus on ‘Creating Electrically Safer Buildings for Today & Tomorrow.’

the opening ceremony of the 19th Convergence India 2011 Expo, held in New Delhi in March. Envisaging a data-heavy future for the communications industry, Sachin Pilot, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, noted that “less than 1 per cent broadband connectivity is unacceptable.”

August 5-7, 2011: Foundry Tech 2011 Coimbatore, India. International Foundry Tech 2011, organised by Trade India Fairs & Exhibitions, will be held at Vijaya Fair Grounds, Coimbatore. This is an international fair specialised in the foundry industrial sector, considered the business generator of foundry technology, equipment, and supplies. Contact: Trade India Fairs & Exhibitions | 70-B, RVL Nagar, Uppilipalayam (Post), Coimbatore - 641 015, Tel.: 0422-6552288, foundrytech2011@gmail.com.

August 10-12, 2011: Renewable Energy India 2011 New Delhi, India. Scheduled at Pragati Maidan, and organised by Exhibitions India, this is the fifth edition of a fair that has emerged as one of India’s largest events. It focuses on the bio, hydro, solar, wind, cogeneration, geothermal, and energy efficiency sectors. Contact: Exhibitions India Group | 217 B, 2nd Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase III, New Delhi - 110 020, Tel.: 011-42795000, rajneeshk@eigroup.in.

September 19-24, 2011: EMO Hannover 2011 Hannover, Germany. EMO Hannover, the biggest global event for machine tools, is scheduled to take place at Hannover. It will cover everything the market has to offer in terms of metalworking products and services, with special emphasis on machine tools, manufacturing systems, precision tools, automation components, computer technology, industrial electronics, and accessories. Contact: VDW | Corneliusstrasse 4, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Tel.: 049-69756081-0, emo@vdw.de.

September 13-15, 2011: wire Southeast ASIA Bangkok, Thailand. Organized by Messe Düsseldorf, the International Wire & Cable Trade Fair for Southeast Asia (wire Southeast ASIA) will be held at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC). Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America | Tel.: 312-781-5180, erowe@mdna.com.

September 13-16, 2011: Electronica India 2011 Bangalore, India. This is the 12th international exhibition and conference for electronic components, assemblies, and materials, which will run concurrently with Productronica India 2011. The twin event will be held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Tumkur Road. Contact: MMI India Private Limited | Lalani Aura, 5th Floor, 34th Road, Khar (W), Mumbai - 400 052, Tel.: 022-26487117.

Minister Sachin Pilot

Ravinder Bhan, local ICA representative, underscored the need for building safety through five levels that include planning, building, monitoring, reviewing, and improving safety. Highlighting the advantages of using copper for building safety, he said, “Electrical wiring made of pure copper has low resistance and high current carrying capacity. This enables it to withstand heavy electrical loads with ease. That is why using pure copper wires while planning electric circuits is a must.” He further added that the causes for fires or short-circuits include the use of poorly recycled copper in building wire, overloading of plug points, improper earthing practices and ignoring the right size of wires.

Convergence India 2011 highlights broadband

Looking ahead at the huge potential of BWA in India, Pilot said, “Different parts of the country have different definitions for broadband. However, it should make a tangible difference in people’s lives we are targeting.” India offers a large marketplace for all the stakeholders in the communication value chain. “It is time for the ICT players and the regulators of Government of India to take collaborative efforts to provide highspeed broadband services in rural areas and best services at the most affordable price,” he added. Reiterating the significance of the growing importance of broadband in India, Robin Mersh, CEO Broadband Forum, said, “India’s growth in broadband in 2010—second only to China and the United States—is leading towards the country soon becoming one of the top 10 users of broadband in the world.”|WB

The emerging role of broadband wireless access (BWA) was topical and definitive at

October 12-14, 2011: Power India 2011 Mumbai, India. The 13th world innovation summit and expo is an international exhibition and conference on power generation, transmission, and distribution scheduled to take place at the MMRDA Exhibition Grounds, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai. The scope of the event includes thermal, nuclear, hydro and renewables, energy efficiency and plant electricals, rotating equipment, plant automation and fuel options, as well as a showcase of the latest products, machinery, equipment, and developments. Contact: B-702, Dheeraj Heritage Residency | Shastri Nagar, Linking Road Extn, Santacruz (W), Mumbai - 400 054, Tel.: 022- 26605550, info@indiapowershow.com.

October 24-27, 2011: PTC Asia 2011 China. PTC Asia 2011 is an exhibition for power transmission and control, fluid power (hydraulics and pneumatics), mechanical and electrical transmission, compressed air technology, internal combustion engines, and gas turbines. The event is scheduled at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, China. Contact: Hannover Milano Fairs Shanghai Ltd. | Rm 301, B&Q Pudong Office Tower, 393 Yinxiao Road, Pudong, Shanghai 201204, P.R. China, Tel.: 086-215045-6700, ptc-asia@hmf-china.com.

November 7-8, 2011: CabWire World Conference 2011 Düsseldorf, Germany. This technical conference, co-organized by ACIMAF, CET, IWCEA, IWMA, and WAI will cover the latest process and market developments and feature of panel of ferrous and nonferrous expert speakers; tabletop exhibits; and a local factory tour. Contact: International Wire & Machinery Association | 46 Holly Walk, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire,CV32 4HY, U.K., Tel.: +44 1926 834680, Fax: +44 1926 314755; or visit: www.cabwire-duesseldorf.com.

November 16-19, 2011: BIMEC Milan, Italy. The Biennial Exhibition for Mechatronics and Automation (BIMEC) will focus on assembly, handling, movement, robotics, and industrial vision. The exhibition is organised by EFIM-ENTE FIERE hat mation t r o f in ITALIANE MACCHINE. Contact: Claudia e v you ha ion? Mastrogiuseppe, External Relations Directorate Do this sect il to: in s g n lo and Press Office | Tel.: +39 02 26255-299, be e-ma ubmit by t.org. s e s press@ucimu.it. a le P ne

wirebulle

tin@wire

JULY 2011 | 3

INDUSTRY NEWS Troester acquires X-Compound GmbH Troester, a leading manufacturer of extrusion lines for the cable and rubber industry, announced the takeover of X-Compound GmbH, a company known for manufacturing plastic compounding lines for the cable and rubber industry. “By taking over X-Compound we will be able to offer our customers compounding technology in addition to extrusion technology,” a company press release said. X-Compound’s production range includes equipment/lines for processing of halogen-free flame retardant cable compounds (HFFR), processing PVC compounds, pelletizing and calender feeding, filling, reinforcing and alloying plastic materials, processing of highly filled colour or additive masterbatches, processing and alloying of TPE compounds, and processing of thermosetting materials like powder coatings, toners, and phenolics.

RR Kabel chooses InnoVites for ERP solution InnoVites BV announced that RR Kabel Ltd. has chosen its ERP solution as the platform for its continuous improvement.

“We selected InnoVites as our business partner after a thorough analysis. InnoVites demonstrated the power of the industryspecific solution that is ideal for the wire &

cable industry,” said Tribhuvanprasad Kumar Kabra, Managing Director, RR Kabel. “The cable industry is challenged by the current raw material price levels. We want to further streamline our operations to reduce costs and release capital,” Kabra said. RR Kabel Ltd. is located in Mumbai and is considered a trend-setter in India, having many international accreditations. It is the first Asian manufacturer of fire-safe cables with halogen-free flame retardant insulation technology. The company produces a wide range of cables and is a part of the Ram Ratna Group. InnoVites is an independent software vendor with offices in India and The Netherlands. It is exclusively focused on the cable industry and sells and develops InnoVites for Cable©, an industry solution for the cable industry on Microsoft Dynamics AX©.

Maillefer to exhibit extrusion systems at wire Southeast Asia Maillefer will present its portfolio of extrusion systems for energy cable, fiber optic cable, telecom cable, and tube manufacturing systems at wire Southeast Asia, Bangkok at Stand F02 from September 13-15. The multinational company expects to see a series of continued improvements in the area of rubber cable insulation, filling, and jacketing. “With the super steam technology you can experience a significant increase in line performance by 20, 50 or even 100 per cent more in relation to the type of cable produced on conventional equipment,” a press release stated. Maillefer provides high-end solutions for every stage of the fiber optic cable manufacturing process. Tight buffering, secondary coating, SZ stranding and jacketing lines are available for various types of fiber optic cable production, including premises and totally

gel-free FTTx cable. Technology like the compression caterpillar with tension feedback serves to keep accurate control of excess fiber length. “Coax and LAN cable manufacturing is quite demanding by the construction types and high frequency requirements. The TDL 40 line is a prime example of a versatile line that meets the market demands. It is configured for high performance production of LAN Cat 5E, 6 and 7 as well as RG 6 and 11 coax cables,” the release said.

Teknor Apex Asia Pacific to serve Asian region Teknor Apex Company has established Teknor Apex Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. as the corporate name for a leading plastics compounder serving a vast region that stretches from Saudi Arabia to New Zealand, the company announced. The new name replaces that of Singapore Polymer Corporation (SPC), an international business based in Singapore that was acquired by Teknor Apex in 2001. Already bearing the Teknor Apex name is a sister company in China, Teknor Apex Suzhou Advanced Polymer Compounds Co. Ltd. Stanly L.K. Tan became the managing director of both enterprises in 2010.

U.S. by Teknor Apex and are compliant with Western codes and standards. In 2004, SPC completed relocation of its entire compounding operation to a new Singapore complex, comprising a series of production lines with annual capacity exceeding 50,000 tonnes, along with extensive technical service, laboratory, and product development facilities. Teknor Apex’s new plant in Suzhou, established in 2007, produces vinyl compounds for the China market, but it is expected to yield other types of compound such as TPEs. Teknor Apex Asia Pacific has sales offices in Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, and China. The company plans to open additional sales offices in India, Japan, and Taiwan.

Axon Cable opens subsidiary Axon Cable, a France-based manufacturer of custom-designed cables and interconnect systems for advanced technologies, has established Axon Interconnectors and Wires P. Ltd. at Bangalore to meet the requirements of the Indian defence and aerospace industries. The subsidiary manufactures standard Micro D connectors and assemblies, and RF cable assemblies for defence and aerospace applications.

Bangalore, the site of Axon Cable subsidiary.

Tan “Combining all of our operations under the Teknor Apex brand represents the culmination of a decade-long process of integration that has created one company in fact—not just in name,” said Tan. “Whether our customers are based in Saudi Arabia, India, China, or Australia, they now have the assurance of dealing with a single organisation having uniform standards, product designations, business practices and regulatory approvals.”

Axon manufactures and supplies precision conductors, wires and cables for various industries such as aeronautics and space, medical, telecommunications, automotive, consumer electronics, general and steel industries and research centres. Axon Interconnect department offers specialised skills in the termination of single, hybrid, round or flat cables with different types of connectors irrespective of the application. Axon Cable offers interconnect solutions, overmoulding techniques, and EMI protection suited to the customer requirements of the Indian market. The company, which invests 10 per cent of its turnover in R&D and patents, designs and manufactures wires, cables, and harnesses for advanced technologies, thus offering specialised interconnect solutions to a wide range of applications. Its consolidated turnover amounted to Euro 92 million in 2010 with 60 per cent of the sales achieved from export.

Havells India opens European headquarters Teknor Apex Asia Pacific is one of the region’s leading custom compounders and offers its most diversified range of products, according to Tan. These include rigid and flexible vinyl, thermoplastic elastomers, nylons, filled polyolefins, conductive compounds, black and white masterbatches, and compounds produced on a tolling basis. In addition to a wide range of products developed by SPC since its founding in 1969, Teknor Apex Asia Pacific offers thousands of compounds that were developed in the

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Noida-based Havells India, a company specialising in the manufacture and sale of electrical and power distribution equipment with an annual global turnover of USD 1.2 billion, opened its new European headquarters in London with a view to expand business prospects. “We are very bullish about the future prospects of business here,” said Anil Gupta, Joint Managing Director, Havells India Ltd. “While most of the companies are trying to cut jobs in Europe, we are actually looking at expanding our base here.

INDUSTRY NEWS In the last one year, we have hired 60 to 70 people in sales,” he said, adding that the company has 1,850 employees in Europe, including 300 in the U.K.

“When designing the new MI01 model we have had a strong focus on assuring our customers optimal machine performance in relation to investment.” “We see our MI01 model as a very strong alternative for our customers’ capacity needs, whether they produce a single nail type or several different nails. The new MI01 combined with our high-end NX01 series allows us to offer a complete range of high-speed nail machines, where many tooling parts are common for all machine models, thus increasing their cost effectiveness,” he added.

Havells opens new base in London. “Havells is one of the largest and fastestgrowing manufacturers of electrical components and systems in India, with a global turnover in excess of USD 1.2 billion. When we acquired Sylvania in 2007 for USD 600 million, it was a big move for us because it was one-and-a-half times our size. It was followed by global economic crisis for two years. As 70 per cent of Sylvania’s sales were in Europe and 30 per cent in Latin America, the company incurred losses for two years. Undeterred we entered into a major restructuring programme and successfully completed it last year. Now the company is back into profit,” Gupta said. Meanwhile, Havells India continues to do very well. It occupies the number one position in the domestic switchgear and cable and wire segments and is one of the top three in the lighting segment. Havells has four plants in Europe (U.K., Belgium, France, and Germany), two in Latin America, and nine in India all with a focus on energy efficient products.

CCI secures order for 230 KV cable Cable Corporation of India Ltd. has secured an order to lay 129 km of 230 KV EHV cable valued at Rs 140 crore from the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB). This is the largest single order received by an Indian cable company with manufacturing facilities in India and it is part of a master plan to expand power supply systems, minimise distribution losses, and improve system reliability in the Chennai metropolitan area. The turnkey project involves the design, engineering, and manufacture of a 230 KV single core 1,200 sq mm aluminium conductor XLPE insulated cable and the supply of accessories. The TNEB order also includes execution of the project, starting with essential spares, laying of the cable, erection of joints and terminations, final testing, and commissioning. The project will be completed in 18 months.

Enkotec to showcase new nail machine at Bangkok show

ABB wins order for hydropower link Swiss engineering group ABB has received a USD 900 million order—the company’s largest single order to date—from the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. to deliver an ultra-high voltage transmission system to supply hydropower from Agra. The link will cover a distance of 1,728 kilometres.

the continued trust shown by one of our most important customers. This contract win will support the company’s ongoing revenue growth.”|WB

Lapp Group continued from p. 1

PWM’s manual range includes three handheld, portable models, ideal for repairing wire breaks quickly and efficiently in confined spaces. The compact M10, M25, and M30 machines, designed to be exceptionally comfortable to hold and easy to operate using finger or hand pressure, will weld wire sizes from 0.10 to 1.80 mm diameter copper/aluminium. The largest machine to be presented at the show is the versatile manual M101. This heavy-duty cold welder, which has a capacity of 1.00 to 3.60 mm copper and 1.00 to 5.00 mm EC aluminium, is one of PWM’s best-selling models.|WB

Volex continued from p. 1

“When operating at full capacity, the link will be able to supply enough electricity to serve 90 million people based on average national consumption. Using ultra-high voltage minimises transmission losses and improves efficiency,” ABB said in a statement. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, a leading government-owned power company, will deliver the remainder of the North-East Agra Transmission Project, which is worth more than USD 1.1 billion. ABB, which sells power equipment to ulitities, oil and gas companies, has faced increased competition from local rivals. In 2010 the company spent nearly USD 1 billion on its ABB India subsidiary for use as a production hub.

regional factories, and high speed fiber optic cable assemblies from the factory in India. “Volex’s global credentials continue to stand it in good stead with Huawei, demonstrating the company’s capability to support the telecom solutions vendor across many regions. Huawei requires consistently highquality products across all its operations and Volex provides a high level of service together with competitive pricing,” Hui said. Ray Walsh, CEO, Volex Group, said, “These additional partnerships with Huawei in India and Indonesia are further evidence of Volex’s focus on the telecom arena and

Analysing the viability of this investment, Frank Imkamp, CEO & President Asia-Pacific, Lapp Group, said, “We have witnessed 30 per cent year-on-year growth in India and it is one of our focused markets. The investment that we are making in the new facility will help us cater to the growing customer demands and our revenue is expected to rise four-fold in the next four years.” He further added that the company will be developing six warehouses and distribution centres and 16 service points for customising the products for customer needs as value-additions. Srinivas P. Kamisetty, Managing Director, Lapp India P. Ltd. said, “Geographically 70 per cent of our business comes from west and south India, and Bhopal being located in the heart of India is well-equipped to meet the logistical requirements of the regions while servicing the potential demand from other parts of the nation as well.” Lapp Group is based in Germany. Lapp India started operations at Bangalore in 1996 with a manufacturing unit and today it is the third largest manufacturing facility of the Lapp Group. Each year about 1,00,000 km of ÖLFLEX® connecting and control cables and insulated single cores are produced by the company. The Bhopal facility is the company’s largest manufacturing unit planned in the next five years.|WB

DPI receives order for overhead conductors Gujarat-based Diamond Power Infrastructure Limited, formerly known as Diamond Cables Ltd., has received an order to supply 3,216 kms of 400 KV HV DC line overhead conductors from Power Grid Corporation of India Limited. The order, worth Rs 85.7 crore, is for conductors for the Krishnapatnam-Nellore and Krishnapatnam-Gooty transmission lines that are associated with a transmission system for Krishnapatnam UMPP. The material is to be supplied over an 18-month period. The company has also received an order for 2,368.25 kms from Gayatri Projects Limited to supply the MPPK VVCL projects. With these orders, the company’s revised order book is at Rs 1,650 crore.

PWM to showcase handy cold welders at Bangkok show

This year Enkotec will focus on its newest nail machine model, the MI01, intended for small and mid-size capacity needs to produce 1,000 nails per minute at ø2.3-3.8 mm and 50-90 mm lengths. The MI01 is based on the well-known Enkotec rotary forming principle, allowing the production of highquality nails at high speed. According to Bent Petersen, Managing Director, Enkotec,

PWM, which has been at the forefront of cold welding technology for 25 years, will present its comprehensive range of high performance manual cold welders at wire Southeast Asia 2011. Precision engineered in PWM’s own U.K. workshops to stringent quality standards, PWM cold welders produce reliable permanent welds stronger than the parent materials. Dies are individually hand-made in matched sets by PWM’s skilled craftsmen to tight tolerances and can be manufactured to suit round or profile wire.

JULY 2011 | 5

BUSINESS INNOVATION

V.K. Bajaj, COO | Uniflex Cables Uniflex Cables manufactured elastomer insulated cables, low- and medium-voltage cables, jelly-filled telephone cables (JFTC), and fibre optic cables at Umbergaon in Gujarat. When changes in the telecom sector led to the popularity of mobile phones, sales dropped. In mid-2008 Apar Industries Ltd. acquired Uniflex Cables and restructured it with a new management team. Since then the company has progressed rapidly. Apar Industries Ltd. is a Rs 3,000 crore group that is managed by Chairman Dr. N.D. Desai; Managing Director Kushal N. Desai; Jt Managing Director Chaitanya N. Desai; and Chief Operating Officer V.K. Bajaj. WB interviewed Bajaj to learn about the status of the company, its product mix, technologies, and future plans. The following are interview excerpts. Q: Why did you decide to manufacture cables? What was the cable market like in India then and what is its size now? A: In today’s world, we all can understand the importance of electricity and telecommunication. Cable is the only medium for the transmission of electricity. Fiber optic cable is important for telecommunication. Therefore, cable is an important part of our system and its market will continue to grow as more power generation facilities are being set up. Apar has been a leader in the overhead conductor business and therefore

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it made sense to diversify into the cable business. During the period 1970-2000 there were only a handful of large cable companies with many smaller players. The market competition was limited and its growth was in line with the slow growth of the power and infrastructure sectors. The operating efficiencies and plant productivity of most of these factories were also low. Investment in plant modernisation and upgradation was also not considered important. When the market started growing many of these older companies could not compete with the other medium-sized companies. Therefore, most of them are either closed or under-performing. The cable market can be broadly categorised into three major segments: power cables (approximately Rs 15,000 crore), light duty cables (about Rs 10,000 crore), and telecom cables (about Rs 3,000 crore). Q: How has Uniflex Cables grown and what is its present product portfolio? A: The sales volume has almost trebled during the last three years and it is expected to grow soon to Rs 500 crore. The product portfolio includes electrical cables (LV power and control cables, medium voltage cables up to 33 KV, LV & MV elastomer cables) and telecom cables. Q: What is the expected growth percentage of the cable market in India? A: The market for cables is growing at about 10 per cent per annum and it is in direct proportion to growth in the power, housing, and infrastructure sectors. Q: What is the USP of your company? A: Uniflex Cables is perhaps the only company having various types of cable products under one roof backed by one of the best technical teams. We focus on speciality and composite cables. Q: Will you introduce new products soon? A: We have quite a few new products.

These include: • Pilfer-proof (anti-power theft) distribution cables; • fire survival building wires for commercial buildings; • fire survival fiber optic cables; • water-blocked covered overhead conductors; • CRD composite cables for the steel sector; • underwater and off-shore cables; • ruggadized OFC for the defence sector; and • solar cables. Q: Do you export products? A: The Uniflex range of electrical power cables are well accepted in the international market, especially in Africa and the Middle East. The company exports over 25 per cent of its sales. Q: What was your total turnover in INR for 2009-10? A: The sales turnover for 2009-10 was Rs 183 crore (excluding excise duty/taxes) and has grown to about Rs 225 crore as reported for Q3 ending December 2010. We are expecting to cross Rs 300 crore in 2010-11. Q: What are your future capex plans? A: The company has plans to invest further in balancing equipments and modernisation to achieve higher productivity, and to set up a new CCV line for EHV cables, and an electron beam irradiation facility. Q: Will fibre optic cables lead the growth curve? A: We are almost doubling our capacity of fibre optic cables (OFC) by installing balancing equipments, besides converting some of the JFTC sheathing capacity for OFC to take advantage of the growth in this sector. Q: What new technology has your company introduced recently? Is there any tie-up with a foreign company for production, marketing, or technology sharing?

A view of the production floor. A: After being taken over by Apar, our effort has been to streamline our operation to play a major role in the cable industry. Our electron beam irradiation facility for cable curing will be a new technology and will play a big role in future. Presently we do not have any tie-up with any overseas company for technology, marketing or production sharing. Q: Is there any threat from Chinese or other imports? A: The cable industry in India is very competitive and we are able to compete with the Chinese companies. There does not seem to be any major threat from Chinese vendors except in few segments like EHV cables and a few telecom cable products. There is a threat of solar cables’ imports from China since Indian manufacturers are yet to develop this product. Q: What is the role of R&D and innovations in your company? A: Uniflex and Apar understand very well that for Uniflex Cables to be successful the need is to concentrate on niche products to beat the competition. The company has a very strong technical design team and also focuses on speciality products. Therefore innovation and R&D are the key components of our strategy. Q: Where do you envision the company to be five years from now? A: We have set up an ambitious plan to achieve sales volume of Rs 1,000 crore in five years. The manufacturing capacities and marketing infrastructure are reviewed regularly to realise this objective.|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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JULY 2011 | 7

CORPORATE FOCUS-INDIA Univenture Corporation: Nailing it right The first Indo-Danish joint venture in Nagpur—between Univenture Corporation and Enkotec—resulted in the MI01, India’s fastest wire nail making machine. The inauguration of India’s first and fastest wire nail making machine at Univenture Corporation in Nagpur in Maharashtra marked an important industry milestone. The MI01 machine works on a unique rotary head forming principle that enables it to produce 1,000 nails per minute, more than five times faster than conventional machines. It is claimed to be the only machine in India capable of producing nails from stainless steel, aluminium, and copper, apart from iron.

Enkotec high-efficiency nail machine, type MI01. So who and what made this happen? Univenture Corporation, a subsidiary of the MHA Group of Companies, was established in 2008 to manufacture wire products, namely ‘Nag Brand,’ under which the MHA Hardware Division has marketed nails for more than 25 years. The company started with production of 30 MT per month, catering to the domestic demand and has since shown unprecedented growth by doubling its turnover year after year. “The introduction

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of the Enkotec MI01 nail manufacturing line will further strengthen our growth to new levels. Thus, the estimated production in the financial year 2011-2012 is expected to increase by over 200 per cent,” said Huzefa Husain, Director, Univenture Corporation. Univenture is a leading supplier to most industries in central India as well as construction and trading houses. The company employs four skilled and ten unskilled workers in the manufacturing unit working two shifts of eight hours each, six days a week. It produces wire nails from 2 to 4 mm in various lengths and recently has also expanded into panel pins. Speaking about the advantage of producing wire nails in Nagpur, Husain said that it can be attributed to the ample availability of cheap raw material since this part of the country is a steel manufacturing hub of India. With the arrival of the MI01, Univenture intends to revolutionise the wire nail market by setting up new benchmarking levels for quality. “Using the Enkotec nail manufacturing machines has been an opportunity to change the way the Indian market looks at the wire nail industry. We inaugurated the machine with a seminar on March 23 and all those who had been invited for the event were impressed with the quality and the speed with which the nails were produced,” Husain said. “The Enkotec machines in the long run can cut production costs substantially and will help us ramp up the production of wire nails. These lines will also reduce labour and subsequently reduce human errors or accidents. Such modern technology in manufacturing is the need of the hour in India,” he said. Enkotec, headquartered in Denmark, develops, produces, and sells machines and tooling for nail manufacture. The company’s rotary forming principle makes it possible to produce high-quality nails at an unprecedented speed, while requiring less space and fewer operators and offering the

possibility of unmanned production. “When it comes to the bottom line, it is the price for producing one tonne of nails, in the best quality, that counts. Therefore, Enkotec has been making continuous design and material improvements, always endeavouring to meet customer requirements for increased cost-efficiency and user-friendliness,” said Jesper Bendix, Area Sales Manager, Enkotec.

Jesper Bendix, Enkotec Area Sales Manager, H.E. Mr. Freddy Svane, Ambassador of The Royal Danish Embassy, New Delhi, with the first nail made in India on an Enkotec nail machine, Bent Just Petersen, Enkotec Managing Director and Huzefa Husain, Univenture Managing Director. “Furthermore, this machine concept allows to implement an environment-friendly production with a low noise level, small energy consumption and an oil-free manufacturing process, eliminating the need for subsequent nail tumbling. MI01, intended for small- and mid-size capacity needs, is a very strong alternative for its customers’ capacity needs, whether they produce one single nail type or several different nails. The MI01 combined with its high-end NX01 series, featuring a production speed of up to 2,000 quality nails per minute and covering nails of ø1.8-4.2 mm x 32-130 mm length, allows Enkotec to offer a complete range of nail machines, where many tooling parts are common for all machine models, thus increasing their costeffectiveness,” Bendix said.

Commenting on what attracted Enkotec to India, Bendix said: “With a geographic size similar to Europe and with 1.2 billion people, India is an interesting market for us. Moreover, over the last 2-3 years there has indeed been a shift in the world nail market, both geographically and with regard to the production set-up, moving towards bigger production sites. So far the Indian market has mainly consisted of many small nail producers, producing for the local region, but now many of the manufacturers have started producing and selling nails into other regions, or are considering exporting nails to other countries. This means a need for bigger tonnages in short time and higher requirements for cost-efficient production and for quality nails to be used, as for example in pallets or automated nail guns. “Enkotec started its cooperation with Univenture last year due to our new partner’s vast knowledge of the nail market in India, especially in the state of Maharashtra. Through Univenture’s professional organisation and experience in dealing with Western cultures, the set-up for Enkotec was perfect. We are looking forward to a long-term relationship with our agent and see a big future for both companies in India,” he said.|WB Contact: Univenture Corporation 4, Sial Layout, Nelson Square, Takli Feeder Road Nagpur - 440 013 Tel.: 0712-3192151, 3192152, 9373242626 Fax: 0712-2594535 E-mail: enkotec@univenture.co.in www.univenture.co.in/www.enkotec.com

CORPORATE FOCUS-INTERNATIONAL Gauder Group: Creating a global footprint With an integrated set-up spread across many continents, the Gauder Group supplies one-stop solutions based on new or second-hand machines. Gauder Group delivers new and resale solutions for the wire and cable industries across the globe. The group, founded by Edgar Gauder in 1976, has facilities in Belgium, France, USA, and China with a total workforce of 250. The Gauder Group includes Pourtier SAS, Setic SA, Gauder SA, Gauder Group Inc., Gauder Group China, and Daloo. So what is it that has helped the company expand so dynamically? Its three-axis strategy comprises: 1. To develop and globally market technically advanced manufacturing machines for the production of power cable, automotive wire, and data cable. Among the world’s cable rotating machine companies, the Gauder Group’s Pourtier highvoltage cable machines and Setic LAN cable equipment hold top ranking. Both companies offer a wide range of bunchers, stranders, and cablers. According to a company statement, more than 1,500 Pourtier lines and 4,500 Setic machines are in production worldwide. 2. To maintain and develop a large, modern stock of second-hand machines available within short delivery times. For 35 years Gauder Group has delivered more than 10,000 used machines globally, making it an internationally known leader in providing fast and cost-effective solutions to manufacture wires, conductors, cables, ropes, or steel products. 3. To maintain and develop a worldwide service presence.

To achieve higher performance and extended machine life, the Gauder Group provides after-sales and spare parts services as well as a High Technology Bows Department. Created in 1860, Pourtier (Chelles, France) joined the Gauder Group in 2002, providing a logical extension of expertise in the design and manufacture of rotating machines. The company offers state-of-theart technologies for the production of high and extra-high voltage power cables. Founded in 1948, Setic (Roanne, France) was taken over by the Gauder Group in 1987. The company offers high-quality LAN cable production solutions and double twist bunchers/stranders for the PC and automotive industry. Its engineering and R&D departments develop innovative cable manufacturing processes. The company offers after-sales and spare parts services, including high-technology bows and accessories for all brands, new and used, as well as rotating machines.

Machines at Gauder’s workshop. Gauder’s Liege, Belgium, location maintains a large stock of 1,000 machines, ready for immediate delivery. Machinery types include casting, drawing, rolling, stranding, cabling, closing, braiding, screening, armouring, welding, tinning, metal sheathing, plastic coating, compounding, and colouring. Its workshop is dedicated to after-sales services, commissioning, engineering, modernising, packing and shipping, reconditioning, relocating, sourcing, storage, and testing. Since 1999 Gauder Group China has manufactured most of the Setic rotating ma-

Q&A:

Henri Bonhomme, Sales Director Q: What has been Gauder’s Group strategy for India? A: The Gauder Group started its Indian business in 1994 and the years up to 1997 were very good, followed by a weak period till 2002. Since 2002, second-hand machines have shown themselves as helping the effervescent economy of India. At the same time and driven by cost concerns, India turned to suppliers of low-cost machinery from China. However, certain bad experiences and product quality failures (mainly in export markets) have now pushed Indian customers to once again turn to reliable, reputed and quality-driven new and used machinery from Europe. To cope with this situation, for those who were looking for a reasonable ratio cable quality/production speed/reduced investment on the power segment, Gauder Group launched in 2008 in China the first European low-cost machine maker brand ‘Daloo’ to be able to meet such re-

chines for the production of communication cables, flexible cords, and automotive cables. Its fully-equipped workshop and a trial department are available for production tests; it also offers bows and spare parts. Also in China is Daloo, dedicated to manufacture for the international market low-cost machinery for extrusion lines, screening/armouring lines, rigid stranding lines. The range includes rigid cage stranders, taping lines, rewinding lines, payoffs and take-ups, and pulling caterpillars. In 1991 Gauder Group Inc. was created to cover the U.S. and Canadian markets

quirements. European machines help a lot in maintaining product quality, marketing process, reputation and product certification. In 2004, we decided to appoint an India-based representative and now Mr. Lakshmynarayan manages our operations from Cochin. Q: How has been the financial performance for 2010 and what lies ahead? A: Out of all the countries, India shown itself as less affected by the 2009 world financial crisis. As part of the global economy, Gauder Group saw in 2010 a firm revival in market activities after a weak 2009. The 2010 budget was naturally made in a conservative way, being unaware of the long-term economy revival. The year 2010 finally concluded with 15 per cent above the budget. This year i.e., 2011 has already been showing good prospects and the first trimester has been in line with our growth expectation. Q: What is Gauder Group’s vision for its Indian operations over the next five years? A: As a consequence of the new trend in India of sourcing machines from Europe for key products and its growing demand for more volume, we expect to post 10 per cent growth per year in our Indian operations over the next five years. This will be made both in new and second-hand machines. Also, following the supply of many machines recently to well-established cable plants in India, we are going to open a local new service centre dedicated to ensure efficient commissioning and after-sales service.|WB

enabling the company to react quickly to customer demands from its Greensboro, N.C., facility. The company’s insistence on proper planning and control of spare parts inventory as a key component to minimise downtime and avoid excessive costs gives it an edge in the global market.|WB Contact: Gauder Group Rue de la Révision, 93 4032 Liege - Belgium Tel: +32 4 367 87 87 | Fax: +32 4 367 87 98 E-mail: info@gaudergroup.com www.gaudergroup.com

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JULY 2011 | 9

FEATURED CONCEPTS nam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment. Indonesia will require an estimated USD 150 billion of infrastructure investment over the next five years; and Malaysia is promoting several logistics infrastructure projects that will accelerate the demand for wire and tube solutions.|WB

An event at the right time ith infrastructure development planned for Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India the timing of the wire Southeast Asia 2011 show is ideal.

Event Details: The wire Southeast Asia 2011 show is shaping up to be another landmark event for the region’s wire and cable industries. “This exhibition continues to play a great part with its outstanding quality and quantity of visitors. Moreover, Thailand is one of the most important industrial countries in Asia with a wide range of companies dealing in the wire and cable industries,” said, Ferruccio Bellina, President, Italian Wire Machinery Manufacturers Association (ACIMAF). The International Wire & Machinery Association (IWMA) has been a partner to, and supporter of, the exhibition since its inception. IWMA Chairman Colin Dawson

said, “There is no doubt that despite encountering difficulties from time to time, whether these are unexpected natural events, political situations or health-related concerns, a number of the economies of the Southeast Asia region are firmly on course to develop strongly through the decade, especially Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.” Heinz Rockenhauser, President, International Wire and Cable Exhibitors Association, said “Southeast Asia benefits also from its neighbours such as the growth locomotive China and the highly industrialised Japan. All the participants in the Bangkok exhibition showcasing in the trade fair will

A top view of Bangkok city. delve on the latest developments. The disaster in Japan will result in the accelerated development of renewable energies worldwide with new business prospects for the wire and cable industry.” Thailand, the event’s host country, has a well-developed industrial infrastructure that boosts wire demand. Similarly, neighboring Vietnam will require some USD 150-160 billion for infrastructure development between now and 2020, according to Viet-

Date: September 13-15, 2011 Venue: Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) Hours: September 13-14 | 10:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. & September 15 | 10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Admission: For trade and professionals only. All visitors are required to register their visit.

Contact: Beattrice J. Ho Tel.: (65) 63329642 E-mail: beattrice@mda.com.sg www.wire-southeastasia.com

INTERVIEW: MESSE DÜSSELDORF ASIA PTE. LTD.

Ringling WB interviewed Gernot Ringling, Managing Director, Messe Düsseldorf Asia Pte. Ltd., to learn his perspective on the forthcoming show and the state of the industry in this region. Q: With the improved world economy, what response do you expect from wire companies at this year’s show? A: This year’s wire/tube trade fairs are shaping up to be significant events for the region’s wire, cable, tube and pipe industries. National pavilions and groups have been confirmed from Austria, China, Germany, Italy, the USA, United Kingdom, and Taiwan, lending the event a truly global flavour. World economic forecasts tell a story of continued global recovery. Underneath this robust story is a gradual shift in the mix of growth with an expected pick-up in growth in the advanced economies and solid growth in the emerging markets through the year and even into 2012. With the highest growth rates expected in Asia at a range of 5.7 per cent fuelled by major infrastructure projects, 2011 highlights the relevance and timely convening of wire and Tube Southeast Asia. Bangkok is also a significant launching pad for companies planning to establish a presence in Southeast Asia. Asian countries such as Thailand as well as countries that have strong manufacturing bases will continue to attract investments and grow stronger. Q: How would you define the wire market in Southeast Asia? A: Southeast Asia forms an important part of Asia and is a strategic region with rich mineral and energy resources, and vital sea lines of communications. It has a population of half a billion and its combined GDP is the third-largest in Asia. For companies who want to diversify their

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Asian exposure beyond China and India, Southeast Asia is an attractive option. As mentioned, with very positive economic forecasts coming from the Southeast Asian region, fuelled by major infrastructure projects, 2011 is an opportune time for the wire market across the region. For example, the need to develop infrastructure in Vietnam is becoming increasingly pressing as the country emerges as a production base integrated with the global economy. Vietnam’s Ministry of Planning and Investment estimates that between now and 2020, Vietnam will require some USD 150-160 billion for infrastructure development. While Indonesia has seen doubledigit recovery growth forecast for the next four years in its automobile industry, the country is transforming into a global manufacturing base for MPVs. And for Malaysia, to consolidate its position as an investment destination, it is promoting several logistics infrastructure projects that will accelerate the demand for wire and tube solutions. Q: How do you think this show will benefit Indian wire companies? A: For the concurrently held wire and Tube Southeast Asia which provides a focal point for global manufacturing and processing technologies, state-of-the-art machinery and solutions that will benefit a wide variety of industries such as electronics, telecommunications, automotive, building and construction, transportation and others, Indian wire companies are bound to benefit especially with the expected growth momentum in their construction, infrastructure and automobile sectors. Based on the Indian government’s Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012), USD 490 billion worth of investments will be allocated for the core infrastructure sector, comprising power, roads, highways, railways, ports, airports, mining, and irrigation. India and Thailand are also important regional partners linking South and Southeast Asia. Investments in both directions have been growing, with Indian companies having invested over USD 1.5 billion over the last few years. Against this backdrop of rapid development and strong ties, it is definitely an opportune moment for Indian wire companies to be a part of wire and

Tube Southeast Asia as an ideal platform to explore sales leads and expand business opportunities in this part of the region. Q: How does this show benefit exhibitors in terms of sharing technologies? Do you think the technology flow is always from the U.S. and European countries to Asia or is there is a reverse flow too? A: Technology flow and trends are always interesting because the world around us is changing so rapidly. Globalisation and connectivity make technology extremely fluid with improvements and advancements happening everyday. Overall there are certainly some global technology trends that are economy and geography independent, even in the wire, cable, tube and pipe sectors. Perhaps the most significant observation is that European design and technology relies more heavily on international standards, with European technology moving significantly into integrated automation architectures, and stronger emphasis on the ability to provide more control to the enduser. Although western technology is generally more mature in the wire and cable sector, Asia, particularly China, no doubt is fast on its heels when it comes to introducing new wire and cable technology. Q: What will be the value-additions in this year’s show? A: The focus will be on showcasing innovations which are essential to meet the changing needs of customers, and providing ample opportunities for exhibitors to focus on building solid and sound relationships with customers. On this note, exhibitors and visitors can expect a more robust business matching service that will formulate preliminary ideas into concrete business requirements, and subsequent linking to potential business partners– from suppliers, service providers, agents, distributors, licensees or other strategic partners. Q: Will there be technical conferences? A: Exhibitors will be offered the opportunity to showcase their expertise in technical presentations that are being held over the three days. Unfortunately this year the IWMA will not be taking up the baton to organise a conference. Nevertheless the presentations by the exhibiting companies will be a must-hear for all the visitors from all of ASEAN.

Q: How will this year’s show compare with the one in 2009? A: The response to date has been very encouraging with a strong international presence of exhibitors who increasingly view Thailand as a business hub and product distribution gateway. In 2009, the trade fairs attracted close to 5,000 top-quality trade visitors and buyers from 57 countries, and for 2011 we are expecting a marked increase of about 40 per cent with attendance figures closer to those achieved pre-crisis. Q: What response have you had from China’s wire companies? A: The response from China wire companies has been very positive and similar to 2009, we have a strong showing from China. Chinese companies are more and more interested in the export market and are looking into Southeast Asia as a place to grow. Q: How will this show benefit the wire, fasteners and cable companies in Thailand? Is Thailand working toward increasing its exports? The wire/Tube Southeast Asia 2011 event will continue to remain as an important platform for companies in Thailand and the region to keep abreast of the current industry developments and the latest state-of-the-art technologies. Companies who adopt the latest innovations and sophisticated wealth of technologies featured at wire/Tube Southeast Asia will not just further strengthen their businesses but also reinforce Thailand as a core manufacturing centre for ASEAN, thus making Thailand more attractive as a location for regional headquarters. Thailand’s manufacturing sector is anticipated to do particularly well this year and into 2012 when growth in output is forecasted to exceed the long-term average. Moreover, government investments in key mega projects will further provide an engine for economic growth. Q: What should the visitors look forward to at this show? A: Over the three-day exhibition, visitors can expect to sample a range of leadingedge products, solutions, and technologies from the global array of exhibitors.|WB

JULY 2011 | 11

GLOBAL NEWS BANGLADESH—The Bangladesh government has taken initiatives to set up 15 government-funded and 19 private power plants. According to Sajeeb Wajed, IT Advisor to the ruling Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, who is also the prime minister of Bangladesh, the present government envisages generating over 10,000 MW of electricity by 2014. BRAZIL—Belden, a global supplier of signal transmission connectivity solutions for mission critical applications, announced that it has completed the acquisition of Poliron Cabos Eletricos Especiais Ltd., a leading Brazilian supplier of industrial cables, in an all cash transaction valued at approximately USD 30 million.

BRAZIL—In the first quarter of 2011 Madem Group conducted a customer satisfaction survey with 153 wire and cable manufacturing customers in 39 countries. Madem received 86 responses from customers polled in the categories with 98.48 per cent of the responses falling into the ‘good’ and the ‘very good’ categories.

CHINA—According to Global Industry Analysts (GIA), 19 new wire rod production lines were put into production in China in 2010, with an aggregate annual capacity of 14.35 million tonnes. As a result, China’s annual production capacity of wire rod reached 36.85 million tonnes. GIA also stated that it expects the total value of wire rod consumption in the global market to reach USD 25.4 billion by 2015.

CHINA—Henan Hengxing Science & Technology has won two steel wire supply contracts to supply Shanghai Chaori Solar Energy Science & Technology with 5.62 million kms of refined steel wire and Anyang Phoenix Photovoltaic with an unspecified amount of 0.13 mm refined steel wire.

FINLAND—PKC Group (Finland) will acquire the Segu companies of Germany, Poland and Ukraine, manufacturers and developers of wiring harnesses for the automotive and construction equipment sectors. Segu companies and PKC’s Polish unit will form a business unit servicing the West European markets. The Segu companies in question generated consolidated net sales of approximately Euro 38 million in 2010.

12 | WIRE BULLETIN

FRANCE—Nexans, a global player in the cable industry, has been awarded a Euro 1.6 million contract by the German company KUKA Roboter GmbH, one of the leading robot producers worldwide, to supply its specialised Motionline® robotic cables for use in the construction of sophisticated 3D industrial robots. Nexans was also awarded an approximately Euro 18 million contract by Statoil to design, engineer and manufacture the static and dynamic subsea umbilicals that will play a vital role in the tie-back system connecting the new Gygrid field development to the existing Njord A installation off the Norwegian Continental shelf. Nexans will supply a variety of accessories including transition joints, termination work, connectors, repair joints and abandonment kit. The umbilicals will be designed and manufactured at Nexans’ specialized umbilical facility in Halden, Norway. INDONESIA—Huawei Marine Networks has been awarded a contract for the Batam-DumaiMelaka submarine cable project linking Malaysia and Indonesia. Huawei will offer endto-end turnkey submarine system solutions for the project. The BDM project will consist of a cable system across the Straits of Malacca between Melaka, Malaysia and Dumai and Batam, Indonesia. The cable route will have eight pipeline and sea-cable crossings. The new system will provide bandwidth improvement for Malaysia and Indonesia.

ITALY—Prysmian Cables & Systems has signed two major contracts with SAIPEM, a leading oil and gas industry contractor, worth more than Euro 60 million, to supply special cables for applications in the oil, gas and petrochemicals industry. The group will supply a wide range of power, instrumentation and fiber optic cables specially designed for process plant and sulphur recovery units for treating natural gas at the Shah Arab Field in Abu Dhabi. KOREA—LS Cable has announced a change in its English corporate name to LS Cable & System. The company’s new name is now in use after gaining approval at its shareholders’ meeting, LS said in a statement. LS Cable &

System’s solution areas include power transmission, power supply, wind power, railways, vessels, airports, and broadband networks.

MOROCCO—Anixter International Inc., a global distributor of communication and security products, electrical and electronic wire and cable, fasteners, and other small parts, announced that it has established Anixter Morocco SARL. Working with Global Development Ventures Corp., Anixter will operate initially from Casablanca and will serve the communications and physical security markets, supply industrial and infrastructure projects, and provide products to original equipment manufacturers. OMAN—Omantel has signed a MoU with three other international telecommunication companies to establish a consortium that will provide a new express cable system linking Frankfurt in Europe to Oman via Russia and Iran. It is anticipated that the new cable system will be ready for service in May 2012 with work commencing on the development—that will be a mix of terrestrial and underwater cable elements—in May.

QATAR—On March 30, 2011, Jaidah Group’s Industrial Supply Division signed an agreement with Doha Cables to be a certified wholesaler and retailer distributor to local Middle East markets. Part of trending economic development in that country, Qatar cable manufacturer Doha Cables’ advanced manufacturing facility in Mesaieed Industrial City has a production capacity of 40,000 tonnes of copper per annum and a total area of 70,000 sq metres. SAUDI ARABIA—Specialist cable manufacturer Tratos Cavi SpA has won a 4,00,000 pounds contract for the supply of medium- and low-voltage cables for a monorail at a new university in Saudi Arabia. Tratos won the contract to supply cables for the 11 km long monorail line and depot due to the quality of the product, all of which are manufactured to the relevant European standards. The cables have to cope with high temperatures (up to 50ºC) and adverse atmospheric conditions including sand and dust storms.

SPAIN—Steel Dynamics, Inc. and LaFarga Group, headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, jointly announced the creation of a new partnership which will operate under the SDI LaFarga, LLC name. Plans include the construction of a USD 39 million facility which will produce copper wire rod from recycled copper. TAIWAN—Taiwan’s first underwater earthquake observation system came closer to fruition with the installation of an important submarine cable off the country’s northeast coast by the Central Weather Bureau (CWB). Under the Marine Cable Hosted Observatory (MACHO) program, the bureau laid a 45-km cable from its land station in Yilan County’s Toucheng region into the Pacific Ocean. When an earthquake or tsunami occurs, the CWB explained, seismic data detected by seismometers or pressure gauges in the sea can be delivered through the Toucheng station to the bureau via fiber-optic cable and leased line.

USA—Superior Essex, a company that makes wire and cable products, plans to open a new plant in Tarboro. The Atlanta-based company makes power cables for commercial, industrial and utility markets. USA—Coleman Cable, Inc., a leading manufacturer and innovator of electrical and electronic wire and cable products, announced that it has successfully completed the acquisition of Technology Research Corporation (TRC), a recognised leader in providing cost-effective engineered solutions for applications involving power management and control, intelligent battery systems technology and electrical safety products. With the completion of the transaction, TRC is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coleman. WEST AFRICA—MTN Group’s made a USD 90 million investment in the West Africa Cable System (WACS), the largest submarine fiber optics project off the West African coast. “As the single biggest investor in WACS, MTN will receive an initial capacity of 11 per cent when the cable becomes commercially available in the second quarter of this year,” a statement said.|WB

PRODUCTS, MEDIA, & TECHNOLOGY Products High flex cables for medical automation U.S.-based Cicoil, a manufacturer specialising in flexible flat silicone cables and assemblies, now offers standard “off-theshelf” and custom-made cables for high performance medical automation, diagnostics, and pharmaceutical processing applications. The lightweight cables can incorporate any variety of power, data, and video conductors in a single compact cable design, the company reports. According to Cicoil, in addition to “every type of electrical conductor,” the cables can also include single- and multi-lumen tubing for air or liquid transfer, and even fiber optics, all in the same cable. The cables are also claimed to be 100 per cent contaminant-free, and rated for Class 1 clean room use.

Incorporating multiple elements into a single, compact flat cable may make medical equipment significantly smaller, quieter, and more energy efficient. The company says the cables’ silicone encapsulation design provides a solid, one-piece construction for a highly durable cable package that will not break, deform, or wear during a lifetime of more than 10 million cycles, even under high-speed flexing or tight bending radius conditions. The proprietary silicone extrusion process also delivers advantages in extreme environments, including temperatures ranging from -65°C to +260°C, and the cables are impervious to water, steam, UV light, and most chemicals. For further details visit: www.cicoil.com.

Lapp presents Skintop® Cube The Lapp Group has added value to the multi-cable bushing system market with its introduction of the Skintop® Cube. This consists of a frame and flexible clip sealing modules for larger and more effective clamping. “The installation of the Skintop® Cube could not be easier. Simply fit the sealing module on to the cable, clip it into the frame, and the installation is complete. The cable is perfectly fixed, secured against vibrations, relieved from strain, and sealed in accordance with IP64. These simple installation processes work for the insertion of cables with assembled connectors to quickly, securely and clearly arrange cables into a switch cabinet. And it can be done without the need for special tools, sealants, or lubricants,” the company claims.

One of Lapp’s Skintop products. Some of the advantages offered by this product include its extra wide variable

clamping range. The patented flexible clip modules are available in four sizes: 4 to 6 mm, 6 to 9 mm, 9 to 12 mm and 12 to 16 mm. These large variable clamping ranges provide reduced storage requirements, as fewer parts are needed. The matching, glass fiber-reinforced polyamide frames are available for standard 16-pin or 24-pin connector openings, allowing 8 to 10 cables to be mounted in a clearly arranged manner when space is at an absolute minimum. The clip modules can also be integrated into the cable assembly planning, thus providing time and money savings. The modules are resistant to oil, grease, ultra-violet rays, and ozone. For further details visit: www.lappusa.com or contact Lapp USA, 29 Hanover Road, Florham Park, NJ 07932, USA, Tel.: 800774-3539.

Teknor develops new vinyl elastomer compounds Two high-performance vinyl jacketing compounds from Teknor Apex Company 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, the company announced in a press release. The Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex introduced the products at Interwire 2011. Drawing on its expertise in compounding elastomeric materials, Teknor Apex has taken two different approaches to meeting the rigorous requirements of wind turbine applications: • Flexalloy® 9609-80 is an 80 Shore A PVC-based elastomer that provides superior long-term UV resistance. It exhibits a brittle point of -60ºC. • Apex® N-56001 is a 76 Shore A blend of PVC and nitrile rubber that provides superior long-term low-temperature flexibility and oil resistance. It exhibits a brittle point of -54ºC. Besides exceeding application standards for impact resistance at temperatures down to -40ºC, both compounds pass the required tests for UV resistance, 60-day oil aging at 75ºC, and flammability performance as specified in UL 1685-F4. The two compounds are rated at 105ºC for maximum continuous operating temperature. “Teknor Apex has developed Flexalloy 9609-80 and Apex N-56001 to provide cable manufacturers with different options for meeting application requirements,” said industry manager Mike Patel. “Both products are high-performance alternatives to the standard flexible vinyl compounds used in cable jacketing and are particularly valuable for their cold impact and oil resistance properties.” For further details contact: Teknor Apex, 505 Central Avenue, Pawtucket, RI 02861, USA, Tel.: 1-401-725-8000, E-mail: vinyl@teknorapex.com.

hanced flow channel geometry ensures short residence time of polymer melt and enables a quick and easy change of colour or material,” the release said.

According to Rosendahl, the product’s compact and modular design employs highprecision ball centering over an adjustable and self-sealing tip holder to ease handling. The advanced RX5-Crosshead is designed to minimise process deviations and increase quality and efficiency in extrusion lines for micro-coaxial, LAN, and standard power cables for automotive and non-automotive applications. Rosendahl has supplied extrusion lines to the global cable industry for the past 50 years. For further details visit: www.rosendahlaustria.com.

manual method stems from the imprecise and non-permanent nature of the resulting markings, which precludes any verification, after the event, of the crimping operation. Premarking the cables with laser-printed dots that are positioned with great precision solves these problems and, thus, guarantees the security of the operation.” The process was produced at the request of international aerospace group Airbus. Aluminium wire is being used extensively and increasingly in the latest generation of aircraft to meet current weight reduction constraints. The Airbus A380 aircraft, for example, requires more than 500 km of wires and cables of various kinds, and each section must be clearly identified in order to facilitate maintenance. The process has resulted in the lodging of several patents. For further details visit: www.laselec.com.

Sikora launches X-RAY 6000 Series

Laselec unveils laser marking process for aluminium wire Laselec’s new aluminium wire marking process involves pre-marking spots with a laser to maintain a high degree of precision so that the crimping process remains safe. The key issue is that, on this type of aluminium cable, the contact points are totally leak-proof, without any openings that would enable the operator to check, by the end of the process, that the operation has indeed been carried out correctly. At present, cabling companies use ‘felt-tip’ markers. According to Eric Dupont, CEO of Laselec, “The main disadvantage of this

After the 2004 launch of its X-RAY 2000 series for use in insulating and jacketing lines, Sikora announces the two and threeaxis-model series X-RAY 6000. “This offers a variety of technological innovations that will set new standards with regard to continued on p. 14

RX5 introduction completes Rosendahl’s RX Crosshead Series Rosendahl new RX5 crosshead meets the very wide-ranging demands in the field of cable applications between 0, 1, and 5 mm conductor diameter. The company reports that the new crosshead exhibits “Perfectly balanced polymer distribution, temperatureand pressure-profiles to guarantee a smooth and stable melt flow across the outlet zone.” The RX-type crossheads generally provide high-precision centricity a preventing cable wall thickness from over-sizing and helping to save material and production costs. En-

JULY 2011 | 13

PRODUCTS, MEDIA, & TECHNOLOGY improved precision, long operation time, and efficiency. The X-RAY 6000 includes XLL-X-Ray tubes (extra long life) and provides a selectable measuring rate of 1 to 3 Hz (optional 10, 100 Hz). The X-RAY 6000 devices offer application-specific options to the measurement of RF cables, specifically for the measurement of the radial foam quality. In all these applications the systems have proven their value and achieve the highest measuring accuracy,” a company statement said. In combination with the display and control device ECOCONTROL 6000, the measuring system provides information for the optimum control of the production line in the automatic mode. For further details visit: www.sikora.net or contact: Sikora AG-Germany, Fax: +49421-48900-90, E-mail: sales@sikora.net.

Micro-bundle cables from Nexans

offering indoor and universal versions of our new cable and are confident our latest product will be well received by our customers in the Middle East region.” The micro-bundle itself is an incredibly flexible small tube, containing a maximum of 12 fibers. With this type of construction, cables of a very small bend radius can be produced. The LANmark-OF micro-bundle indoor cable features yarns as one of the internal strength members and is a high fiber count cable, available from 12 to 96 fibers. “It has excellent flame and fire retardant properties and complies with the requirements of IEC standards,” a press release said. Joost Grillaert, Product Manager, Nexans Cabling Solutions, said, “The new microbundle cables provide greatly improved benefits compared with the traditional unitube and loose tube designs. The new design is much more flexible and more cost-effective than using bend insensitive fibers.” For further details, contact: Tarek Helmy, Nexans Cabling Solutions, Tel: +971-26328724, E-mail: tarek.helmy@nexans.com.

Media Nexans introduces cables based on an advanced micro-bundle design in the UAE. This new technology allows for the production of small, light cables that maintain excellent mechanical robustness. Speaking on the launch, Tarek Helmy, Regional Director, Gulf & Middle East, Nexans Cabling Solutions, said “Nexans is pleased to announce the launch of our new micro-bundle fiber optic cables, which are not only smaller and lighter but also very robust. Customers can expect greater flexibility from our newest product as it can be used for both horizontal as well as vertical installations. We will be

14 | WIRE BULLETIN

Global report on steel wire By the year 2015, the global steel wire market will touch USD 25.4 billion. This is the conclusion reached by Global Industry Analysts Inc. in its research report entitled “Steel Wire: A Global Strategic Business Report.” The steel industry’s business cycles reflect the general economic activity of a nation. Steel wire being a part of steel industry is no exception and is dependent on a number of factors such as the level of economic activity and the state of the end-use industries such as construction and automotive, which both consume steel wire. Growing in-

vestments in infrastructure and higher disposable incomes in several developing economies are the key factors driving growth in steel and its derivative products. Besides, the steel wire industry is engaged in the production of a wide gamut of products such as steel cords used in reinforcing tyres and hoses. The key market participants profiled in the report include Arcelor Mittal, Bridon International Ltd., Carrington Wire Ltd., Davis Wire Corp., Insteel Industries Inc., Kobe Steel Ltd., Leggett & Platt Inc., NV Bekaert SA, Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Steel Authority of India Ltd., Tata SSL Ltd., Tree Island Industries Ltd., and Wire Rope Industries. The research announced by Global Industry Analysts Inc. provides a comprehensive review of the markets, product overview, recent industry activity, and profiles of market players worldwide. The study also presents historic data for an insight into market evolution between 2000 and 2006. For further details visit: Global Industry Analysts, Inc., 6150 Hellyer Ave., San Jose, CA 95138, USA, Tel.: 408-528-9966.

Paper addresses vehicle harness design challenges A white paper authored by Mentor Graphics and available through the InterconnectionWorld website sheds light on a number of wiring harness design issues that can, and in several recent cases have, resulted in flawed harnesses making their way into automobiles. Evidenced by a recent spate of vehicle recalls resulting from wiring-harness issues (for example, Ford, Volkswagen, Honda and Chrysler recalls), the prospect of overcoming harness design challenges certainly is desirable. The white paper, entitled “Modeling Real-World Design Challenges With Mod-

ern Vehicle Harness Design Tools” aims to help accomplish that lofty goal. Mentor Graphics describes the paper as follows: “Auto makers have long relied on mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD) platforms, and solutions specifically optimised for harness design have emerged to solve the burgeoning problem of electrical and wiring system complexity. This paper discusses the data and process flows that support a smooth design continuum from engineering to manufacturing.”

Technology Quality assurance during production of energy cables According to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), there will be strong investments in the future for the construction of new wind turbines at sea. In 2010, more wind power plants were built in European seas than ever before. More than 300 plants with a total power of more than 880 megawatt were added. Power from offshore wind parks to the mainland is currently being transmitted by undersea cables, which have to comply with different requirements as well as environment conditions. Thus, the cable design complies with national and international standards. To meet these requirements, cable manufacturers use innovative measuring and control technology in their production lines. SIKORA offers a bandwidth of measuring technology for use in CV, VCV, or MDCV lines. The company’s Cleanliness Scanning System (CSS) 2 assures the cleanliness of the melt. In a CV line, for example, a CSS 2 system offers real-time monitoring and detection of impurities of the polymer melt.

PRODUCTS, MEDIA, & TECHNOLOGY The flow channel between the main extruder and the cross-head is equipped with sight glasses and an optical CCD camera system, which trans-illuminates the insulation material. Thus, the system assures that only pure PE material is used for the cable production. As a result, a higher electric strength of the cable can be achieved.

or triple layer insulation. By collecting hot measuring values at the beginning of the line and cold values at the end of the line, three shrinking values are analysed for every insulation layer of the cable, assuring an optimum process. For further details visit: www.sikora.net or contact: Sikora AG, Bruchweide 2, 28307 Bremen, Germany, Tel.: +49 421 48900-0, Fax: +49 421 48900-90, E-mail: sales@sikora.net.

Marking of optical fibre cables CV line (catenary line) with measuring equipment for reliable quality assurance during production of energy cables. ULTRATEMP 6000 measurements assure an optimum PE melt temperature during extrusion on a non-contact basis. The device detects inhomogeneities in the melt. Early cross-linking after screens which may lead to ambers or scorches in the material do not occur. The device optimizes the output of a planned production time. The X-RAY 8000 NXT measuring system assures accurate hot measuring values of the cable parameters. The system is installed in the moving part of the telescopic tube directly after the cross-head for precise hot measurement of the wall thickness of all the three layers (concentricity, diameter, and ovality). The measuring values for centering and control are therefore available immediately after starting up the line. The system is used in catenary and vertical lines. The X-RAY 8700 NXT assures precise cold values by supplying precise quality data about the final product. The X-RAY 8700 NXT measures the diameter, wall thickness and eccentricity and is suitable for all cable types with solid, stranded or Milliken conductor and with single, double,

The concept of coating optical fibres with ultra-violet hardening inks can be credited to the Austria-based company Medek & Schörner, which has developed it in close cooperation with cable industry companies throughout the world for numerous applications. Because the fibre travels horizontally through the entire process the system can be operated reliably and comfortably.

tem for a wide range of applications quickly and easily. If necessary, the system can be expanded at moderate cost. The advantages of the soft-curing UV irradiators include: • Curing of the fibre coating with minimal impact on the fibres and coating resin. • Permanent monitoring and automatic regulation of UV irradiator performance depending on the speed of the equipment, ensuring optimal use of the irradiator, and preventing thermal overload of slow-running or stationary fibres. • Optimised energy consumption compared with competitive products (30 per cent less).

Laser printer.

Hot foil meter marker. CFU coating head.

Fiber ribbon. Equipment with modular individual components has proved extremely effective, making it possible to adapt the coating sys-

the fibre with colour-code rings at speeds up to 800 m/min. A tight buffering extension can easily be installed and allows process speeds up to 1,300 m/min.

Optical fibre colouring/coating systems The GFP-UV colouring system comprises a fibre pay-off, colouring and curing units, and a capstan plus take-up unit. Single line and parallel arrangements with up to six independent fibre lines can be offered. Each of the processing line is equipped with Medek & Schoerner-designed M550 high performance SOFT-curing UV irradiators. A separate ‘screen proof test’ unit can easily be incorporated in the existing colouring equipment. An optional RSJ add-on ring marking system can mark

Fibre ribbon and CFU production lines Medek & Schörner also offers top quality equipment for high-speed fibre ribbon and CFU processing of up to 24 primary coated and coloured optical fibers at maximum operating speeds of up to 1,000 m/min and with excellent ribbon planarity. The horizontal design offers a simple and comfortable equipment handling. Hot foil meter marking and laser printing of optical fibres The FMS series’ high-performance hot foil meter markers print length marks in meter sequence along with text, company logo, and/or any other user definable codes in user selectable colours on the jackets the of optical fibre cables. Advanced AC servo drive systems are provided for extremely accurate length marking at speeds up to and above 150 m/min. The new pulsed fibre laser printer requires little maintenance making it a user-friendly solution.|WB

JULY 2011 | 15

PRODUCTION TIPS Zero & Beyond : General Cable’s Vision for Safety

ensure that the company’s safety systems were leading to an accident-free workplace and that the systems complied with government regulations. Ultimately each audit became an opportunity to emphasize expectations and the culture through positive affirmations.

Biographical information

SAFETY MANIFESTO:

Excerpts from an Interwire 2011 presentation Elimination/reduction of physical hazards By Tim Wampler Zero & Beyond is an omnipresent safety culture at General Cable that has resulted in a 60% reduction in accidents and has yielded an annual savings of $2 million from lower worker compensations claims. The goal is zero accidents in the workplace and the expectation that associates will take our safety culture beyond our facilities and into their personal lives and communities. This vision consists of four parts and is summarized below.

Core beliefs General Cable’s Executive Leadership endorsed the vision of Zero & Beyond, and drafted a safety manifesto that each associate was asked to sign to confirm his/her commitment. (See box.) The concept being that if safety is the responsibility of management only, the company would never achieve its goal of zero accidents.

Management systems The company’s safety systems began with accident investigation and prevention. Another initiative involved near-miss investigation, in which associates were rewarded when reporting such circumstances. Safety teams were also created, led by operators, where associates walk the floors looking for unsafe conditions. Both internal and external audits were conducted to

Improvement ideas surfaced from hourly associates as well as from data collected from accident reports. For example the occurrence of hand injuries was addressed at the root cause. Now the majority of the company’s North American plants are 100% knife-free and other safer tools have been provided. Similarly, guards, take-up covers, and laser curtains address entanglement concerns; reel kickers and skates have been added to reduce the physical load; extruders have pressure safeguards; and all personnel are required to wear steel toe shoes and safety glasses regardless of how minimal the safety risk is perceived to be.

Safety culture Human behavior is one of the most difficult variables to address with respect to safety in the workplace. All risks cannot be eliminated, but associates can reduce the risk to an acceptable level when time is taken to identify and control hazards. Associates must take ownership for their actions and embrace Consequence Thinking, which comes into play when a person chooses the safest way to complete a task by identifying and controlling all the hazards feasible, especially their personal behavior so injury is avoided. Consequence Thinking is a crucial step in reaching the goal of zero accidents.|WB

Wampler Tim Wampler is a Vice President of Manufacturing for General Cable’s Communications and Assemblies plants in North America. He has more than 16 years of experience in the wire and cable industry. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee Technological University and an MBA degree in Operations Management from Ball State University.

I firmly believe: • Human life and health have value above all else. • All accidents are preventable and anything more than zero is unacceptable. • Leading safety improvement is everyone’s responsibility. • I am accountable for my own safety and for the safety of all those around me. • I have the authority and am personally accountable for stopping any act that is unsafe. • As a company we cannot achieve sustainable manufacturing excellence without first being world-class with respect to safety. I will strive to: • Make time to fully understand the safety rules and guidelines of every facility I enter. • Lead by example, placing safety first in everything I do. • Make time every day to reinforce safety expectations and reward safe behaviors. • Influence others to work safely and thank others for their influence on me. • Never walk past an unsafe condition or act without addressing it. • Lead efforts to address known hazards proactively using severity and likelihood as a guide as to where to focus. • Learn from every incident, every near miss and every benchmark available. • Take safety beyond the workplace and into my home and the rest of my life.

www.sikora.net

16 | WIRE BULLETIN

ASK THE EXPERT ASK THE EXPERT

continued from p. 1

Q: How can we meet our customers’

requirement of a bright annealed surface on brass wires when the bright surface luster becomes black after annealing? Background: We have to manufacture bright annealed brass wires at the diameters of 4mm and 5mm. The brass is 80:20 as well as 63:37. We have vacuum pit furnaces as well as bell furnaces that can handle a protective atmosphere of 95% nitrogen and 5% hydrogen. The problem is that when the brass wires are drawn they have a very bright luster on the surface but once annealed at 425°C (soaked for 10 hours and pulled out of the soak at between 40-50°C) the color of the brass wires becomes black. Once pickled in sulphuric acid and rinsed with deionized water the original brass color returns, but the drawn luster is lost. However, pickling after annealing is not acceptable to the customer.

A: As an experiment, cool the just-

annealed brass wire down to room temperature before removing it from the furnace. This will tell you if your problem is actually in your annealing process. High temperature oxidation is most likely the cause of your problem; the pickling experiment confirms this since the oxides were removed. It’s possible that there is some contamination in the inert atmosphere in the annealing oven. A number of other things can cause such a problem including oven leaks, furnace atmosphere oxidizing, and improper quench. I would suggest consulting with your annealler supplier. Hopefully you can get the brass wire bright right out of the annealer from now on. It

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;

Photo courtesy: Copper & Brass International Corp.

will, however, oxidize as time goes by just like bright copper, which, when exposed, is slowly corroded by the combined action of oxygen, moisture and the oxides of sulfur (from the products of combustion) to form that blue-green or green basic copper sulfate film on copper flashing that we all have seen many times. The copper sulfate film adheres tightly to the copper and this prevents further corrosion. That is why copper in a wire plant has to be annealed after drawing because the cold drawing process has deformed the crystal structure of the copper wire so much that the wire has become hard and somewhat brittle. Annealing allows the copper crystals or grains the opportunity to regrow and thus the original mechanical properties are restored. The time to regrow is temperature dependent meaning that the higher the temperature that the copper wire is subjected to, the shorter the required annealing time. In the annealing leg or section of a modern copper resistance annealer, the copper wire temperature is somewhere around 566°C. However, when copper is taken above about 200°C it quickly oxidizes (corrodes or rusts) and this is nothing more than a simple chemical reaction with oxygen. Steps must therefore be taken to protect the hot copper wire from atmospheric oxygen by using steam, nitrogen, or some other reducing atmosphere around it until such time that the now annealed copper wire is cooled down. (Preferably back to room temperature.)|WB

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

JULY 2011 | 17

TECHNICAL ARTICLE Dies management in wiredrawing industry Wiredrawing dies are a vital part of the wiredrawing industry. Quality dies are needed to produce quality wire and the lowest die cost/tonne of wire drawn. Improper selection and poor die quality directly affect die cost and indirectly increase production costs due to rejected wire, machine downtime, and the consequent loss of production. By Harish Jindal, Founder/Director, Kay Pee Dies & Tools The various materials available for making wiredrawing dies are tungsten carbide (TC), natural diamond, and synthetic diamond; each has its own application. Almost all wire is either fully or at least partially drawn (from wire rod to a certain size depending upon the material and the desired accuracy) through TC, primarily because of the following qualities: • It is the most cost-effective of the three materials mentioned above. • It exhibits high hardness both at room temperature and at the high temperatures encountered during drawing operations. • It is highly resistant to deformation under load. • Its smaller thermal coefficient of expansion results in minamal variation in die size due to rising working temperatures. • It can receive and maintain high surface finish of up to 1 micro-inch. TC dies’ nibs or pellets are manufactured by a powder metallurgical process from the basic raw material of tungsten carbide with a metallic binder in the form of cobalt. For drawing operations the nib is required to be hard for wear resistance and tough enough to resist deformation under load. Since the hardness and toughness of any material are proportional, an optimum combination of the two properties as per the application is required, for which TC nibs are available in various grades. Different grades of TC having hardness of 1,400 to 2,000 on the HV 30 scale and corresponding transverse rupture strength of 1,700 to 2,800 N/mm square are currently manufactured for drawing operations. These different grades are obtained by varying the grain size of tungsten carbide and the percentage of cobalt. The hardness increases with the decreasing grain size and cobalt content. The selection of the proper grade of the nib, in consultation with a die manufacturer, is the first step for setting a good die. Grade selection depends upon the size and material of the wire drawn and the machinery condition. Harder grades are used for smaller wire sizes and rigid machinery and comparably tougher grades for larger diameter wires, bar drawing, and where vibrations or impact loading may be encountered. Trial work has involved the production of TV pellets, tough coated with hard powder technology, to obtain a better combination of hardness on the surface and toughness in the core. The commercial applications of these trials have also been carried out.

Selection of nib size The nib cost contributes between 50-60 per cent of the die cost and therefore the proper nib selection can help reduce the die cost per tonne of wire considerably. To select the right nib size, the following points have to be considered: • Wire sizes and material drawn. • Maximum inlet wire/wire rod used in the factory. The pellet should be large enough to withstand the forces developed in wiredrawing and should be capable of being recut/re-ground many times to the next higher bore sizes. The thicker and harder the wire, the bigger should be the size of the pellet. The advantage of bigger pellets is that they can be repeatedly re-cut and reconditioned to the next higher sizes. The biggest pellet

18 | WIRE BULLETIN

size to be procured should be the one required for the first wiredrawing/rod breaking operation. Many wire manufacturers tend to order the smallest bore dies in the biggest pellet size with the understanding that all dies will be re-cut repeatedly to be used in the first operation. But there is a catch here which is generally overlooked. The production obtained from a die increases as the wire size increases because die wear is proportional to the length of wire drawn rather than the weight of the wire drawn and as such, the thicker the wire the higher is the weight of the wire drawn for the same wear of die. Consider this hypothetical example of a company producing 1,000 tonnes 12 SWG wire per month from 7 mm wire rod. The requirement of dies to achieve this production at various stages of reduction shall be as under: • 12 SWG – 70 (depending on wire material and permissible tolerances) • 8 SWG – 50 • 4 SWG – 40 • 6.5 mm/rod breaking – 30 maximum. When only 30 dies in maximum size are needed, why procure all the dies in the biggest pellet? By ordering dies in the mixed pellet size as under, a saving of up to 30 per cent on die cost can be achieved. 20 dies in 14 x 12 ISO Standard pellet @ USD 5 = USD 100 20 dies in 16 x 13 ISO Standard pellet @ USD 7.5 = USD 150 30 dies in 20 x 17 ISO Standard pellet @ USD 10 = USD 300 Total = USD 450

Material to be Drawn High Carbon Wire

Bearing Length/ Area Reduction Reduction Angle Blending Wire Diameter Range (Degrees) Radius R Ratio 10-20% 10-12 0.25/0.30 Small

Mild Steel/Low Carbon Steel/Copper

20-30%

14-16

0.30/0.50

Moderate

Aluminium

25-35%

16-18

0.50/0.75

Large

Stainless Steel

10-15%

14-16

0.25/0.30

Very Small

Table 1. Recommended die profile values.

Fig. 1. Typical wiredrawing die profile.

This is against 70 dies in 20 x 17 pellet @ USD 10 = USD 700, thereby leading to a saving of USD 250, i.e., 35 per cent of USD 700 per month.

Die profile Next to the grade of carbide, the die profile is the most crucial factor contributing to die performance. The various components of a die profile are shown in Table 1. Steel casing. It should be big enough to protect the costly TC pellet and to absorb and pass on the heat and stresses developed during the wiredrawing process. It is advisable to use the biggest casing that can be accommodated in the die box. Entry zone. It provides access to lubricants and guides the wire to the reduction zone. It should be sufficiently wide to allow the free flow of lubricants, especially in the case of dry drawing. Two types of nibs are generally manufactured, one with bellshaped entry zone and one with wide angle. The bell-shaped entry zone nibs are good for wet drawing to allow the smooth flow of the lubricant and the wide angle entry zone are good for dry drawings since these permit the entry of a large amount of lubricant into the entry zone which gradually enters the reduction zone under pressure. Reduction zone. The deformation of wire takes place in this zone and the included angle is called the reduction angle, which is determined by the percentage area reduction and the material being drawn. The actual reductions take place in the contact length of the wire and die, which is about 75 to 100 per cent of the wire diameter. The total length of the reduction zone should be

Fig. 2. Die pass schedule chart. twice the wire diameter to allow the free flow of lubricant to the contact zone. Bearing. It consists of a parallel portion of the diameter equal to the desired wire diameter (less or more depending upon the material being drawn, since hard wire tends to spring back and results in wire size bigger than the die diameter whereas soft wire reduces in size after coming out of the die to the drawing forces). The length of this portion is between 30-75 per cent of the wire diameter, depending upon the material being drawn, lubricant, and the drawing speed. Longer bearing length increases the die life but results in excessive friction, heat generation, poor surface finish, residual stresses, and work hardening of the wire as well as the thermal cracking of the die. Smaller bearings will lead to low die life. This length is decided according to the values shown in Fig. 2., coupled with the experience in each factory. The bearing portion must be blended with the reduction angle with a radius R as recommended. Exit. The height of this zone must be sufficient to provide support for the axial me-

chanical stress produced in the drawing process and it should be well-blended with the end of the bearing as back relief to prevent the chipping of the die and the shaving of the wire. The inside profile of the die must be mirror-polished to reduce friction and improve the die life. The recommended guidelines of die profile for different wiredrawing applications appear in Table 1. It must be noted that these guidelines are to be considered along with the total area reduction required (from start to finish), the number of draws available, the power of each machine and above all, the experience. Caution: In the first rod breaking draw the percentage of area reduction should be lower than the figures in Table 1 due to the possibility of ovality and surface defects in wire rods. For aluminium drawings, long bearing lengths are recommended because the dies do not wear oversize on the bearing but bad wear ring is formed in the drawing angle. With large bearing it will be possible to re-polish the dies a number of times in the same size. continued p. 20

JULY 2011 | 19

TECHNICAL ARTICLE Die pass schedule A well-designed die pass schedule is essential for quality wire production, but this aspect of wiredrawing is sometimes ignored. This schedule is dependent on: • Inlet wire/rod diameter. • Final wire sizes required. • Material to be drawn. • Availability of machines in the plant and their drawing speeds. Fig. 2 can be used to determine the area reduction per pass, knowing the number of passes/drafts and the total area reduction from start to finish. Alternately, depending upon the area reduction per pass, the number of drafts required can be determined for the total area reduction. With the percentage area reduction known, different die sizes can be calculated after adjusting for wire slippage. AR = Total area reduction in percentage of the original wire size. D = Starting wire diameter. d = Finished wire diameter. AR = (1-(d/D)square) x 100

New developments Properzi of Italy have developed a machine for die-less cold rolling of wire with the help of three shaped rollers driven by a chain sprocket arrangement at a speed of up to 20 metres/second for 3.20 mm copper wire to an accuracy of plus or minus 1 per cent. Machines for reducing 8-10 mm steel wire rod down to 1.5/2 mm have also been developed.

Pressure dies These dies are basically a combination of two dies, the first of which has a diameter slightly larger than the second (which is of the required wire size) and the lubricant exiting from the first die enters the second die at a pressure (hence the name pressure die) which results in lubricant pick-up and generation of a residual film in the first draft and preservation of this lubricant film in the subsequent drafts as shown in Fig. 3.

Rotating die boxes These die holders house the die in a bronze holder casing that smoothly rotates along with the drawing die in a speed range of 4 to 48 rpm around the wire being drawn. Lower speed boxes are used in the final pass to get a good finish on the wire and to avoid the friction that may be created in the fast rotation of the die as well as the high drawing speed. For initial passes the fast rotating die boxes are used since the drawing speed is lower in these passes. The use of rotating die boxes results in the following advantages: • Avoidance of ovality in wire and the capability to produce high accuracy wire. • Uniform die wear and less wire breakage. • Longer die life.

Adjustable dies For the drawing of square/rectangular wire/bar in the range of 4 to 32 mm, adjustable dies with four interlocking pieces of tungsten carbide are also available. These pieces can be adjusted to the desired size and locked into position. Due to their high initial and re-grinding costs, these dies are not popular.

Importance of die cooling Deformation of wire as well as the friction between the wire and the die generates heat, which increases with the increasing drawing speeds and higher reduction. The temperature rise of 60-80° Celsius (°C) for mild steel and 100-150°C for high carbon wire per draft is normally encountered. Various techniques are adopted to dissipate this heat and cool the wire between the two passes. Running water is one technique used to successfully cool the wire between passes since it dissipates heat at the source of its generation.

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Although this technique removes only 5 per cent of the total heat generated, it is effective because: • It is the least expensive method of heat removal. • It increases die life and prevents the thermal cracking of the die. • Tungsten carbide loses its hardness with the rising temperature to the extent of about 5 per cent at 100°C, 10 per cent at 200°C and 30 per cent at 400°C. Lower hardness will lead to quicker die wear, abrasion of the die, scratching of the wire. • Tungsten carbide nib is usually shrinkfitted in a steel case and the coefficient of thermal expansion of tungsten carbide is only half of steel. As such, with the rising temperature beyond 200°C, the pellet may lose its support, which may result in cracking or bursting. Water must be prevented from seeping into the lubricant or the die because it may lead to a lumping of the lubricant and reduce its flow into the die. While starting the drawing operation, the flow of running water is gradually increased as the die temperature rises and then a continuous flow is maintained.

Die wear Even ultra-hard dies are subject to wear and in absence of proper maintenance, repolishing or re-conditioning of the dies, they will not be able to withstand thermal and frictional wear encountered during wiredrawing. This will ultimately affect the overall operation and the economy of a wiredrawing plant. Wear in die is demonstrated by the breakdown of lubricant skin on wire and the appearance of polished/brightened side of the wire. If the drawing is allowed to continue, this brightness will lead to a series of longitudinal lines, scrapping and the ovality of wires. If we check the die as soon as the brightness on the wire is spotted, ring formation will be found in the drawing zone. Due to this ring formation, particles of carbide are removed that move forward with the wire and are generally not absorbed by the lubricant skin on the wire. These carbide particles along with the wire particles obstruct the lubricant flow, leading to higher drawing pressures, heat generation and ultimately die failure. It is advisable to clean and service the dies at regular intervals. Since defective wire coming out of one die will affect the performance of all subsequent dies, it is suggested that the complete set of dies be changed rather than changing one die. This will also reduce machine downtime if the dies are changed as and when worn out. In any industry preventive maintenance rather than breakdown maintenance is common practice. Similarly, for extracting the best performance out of a wire mill, preventive change of dies rather than the breakdown changing of dies should be followed.

Re-cutting of dies A worn out die re-cut to exacting parameters of the die profile will perform as well as a new die. The steps to re-cut the dies include: • Lap the reduction zone to the required size, correct the entry zone, and blend the two. • From the back side of the die, correct the exit angle and maintain diameter d1, which can be calculated by referring to Fig. 4. • Mark the bearing portion with a parallel pin with a starting taper of 3 degrees to the desired wire size D, leaving 0.05 mm margin for the polishing of the die. • Blend bearing with the exit. • Diamond polish the die from the front size, blending the bearing with the reduction zone and maintaining the correct die size.

Fig. 3. Lubricant flow in pressure and conventional dies.

Fig. 4. Calculation of meeting point diameter for re-cutting of dies. Diameter d1 = D - (L x C). C is a constant whose values for the exit angle of 90 degrees are as follows: Reduction Angle 2X (Degrees) Constant C 10 0.160 12 0.190 14 0.220 16 0.245 18 0.275 20 0.300

Special considerations for mechanically descaled wire rod drawing Pickling to remove scale, rust, and lime/ borax/phosphate coatings of wire rods for absorption of the lubricant has been common practice for more than 100 years. With the current emphasis on pollution control, an increasing number of units are switching to mechanical descaling of wire rods. Technologically advanced descaling equipment (either continuous or batch process) being very expensive, traditional reverse bending descalers are being commonly used due to their low cost and ease of operation. But this process leaves some scales, residual dust and rust on the wire rods. To tackle the problem of these residues, the following precautions may be taken: • Lubricant should not only be of better quality but abundant flow should be maintained. The use of pressure dies can be useful to achieve this aim. • Lubricant powder in a die box can be stirred regularly with lube stirrers. • Bearing length (especially for the first) of the die can be reduced to 75 per cent of that used for the pickled/coating wire rod. • Percentage area reduction in the first pass can be reduced by about 25 per cent of the normal practice for a pickled wire rod. It may also be noted that die life is likely to be reduced by 5 to 10 per cent (more in the first pass) depending upon the quality of descaling and lubrication.

Die inspection A die profilometer is the best method for checking dies, which can accurately check a die profile, size, and surface finish. These profilometers are costly and not all units need or can afford it. Dies can be inspected visually with a small investment as follows: • Magnifying glass or microscope for general die profile and surface finish.

• Angle pins of required degree for drawing angles. • Plug gauges for bearing length. • Small hole gauges for checking bore diameter above 2 mm. • Plug gauges or drawing of soft wire with wire puller for checking bore diameter below 2 mm.

Die inventory management Ideally any wire unit should purchase only finish size dies required for the final wire with all the other sizes manufactured in-house/on contract basis by re-cutting worn out dies. All the new dies issued from the stores should be serially numbered and stamped along with the company name. A record of die history should be maintained separatly for each die, and should include: • Date of issue. • Dates of sizes of re-grinding together with output in each size. • Machine number for which it has been issued in case of each size. • Date and reason of return of die to the stores. Maintaining the above records may add expense but it will be more than offset by the reduction in die cost, performance evaluation of the different brands of dies, and control of pilferage and duplication of dies.|WB

Biographical information

Jindal Mr. Harish Jindal is a First Class Honours graduate of the 1959 batch of mechanical engineering from IIT Kharagpur. After two years’ training in the U.K., he worked for six years as Production Manager with India Hard Metals Ltd., Calcutta, a company that pioneered tungsten carbide product manufacture in India in collaboration with WIMET, UK. In 1968 he started Kay Pee Dies & Tools–one of the oldest die manufacturing factories in India–that supplies tungsten carbide dies for wire bar, electrodes, bolt making, and special application within India and to Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, and Nepal.

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JULY 2011 | 21

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Wijk

Prunk

CII names president Tata Steel Vice Chairman and CII VP, B. Muthuraman, is the newly elected president of the CII, taking the reins from his successor Hari S Bhartia. He is tasked with bridging the wide gap between industry and government, which is under attack for a rash of scams that have erupted in the country recently. Muthuraman, 66, is on the boards of several companies including Bosch Limited and Tata Industries. He also chairs the Board of Governors of Jamshedpur-based Xavier Labour Relation Institute (XLRI), the college from which he earned an M.B.A. degree; and the Board of Governors of IIT, Kharagpur. He has received several prestigious awards including the distinguished Alumnus Award of IIT Madras, Tata Gold Medal of the Indian Institute of Metals.

Wijk awarded Kami Prize Olle Wijk, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D for Sandvik Materials Technology, received the Kami Prize from the Swedish Kami Foundation. The award was bestowed for the first time this year to honour an individual who has made significant contributions to development in the Swedish steel, metal, and mining industries. Wijkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nearly 30 years of pioneering research involves non-metallic slag inclu-

22 | WIRE BULLETIN

H. Sikora

B. Sikora

sions in steel that make the manufacture of advanced products in high-quality special steels possible.

Management changes at Sikora Harry Prunk has been named chairman of Sikora AG, succeeding Harald Sikora, who will continue to support the company as a consultant, but has withdrawn from the operational business to head the newly founded Sikora Holding GmbH & Co. Prunk will assume the management of the company with the business areas of production, service, purchasing, sales, marketing and research and development. Bernadette Sikora has also been appointed to the Holding and will be responsible for the business areas of finance and control. Dr. Siegmar Lampe, the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former deputy of development, has been appointed director of the R&D Department. Sikora AG is a division of Sikora Holding GmbH & Co and has at present 10 offices worldwide.|WB

JULY 2011 | 23

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