Wire & Cable India Emagazine Mar-Apr Issue 2021

Mar-Apr, 2021

1000/-

Vol. 10 No. 03

Fire Safe Cables:

Safety First....24

1 2 3 TUE WED THU

MARCH

2022

HALL 2 & 3

Gita Group: Planning to Venture into the East Indian Market....8

Driving Polycab’s Procurement Excellence....10

Tempsens Instruments: Product Development in Line with Industrial Applications....14

www.cablewirefair.com

Pragati Maidan, New Delhi

(An ISO 9001 : 2015 Company)

An Experience of Three Decades in Designing and Rigid Stranding Machines Construction of Rotating Machinery.

Spearheaded by a team of highly qualified engineers and technocrats, We have two manufacturing units at premium locations in Delhi-NCR equipped with the state-of-the-art machinery to manufacture machines for Conductor/Cable(HT/LT) & rope industry. We have successfully delivered our machineries to more than 100 satisfied clients across the globe in our two decades of operation.

Rigid Stranding Machines

Drum Twister Machines

Taping Machines and Equipment

Rigid Armouring Machines

High Speed Semi Automatic Core Rewinding Line

Rigid Armouring Machines

Heavy Duty Take up & Pay off stands

Rigid Armouring Machines

Office & Works-1: Plot No.744, Sector-69, IMT, Faridabad (NCR), Distt.: Faridabad, PIN-121004, State: Haryana (India) Landline: 0129-2977999, Mobile: +91- 9811010197, +91-8586969099, +91-8586969100 E-mail: info@cabletechindia.com, cabletechmachines@gmail.com, ctm97@rediffmail.com, Works-2: Plot No.143 & 150, NangIa - Gajipur Road, Gajipur, PO: Pali, Distt.: Faridabad, PIN-121004, State: Haryana (India) Phone: +91- 9811010197, +91-8586969099

www.cabletechindia.com

CONTENTS March-April, 2021, Wire & Cable India

Gita Group:

Driving Polycab’s Procurement Excellence....10

Planning to Venture into the East Indian Market....8

India is Poised to Reach its 2030 Target of 450GW Renewable Energy....20

Fire Safe Cables: Safety First....24

Tempsens Instruments: Product Development in Line with Industrial Applications....14

NEWS

Alphagary Acquires Majority Share Ownership in Shakun Polymers Private Limited in India.... 50

INTERVIEW

Gita Group:

Planning to Venture into the East Indian Market

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We are planning to invest around INR 50 crore for the expansion and modernization of our various units and also, our focus will be to venture into the tyre-bead wire segment.

W

Mr. Sampath Gilada, Managing Partner, Gita Group

ire & Cable India i n t e r v i e w e d M r.

Sampath Gilada, Managing Partner, Gita Group, wherein he dives into the business story of the Company, the applications of their product range, the details about the manufacturing facility, and the future aspirations of the Company.

Wire & Cable India: Could you please walk us through the overview of Gita Group and the product range offered in the wires segment?

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

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Bajpur (Uttarakhand) and Bangalore (Karnataka).

In addition, the group also has seven sleeper units in India and two units in Africa. We also have seven PC pole manufacturing units, five pulses units, besides having a distinct infrastructure division dedicated towards water supply and road projects. Fur ther, we have our presence in segments such as – real estate, power generation, refractory manufacturing, and ductile engineering castings for railways and automobiles with the global turnover of IRS 850 crore in FY 2020-21.

Prestress Steel LLP (formerly known as Prestress Wire Industries) had started during the year 1994 with the capacity of 3,500 MTPA and now, the company has grown to reach the annual production capacity of 80,000

Mar-Apr, 2021

INTERVIEW

“

We were able to sell 70,000 MT of wires of various grades and sizes in the FY 2020-21, amidst a very challenging COVID-19 pandemic situation.

” MT with its four distinct manufacturing plants. The Company has a diverse range of products such as – single and stranded PC wire, ACSR core and stranded wire, special ACSR wire with 19 wire strand, earth wire, commercial galvanized, nail wire, screw wire, spring steel like bedding and shutter wires, as well as bailing wire luggage spring. Our PC wires and ACSR wires are exported to the Middle East, Bangladesh, Turkey, Africa, and European markets on a regular basis.

WCI: Kindly share some details about the applications of these prestressed steel wires and the features of these wires regarding their performance.

SG: These wires are used in a

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number of applications including – the prestressed railway sleepers, electrical poles, aluminum conductor manufacturing, bedding, soft luggage, high tensile nail manufacturing and screws.

Also, we can manufacture single indented PC wire in the range of 3.0mm to 10mm.

WCI: Please describe the manufacturing facility and the production capacity of the Company of the wires segment – both alloy and nonalloy wires. Could you please talk about the market-reach of the Company?

SG: Each of our manufacturing units are state-of-the-art, having high capacity in straight line wire drawing manufacturing, along with galvanized wire pad wiping facility and ecofriendly pickling and furnaces. All of the units are ISO 14001, OHSAS & BIS-approved, ensuring the satisfaction of our customers with respect to the quality of the products.

At present, we are operating in the Northern, Southern and Western region in India and moving forward, we are looking to establish our presence in the Eastern region as well.

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“

We are looking forward to catering to the EastIndian market as we are intending to set up a manufacturing facility in Odisha.

” WCI: How has the growth been for the company in the past year and in the future years, what would be your expectations for the further growth of the Company? Going ahead, what are the plans of the Company and what will be your major strategies to strengthen your positioning in the market?

SG: We were able to sell 70,000 MT of wires of various grades and sizes in the FY 2020-21, amidst a very challenging COVID-19 pandemic situation. At present, we are planning to invest around INR 50 crore for the expansion and modernization of our various units and also, our focus will be to venture into the tyre-bead wire segment.

Further, we are looking forward to catering to the East-Indian market as we are intending to set up a manufacturing facility in Odisha.

Mar-Apr, 2021

TALKING STRATEGY

Driving Polycab’s Procurement Excellence

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Our focus on high quality and total cost of ownership (TCO) for all our raw materials has resulted in a productivity increase of 32% in on our copper and aluminium wire drawing machines.

Mr. Sandeep Bhargava, Executive President & Chief Procurement Officer, Polycab India Limited

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r. Sandeep Bhargava, Executive President & Chief Procurement Officer, Polycab India Limited dives into the key roles he has pertaining to procurement, the strategies with regard to raw materials, and his viewpoint on the current price-rise scenario and its impact on the cable companies in an exclusive conversation with Wire & Cable India.

Furthermore, he also speaks on the pandemic-induced challenges with regard to supply chain, the strategies to mitigate the same, and his approach with regard to negotiations.

Excerpts from the interview:

Wire & Cable India: Kindly outline

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your major roles and responsibilities as an Executive President & Chief Procurement Officer within Polycab India Limited.

Sandeep Bhargava: My roles and responsibilities as a CPO includes but is not limited to identifying the needs of the company, performing market research, evaluating suppliers, selecting a supplier, and then, communicating and engaging with suppliers, and developing contracts.

My main function is to handle all the aspects of the procurement and supply chain management processes and to manage the procurement teams. As a key leader in the organization, I leverage a myriad of procurement skills to balance many sensitive leadership functions. Some of these include: managing the overall procurement strategy, balancing a budget, being constantly vigilant about finding systemic procurement and supply chain improvements. In addition, developing goals, standards, and metrics to keep track of key performance indicators (KPI) and improving processes for efficiencies are also a prominent part of my skillset.

Also, it is quite important for me to ensure that the procurement strategy is aligned properly with the company's overall corporate strategy. As such,

Mar-Apr, 2021

Compounds purpose-built to perform in various cable designs: copper & fiber op c communica ons, industrial ethernet, 5G, electric vehicle, wind farm, power, energy, control, circuit integrity, fire alarm, flexible cord, submersible pump and more

compounds designed to perform MEGOLON low smoke halogen-free

SMOKEGUARD plenum applica ons

GW series Flame Retardant PVC

GARAFLEX TPE compounds

Local Contacts: enquiries@alphagary.com www.alphagary.com

kedar.jadhav@alphagary.com Kedar cell : +91-7769959734 rakesh.samal@alphagary.com Rakesh cell : +91 9821193879

TALKING STRATEGY

“ in the As a key leader organization, I leverage a myriad of procurement skills to balance many sensitive leadership functions.

” decisions are not often simply based on dollar amounts and quality, but keeping in view of other factors as well. For example, if a company has decided to become a representative of sustainability and green practices, then, the procurement officers must take that into account when selecting suppliers as part of their overall roles and responsibilities.

WCI: Polycab has always remained ahead in the industry with continuous capacity expansions. Please share your strategy with regard to raw material sustainability!

SB: The process of sourcing commoditized raw materials is nuanced, with strategies that are not generally applied to other direct materials. Also, the current uncertain market conditions further strengthen the need for a rigid sourcing framework. There are a few important criteria that we consider while developing a sourcing strategy for RM sustainability including – identifying the supply market, distribution and logistics network, understanding the cost str ucture and drivers, and developing a pricing mechanism. Just as importantly, developing alternate sources and establishing a competitive situation is a significant aspect as well while formulating the sourcing strategies.

WCI: What are your thoughts on the current raw material scenario

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— specifically to price rise and the reason behind the surge? When are you expecting a stabilization in the prices and what will be the impact of price rise on your customers and performance of cable companies?

SB: Prices of copper, i.e., a key input for manufacturing wires and cables, have soared globally because of the greater demand-push from China and a number of other countries that have made a quick turnaround since the global lockdown wreaked trade.

Moreover, prices of aluminium, another key commodity has shot up because the authorities in the top producer of the metal – China, are clamping down on energy-intensive industries to curb the carbon emissions.

These metals constitute almost 70% of overall raw material consumption in our sector. Thus, the LME prices of copper and aluminium are 40% higher now than as compared to the prices in Se ptember, 2020. Besides, the importers have to pay more in freight charges as the maritime supply-chain is stressed because of the rising international demand and a shortage of containers. The price hikes are also partly a result of higher fixed costs, lower capacity utilization and overheads such as expenses due to COVID-related safety protocols.

The prices are expected to stabilize towards the end of the current fiscal year, by which time the global economies are expected to fare better than now. This obviously means a higher cost of production for cables and wires and a higher price to be paid for them. An increase in spending on infrastructure and power will help the cable companies to perform much better.

WCI: The pandemic caused a huge disruption in the logistics and procurement pipeline. What were

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the key challenges and how did you manage to effectively mitigate the supply chain disruption?

SB: For our major raw material, i.e., copper, we have annual contracts with the Japanese smelters and even during the lockdown, unlike many of our peers, we did not walk out of contracts in a panic mode, but honored them by scheduling the minimum quantity allowed by the contract. As a gesture of goodwill, all our suppliers have increased our credit period for these quantities so as to avoid putting additional stress on our working capital. Hence, when the major disruption in logistics pipeline was experienced during the Oct-Dec quarter, we were comfortably placed with regards to raw material availability and with a strong goodwill established with our suppliers.

WCI: What have been the major milestones you have achieved as a result of your strategic procurement solutions?

SB: A major milestone was achieved when we were able to break the Japanese cocoon and became the largest customer other than China for copper being exported out of Japan.

Also, our focus on high quality and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for all our raw materials has resulted in a productivity increase of 32% in on our copper and aluminium wire drawing machines.

WCI: What is your approach with regard to negotiations? In fact, could you mention a project/deal negotiation that you regard as a benchmark negotiation in your journey?

SB: Walking into negotiations essentially requires the knowledge of the inter national and regional demand and supply situation, local laws and tax structures and inter

Mar-Apr, 2021

TALKING STRATEGY

“

Prices of copper, i.e., a key input for manufacturing wires and cables, have soared globally because of the greater demand-push from China and a number of other countries that have made a quick turnaround since the global lockdown wreaked trade.

” country tax treaties. Further, our business relations with the supplier are one of the major priorities for us.

Without going into details, I would

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like to mention that the benchmark negotiation in my journey of strategic sourcing was the negotiations with the Japanese smelters and our Company becoming the first Indian customer for copper cathodes.

WCI: The industry has been big on collaboration and technology ever since the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tell us how collaboration and technology have been the lifejacket that helped the sector stay afloat during the pandemic?

SB: Technology has been an enabler for people to connect. At times of travel restrictions and uncertainty in the entire supply chain, it becomes very essential to connect with your suppliers, your team, the manufacturing teams and the logistics service providers. That being so, the best way

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“

The benchmark negotiation in my journey of Strategic Sourcing was the negotiations with the Japanese smelters and our Company becoming the first Indian customer for copper cathodes.

” o f c o m mu n i c a t i o n i s t h r o u g h technology which has taught us to stay in touch virtually. We've been able to make a comeback and support the manufacturing team with the help of virtual meetings which has greatly helped us taking faster decisions. It also helps put a “face to the name”.

Mar-Apr, 2021

INTERVIEW

Tempsens Instruments:

Product Development in Line with Industrial Applications

“

Tempsens Unit No. 4 was established for the production of Control & Instrumentation Cables, having more than double of the previous production capacity. Besides, we have also added dual extrusion lines for the inner and outer sheathing of Unarmoured Cables

M”

Mr. Vinay Rathi, Director, Tempsens Instruments (I) Pvt Ltd.

r. Vinay Rathi, Director, Tempsens Instruments (I) Pvt Ltd. sheds light on the business story of the Company, the product portfolio specific to the wire and cable segment, the details about the new manufacturing facility, the role of innovation, the market presence and the outlook on the Indian wire and cable market.

Wire & Cable India: To start with, give us a glimpse into the business

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Mar-Apr, 2021

INTERVIEW

journey of Tempsens Instruments and the significant milestones the company has attained so far.

Vinay Rathi: Tempsens Instruments (I) Pvt. Ltd is an independent business vertical of the Pyrotech Group, which was established by four technocrats in 1976 in Udaipur, Rajasthan. As a startup then, the initial products introduced by company were temperature sensors i.e., thermocouples and RTDs. Today, Tempsens offers a range of thermal engineering solutions. It is one of the largest thermal and cable solutions provider having worldclass manufacturing facilities and operations in India, Germany and Indonesia. The company is involved into the manufacturing of thermocouples, RTDs, thermowells, wires & cables, infrared pyrometers,

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thermal imagers, furnace camera s y s t e m s, h e a t e r s, c a l i b r a t i o n equipments, industrial and R&D furnaces etc. with factory area of a p p r ox i m a t e ly 3 8 0 , 0 0 0 s q f t .

Tempsens has been awarded with many prestigious awards such as – Rajeev Gandhi National Quality Award 2005, MSME National Awa r d 2 0 1 0 , E E P C E x p o r t E xc e l l e n c e Awa r d 2 0 1 2 - 1 3 , Rajasthan Udyog Ratna Award 2019, and Rajasthan Export Excellence Award 2019 etc.

WCI: Tell us about the product portfolio specific to the wire and cable segment. Also, outline the key strengths and the applications/ industries served with these products. Is there any new addition in your product range in the recent times?

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“

The expansion of Tempsens' product portfolio has been planned with due diligence of both forward and backward integration.

” VR: Tempsens has two different business units for the manufacturing of wires and cables equipped with latest technology, which covers all types of instrumentation and control cables up to 1.1 kV, thermocouple cables and high temperature cables up to 1200°C, which are duly cer tified by BIS and already approved with reputed consultants, OEM's & EPC contractors. Further,

Mar-Apr, 2021

INTERVIEW

“ plant right from Tempsens has an integrated basic raw materials to finished products especially for thermocouples & RTDs, which includes – special nickel alloys, mineral insulated metal sheathed cables, thermocouple compensating and extension cables.

” we are majorly supplying to sectors such as power, steel, chemical & fertilizers, oil & gas, defence & nuclear energy, cement, glass, food & pharmaceutical etc.

WCI: As a leading manufacturer and supplier of Thermal and Cable Solutions — how do you aid the wire and cable industry? Elaborate some key processes in wire and cable manufacturing where your products (temperature sensors, thermocouples etc.) are used!

VR: The expansion of Tempsens' product portfolio has been planned

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with due diligence of both forward and backward integration. With regard to wire and cable manufacturing, we are more focused towards industrial application and not much on the domestic segment.

The choice of wires and their material composition is the key for the compensating and extension cables to be used. At Tempsens, we start from the ingots of the specific wires in-house which are then sent for drawing into wires. Also, we undertake the wiredrawing process in-house as well.

Besides that, we also offer the nickel and thermocouple alloy to the cable market depending on their need. Our

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thermocouples and industrial heaters – band heaters and cartridge heaters are widely used in different cable extruder machines.

WCI: Tell us about the infrastructural set-up, workforce, manufacturing capabilities with regard to the wire and cable segment. Are you planning to invest in capacity expansion, plant addition, or technology up gradation?

VR: Tempsens' production lines include – nickel alloys, online copper drawing machines, electroplating over bare conductors, high speed bunchers, extruders, vertical and horizontal laying machines, armouring machines etc., which can run efficiently without any interruption, to achieve volume production. The metal and resin braiders and wrapping machines are useful to manufacture the special-pur pose cables which are very complex in nature.

Our Tempsens Testing Centre has been duly accredited by NABL to ensure the inward, in-process and

Mar-Apr, 2021

INTERVIEW

final product quality after going through all applicable national and international testing parameters.

Then, the material is dispatched after routine assessment. The acceptance and type tests are duly witnessed by the customer/third party inspection agency. Now, the second phase of expansion is in progress to enhance the production capacity of the Instrumentation and control cables to cater to the market-demand specially for projects.

WCI: In 2020, Tempsens has established Unit No. 4 for the production of control and instrumentation cables — could you shed light on the manufacturing and technological capabilities of the new facility?

VR: Tempsens Unit No. 4 was established for the production of control & instrumentation cables, having more than double of the p r ev i o u s p r o d u c t i o n c a p a c i t y.

Besides, we have also added dual extrusion lines for the inner and outer sheathing of unarmoured cables as per IS 1554 and DC solar cables as per EN50618 to manufacture in a single process. We have also added silver,

nickel and tinned electroplating facilities to fulfil the customers' needs on an independent-basis.

WCI: Kindly give a brief outline on the Company's efforts in R&D and innovation. How pertinent do you consider the role of innovation to ensure productivity and attain consistent growth?

V R : Te m p s e n s ' p r o d u c t s a r e designed, developed and produced in-house to meet the customer expectations and to be at par with their satisfaction. Mainly, the focus is on the indigenization of related products and their qualification as per applicable national and international standards based on the integrated manufacturing and testing facilities. To ensure the superior quality of our final product, our qualified and competent team of engineers consistently use the cutting-edge technology to test and monitor the entire process, starting from the basic raw materials up to the finished products. Our R&D team is fully capable to customize products to suit the specific clients' requirements based on our vast experience in this particular field.

WCI: For a company every product is important, still, there are some products that become a synonym for the company. Which are those stand-out products under Tempsens Instruments portfolio?

VR: Tempsens has an integrated plant right from basic raw materials to finished products especially for thermocouples & RTDs, which includes – special nickel alloys, mineral insulated metal sheathed cables, thermocouple compensating and extension cables. In addition, we also supply these raw materials and intermediate products to similar manufacturers worldwide. Also, the range of space-grade high tempera-

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ture wires and cables are supplied to various defence and space organizations for more than a decade. The company has been now involved into new product development processes under the 'Make in India' policy.

Moreover, I would like to mention that the range of DC solar cables are certified by – TUV Rheinland.

WCI: Could you please define the market presence of Tempsens Instruments – both globally and domestically? How pertinent do you consider the Indian market for the Company in the present time? What are your plans to expand your market presence by entering into new geographies?

VR: Our products are approved with many reputed consultants such as EIL, Mecon, Desein, Avant Garde etc., a number of EPCs such as BHEL, NTPC, L&T, and OEMs, the government and private end customers and supplying them with substantial growth of 25% every year. The Company has operations in Germany and Indonesia and export from India through dealer/distributor network to more than 70 countries worldwide which constitutes almost 30% of the annual turnover.

WCI: Give us your perception about the trends, challenges, opportunities and area of improvisation in the Indian wire and cable industry.

VR: There is a huge potential of the wire and cable industry in India for both the domestic as well as export markets. There are a number of big players in the domestic wire and cable market and competing with them sometimes is challenging. Further, the prices are very competitive especially in the project-related packages. Thus, developing more and more import substitute products and producing them on a large scale could be a good opportunity.

Mar-Apr, 2021

INDUSTRY WATCH

India is Poised to Reach its 2030 Target of 450GW Renewable Energy India holds the position of being fourth in the wind farms worldwide market at 100 meters hub height, after China, US and Germany.

According to MNRE, India has a great potential of 300 GW wind capacity onshore, with an additional potential of 195GW in offshore and floating wind farms.

Despite the challenges caused by the pandemic, some favorable initiatives have kept occurring in 2020 to reach this goal, encouraged by the dedication and judicious planning of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, (MNRE) which has greatly contributed to the wave planning issues and solving uncertainties. One of the major issues for developing renewable energy farms is land acquisition. The MNRE has announced the plans to offer land near the major ports to build solar equipment factories. It has facilitated land access for a new 30GW solar energy project in the desert areas in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Moreover, Delhi also decided to shut down a thermal plant in Raj Ghat and convert it into a 5MW solar park. The customs/excise exemptions have been implemented to boost the solar rooftop sector.

Indeed, India is already successful, being the 4th in the worldwide wind farms market at 100 meters hub height, after China, US and Germany. As per the MNRE, India has a great potential of 300 GW wind capacity onshore, with an additional potential of 195GW in offshore and floating wind farms thanks to its 7600 kms coastal length.

The wind energy is also competitive, being 30% cheaper than coal.

Mr. Benoit Lecuyer, CEO, Prysmian India

To achieve these strong ambitions and leverage these assets, it is of paramount importance that India continues to boost the number of renewable projects to fulfill its aim of reaching 450GW in renewable energysegment, thus reducing the carbon footprint, and oil import dependency. This growth will correspondingly accompany the substantial industrial and economic development in India. Within ten years, it is projected that the Indian electricity demands will double in a market of 1.5 billion people, and will surpass the European total consumption.

The overall Indian energy capacity is currently at 370GW, among which 54% is coal, and 25% is constituted by renewable including 40GW wind energy.

The next step will be to attain 175GW of renewable energy in 2022, including 60GW wind onshore and 5GW wind offshore. The goal for 2030 is to be at 450GW renewable energy that will include 140GW of wind energy.

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Mar-Apr, 2021

INDUSTRY WATCH

near the wind farms and connects to the transmission grid, enabling storing unconsumed renewable energy and releasing it back into the grid during the times of peak in demand.

One concern raised by the detractors of renewable energy is that it is very much dependent upon the natural elements. As the sun goes down and the wind abates, less energy is produced, endangering the grid’s capacity to deliver power to the consumers. Alternatively, when natural conditions are such that the energy is produced in excess, it can damage the equipment and would lead the operators to sell that at a marginal price, or export.

Prysmian on Renewable energy projects Prysmian develops and supplies energy cables and smart solutions for wind and solar projects. The Company works with key operators as well as with EPCs and utilities in India and worldwide. Each project is assessed and addressed with the almost complete cable solutions for the renewable projects with low, medium, hightension cables, control and instrumentation, optical fiber cables, and accessories. Our cables are designed for twisting at high and low temperatures in accordance with the standards for the connection from the generator to the transformer down the tower. To minimize the offshore installation times, the cable-ends can be prepared onshore and then installed and clamped inside the offshore turbine.

Hence, the increasing share of renewable energy in the overall energy-mix leads to the very valid question of – how to ensure reliability of the supply and prevent energy waste with a limited conventional generation contribution?

Additionally, the distance between the renewable farms and the grid raises another challenge, especially in the case of the offshore farms.

The answer to both the concerns lies in energy-storage.

It is an effective solution enabling the grid-stability and absorbing the weather variations in renewable energy.

The energy storage is already operational in Australia where Tesla operates a large battery storage plant of 100MW lithium-ion that will complement the state’s commitment to renewables. The battery plant is placed

Prysmian has developed sturdy and resilient cable solutions for the wind projects to fulfill the most stringent conditions (UV, saline, vibrations, abrasion, torsion, elongation) in the last few decades. We also supply the high (66kV)/extra high voltage (220kV to 400kV) underground or submarine cables for the power evacuation from the renewable projects to the substations and grids.

Our recent innovations have enabled higher cables ampacity and thermal rating 105ºC operating, thanks to the compact conductors with a diameter reduced by almost 10%, and copper neutrals reduced by 30%. In addition, we have redesigned the flat cross-linked jacket, longitudinally water-blocked material technologies, and the outer jacket to achieve material reduction by 10%.

— Authored by: Mr. Benoit Lecuyer, CEO, Prysmian India

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Mar-Apr, 2021

SPECIAL FEATURE

Fire Safe Cables:

Safety First With this Editorial Feature on Fire Safe Cables, Team Wire & Cable India interacted with the key industry players to glean some pertinent insights on the indispensable role of fire safe cable technology, new product development, challenges and opportunities. Also, through this article, we try to understand the compliance certifications and what can be done in the future to enhance fire-safety using reliable and safe cables.

T

he worldwide statistics on fire accidents and its resultant losses are quite insurmountable, and it can be stated that the accidents related to fire have been a scourge for our society, both in terms of its – human and economic impact.

It should be pointed out that although cables make up only about inconsequential of the total cost of a new building, they nevertheless play a critical role in safety, as exemplified by many incidents in the past.

On account of their proximity to electrical systems and the accompanying potential heat and spark sources, wires and cables used in enclosed spaces are particularly required to have fire-safety characteristics as described in various building codes and standards.

Growing Urbanization Necessitates Diligent Consideration of Fire Safety Fire-safety involves more than meeting the requirement for safe cables, as it is about bringing intelligently designed fire-safe cable products that combine conceptual objectives, and are also efficient in maintaining the circuit integrity.

Driven largely by environmental issues as well as safety concerns, there has been a gradual, noticeable shift from wiring that contain normal PVC insulation or sheathing materials to HRFR, FRLS-H or Halogen

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Mar-Apr, 2021

SPECIAL FEATURE

free flame retardant (HFFR) compounds.

In times of growing urbanization, the importance of fire safety in urban spaces must be well taken care of, Mr. Arvind Agrawal, Vice President, Havells India affirms, “as per statistics available on fire accidents in buildings, 40% of these accidents are attributed to electrical issues. With urbanization set to expand and embrace wider areas and more people in its fold, the issues of safety and efficiency need to be addressed both in old buildings as well as in upcoming housing enclaves.”

Halogen Free f lame retardant ( H F F R ) i n s u l a t e d w i r e s, a l s o approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), do not emit hazardous gases and emit clear smoke. The low-smoke HFFR is more effective during fire outbreaks as it reduces the amount and density of the smoke, which makes exiting a space easier and increases the safety of firefighting operations.

Applications The applications requiring flame retardant wire and cable includes: building wire, control cables, portable power cables including elevator cables, mining cables and welding cables, industrial power distribution cables, robotic cables, and so on. In addition, these cables also find applications in - factory automation, automotive and material handling,

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marine-transit cables such as military, commercial vessels, and cables for tunnels.

Both by types and applications, the fire-safety standards are highly diverse and complex. Some standards tend to focus primarily on preventing ignition and flame spread, while others put additional emphasis on reducing smoke generation and toxic/corrosive by-products from burning wires and cables. In general, wire and cable standards define fire performance requirements for reducing flame p r o p a g a t i o n o f c a b l e s, s m o k e generation, corrosivity of combustion gases, and maintaining circuit integrity.

Since the fire-safe cable market includes both organized and unorganized sectors, the leading players in the segment are facing challenges from the unorganized sector that offers inexpensive products because at t i m e s, t h e u n o r g a n i z e d s e c t o r compromises on the quality and safety-related aspects.

Future Prospects of the Segment The wire and cable industry is continually striving to develop more cost-effective and efficient cable constructions to enable the replacement of more expensive materials with less expensive ones.

I n s o m e c a s e s, O E M s, c a b l e m a n u f a c t u r e r s, a n d m a t e r i a l suppliers are working to pass new

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standards that allow for substitution of new designs.

A number of trends are also having a significant influence on the direction of material selection. These include a slow but steady increase in the driver for green chemistr y and sustainability, end-of-life issues such as disposal and recycling, reduction in reliance on toxic or hazardous chemicals, and adoption of the lowest cost technology and manufacturing while still maintaining high quality and longevity of installed wires and cables.

For phasing out PVC cables, the Indian wire and cable industry has in cooperation with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) implemented a new standard IS 17048:2018 for halogen free flame retardant (HFFR) cables for working voltages up to and including 1100 volts.

Outlining the cost-efficiency of the fire-safe cables and the recent move m a d e b y t h e c o m p a n y, M r.

Munishwar Gaur, Group President, CMI Limited informs, “with the advancements in the development of compounds over the last few years, the fire-safe cables are becoming increasingly pocket-friendly. As a matter of fact, CMI has completely ruled out the production of normal PVC insulated house wires. Our 100% of the wires produced for industrial as well as household requirements are now at least Flame Retardant (FR).”

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LAPP India Pvt. Ltd. Further, BIS has also defined multiple standards on the fire-safety requirements starting from the construction of the building to the selection of various components and design considerations… the public should also be sensitized frequently on the cable requirements in commercial/public spaces

Mr. Gary Bateman, Managing Director, LAPP India

Cable Application Standards in India India has made sufficient progress on standardizing the cables with BIS that have been defined for most of the critical applications such as – house wires and HT cables with respect to safety and performance.

Since the legislation continues with the changing environment as well as evolving technological needs, we are sure that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will take timely cognizance of the regulatory as well as the safety requirements in these new applications and it will release necessary standards from time to time as and when it is required.

Fire-Safe Cables by the Company and the Manufacturing Capabilities We have a range of wires and cables being able to withstand temperatures range from +70°C to fire survival cables which can withstand 950°C for 90 minutes. Many of the cables intended for the infrastr ucture segment are flame-retardant, low smoke and halogen-free f lame retardant (HFFR) cables meeting the various standards of IEC, EN as well as IS standards from BIS. Market-Potential of Fire-Safe Cables in India The flame-retardant, low smoke as

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well as the halogen-free cables have huge market potential and it is just the adoption from the Infrastructure market to these types of wire and cable to ensure the safety of the occupants of the premise.

Today's infrastructure market or any public places demand the use of FRLS (Fire retardant low smoke) cables and HFFR cables as a key prerequisite. To understand the importance of these cables, it is important to note that the cables are insulated with organic polymeric compounds which are halogenated products containing chlorine, bromine and fluorine. When the wires are exposed to heat, the insulation starts to decompose, releasing dense toxic smoke which causes asphyxia for the occupants in the building and to address this issue, the cable industry has introduced different types of fire-resistant cables.

They are fire-retardant cables, FRLS cables, low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) cables and fire survival (FS) cables. It is always advisable to use these types of wires in the home.

Cost-Effectiveness of Fire-Safe Cables When it comes to safety of life and valuable assets, we should see wires and cables as an investment. Through constant innovation, research, and

Mar-Apr, 2021

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development, we are committed to manufacture safe solutions; and as operations expand, the cost of production also optimizes.

When choosing a wire and cable partner, we should give precedence to features and safety rather than the associated cost.

Efforts Undertaken to Educate the Consumers Being a German multinational, LAPP has always been concerned about the safety requirements and hence all of our cables are designed with flameretardant properties. We always advise customers to look at the safety and performance first rather than on the cost. At LAPP, we constantly design our products to meet and exceed all the regulatory standard requirements to ensure better safety.

Even during our customer interaction, we always emphasize on the safe design and safety of the occupants and the valuable assets within the premise. We have been emphasizing on the use of flame-retardant, low smoke, halogen-free cables for all the enclosed areas. We conduct specialized training for our customers on the requirements of fire-safety, design considerations, product selection and compliance to regulatory requirements relating to fire safety.

Government's Focus and Efforts to Raise Awareness The Central Government is taking necessary steps from time to time to make changes in the legislation and ensure that proper precautions are taken at both the - design and construction levels, including the wires

and cables. This promises minimal damage in case of a potential fire hazard in an enclosed space.

The National Building Code also details the different fire zones and precautions that need to take while designing and constructing a building.

Further, BIS has also defined multiple standards on the fire-safety requirements starting from the construction of the building to the selection of various components and design considerations keeping the fire-safety in mind.

Though various agencies and fire department also conduct frequent safety audits, the public should also be sensitized frequently on the cable requirements in commercial/public spaces and should be encouraged to follow the guidelines. n

Havells India Limited Havells India has always been a thought-leader in espousing the cause of electrical safety… We have constantly provided training to electricians and channel partners to promote safety and the importance of fire-safe cabls.

Mr. Arvind Agrawal, Vice President, Havells India

www.wirecable.in

Cable Application Standards in India In India, BIS is prevalent with respect to standardizations, whereas globally different standards – BS, IEC etc. are followed. The BIS standard as a combination of many global standards, is being followed while manufacturing the cables whether be it the technical parameters or the mechanical parameters. It ensures that all the precautions and specifications are met while manufacturing.

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The cables and the manufacturing facilities are regularly audited and tested by BIS. The factor in India which needs to be improved is the correct product for cor rect application. The other impor tant parameter is proper termination of all the electrical circuits. As a layman, one might not understand all the technical details of the electrical system, and it's essential to trust the experienced professional

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SPECIAL FEATURE

for wiring, rewiring and maintenance work.

Havells has always been committed to provide the consumers with the best, safe and advanced technology with a wide range of wires and cables. Our strategy has always been to improve the product-value and fulfil the highest expectations by bringing bestin-class quality and services. In India, people are still evolving in terms of usage of correct electrical products especially cables for the required application but we have witnessed a positive trend in the last ten years wherein specifiers and consultants are being used even for small residential projects. Havells has been continuously driving the initiative to educate the customers on the use of good quality & requisite products for the right application.

We, at Havells, have our own NABL accredited research and testing labs, where we carry out testing and are involved in continuous development.

The high degree of backward integration helps us to maintain the standard quality of product.

Fire-Safe Cables by the Company and the Manufacturing Capabilities Havells offers the best-in-class products that address the changing needs of consumers and industrial applications. Havells' wires and cable portfolio includes – fire-safe cables such as HRFR (Heat Resistant FlameRetardant cables), FRLS-H (Flame retardant low smoke and halogen), HFFR (Halogen Free Flame Retardant), FR (Flame retardant).

There has been a paradigm shift from wiring that contains normal PVC insulation towards alternative FRLSH, Halogen free flame retardant (HFFR) compounds, driven largely by environmental issues and safety concerns.

Havells is amongst the first few industry leaders to get the BIS license

www.wirecable.in

and certification to manufacture the HFFR cables. We, at Havells, regard the consumer's safety as the utmost priority. Keeping this in mind, we are promoting the usage of HFFR insulated wires since they do not emit hazardous gases, and clear smoke.

The low intensity visible white smoke is more effective during fire outbreaks since it reduces the amount and density of the smoke, which makes exiting a space easier for occupants as well as increases the safety of firefighting operations during any fire accident.

Market-Potential of Fire-Safe Cables in India The fire-resistant, and the flameretardant cable market in India is encouragingly active. India is considered to be one of the fastest growing economies in the world. This growth brings in significant changes in the country's infrastructure with more advanced vertical building concepts and newer technologies. All this evolving infrastructure and technological growth is powered by electricity, and as a result, the quality of wire and cables becomes very important.

to safeguard from any short circuit, and fire-accidents. At Havells, we enforce strict quality and certification norms with all of our product range.

But for the past one year, the prices of raw materials used to manufacture cables, including mainly copper and PVC, are at record high and the pricetrends have been increasing continuously. This has impacted the production plan as it is difficult to predict the demand in wake of the rising costs.

The best possible manner to manage the challenges are an effective supply c h a i n m a n a ge m e n t a n d b e t t e r logistics. With our goal of 'zero quality cost' and 'zero failures', we have strengthened our capacity for quality, and we consider the customer trust as our highest value.

The other factor is having the best-inclass machinery which can help avoid waste and ensure that the products are cost effective and superior in quality.

Cognizant of the fact that wires and cables are the 'veins and arteries' of the buildings – architects, consultants, and real estate builders need to take note of the safer and sustainable options such as HFFR cables.

Efforts Undertaken to Educate the Consumers Havells India has always been a thought-leader in espousing the cause of electrical safety and we have taken various steps to reinforce the need for the same. We have constantly provided training to electricians and channel partners to promote safety and the importance of fire-safe cables. Now, we are also creating awareness along with consultants and influencers to incorporate fire-safe cables in their specifications and projects. In addition, we are continuously educating and working at widespread consumer interaction through RWA/IWA(s) etc., where our technical personnel explain the advantages of using the right quality protective equipment, for the safety of both – their equipment and their precious lives.

Cost-Effectiveness of Fire-Safe Cables The wires and cables are very essential parts of an electrical installation circuit

Government's Focus and Efforts to Raise Awareness New appliances, gizmos and gadgets are increasing the load on the

Communities all around the world including – governments, industrial, and professional organizations have come up with policies and initiatives restricting the use of PVC cables. We are seeing that FRLS demand has increased over FR range, and in future, we foresee an increase in demand for HFFR as BIS has approved HFFR insulated cables.

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electrical infrastructure installed whe n the buil d ing s we r e c o nstr ucted. A discer nible lack of upgradation of their capacity leads to fire accidents due to the overload or short circuit. As per statistics available on fire accidents in buildings, 40% of these accidents are attributed to electrical issues. With urbanization set to expand and embrace wider areas and more people in its fold, the issues of safety and efficiency need to be addressed both in old buildings as well as in upcoming housing enclaves.

The Government of India has been

making all kinds of efforts to move the wire and cable industry into the positive node both in terms of – production as well as in raising the awareness to only use good quality products. The Gover nment has accorded high importance to electrical-safety, by putting stringent standards and policies in place.

However, there is still a noticeable gap in the implementation of these standards in terms of poor industry practices, an improper or weak installation design, using undersized and inferior quality of wires and electrical equipment. These gaps exist primarily due to the lack of under-

standing and education on safety regulation.

Electricity is everywhere and it affects every aspect of our lives. Thus, an awareness of electrical hazards is vital to reduce the staggering number of electrical fires, injuries, and deaths that occur every year. By understanding the key electrical safety principles and adhering to safe practices, many electrocutions and home fires can be prevented. Havells India has always promoted the use of trusted quality and right size wiring for safer homes and workplaces through consumer and industry awareness of the issues and the risks. n

Gloster Cables Limited Basically, regarding the cost-aspect of the firesafe cables, it should be noted that these cables are low voltage cable but with additional fire barriers. Hence, it is not at all that expensive.

Mr. Vinay Rathi, Director, Gloster Cables Limited

www.wirecable.in

Cable Application Standards in India In India, there are own standards in fire-safe cables or technically speaking, the cables with limited circuit integrity when affected by fire.

However, somehow, it was not a popular standard for this application, probably because the cables were primarily a rubber cable. More often than not, we comply with the British Standards for the construction and as well as for testing. Since the past couple of years, International Copper Association (India) has been actively pushing to introduce a new standard in the fire-safe cable market which has narrowed down the gap with the

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international standards. Therefore, there is no gap existing now as of now.

This aforesaid standard has already taken a draft form and is likely to get introduced as a standard in the near future Fire-Safe Cables by the Company and the Manufacturing Capabilities Gloster Cables manufactures a wide range of the fire-safe or cables with limited integrity in accordance with various international construction standards as well as testing standards.

We offer these types of cables with both Copper and Aluminium conductor, although as per the available standards copper conductor is only specified for

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use. We have achieved a certain degree of expertise in using Aluminium conductors and thus, we are able to offer flame temperature more than the melting point of Aluminium.

Market-Potential of Fire-Safe Cables in India The market for the fire-safe cables is gradually picking up and the marketpotential of the same is quite huge. The fire-resistant cable market is growing at a CAGR of 4.4% and is further expected to reach the market size of USD 719 million by the year 2027 globally. In terms of individual markets, the Middle East and Africa are expected to unveil a 5.1% faster CAGR from 2020 to 2027. The AsiaPacific was the largest regional market with a share of 31.6% in 2019 and is expected to continue to lead in the forecast period. China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Australia are the leading buyers of fire-resistant cables due to the growing demand for firesafety in commercial and residential buildings. As far as India is concerned, it is growing at a CAGR of 15%.

These cables are very important in firefighting, since it ensures that the power supply is maintained for sufficient duration, to help people who are stuck in buildings in a fire-accident situation, to see exit signs, hear Public address systems, ensure that the water pumps, smoke extractors, stairwell pressurization systems keep working, eventually helping the people to escape from the affected building.

Cost-Effectiveness of Fire-Safe Cables Basically, regarding the cost-aspect of the fire-safe cables, it should be noted that these cables are low voltage cable but with additional fire barriers. Hence, it is not at all that expensive. In any case, as the famous quote goes, “Safety is not expensive. It is Priceless.”

Efforts Undertaken to Educate the Consumers In all of our technical seminars conducted for the customers, we do make it a point to educate our customers on these special cables. Further, we are also working towards creating awareness amongst different govern-

ment departments through both – online as well as offline meetings.

Government's Focus and Efforts to Raise Awareness The third edition of the National Building code 2016 has a specific chapter (No 4) devoted to Fire and Life Safety including the recent d eve l o p m e n t s i n c o n s t r u c t i o n projects in the country. In addition, FSAI (Fire & Security Association of India) also makes efforts in educating people on a regular basis through various forums on the need for fire safety and security.

Presuming that you wish to decrease the quantity of fire occurrences in the nation, there is Fire Safety Audit which is held all through India and the review work is given over to outsider, learned organizations. It bodes well to have yearly fire security examinations in all the spaces. Most importantly, the achievement of the fire insurance and fire assurance relies to a great extent upon viable participation from every one of its workers. It should be kept in mind that anticipation is always superior to fix. n

HPL Electric & Power Ltd. The government initiatives like Smart City Mission and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) will significantly help in expanding the sale of fire-resistant cables… The demand for products like firesurvival cables has increased as compared to the previous year and is expected to rise in the near future.

Mr. Gautam Seth, Joint Managing Director, HPL Electric & Power Ltd.

www.wirecable.in

Cable Application Standards in India As the awareness about fire safety is growing, the Bureau of Indian Standards has incorporated various

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tests as per international standards in its different cable specifications. All the required tests are done as per these standards, and the manufacturers meeting the certain parameters are

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allowed to put ISI seal/emblem on their cable. The Indian wire and cable industry is moving away from the unorganized space and is transitioning to be an organized sector consisting of pan-India branded and big players. The wire and cable market in India is growing at a CAGR of 15 percent and the market size is expected to keep growing in the coming years.

In India, the major challenge is with the installation, operation and maintenance of the electrical supply and use.

Any negligence leads to fatal electrical accident in the majority of cases. The main issue is that there is a lack of awareness around safety standards as well as about the installation and operation-protocol for the electrical systems, which leads to accidents.

Therefore, there is an urgent need to create public awareness of the potential hazards through different mediums.

Secondly, the training of electrical workforce with regard to safety plays a major role in keeping the electrical systems in good operational condition and this also reduces the hazards of short circuits and electrical fires.

Fire-Safe Cables by the Company and the Manufacturing Capabilities HPL has been promoting and creating awareness on electrical safety through its vendor network and keeps customers and distributors aware about the key safety features and aspects of all our products. Our product range is certified with Indian and International standards conforming to highest safety standards. We educate our customers to buy only the certified products and about good operation and maintenance practices that enhances the safety and durability of electrical systems and products.

Speaker Cable-FR (Fire retardant) g r a d e P VC c o m p o u n d t w i n parallel, HPL speaker wire consists of two or more electrical conductors individually insulated by plastic (such as PVC, PE or Teflon) l Fire survival Cable- Shielding: Core/pair/triad/Quads with Mica/glass fire barrier tape.

The production at the manufacturing facilities is supervised by the technical team who are highly competent and skilled in terms of technology, quality and design. l

Since an enhanced fire-retardant property in insulation plays a major role in fire safety, thus, the cables are insulated or jacketed by such a blend of insulation which is more resistant to fire. We are offering cables with fireretardant PVC, fire-retardant low smoke PVC, extremely low smoke and halogen free compound. Further, we are developing the FR-LSH (Flame Retardant Low Smoke Halogen) cables which is made up of bare-annealed copper and unicolour FR-LSH PVC. Our heat resistant cables can withstand up to 85 to 105 degree Celsius. Our zero halogen fire-retardant cables are recommended specially in situations where high degree of safety of personnel and equipment like in - hotels, theaters, hospitals, high-rise buildings, residential properties etc.

The different certifications attained by our company arel Certificate of MCCB/RCCB validity l Plug and socket validity l Certificate of compliance-Techno l ISI mark guidelines l Certificate of marking COS family l Certificate of complianceMCB/MCCB Distribution Board

HPL Electric & Power manufactures the following:

Each HPL product conforms to the highest standards of safety and are certified with Indian and International standards such as ISI, CE, and KEMA.

Fire alarm cables- Stranded/Solid copper conductor PVC insulated & ATC drawn wire.

Market-Potential of Fire-Safe Cables in India In the coming years, the fire-resistant

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cable market is likely to follow a rising trend. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand from the industrial sector had declined to a certain extent.

Due to the economic crisis, several large construction projects were halted ort suspended. This decline in the construction spending in India has in turn result in the decline in the demand for fire-resistant market products. In India, the government initiatives like Smart City Mission and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) will significantly help in expanding the sale of fire-resistant cables in the future. If the government implements these initiatives at the ground level, then the market-potential for these products can increase. Another growth factor in the fire-resistant cable market share is the developments in the automotive market, such as in automotive electric circuits of passenger cars, bikes, trains, etc.

The Indian market for the fire-retardant cables is gradually picking up. The demand for products like fire-survival cables has increased as compared to the previous year and is expected to rise in the near future. Better safety standards and awareness about safety requirements are being imposed by regulatory authorities, leading to the increased use of fire-resistant cables especially for – commercial complexes, airports, metro railway projects, hospitals, etc.

Moreover, the cable manufacturers are educating and creating the awareness among customers on the importance of fire-resistant cables and flameretardant cables.

Cost-Effectiveness of Fire-Safe Cables As fires have been a major cause of losses of both human lives as well as property, consequently, safety from fire becomes one of the major areas of focus for us. As a matter of fact, 90% of the fire accidents are electrical fires, mainly caused by a Defective Electric Circuit (DEC). DEC can be caused by overloading, short circuit, faulty

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installation, or due to poor quality of products used, poor quality of raw materials, or poor quality of manufacture. The sufferer is mainly the common man, who has to bear the brunt of mistakes or cost-cutting measures of someone else. As cost becomes a crucial factor in almost all purchase decisions and when it comes to fire-safe cables manufacturing then it increases as per requirement. Fire-retardant cables use a better grade of PVC compounds and can be 3-5% costlier than the normal PVC cables. However, fire resistant cables are costlier by about 1525% depending on the size. In simple words, the higher the cross section of the cable (higher metal component), the lesser is the increase in cost for making it fire resistant or flame retardant.

Present-day builders do follow the electrical safety guidelines formed by the government, but a majority of the owners of buildings, small mills and factories still rely on normal PVC cables to fire-retardant cables. In the manufacturing of fire-retardant cable, many issues are raised like environmental, health and safety. Apart from this disposal of residue also become so challenging for the industries. These

HUBER MARTINSWERK

are mostly related to the effect of PVC, plasticizers, cadmium, lead and brominated flame retardants.

Efforts Undertaken to Educate the Consumers HPL has been promoting and creating awareness on electrical safety through its vendor network and keeps customers and distributors aware on key safety features and aspects of all our products.

All our products are certified with Indian and International standards conforming to highest safety standards.

We educate our customers to buy only certified products and on good operation and maintenance practices that enhance safety and durability of electrical systems and products. Our company has put together a team of young electrical engineers responsible for educating the customers at the district-level on fire safety measures and the importance of fire-safe cables.

We have been educating the final users on how the best results can be obtained through these cables.

Government's Focus and Efforts to Raise Awareness Government initiatives like Smart City Mission and AMRUT are significantly

helping in expanding the demand and sales of fire-resistant cables. The cable manufacturers in India follow Inter national Standards as the complete specifications are yet to be implemented by Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS). Nowadays, the builders are gradually shifting to fireretardant cables to lower the risk of fire.

Presently, there is a need for the Centre, State and the Provincial governments to jointly enforce stringent fire safety regulations. The regulatory and statutory framework in terms of the Electricity Act, Electricity rules and the Central Electricity Authority Regulations has been completed but their implementation become a huge challenge.

Apart from this, there is a need of a law to enforce the implementation of the National Building Code. Some favorable changes in the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) laws should also be done. There is a strong need to raise knowledge about critical requirements for fire-safety and prevention. Thus, creating awareness among public over fire-safety is a crucial step in the direction of preventing loss of lives and property from fire. n

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Chandresh Cables Limited (Brand AVOCAB) There is a tremendous requirement and demandpotential of the fire-safe cables in the country… very soon, we will see a total shift of specifications from normal cables to fire-safe cables.

Mr. Abhishek Jain, Director - Operations, Chandresh Cables Limited (Brand AVOCAB)

Cable Application Standards in India To start with, India is quite rapidly catching up with the global standards with respect to the cable applications.

Almost all the global players in the wire and cable market have put up their base in India which has led to swift technological advancements.

Besides, the domestic players have also adapted to the same and with this, we are creating a world-class infrastructure.

Fire-Safe Cables by the Company and the Manufacturing Capabilities Our range of Fire-Safe Cables include – Fire Sur vival, FRLS (Flame Retardant Low Smoke), and ZHFR (Zero Halogen Flame Retardant) Cables. They can withstand the temperature ranging from 100° to 1200° depending on the construction of the cables.

The cables are type tested with BASEC and CPRI, and we are getting our products tested with the best laboratories in the world and the country.

Market-Potential of Fire-Safe Cables in India There is a tremendous requirement and demand-potential of the fire-safe cables in the country. For instance, in areas such as – metros, hospitals, data centers, defence, airports, bullet trains, refineries and various other

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sectors have a mandatory requirement for these cables.

Cost-Effectiveness of Fire-Safe Cables The cost is not a major criterion when it comes to the criticality of the operation. There is no cost for saving a life or continuous operations for data purposes. Nevertheless, the costdifference is not major and very soon, we will see a total shift of specifications from normal cables to fire-safe cables.

Efforts Undertaken to Educate the Consumers We conduct seminars on the theme of safety in the selection of wires and cables virtually as well as physically on a frequent basis. In addition, we also undertake our efforts in educating the clients as well as some educational institutions about the developments in the fire-safe cable segment.

Government's Focus and Efforts to Raise Awareness As a matter of fact, the National Building Council and BIS is very much vigilant with regard to firesafety pertaining to the wires and cables. Many of these norms are already imbibed into the technical documents and compulsorily needed to be followed for certification purposes. Further, the clients are also preferring to go an extra mile and choose fire-safe products. n Mar-Apr, 2021

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CMI Limited With the expansion of metro rail and other railway projects across the country, in addition to the opportunities arising out of the further expansion and development of airports, hospitals, refineries, commercial and residential skyscrapers, the opportunities are infinite for the fire-safe cable segment…

Mr. Munishwar Gaur, Group President, CMI Limited

Cable Application Standards in India The cable application standards in India are still lagging when it comes to the safety-related aspects. Since the market is quite price-sensitive, not much emphasis is generally laid on safety except a few large-scale projects of national importance. For instance, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is one such project to name where fireresistant/fire-survival cables have been used. However, the scope and potential of fire-safe cables is on the rise with the Airports Authority of India and some more leading organizations in the country opting for this product.

To bridge the gap, the customers need to be educated on the importance of safety in day-to-day life when it comes to the selection and buying of the cables. There are various types of cable products designed for different applications and environments such as:

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Flame Retardant (FR) – Does not propagate fire even when installed in groups in vertical ducts

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Flame Retardant Low Smoke (FRLS) – Flame retardant cables with reduced halogen emission and smoke

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Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) – FRLS cables with minimal

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emission of halogens l

Fire-Survival/Fire-Resistant – LSZH/FRLS/FR cable to maintain circuit integrity up to 950 degrees for 3 hours

Fire-Safe Cables by the Company and the Manufacturing Capabilities CMI Limited manufactures all the abovesaid and many other tailormade products to address the stringent requirements set out for fire-safe/fireresistant cables in various global standards such as BS 6387, IEC 60331, BS 7846 etc. Our range of fire resistant/fire-survival cables are CE certified.

Market-Potential of Fire-Safe Cables in India With the expansion of metro rail and other railway projects across the country, in addition to the opportunities arising out of the further expansion and development of airports, hospitals, refineries, commercial and residential skyscrapers, the opportunities are infinite for the fire-safe cable segment in the country. At the same time, it is also true that the importance of safety should be taken with diligent seriousness by the customers as we have witnessed a large number of cases globally where

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SPECIAL FEATURE

massive losses of lives, properties and valuable assets have occurred due to negligence.

All CMI products whether - FR, FRLS, LSZH or FS are globally well-received and the Indian market has also started adopting the same. We firmly believe that safety should be the prime objective during the execution of any project.

Cost-Effectiveness of Fire-Safe Cables With the advancements in the development of compounds over the last few years, the fire-safe cables are becoming increasingly pocket-friendly. As a matter of fact, CMI has completely ruled out the production of normal PVC insulated house wires. Our 100% of the wires produced for industrial as well as household requirements are now at least Flame Retardant (FR).

Further, CMI has also developed Fire Survival (FS) Wires for indoor/outdoor wiring in accordance with globally accepted standards to address the requirements of high-rise buildings wherein the event of fire, the circuit integrity is of prime importance for rescue operations.

In fact, counterfeit products pose a major threat in this segment as while they are dirt cheap, they compromise with the testing and safety parameters. For this reason, one must trust the reputed and credible brands such as ours where the products are type tested at various national and international laboratories.

Efforts Undertaken to Educate the Consumers From time-to-time, CMI conducts various drives at the local-level for educating the customers and the technicians/electricians on the importance of safety while selecting the wires and cables for any project.

Government's Focus and Efforts to Raise Awareness Government bodies such as DMRC, AAI, WDFC, etc. have already embraced the products in their technical specifications covering all the stringent testing requirements for development of fire-safe/fire-resistant/ LSZH/FRLS/FR cables. Also, at the time of supplies, the type test reports from third party laboratories such as CPRI, ERDA, etc. are mandatory to meet the prequalification requirements. Furthermore, the samples are randomly chosen from the supplied lots and are sent to independent laboratories for verifying that the supplied product complies with the requirements set out in technical specifications. n

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Mar-Apr, 2021

TECH-TALK

Rosendahl is Making Color Detection Possible and Easy Reducing material costs in automotive wire production with SK-400-C.

W

hen producing on your automotive wire production line, just one or two granules of a different color can cause a contamination of approximately 200 m of insulation cable. 200 m seems long, but detecting this color variation at a speed of 1800 m/min by the operator is impossible. But what if it weren't?

Rosendahl has optimized an innovative sensor system for color detection for exactly this reason – to detect color variations which the human eye can no longer perceive: the SK-400-C. Let's take a closer look at this color recognition system: The

Rosendahl SK-400-C

SK-400-C measures the main and stripe colors, as well as the stripe width, exactly in accordance with the previously set references.

The main component is a PC-based evaluation unit with 360° camera surveillance. The unit consists of four cameras which are covered by a protective housing. This enables monitoring of the color quality over the entire scope. This allows the tested color quality to be documented, e.g. in the spool protocol. Thanks to the immediately assured color reliability, color complaints and faulty productions are now a thing of the past.

This also means that waste and scrap rates are significantly reduced at start-up, during production as well as during color changes.

Of course, it has undergone intensive testing on Rosendahl's laboratory line in Pischelsdorf, Austria, as well as on automotive wire production lines directly at customers' sites. The results have revealed that recipes with 2.5% master-batch can easily be decreased down to 1.5%, while still maintaining the same color shade. All these improvements lead to immediate savings regarding the master-batch, and thus reduce material costs. n

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Mar-Apr, 2021

CASE STUDY

SORTCO Relies on SIKORA's Inspection and Analysis Device PURITY CONCEPT V for Contract Sorting Fast and reproducible sample inspection of plastic pellets equivalent to virgin material. Therefore, our sorting includes a 100 % inspection of all individual pellets."

The sorting is carried out by means of different inspection methods. For the optical inline inspection and automatic sorting, two PURITY SCANNER ADVANCED from SIKORA are used at SORTCO. Following the sorting, the random sample inspection of the pellets for final quality control is performed with SIKORA's laboratory testing system PURITY CONCEPT V (pic 1). "With the system, we inspect a pellet quantity defined with the customer and agree on the inspection frequency. For 1,000 kg of pellets, for example, between 1 and 3 samples of approximately 100 g each are inspected." The test material is distributed on the sample tray, automatically guided through the inspection area and inspected by a camera within a few seconds. A projector marks contaminated material in color directly on the sample tray. At the same time, the contaminated material is displayed and marked on the monitor, indicating the size of the contamination. Individual contaminated pellets can be selected and magnified. On the sample tray, these are simultaneously visualized optically by crosshairs (pic 2).

Mr. Hilger Groß, Head of Sales and QM at SORTCO, presents the PURITY CONCEPT V from SIKORA for inspection and analysis of plastic pellets.

There are several inspection methods for the random inspection of plastic pellets on the market. However, according to SORTCO, the inspection and analysis system from SIKORA has proven to be the leader in this field due to its functionality, reliability and speed. "Only with SIKORA, the test material lies on a sample tray without any movement.

Thus, the analysis image shows an unsurpassed image quality. With alternative systems, the specimen is in motion, whereby blurring of the image makes an unambiguous evaluation more difficult," explains Groß and continues, "With the PURITY CONCEPT V, we can make reliable statements about the product quality very quickly, very easily and, above all, reproducibly. A clear competitive advantage is the projector. All detected contamination is precisely marked via a light spot or colored crosshairs and can be easily removed from the sample tray. These can be further examined and analyzed to draw a conclusion about the cause of the defect." Clear assignment of contamination and followup checks are possible at any time and do not have to be carried out manually by the operator. Groß also cites the clearly structured test report as a quality inspection certificate for the customer that complies with the requirements of ISO

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ORTCO GmbH & Co KG is a specialist for optical and mechanical sorting of shape and color deviations in plastic pellets. Further focal points are dust removal and metal separation of plastic raw materials. In March 2021, the company opened a new, state-of-the-art sorting service center in Niederzissen/Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, where both optically demanding technical plastics and standard plastics are cleaned. The PURITY CONCEPT V, an optical inspection and analysis system from SIKORA, is used for final sample inspection after the sorting process.

The highest purity of engineering plastics is a decisive feature for the quality of the end products, especially for use in the automotive, aerospace as well as medical and information technology industries. The requirements for the purity of the materials are correspondingly high. Since 2015, SORTCO has been active as a contract sorter and professionally prepares plastic pellets according to customer requirements. "The goal of all sorting orders is a high-purity product," says Mr. Hilger Groß, Head of Sales & QM at SORTCO, adding, "We aim to supply our customers with material which is so clean that it is at least

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Mar-Apr, 2021

CASE STUDY

Since 1958

ABROL ENGINEERING COMPANY PVT. LTD. NOW in Copper Conductors l l l

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Detected contamination is highlighted in color on the sample tray as well as in the software, for an easy extraction.

9001:2015, as well as the testing speed of only about 15 seconds per sample inspection as clear advantages of the system. "Including all handling, we have a representative test result within 2 minutes. That is unbeatable on the market."

State-of-the-art German Technology in Kapurthala, Punjab More than 6000MT per annum capacity Currently supplying to RDSO & Defence approved cable manufacturers Your Advantages: ü Fastest Delivery – LOWEST Inventories ü Consistent Quality – No Cost of Inspection ü Highest Manufacturing Efficiency – Lowest Unit Cost of Production

There is hardly any type of contamination that the system cannot not detect. The PURITY CONCEPT V is far superior then the human eye. Humans initially recognize only large contrasts; smaller and lighter defects are overlooked. The system immediately identifies all color deviations from a size of 50 µm. These are often burns of the polymer in varying intensity, the so-called black specks, specks, burns or also brown or yellow specks. The size and number of all colored defects and contamination in the pellets are recorded. An unlimited number of individual tests or alternatively serial tests can be performed. Up to 100 individual tests can be combined into one overall result. The test results are documented and automatically made available to the customer together with the sorting results and the quantity balance after completion of the order. Usually, test samples are stored for 12 months.

However, the test data is also available at SORTCO beyond this period so that customers can refer to it, for example, in the event of a complaint from the end user.

Innovative and reliable inspection systems for purity testing are essential for sorting at SORTCO. Inspection and sorting systems will continue to gain importance in the industry in the future. According to Groß, this is due to the increasing visual demands placed on products, but also to the high costs associated with machine downtime and repairs to hot runner systems and injection molds. At the same time, sorting reduces injection molding waste, which, in addition to the economic benefits, also helps protecting the environment. "With the opening of our sorting service center in Niederzissen, we will install more inspection and sorting machines," Gross reveals. The creation of new sorting capacities is only one aspect of this. In the future, the main focus will be to reliably detect defects from a minimum edge length of 50 µm and to separate them in the best possible way. "With SIKORA, we have found a partner whose systems meet these requirements not only for the random sample inspection, but also for the sorting." n www.wirecable.in

Email: sales@aecoindia.com | Website: www.aecoindia.com Mobile: +91 9888 555 846, +91 9779090919

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Mar-Apr, 2021

NEWS

HFCL's Subsidiary HTL Ltd. Commences Production of Wire Harness HTL Ltd. has commenced the production of wire harness for global and Indian OEMs in the aerospace and defence industry.

May 3, 2021

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FCL Ltd. is pleased to announce that its subsidiary — HTL Ltd., an end-to-end cabling solutions provider has recently established a state-of-the-art Aerospace & Defence wire harness facility in Guindy, Chennai.

As reported — the company has bagged its first purchase order for manufacturing of harness and installation support at customer's location with a leading Indian engineering service provider in the aerospace and defence industry.

HTL is committed to build indigenous products for the Defence PSUs and also with their print to build capability, HTL intends to be a company of choice for Global and Indian OEM Majors across the aerospace and defence value chain. n

Wire Harnessing

Sterlite Technologies Records Strong Sustained Growth, Strengthens Position With Long-Term Orders April 29, 2021 terlite Technologies has announced the consolidated financial results for its fourth quarter and financial year ending March 31, 2021. The company reported Rs. 4,825 crore in revenue and an order book of over Rs. 10,700 crore, backed by large global deals.

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FY21- Beginning of the next decade of digital network creation 2020 witnessed telcos committing billions of dollars towards strengthening digital networks. The need for high bandwidth and low latency added impetus to 5G and FTTx plans. This accelerated the shift towards Open Networking with multiple global trials for Open RAN. 2021 is set to usher in the decade of network creation; with 5G, FTTx and ORAN at the centre stage. These mega trends are expected to boost the optical demand, early signs of which are already visible.

STL reports order book of over Rs. 10,700 crore with diversified global wins

enhanced its addressable market to USD 40 billion.

STL won multi-year, multi-million global deals, such as: l

STL built capabilities and won global deals As investments in digital networks accelerated in 2020, STL continued to perform and grow by delivering robust optical, system integration and virtualized access solutions. Fueled by global expansion and new product launches, STL

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A three-year strategic collaboration with Openreach to provide millions of kms of optical fibre cable to help connect UK with a full-fibre network USD 100 million deals in the MEA region - for building future-ready digital networks Partnership with Airtel to build optical network across 10 circles

Mar-Apr, 2021

NEWS The company has exhibited strong growth in OFC volume and optical Interconnect business. STL grew its OFC volume by more than 35% in FY'21. Optotec's interconnect products are now integrated into its Opticonn solution.

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Demonstrated revenue growth and robust financials

STL grew patent portfolio by 105% — with 191 filings in FY'21, STL's global patents reached 569, also adding the first 5G patent. It has developed 5G and Open source products. STL also developed hardware plus software offerings including Garuda indoor small cells and 5G radios and tested programmable FTTx with a large Asian telco.

STL closed the year with 27% YoY revenue growth, and exports at 42%. Going forward, our three levers will drive growth; leveraging the continued success of Optical Connectivity solutions, Networks Services and building a new Access Solutions business l l

STL delivered exponentially despite the pandemic — with technology excellence, it took Project Varun (Navy Communication Network) and Mahanet (Rural broadband) to 92% and 98% completion, respectively. The company also hired industry stalwarts globally - across the US, the UK, Singapore and India.

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Growing OFC volume and Optical Interconnect business Building a strong portfolio of open-source Access Solutions Taking the System Integration business global while scaling in India

“In current times, our topmost priority is keeping our employees and communities safe while continuing to engage deeply with our customers,'' said Dr. Anand Agarwal, Group CEO, STL. “The next decade of network creation has begun, with accelerated investments towards 5G, FTTx, and O-RAN. STL has used this momentum as a springboard to enhance its capabilities and deliver. Going forward, we will continue to create value for our customers and deliver growth for our shareholders with a razor-sharp focus on technology innovation, global expansion, and deep customer engagement.” n

Achieved glowing industry recognition for disruptive technologies l

Awarded by DuPont - Safety & Sustainability for zero waste to landfill

Recognized by BCG - Top 100 Tech Challengers for the next generation of innovation in emerging countries Featured in STL Partners' prestigious lists - '10 next-gen RAN solutions providers' and '60 Edge computing companies' to watch out for

Polycab India Reports Healthy Performance for FY21, Wires and Cables Business Grew 35% YoY Polycab's wires and cables business grew 35% YoY to Rs. 24,875 mn in Q4FY21 from Rs. 18,434 mn in Q4FY20 led by healthy pickup in infra and industrial project activities.

May 13, 2021 ommenting on the performance, Mr. Inder T. Jaisinghani, Chairman and Managing Director, Polycab India Limited, said: “FY21 has been an extraordinary year marked by disruption, resilience, compassion, and transformation. Our endeavour to ensure safety of Polycabians and help the society at large remains untethered. Concurrently, we also ensured uninterrupted operations through agility and technology which helped us leverage the favorable market trends and report robust business performance in the fourth quarter. We are excited to commence on a journey towards our five-year vision which will shift orbits of our brand positioning, operations, and business growth along with strong emphasis on governance and sustainability. Considering our ongoing transformation initiatives, I believe we are well placed to take a leap and create long term value for everyone connected to Polycab.”

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www.wirecable.in

Polycab

Highlights on consolidated performance for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2021 l

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Revenue grew 43% YoY to Rs. 30,374 mn, with healthy

Mar-Apr, 2021

Power Cable Machineries Sioplas Extrusion Line upto 33 kv

Manufacturers & Exporters of all types

Housing Wire Machineries

Plastic & Cable

Triple Extruder

M AC H I N E S

175mm Extruder Payoff & Take up

Caterpillar Flyer

SANT ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES founded in the year 1966 by Mr Krishan LaI Malhotra is the leading Manufacturer and Exporter of all types of Plas c and Cable Machinery worldwide and is commi ed to fostering Excellence in this field.

We have the pleasure to introduce ourselves as one of the leading manufacturers and exporters of all type Plas cs & Cable machine of wide ranging sizes / specifica ons in India having experience of our six decades. Our company strategy is to give lot of emphases on Customer sa sfac on, quality control & also in co-opera on innova on / technological, advancement in plant & machinery. We dedicated in energy saving / cost economic, Customer Services & environment friendly techniques.

Our exper se in following areas :

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• High speed Insulation line and Sheathing line for House Wiring, Multicores Flat / Round & Control Cables.

• High output and best in class Sheathing lines for Power cables.

• Efficient Triple Extrusion line for SIOPLAS (XLPE) cables.

• State of the art Extruders - upto 175 MM. • Robust Payoffs & Take ups of all types and sizes as per requirement upto 4 Meters • Cross Head Single / Dual / Triple.

• Haul Off Catterpillars upto 5000 Kgs traction force.

• Capstan • Cooling tanks • Cable grade Compound making machines.

580, Main Faiz Road, Street N0.17, Karol Bagh, New Delhi -110005 (INDIA) Phone: +91 11 23679498, 23521090 | Mobile: +91 9868107361, +91 9717263888 Email: charanjeevmalhotra@gmail.com | Web: www.santengineeringindustries.co.in / www.santengineeringindustries.com

www.wirecable.in

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Mar-Apr, 2021

NEWS underlying growth across segments and rising share of B2C business. l

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Highlights on consolidated performance for the full year ended March 31, 2021

Wires and cables business grew 35% YoY to Rs. 24,875 mn in Q4FY21 from Rs. 18,434 mn in Q4FY20 led by healthy pickup in infra and industrial project activities, improving consumer sentiment, and higher sales realisation. Business performance was broadly consistent across distribution channel as well as institutional business. Institutional business saw a decent sequential recovery. Housing wires sustained strong momentum.

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FMEG business grew 89% YoY to Rs. 3,468 mn in Q4FY21 from Rs. 1,833 mn in Q4FY20 on the back of healthy consumer demand, distribution and strong execution. Growth was strong across categories and regions. Market share gains were prominent across the board. Segment EBIT margin at 7% in Q4 improved further by over 100bps vs Q3.

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PBT grew 36% YoY to Rs. 3,838 mn in Q4FY21 from Rs. 2,831 mn in Q4FY20 reflecting improved profitability.

PAT grew 32% YoY to Rs. 2,832 mn in Q4FY21 from Rs. 2,151 mn in Q4FY20. PAT margin stood at 9.3% in Q4FY21.

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As of 31 March 2021, net cash position stood at Rs 9,058 mn. ROCE stood at 31.9% in Q4FY21.

Revenue grew 1% YoY to Rs. 89,265 mn led by strong performance in second half of the year offsetting severe impact of COVID-19 outbreak. Sales contribution from B2C product portfolio, on a standalone basis, grew from 32.6% in FY20 to 40.2% in FY21.

Wires and cables business declined 3% YoY to Rs. 72,921 mn in FY21 from Rs. 75,192 mn in FY20 hurt by pandemic and lockdowns in first half of FY21 and a higher exports base of FY20.

FMEG business grew 24% YoY to Rs. 10,341 mn in FY21 from Rs. 8,356 mn in FY20, despite challenges, showcasing strong consumer traction. FY21 margin at 5.5% was higher by about 350bps YoY. PBT grew 5% YoY to Rs. 10,650 mn in FY21 from Rs. 10,100 mn in FY20 offsetting adverse operating leverage.

PAT was up 16% YoY at Rs. 8,859 mn in FY21 from Rs. 7,656 mn in FY20. PAT margin at 9.9% in FY21, was up 125bps YoY partly reflecting few one off gains. n

Alphagary Acquires Majority Share Ownership in Shakun Polymers Private Limited in India With its investment, Alphagary is expanding its product and regional footprints as Shakun will continue to provide next-generation materials designed to meet the high safety and performance standards in Asia and Africa's markets.

May 13, 2021

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lphagary, a global leader in the design and manufacture of specialty polymer compounds and a division of Orbia's Polymer Solutions business group, has announced that it will acquire majority share ownership of Shakun Polymers Private Limited (“Shakun”), a privately held and family-owned market leader in the production of compounds for the wire and cable markets in the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Subject to the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions, the transaction is expected to close in short order and represents an important strategic investment for

www.wirecable.in

Alphagary, an Orbia Company

Alphagary. As a direct complement to Alphagary's specialty product offerings that support a connected

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world, Shakun's product development focus is on halogen-free, flameretardant compounds and PVC-based

Mar-Apr, 2021

Head Office: 2B, Pretoria Street, Kolkata - 700 071, Tel: +91-33-22823744 / 45 / 8818, Fax: +91-33-22823739, Email: kolkata@kkalpana.co.in Sales & Marketing Office: 106, Laxmi Plaza, Laxmi Industrial Estate, New Link Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai - 400 053 Tel: +91-22-67021470 / 71 / 72, Fax: +91-22-67021473, E-Mail: mumbai@kkalpana.co.in

CABLE

WIRE ANNEALING & TIN ELECTRO PLATING

Tin Electroplating On Copper Wire

MAKE IN INDIA

Resistance Annealing Machine

Running in: Tamra Dhattu, KMG Wires, Zenith Wires and many more..

Running in: Svarn Group,

Advance Cable, Laser Cable, Srinilink Wires, Special Cable, Gemscab Ind., Neelkanth Cables

Off Line Multi Wire Annealing Machine

and many more..

Tin/Ni Electroplating Machine On Copper Wire

Induction Pre-Heater

Running in: Apar Industries, Polycab, RR Kabel, Advance Cable, LAPP India and many more..

www.wirecable.in

Extra High Speed

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High Speed

CAB DEVICE INDUSTRIES A63, Street No. 4, Karkhana Bagh, 16/5, Mathura Road, Faridabad-121002, INDIA Contact No.: +91 129 4041641 Email: info@cabledevice.com / cabdevice@yahoo.com Mob. No.: +91-9910360641, +91-8826059696 Website : www.cabledevice.com

Mar-Apr, 2021

NEWS compounds for data and power cables. In addition, Shakun's semiconductive and cross-linkable compounds expand Alphagary's portfolio, offer a growth platform and meet customer requirements.

to deliver on our customers' requirements. I am delighted to be part of a team that will work together to offer a wider portfolio of materials and more efficient supply chains that help us focus on service.”

Key members of the Shakun management team will remain with the business, underlining the commitment of both organizations to create added value for customers and stakeholders.

“Shakun has rapidly built a significant market position by providing quality materials geared toward meeting customer needs in Asia and Africa,” said Gautam Nivarthy, President of Alphagary. “While Alphagary has a broad reach from its facilities in the United States, Europe and Mexico, the addition of Shakun's market position in Asia and Africa coupled with the team's entrepreneurial spirit

Said Rakesh Bansal, Joint Managing Director of Shakun, “We are very excited by Alphagary's investment in Shakun and the opportunity it creates

will enable us to broaden our innovation horizons,” continued Nivarthy.

Added Sameer Bharadwaj, CEO of Orbia, “Even as India faces difficulty with the current pandemic, we are confident in the resilience of the AsiaPacific and African markets and longterm growth coming from these regions. This investment provides us with a local presence, a wider scope for future-focused development and a strong customer base for our products and services that help to advance life around the world. We welcome Shakun to the Orbia family and look forward to their immediate contributions to our success together.” n

Jio's IAX and IEX Projects to Address Region's Data Revolution Bringing India at the center of two new subsea cable systems to support exponential data growth — Jio collaborates with several key global partners is laying two new marine data cables of 16000 kilometers.

May 17, 2021

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eliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. (Jio), India's leading 4G and mobile broadband digital service provider, is constructing the largest international submarine cable system centered on India. Jio, in conjunction with several key global partners and world-class submarine cable supplier SubCom, is currently deploying two next generation cables to support the extraordinary growth in data demand across the region.

The India-Asia-Xpress (IAX) system connects India eastbound to Singapore and beyond, while the India-Europe-Xpress (IEX) system connects India westbound to the Middle East and Europe. The systems will seamlessly interconnect as well as connect to the world's top interexchange points and content hubs for extension of service globally.

IAX and IEX will enhance the ability for consumer and enterprise users to access content and cloud services in and out of India.

www.wirecable.in

Jio's IEX and IAX Cable System

For the first time in the history of fiber optic submarine telecommunications, these systems place India at the center of the international network map, recognizing India's increased importance, staggering growth, and the quantum shift in data use since the launch of Jio services in 2016.

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These high capacity and high-speed systems will provide more than 200Tbps of capacity spanning over 16,000 kilometers. Employing open system technology and the latest w a v e l e n g t h s w i t c h e d RoADM/branching units ensures rapid upgrade deployment and the

Mar-Apr, 2021

NEWS ultimate flexibility to add/drop waves across multiple locations.

“Jio is at the forefront of India's explosive growth in digital services and data consumption. To meet the demands of Streaming Video, Remote Workforce, 5G, IoT, and beyond, Jio is taking a leadership role in the construction of the first of its kind, Indiacentric IAX and IEX subsea systems,” said Mr. Mathew Oommen, President, Reliance Jio. “Implementing these critical initiatives in the shadow of a

global pandemic is a challenge, but the ongoing pandemic has only accelerated the digital transformation and the necessity of highperformance global connectivity for the delivery of a richer experience to enterprises and consumers.”

The IAX system connects India, the world's fastest growing economy, to Asia Pacific markets with express connectivity from Mumbai and Chennai to Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. The IEX system extends

India's connectivity to Italy, landing in Savona, and additional landings in the Middle East and North Africa. Apart from the seamless connection of the IAX and IEX sub-sea systems, the two systems are also connected to the Reliance Jio Global Fiber Network beyond Asia Pacific and Europe, connecting to both the east and west coast of the USA. IAX is expected to be ready for service mid-2023, while IEX will be ready for service in early 2024. n

V-Marc India Subscribed 1.54 Times on Issue Closing The net proceeds are to fund its capital expenditure for its proposed manufacturing facility at Roorkee besides working capital and general corporate purposes.

April 6, 2021

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-Marc India Ltd., a Haridwar-based wires and cables manufacturer, has received bids of 92,49,000 shares against the offered 60,00,000 equity shares, as per the closing data available on NSE. While the Non-Institutional Investor category was subscribed 1.44 times, the portion reserved for retail investors was subscribed 1.80 times. The proposed issuance is to be listed on the Emerge Platform of the National Stock Exchange.

V-Marc sells BIS and CE certified wires and cables under the brand name “V-MARC” out of its two manufacturing facilities in Haridwar, Uttarkhand.

manufacturing facility at Roorkee besides working capital and general corporate purposes.

V-Marc sells BIS and CE certified wires and cables under the brand name “V-MARC” out of its two manufacturing facilities in Haridwar, Uttarkhand across a distribution network of more than 650 dealers and multiple retail touchpoints having outreach to 21 states. It caters to a diverse customer base across industries including power, real estate, telecom and railways. n

The company showed intent raise Rs. 23.40 crores via fresh issuance of 60,00,000 equity shares of face value of Rs. 10 each which included a reservation of up to 3,00,000 equity shares of face value Rs 10 each for subscription under the “Market Maker Reservation Portion”. The net proceeds are to fund its capital expenditure for its proposed

Maillefer's New Taping Technology in Cable Solutions The new longitudinal taping technology from Maillefer for aluminum, polyester, woven, non-woven and water swellable tapes is a smart way to excel in cable quality and to boost sheathing productivity.

April 8, 2021

application is a vital part of the sheathing process and must be guaranteed fully functional within a production line.

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aillefer's new technology provides water blocking and mechanical protection for a variety of cable constructions, including high-voltage, fiber optic, and more. Tape

www.wirecable.in

The Longitudinal Tape Forming allows the manufacturers to increase the capacity for cable sheathing and longitudinal

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Mar-Apr, 2021

NEWS tape forming. The cable manufacturing is smoother and more reliable with reduced risk of scrap production. The solution is single sourced and packaged with know-how about the forming tools put at your disposal.

Benefits: l

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Online efficient and reliable longitudinal taping process Possibility to use variety of tape materials Functions with a variety of applications (e.g. high voltage, low voltage and fiber optics) Packaged with know-how about tape forming process and tools n

Maillefer's longitudinal taping technology

NEC Qualifies 24 Fiber Pair Subsea Telecom Cable System With this product-development, NEC's 24 FP solution brings more flexibility to operate in the subsea fiber pair market and better connectivity in high-density subsea branches.

March 20, 2021

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EC Corporation and its subsidiary OCC Corporation have announced the completion and full qualification of subsea repeaters and optical cable containing up to 24 fiber pairs (FPs) (48 fibers). This is a 50% improvement in fiber count over the 16 fiber pair systems generally available today. This development allows cable owners worldwide to construct subsea telecom cables with superior traffic capacity while reducing the cost per bit of the wet plant. This approach is fully in line with SDM (Space Division Multiplexing) system architectures. NEC's 24 FP solution not only provides more flexibility to operate in the subsea fiber pair market, it also enables better connectivity in high-density subsea branches.

NEC achieved this milestone with minor modifications to its proven repeater and cable designs. Keeping NEC's quadruple pump redundancy in the repeater (established more than 10 years ago) and maintaining OCC's outstanding cabling performance has resulted in cabled attenuations lower than 0.150dB/km. Low attenuation is critical to achieve large spectral efficiency as well as lower power consumption.

Image: NEC

wide range of existing optical fibers, according to the needs of each new cable system. Each fiber can be visually identified using a field-proven combination of ring marking and conventional fiber coloring, first introduced in 2013.

Furthermore, in OCC cable, the fiber's transmission performance is completely unaffected, either by the fiber marking or cabling processes. n

OCC's 24 fiber pair cable can be manufactured using a

www.wirecable.in

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Mar-Apr, 2021

NEWS

After More Than 45 Years, Harry Prunk Leaves SIKORA Board of Management As announced by the Supervisory Board of SIKORA AG, Mr. Harry Prunk left the SIKORA Board on March 31, 2021 after more than 45 years of very successful work. He has shaped the development of the company and contributed significantly to the success of the brand.

March 31, 2021

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r. Harry Prunk started his career at SIKORA in 1975 directly after finishing his studies in electronics as the third employee with the company founder Harald Sikora. 11 years later he was appointed Managing Director of SIKORA Industrieelektronik GmbH. In 1981, he founded the first subsidiary for SIKORA, SIKORA International Corp. in California, USA. Since 1996 he has been a shareholder of the company SIKORA. Since the transformation of the company into SIKORA AG in 2002, Harry Prunk has been a Member of the Management Board, which he chaired from 2011 to 2015.

In his function, Harry Prunk was responsible for the areas Sales, Marketing and Service and was particularly involved in the internationalization of SIKORA. Today, the medium-sized company is globally positioned with 14 subsidiaries and 300 employees. “We thank Harry Prunk for more than four decades full of outstanding achievements for our company, for the close cooperation with customers in the wire and cable, hose and tube as well as plastics industry and for his persistent commitment in building up the SIKORA subsidiaries and representatives”, says Prof. Dr. Thomas Sikora, chairman of the Supervisory Board of SIKORA AG. “The many years of wonderful and trustful cooperation will remain unforgotten.” Dr. Christian Frank, CEO at SIKORA, appreciates his special commitment: “Harry Prunk understands and embodies SIKORA like hardly anyone else. With him, the company developed many new regions and inspired numerous customers. In the cable

Mr. Harry Prunk

industry there is probably nobody who does not know Harry Prunk. I would like to thank him for his passionate commitment, his untiring support of our employees, his valued advice and especially for his valuable friendship.”

Since March 1, 2020, Dr. Jörg Wissdorf has been the new Member of the SIKORA Board and officially takes over the succession and responsibilities of Harry Prunk as of April 1, 2021. The graduated Aerospace Engineer previously worked in various leading positions in Sales and Marketing as well as Managing Director at national and international companies. “Jörg Wissdorf has many years of experience in corporate management. I am convinced that he will significantly shape and drive the further development and success of SIKORA, and I am pleased that we could win him for this position,” says Christian Frank. n

KEC International Secures New Orders of INR 1429 Crore KEC International Ltd., a global infrastructure EPC major, an RPG Group Company, has secured new orders of INR 1429 crore across its various businesses. bagged orders worth INR 701 crore from Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL) and other customers in India, East Asia Pacific and the Americas.

March 22, 2021

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EC International has secured orders of INR 44 crores for various types of cables in India and overseas.

KEC International has also won orders from Railways for

Company's transmission and distribution segment has

www.wirecable.in

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Mar-Apr, 2021

NEWS INR 366 crore in the emerging segments in India. It will deliver 2 x 25 kV Overhead Electrification (OHE) & associated works for speed upgradation in semi high-speed rail.

KEC will also execute tunnel ventilation system and associated works.

The RPG Group Company has secured orders of Rs. 318 crores from reputed private players for infra works in the cement, residential and metals & mining segments in India.

Mr. Vimal Kejriwal, MD & CEO, KEC International Ltd. commented, “Our order book continues to grow with orders secured across all our business verticals despite the global headwinds. We are delighted with the additional orders from PGCIL in the Green Energy Corridor under the Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) route. Our Railway business continues to strengthen its presence in the emerging segments with orders in High-Speed Rail and Tunnel Ventilation. With the above orders, our current year order inflows have exceeded Rs. 11,000 crores. These

KEC International Ltd., an RPG Group Company

orders along with the orders announced earlier during the year, reaffirm our confidence in achieving the targeted growth going forward.” n

X-Compound: Ground-Breaking for New Customer and Application Centre The heart of the new application centre is the CK100 Continuous Kneader.

March 16, 2021

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-Compound, one of the world's leading manufacturers of continuous kneaders, has recently started work on a new customer and application centre in Kaisten, Switzerland. Increasing demands and high customer interest motivated X-Compound to invest in order to provide its customers with the best possible conditions for testing specific applications under near-production conditions.

The heart of the new application centre is the CK100 Continuous Kneader. This plant can be used to test and simulate demanding and complex processes. It is supplemented by a CK45 laboratory plant for carrying out feasibility analyses or recipe developments.

CK100 Continuous Kneader

"With this application centre, we have created the opportunity to present our kneader technology in detail and in practice. It is the basis for inspiring our customers," says Raul Friedrich, General Manager of X-Compound GmbH. Stefan Nägele, Head of Process Engineering and Development, adds, "The centre is an opportunity for XCompound to make the technology tangible for our customers in practical training courses."

X-Compound GmbH in Kaisten/Schweiz produces Continuous Kneaders. The company was founded 1997 and evolved into a worldwide leading manufacturer of Continuous Kneaders. The company was acquired in 2011 by the Troester Group located in Hannover. X-Compound offers a broad range of machines and entire Compounding plants. The core of all plants is the Continuous Kneader.

With only a minimum energy input, the machine can achieve superior mixing performances. The unique mixing principle makes it possible to control exactly the material temperature. This makes this technology ideal especially for temperature sensitive materials. n

Last but not least X-Compound is going to use the Application Centre also for the continuous improvement of the technology. Further developments in machine and control technology will be tested and made ready for production. XCompound plans to complete the work in mid-2021. www.wirecable.in

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RS Prasad: Govt. Working to Provide Optical Fibre Connection to 6.5 Lakh Villages The government is working to provide optical fibre connection to 6.5 lakh villages, Minister of Communications and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad said adding that the country was kept going by the Information Technology mobile infrastructure during the lockdown.

March 25, 2021

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he government is working to provide optical fibre connection to 6.5 lakh villages, Minister of Communications and IT Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad said adding that the country was kept going by the Information Technology mobile infrastructure during the lockdown.

As reported in a leading daily, Shri RS Prasad stated that it is the communication strategy of the government to provide optical fibre connection to 6.5 lakh villages...The country was kept going by the Information Technology mobile infrastructure during COVID-19 lockdown period.

Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad — Union Minister of Law and Justice, and Electronics and Information Technology and Communications

The minister stated that the government liberalized workfrom-home and today work-from-home has become 'workfrom-anywhere'. "As far as school education is concerned, most of the school education went digital...Most of the schools continued because of digital education being encouraged.”

vision to enable fast track growth of digital communications infrastructure, bridge the digital divide for digital empowerment and inclusion, and provide affordable and universal access to broadband for all.

It is envisaged that the expenditure of the government through the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) is likely to be Rs 70,000 crore under NBM. The mission envisages covering all districts/states of the country including all districts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. n

However, he also admitted that there was a scope for improvement.

Shri Prasad also stated that the National Broadband Mission (NBM) was launched on December 17, 2019 with a

HFCL Secures Order Worth INR 221 Crore for Kanpur and Agra Metro Projects The telecommunication work for the metro projects will be completed in 33 months.

March 20, 2021

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elecom equipment major HFCL (Himachal Futuristic Communications Ltd.) has won an Rs. 221 crore order from the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation for setting up telecommunication systems for the Kanpur and Agra metro projects. According to the order details, HFCL will set up the telecommunication systems for 32.4 km (corridors one and two) of Kanpur Metro and 14 km (corridor one) of Agra Metro projects. The telecommunication system work for the metro projects will be completed in the next 33 months.

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Metro Rail

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NEWS Part of the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation, the Agra Metro network will connect major tourist attractions such as Agra Fort, Taj Mahal, Sikandra with the city's other main modes

of transport such as the railway station and bus stands. The construction of the Agra Metro project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2020. n

Lämneå Bruk Develops One of the Longest Electrical Cabinets for Wire Drawing Line Lämneå Bruk has recently manufactured one of the longest electrical cabinets.

April 7, 2021 wedish wire machinery manufacturer Lämneå Bruk AB produces their complete machines on-site in Ljusfallshammar in the traditional mining district in central Sweden.

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Recently, the company has built one of the longest electrical cabinets in their more than 100-year history. It is 9.2m long and is equipped with 23 frequency converters with a total of 560kW. The cabinet can be utilized for a complete Drawing Line, from Pay-Off to Take-Up. Lämneå Bruk manufactures a wide variety of technological advanced machines for different wire types - from small single machines to complete lines. n

Lämneå Bruk's electrical cabinet

PSPCL Approves INR 36767 Crore Budget to Strengthen Transmission & Distribution In the budget statement for FY 2021-22, PSPCL would utilize the tranche of a budget in buying power for farm consumers. Further, INR 200 crore would be spent on the release of new connections to the consumers while in order to strengthen transmission and distribution network in the state.

April 6, 2021

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ith the goal to provide uninterrupted power supply in Punjab, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) intends to strengthen its transmission and distribution sector with its Rs. 36,767.37 crore budget for the year 2021-22.

In a press release issued, the CMD of the corporation Mr. A Venu Prasad informed that the PSPCL had made budget provisions of Rs. 36,767.37 crore, including Rs. 34,688.68 crore for revenue expenditure and Rs. 2,078.69 crore for capital expenditure.

As reported in a leading daily, elaborating on the said development, Mr. Prasad said that Rs. 23,862.38 crore would be spent on power purchase, including transmission

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Transmission Lines

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NEWS charges. He stated that the tranche would be utilized in buying power for farm consumers and others for the paddy and summer season.

He also added that Rs. 200 crore would be spent on the release of new connections to the consumers while in order to strengthen transmission and distribution network in the state, Rs. 327.80 crore would be spent on sub-transmission work and more than Rs. 747.81 crore would be spent on the normal distribution work. n

Emphasizing on the capital expenditure, the CMD said that a sum of Rs. 1,520.74 crore would be spent on the distribution work for uninterrupted and quality power supply to consumers.

LS Cable & System Supplies Magnet Wire to Hyundai and KIA Electric Vehicles LS Cable & System has announced that the company would be the sole supplier of magnet wire for the drive motors (enamel wire) of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6 electric vehicles.

“The drive motor and the battery are important enough to be called the two hearts of an electric vehicle,” said President & CEO, Myung Roe-Hyun, CEO of LS Cable & System. “We are certain that the wires and parts business, which serves as the blood vessels of the heart, will also grow rapidly, so we are fostering them as new growth engines.”

Since 2016, LS Cable & System has been supplying GM with the magnet wire (400V) for the drive motors of the company's 'Chevrolet Bolt EV.' Currently, LS Cable & System is discussing development of the highvoltage magnet wires that are be used by all EVs to be produced by GM. n Production of high-voltage magnet wire for electric vehicles at the LS Cable & System Gumi Plant

March 22, 2021

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S Cable & System is the first in Korea to mass-produce magnet wires that can be used at 800V. Sales are estimated to reach more than KRW200 billion within 6 years.

A magnet wire is a copper wire coated with a heavy insulation material. Such wire is wound around the drive motor in the form of coils and converts electric energy into mechanical energy. The company succeeded in using a high-performance insulation material to develop a high-voltage magnet wire with improved efficiency.

As the charging speed competition is www.wirecable.in

intensifying in the electric vehicle industry, development of high-voltage parts supporting this is becoming more important. A company official said, “We expect that this supply will provide us with an opportunity to preempt the high-voltage electric vehicle wire market, which is still in its early stage.”

LS Cable & System believes that the global environment-friendly automotive magnet wire market will grow more than 6-fold by 2025, and it is reinforcing its marketing efforts and increasing investments with regard to global automakers.

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BSNL's KLI Project Norms Restrictive For Participation of Local Players: TEPC TEPC has alleged that clauses like turnover of over Rs 1,400 crore, the experience of deploying repeater cable for at least 1,000 kilometres with a depth of 3,000 metres etc. are restrictive in nature and should be tuned as per minimum parameters set under chief vigilance commission guidelines.

April 3, 2021

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omestic telecom gear makers have alleged that stateowned firm BSNL has included norms that restrict their participation in INR 1072 crore Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands submarine cable project.

Telecom product and equipment promotion body TEPC and TEMA have written to telecom secretary Anshu Prakash with apprehensions that the norms in the tender floated by BSNL may attract only single bid from a foreign player.

The local telecom gear makers have objected to the inclusion of repeater cables in the project. TEPC said that the technology is supported by only a few foreign companies and only one of them has submitted bids in the previous two tenders floated by BSNL.

BSNL

Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association of India (TEMA) in a letter to the telecom secretary said that against all odds the pre-bid was attended by 25 companies, including 15 Indian companies, on March 25.

The telecom export promotion body supported by the commerce ministry and telecom department said the empowered technology group (ETG), led by Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) K Vijay Raghavan, has also recommended using only repeaterless technology to avoid high capital and operational expenditure without compromising Indian Navy's requirement.

TEPC said that 'vocal for local' can only happen, if such Indian companies, who stand with the country during the need of the hour are encouraged by making them eligible to bid against foreign competition. n

Leoni Develops Double-Jacket Cable for Use in the Food Industry Leoni has manufactured double jacket Ethernet cable for factory use in food sector.

April 22, 2021

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eoni has developed a new industrial Ethernet cable for factory use in the food sector, which meets the highest demands in terms of hygiene. This is made possible by using a specially developed double jacket.

The food industry imposes quite particular requirements on the machinery and components deployed. For cables, this means, above all, a surface that is absolutely hygienic and good to clean. Furthermore, these products must obtain such specific approvals as the EHEDG Certificate and

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Double-Jacket Cable

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jacket is visible, and the cable can be clearly identified as an industrial Ethernet cable.

A double jacket made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and a thin FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene) layer is a key element to meet these multifaceted requirements. This involves the double jacket being extruded onto the cable in two layers, combining it into one unit. The PVC proportion provides the necessary flexibility as well as the prescribed jacket wall thickness. The FEP jacket protects the PVC substructure against aggressive cleaning chemicals, while simultaneously providing a very hygienic surface. Microbes and other micro-organisms have a tough time settling on it. FEP as the outer layer has many other advantages, too: For example, the surface is so smooth that dirt particles will not adhere to it in the first place. It is furthermore abrasion-proof and free of plasticisers and other additives. The FEP jacket is extruded transparently, meaning that the green PVC

The PVC jacket's flexibility also means that the cable can be used under heavy mechanical strain in a drag chain with up to 500,000 flex cycles. The cable can likewise resist torsion ±180O across a meter for one million cycles.

The cables' mechanical strength is verified in our in-house drag chain testing facility in Friesoythe. Both materials are furthermore self-extinguishing and therefore well suited to fulfil high fire protection requirements.

This allows the cable to be certified for installation in buildings in accordance with the EN 13501-6 ECA fire classification of construction products and building elements. The cable furthermore meets the fire protection requirements of UL 1685 (CSA FT 4) and has a UL AWM Style specifically created for this double jacket. n

NTT Partners With TCIL to work Together in Areas Like 5G, AI, Submarine Systems Japanese telecom company NTT along with India's TCIL have recently announced that they will be becoming partners and cooperate within areas such as 5G, AI and more.

5G Technology

April 26, 2021

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TT and Telecommunications Consultants of India Ltd. (TCIL) has teamed up to work in the areas of 5 G t e c h n o l o g y, C y b e r s e c u r i t y, Artificial Intelligence, and submarine cable systems.

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This is a two-year long extendable deal with NTT A d v a n c e d Technologies and it will enable both companies to coprovide services in the telecom, networking, information, and related applications to their customers.

also provide a competitive edge following a sharp cut in dependence on Chinese products and underdeveloped locally-manufactured equipment. n

With this partnership, TCIL would be able to leverage Tokyo-based NTT's system integration, networking and product management expertise within the country and other overseas initiatives through local partner Virgo Corporation. The partnership with the Japanese company, according to the top official, would

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NKT Invests in its High-Voltage Power Cable Factories to Prepare for Green Growth NKT is expanding its high-voltage production sites to execute on a record high order backlog and to prepare for growing market demand for power cable systems driven by the transition to renewable energy.

May 10, 2021

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n 2020, NKT was awarded large high-voltage power cable projects for EUR 2.3 billion supporting the transition to renewable energy including a substantial part of the German Corridor Projects designed to transmit green power from across the country. For NKT, the large order backlog and the accelerated transition to renewable energy provides opportunities for future growth and the company is investing more than EUR 150 million in its high-voltage power cable manufacturing and logistics.

For NKT, the investment program includes a new highvoltage power cable test centre in Cologne, Germany, and the construction of a new extrusion tower for the production site in Karlskrona, Sweden as well as ongoing investments for new machinery and a specially designed barge for transporting offshore power cables on the river Rhine.

NKT

to support the increased offshore wind activity in Europa.

They are also both powered with 100% green electricity ensuring a low carbon footprint of the power cable systems as well as for the project logistics. n

NKT operates two high-voltage production sites in Cologne and Karlskrona which are both strategically well-positioned

OmniCable to Acquire Houston Wire & Cable Company in USD 91 Million The merger will result in maximizing the companies' highly complementary businesses, products and national footprint to better meet the needs of their respective customers.

April 2, 2021

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ouston Wire & Cable Company (HWCC) and Omni Cable, LLC (OmniCable) have entered into a definitive agreement under which OmniCable will acquire all outstanding shares of HWCC common stock for USD 5.30 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at USD 91 million.

The combined company results in a national wire and cable redistribution industry leader that will maximize OmniCable's and HWCC's highly complementary businesses, products and national footprint to better meet the needs of both companies' customers.

The combined company also will continue HWCC's fastener redistribution business. Following the close of the transaction, each company will retain its own brands and its existing locations. n

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Following the merger, the companies – HWCC and Omnicable will retain its own brands and existing locations.

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Tata Power Takes Over Power Distribution in North Eastern Odisha As the largest private sector power distribution-company in the country, Tata Power's consumer base now stands at 11.5 million across Mumbai, New Delhi, Odisha and Ajmer.

April 6, 2021

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ata Power has taken over the management and operations of NESCO (North Eastern Electricity Supply Company of Odisha) upon completion of the sale process.

The country's largest integrated power utility said that NESCO now will operate under the company name TP Northern Odisha Distribution Limited (TPNODL).

As per the order issued by the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC), Tata Power holds 51 percent of equity with management control and the state-owned GRIDCO will have 49 percent equity stake in the company.

TP Northern Odisha Distribution Limited (TPNODL) will now be responsible for the distribution and retail supply of electricity in five circles of NESCO covering close to 2 million consumers with annual input energy of 5450 MUs in Balasore, Bhadrak, Baripada, Jajpur and Keonjhar districts.

TP Northern Odisha Distribution Limited (TPNODL) will now be responsible for the distribution and retail supply of electricity in five circles of NESCO covering close to 2 million consumers.

period of 25 years. With this, Tata Power now distributes power in the entire state of Odisha with a total customer base of 9 million. n

This covers a geographical spread of more than 27,500 sq km and a network of more than 90,000 CKT km for a license

Sun Cable's 14 GW Project Moves Ahead With Solar Manufacturing Plant in Darwin The project would supply power to the Darwin region and to Singapore via a 4,500 km high-voltage direct-current transmission network, including a 750-kilometre overhead transmission line and a 3,800 km submarine cable from Darwin to Singapore, via Indonesia.

April 12, 2021

solar farm and around 33 GWh battery energy storage systems near Elliot in the Barkly Region of the Northern Territory. The proposition is for the power generated at the farm to be exported to Singapore via HVDC cables, in addition to domestic use.

un Cable, the Singapore-based consortium handling the world's largest electricity infrastructure project, i.e., the USD 22 billion Australia-ASEAN Power Link (AAPL), had lodged an application with the Northern Territory's Development Consent Authority for a facility in the region's capital, Darwin. The said facility will manufacture Maverick solar array systems designed by Sydney-based company 5B.

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The first stage of the proposed manufacturing facility will pilot a semi-automated production line which will provide opportunities to supply other solar farms across northern Australia with the Maverick solar array systems. Phase two, it said, will comprise the facility's expansion to manufacture systems for the AAPL and establish a

The AAPL project includes the construction of a 14 GW

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NEWS logistics and distribution centre so that material and equipment can be transported by rail to Sun Cable's proposed 14 GW solar farm site on a 12,000-hectare site at Powell Creek.

It is expected that the project will supply power to the Darwin region and to Singapore via a 4,500 km highvoltage direct-current transmission network, including a 750-kilometre overhead transmission line from the solar farm in Powell Creek to Darwin and a 3,800 km submarine cable from Darwin to Singapore, via Indonesia. The renewable electricity generation of this project, accorded with Major Project Status, is expected to power more than 3 million homes a year. n The AAPL project includes the construction of a 14 GW solar farm and around 33 GWh battery energy storage systems. Image: 5B

Underground Cabling Project Inaugurated at Kumbh Area in Haridwar The nodal agency for the project, Power Finance Corporation has sanctioned Rs. 381.35 crore for the UG cabling project in Haridwar under IPDS. April 6, 2021

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n underground cabling project was inaugurated at the Kumbh area in Haridwar by Shri R. K. Singh, Minister of State (IC) Power and New & Renewable Energy along with Shri Tirath Singh Rawat, Hon'ble Chief Minister, Uttarakhand through video conferencing.

Being implemented under the Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS), the project is commissioned

by Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited. The inauguration-event was graced by Shri Madan Kaushik, MLA, Haridwar, Smt Radhika Jha, Secretary, Department of Energy and Renewable Energy, Uttarakhand, Shri R.S. Dhillon, CMD- PFC Ltd (through Video Conferencing), and Shri Neeraj Khairwal, MD- UPCL along with officials from the state government of Uttarakhand and Ministry of Power.

The inauguration-event was graced by Shri Madan Kaushik, MLA, Haridwar, Smt Radhika Jha, Secretary, Department of Energy and Renewable Energy, Uttarakhand. Image: PSU Connect

Power Finance Corporation which is the nodal agency for the project has sanctioned Rs 381.35 crore for the UG cabling project in Haridwar under IPDS. The up-gradation project will help in providing uninterrupted electricity to the consumers in the region and will put an end to the disruptions in the power supply caused due to heavy rains and wind.

caused due to the loose wires will be significantly reduced and will also enable the beautification of the commercial areas around the region. Moreover, the project will also decrease the traffic pressure as road widening work can be executed with the cables completely being laid underground. n

With the conclusion of the project, the risk of accidents

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Submarine Cable to Connect 10.5 GW Wind-Solar Complex in Morocco to the UK Grid The huge complex would be connected to the UK power network in Alverdiscott, Devon and Pembroke, Wales, via a 3,800 km high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line.

April 22, 2021

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K-based Xlinks is planning to build 10.5 GW of solar and wind in Morocco and sell the power generated by the huge plant in the UK. This should be made possible by a 3,800 km high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line that would be connected to locations in Wales and Devon.

As reported in a leading daily, the company is planning to hold international tenders for the project construction and expects to bring online the first 1.8 GW cable at the beginning of 2027 and a second cable two years later.

Submarine Cable

The huge complex would be connected to the UK power network in Alverdiscott, Devon and Pembroke, Wales, via a 3,800 km high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line, which the developer said would comprise four separate cables and will be the longest subsea power transmission link in the world.

the developer, should make planning permits easier to obtain.

The company is currently in talks with three major European cable manufacturers for the construction of the transmission lines and the biggest constraint for the project development may be a bottleneck for the cable supply, as the offshore wind industry has a strong need for these components. n

The cable would cross international waters and dip into the territorial waters of European countries such as Portugal, Spain and France on four occasions, which, according to

India's Biggest Floating Solar Power Plant Coming Up in Telangana The project has been set up by the energy conglomerate National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) in the reservoir of its thermal power plant at Ramagundam, Peddapalli district.

April 4, 2021

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ndia's biggest floating solar power plant with a capacity of 100 megawatt is expected to become operational in Telangana next month. The solar photo-voltaic project, spread over 450 acres, will have 4.5 lakh photovoltaic panels and it can be expanded in the future.

The project has been set up at a cost of Rs 423 crore. The Maharatna company plans to set up solar projects across all thermal power plants in the country.

The NTPC plans solar power plants of the total capacity of 450 MW in the southern region. Of this, 217 MW plants would be floating on water bodies. n

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Floating Solar Power Plant

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UAE's Cable Giant Ducab Winds in 36 Percent Profit Gain for 2020 The group exports 60 percent of its overall production.

April 11, 2021

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ucab Group—one of the UAE's largest industrial manufacturing businesses—has confirmed substantial gains across all three of its business units in 2020, achieving a collective year-on-year profit increase of 36% despite the challenging global conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mohammed A. Al-Mutawa, CEO of Ducab Group, said: “Ducab Group was able to achieve outstanding results while serving our customers internationally with the same level of excellence they always expect from us. The company's ongoing focus on product diversification provided Ducab with a strong foundation going into 2020.

We have always been keen to explore new markets and opportunities, and were able to support strategic projects around the world and across different vertical sectors including energy, transportation, industry, and many others in 2020. We will continue to do this in the year ahead.”

Mohammed Al Mutawa, Group CEO of Ducab

Aluminium Company (DAC) and Ducab's Copper Rod Factory. DMB builds on the company's extensive expertise in the field while capitalizing on the UAE's position in the global metallurgy markets. DMB sold close to 190,000 tonnes of metal products in 2020 to over 45 countries internationally.

In its latest Board meeting, Ducab also confirmed the appointment of Eng. Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri as the company's new Chairman. Eng. Jamal replaces Dr. Ahmad Bin Hassan Al Shaikh, who served as Chairman from 20192021. The company's chairmanship is rotated biannually between Ducab's equal shareholders ADQ (through Senaat) and the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD).

Meanwhile, the Ducab High Voltage (DHV) business unit improved the overall margins by 42% in 2020 compared to the previous year. DHV was the first dedicated high voltage and extra-high voltage power cable manufacturing facility in the Middle East, and today offers a wide portfolio of tailored cable solutions on a turnkey basis. The division sold nearly 6,000 tonnes of specialized high voltage cable throughout 2020 to several regional Utilities and global EPCs.

Ducab Cable Business (DCB), the largest business unit of the group, delivered a profit increase of 13%, with a product sales volume close to 80,000 conductor tonnes. DCB operations have continued uninterrupted throughout the pandemic, manufacturing all of its cables and wires in the UAE for customers in the country—which remains the division's largest single consumer market—as well as about 25 export markets.

In addition to its product diversification and market expansion, Ducab pursued several Emiratization initiatives in the last year. It was in 2020 that the company launched its new program, Bidayiti, which aims to enhance UAE nationals' skills across different sectors, contributing towards the development of the country's manufacturing industry. n

Ducab Metals Business (DMB) saw a 33% profit increase year-on-year in 2020. The metals operation includes Ducab

Thomas Holzer Joins Troester's Management Board TROESTER adds up new board member in its management.

March 15, 2021

Partner and CEO Dr. Peter Schmidt and COO Bernd Pielsticker Dipl.-Ing., Thomas Holzer will in future be responsible for Engineering and Sales.

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ROESTER GmbH & Co. KG has announced that Thomas Holzer Dipl.-Ing. MBA joined the Management Board on March 1st, 2021. In addition to the Managing

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Three people sharing the management responsibility is

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NEWS intended to strengthen sustainability and the knowledge base in the company, while creating new energy for organic growth and innovation.

Thomas Holzer (49) is married and has two children. He studied Process Engineering in Munich then went on to study Business Management in Reutlingen and Michigan in the USA. Following this, Thomas Holzer started his career in the paper division of the technology company Voith. He held management positions at the company in Germany, Indonesia, Austria, and China, where he was responsible for global projects as well as the service and spare parts business for many years.

Thomas Holzer has comprehensive knowledge in the sale, engineering and project management of special machines, and brings with him a wealth of management and leadership experience. He sees himself as a team player: “I am looking forward to my role at TROESTER. As part of a strong team, I would like to generate fresh

The new TROESTER Management Board (from left to right): Dipl.-Ing. MBA Thomas Holzer, Dr. Peter Schmidt (Managing Partner) and Dipl.-Ing. Bernd Pielsticker

impetus for the further development of TROESTER's business areas. I bring with me my international experience to successfully position the company globally in the future. We are living in a time of great challenges that we are tackling with all our strength and for which we are finding sophisticated solutions.” n

Delta Tecnic Appoints Lori Parent as Sales Director in the US and Canada Among her duties, Parent will be responsible for the development of technologybased masterbatch and additives for wire and cable, and related industries in the US and Canada under the Delta Tecnic brand.

March 1, 2021

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elta Tecnic has appointed Lori Parent as the Sales Director in the United States market. This is a key appointment for the interests of Delta Tecnic and its growth strategy in the region. Based in Barcelona, the company is specialized in the production and distribution of color concentrates and raw materials for plastics, cables, inks, paints, and cosmetics.

Parent has a professional career of more than 18 years in the field of sales and marketing of color masterbatch and additives in the wire and cable industry in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Previously, she has held various positions within the industry,

www.wirecable.in

Lori Parent, Sales Director- US & Canada, Delta Tecnic

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NEWS which has allowed her to forge her extensive knowledge and management skills.

Besides, the Wire and Cable Manufacturers Alliance (WCMA) honored Ms. Parent with the Distinguished Career Award in 2010. An award given and voted on by noted peers for professional attainment and qualities earning the wire and cable industry's esteem and respect. In 2018, she was nominated by Plastics News as a 'Woman Breaking the Mold' and received the honor, press, and medal recognition in a ceremony and network event in Chicago, along with other women recipients in the plastics industry.

Her various positions of responsibility at Brand-Rex, Teledyne Thermatics and JuddWire have enabled Parent to be a true sales and marketing specialist in strategic markets within the wire and cable industry. Given the foreseeable growth of the sector in the coming years, due to the needs for transmission, distribution, and development of smart grids, the presence of Parent will be essential.

CEO of Delta Tecnic, Eric Xirinachs, has ensured that “the appointment of Lori Parent as sales director is a fundamental step to expand and establish the seal of quality and innovation of Delta Tecnic in the North American region.” And he added that “her extensive experience in the wire and cable industry gives us the talent and expertise necessary to boost our business in an increasingly key sector.” n

She was voted First Woman President of the Wire Association International New England Chapter in 2007 and held various Board Officer with WAI for 15 years. Also, she is an avid chairperson of the Education Committee and works closely on events to bring insight to all aspects of the industry.

NKT Awarded Turnkey High-Voltage AC Order for Troll West The order comprises turnkey supply and installation by NKT Victoria of over 110 kilometres of 145 kV high-voltage AC offshore power cable system.

April 23, 2021

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KT has been awarded a contract for the Troll West electrification project of approx. EUR 95 million (approx. DKK 710m) by Equinor Energy AS on behalf of the Troll Unit.

Troll West electrification project includes partial electrification of the Troll B platform and full electrification of Troll C in the North Sea. This means that both platforms' power demand will be met from shore. The project will help cut emissions on the Norwegian continental shelf substantially.

The order comprises turnkey supply and installation by NKT Victoria of over 110 kilometres of 145 kV high-voltage AC offshore power cable system with three dynamic sections to electrify the Troll West B and C platforms.

Troll West

were installed. During the past years, NKT has provided power cables solutions to connect several floating platforms with power from shore. These include Gjøa, Goliat and Martin Linge, all of them using dynamic power cables.

Troll West comprises two floating platforms, Troll B and Troll C, and the turnkey power cable solution from NKT includes dynamic cables that connect the two floating platforms with static offshore power cables at the seabed. The power from shore solution will be connected to the national grid at Kollsnes, northwest of Bergen, Norway.

The power cables will be manufactured in Karlskrona, Sweden, with production starting in 2021 and with commissioning in 2023. By sourcing the power cables from the Karlskrona plant, strategically located close to the North Sea, and installing them with the highly fuel-efficient NKT Victoria the carbon footprint of the entire transportation and installation campaign is kept at a minimum. n

Dynamic power cables are an important component when transmitting power to and from floating applications. Here, NKT builds on its vast experience since 2010, where the world's first high-voltage cables for floating applications

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Adani Transmission to Acquire Warora-Kurnool Transmission From Essel Enterprise Value of INR 3370 Crore The acquisition is in sync with Adani Transmission strategy to enhance the value for its stakeholders, through organic as well as inorganic opportunities.

March 27, 2021

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dani Transmission Limited (ATL), India's largest private sector power transmission and retail Distribution Company, has signed definitive agreements with Essel InfraProjects Limited (EIL) for the acquisition of Warora Kurnool Transmission Limited (WKTL).

ATL's acquisition values the Enterprise Valuation of the target at INR 3370 crore. The regulatory approval for substitution of original awardee in the contract by ATL has already been received from Central Electricity Regulatory Commission.

The lenders consent and other necessary regulatory approvals shall be obtained before closure of transaction.

With this acquisition, the cumulative network of ATL will reach ~17,200 ckt km, out of which ~12,350 ckt km is already operational and ~4,850 ckt km (including this asset) is in various stages of execution. With this enhanced scale of operations, ATL will enjoy substantial benefits in terms of cost optimization and shared resources and will also fortify its position of being the largest private sector transmission company in the country.

With this acquisition, the cumulative network of ATL will reach ~17,200 ckt km

20,000 ckt km of transmission lines by 2022. The acquisition is a further demonstration of ATL's drive towards differentiated capability through inorganic growth, successful integration & making such assets value accretive, for long term sustainable value creation for its stakeholders.”

Mr. Anil Sardana, MD & CEO, Adani Transmission Ltd, said, “The acquisition of WKTL will bolster ATL's pan-India presence, consolidating further its position as the largest private sector transmission company in India. This strategic West to South 765 KV interconnector with Substation in Southern India, completes ATL presence in all regions of the country. This asset will not only increase ATL's size and scale but will also take ATL closer to its target of setting up

Warora Kurnool Transmission Ltd. will develop, operate and maintain transmission lines aggregating to ~1,750 ckt km. The 765 kV inter-state transmission line links Warora–Warangal and Chilakaluripeta-Hyderabad– Kurnool with a 765/400 kV new sub-station at Warangal.

The project was awarded through competitive bidding process on a build, own, operate, maintain basis. n

Nexans and Bureau Veritas Form Offshore Power Cable Partnership Nexans and Bureau Veritas has announced offshore wind project & risk management partnership.

March 30, 2021

Currently, the energy transition and the role of offshore wind is a critical concern for society. The offshore wind sector is developing rapidly, and substantial growth is expected for decades to come. At the same time, insurers' studies confirm that high voltage power cables are among the most critical elements of offshore wind farms. Reliability of high voltage power cables end-to-end solutions, including installation,

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ureau Veritas (BV), a world leader in testing, inspection, and certification, and Nexans, a global player in electrification, have signed a partnership agreement to reduce risk and promote best practices for turnkey deliveries of high voltage power cables used for connecting offshore wind farms (OWF) to onshore grids.

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NEWS becomes an essential enabler for the current and the next generation of cables required to capture energy in deeper water. Bureau Veritas and Nexans will partner to address this challenge and build trust for all stakeholders.

Nexans provides high voltage cables to transfer the energy generated by offshore wind farms. Nexans is at the forefront of best practice in the industry with end-to-end solutions and has an extensive track record of projects delivered to the offshore wind industry – including the first commercial floating wind farm. As offshore wind farm installations are further away from shores and in deeper waters, the risk of failures could increase making reliability on quality of cables and their installation key. Nexans and Bureau Veritas partnership builds on Bureau Veritas's maritime expertise and extensive experience in risk management to help the offshore wind sector reduce operational risk.

Offshore wind project

Construction and Installation (EPCI) operational model.

Effectively managing risk provides operational assurance and reliability with less downtime, reduced repair and replacement costs, and increased trust. Thanks to this partnership, both Nexans' customers and the offshore wind industry will continue to reduce risks within the sector. n

With thorough risk management and compliance with industry best practices, Bureau Veritas can offer its assurance on Nexans end-to-end Engineering, Procurement,

NKT Wins Frame Agreement to Renew and Modernize Power Grid in France With a new frame agreement for high-voltage power cables, NKT continues the collaboration with the French Transmission System Operator, Réseau de Transport d'Electricité (RTE). The target is to renew and modernize the transmission power grid in France to support the energy transition.

April 13, 2021

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KT has been awarded a long-term frame agreement with RTE for supply of 90 kV and 225 kV high-voltage AC XLPE underground power cable systems, also including installation of accessories such as joints and terminations. This contract covers the period 2021-2023, with an option for one plus one additional year.

NKT's power cable solutions are being deployed as part of the modernisation of the French electricity network. They contribute to the success of the energy transition by allowing the insertion of new sources of carbon-free production.

"We are pleased to reinforce our collaboration with RTE to jointly support the French and European energy policy aiming for carbon-neutrality by 2050. We are fully committed to accelerate the sustainability journey as we are the first major power cable manufacturer to commit to the Science Based Target initiative and to become a net-zero emissions company supporting RTE in their ambition of making the Greener Choice", says Alexander Kara, President & CEO in NKT.

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NKT to modernize French power grid

Building upon a decade of successful collaboration, this new frame contract is a testament to NKT's presence in France and a confirmation of the mutually rewarding business relationship between NKT and RTE. As an example of the collaboration, NKT is currently supporting

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NEWS RTE by executing a 225 kV high-voltage retrofitting power cable project in Marseille. Here, aged cables installed in steel pipes are being replaced with new special armored extruded XLPE type cables. The techniques used allow the pulling of the new cables to be done with limited requirement for civil works, thus reducing the environmental impact.

The power cables provided for both the retrofitting project and the new frame agreement are provided from NKT's state-of-art high-voltage factory in Cologne, Germany, which is running on 100% green electricity thus ensuring a low carbon footprint of the power cable systems from the factory. n

Consider Self-Reliance, Data Sovereignty in Submarine Cable Systems: Indian Companies to PMO The Indian companies, following the absence of technology-agnostic submarine program and stringent conditions in the Rs 1072-crore contract, fear losing out to foreign vendors in a state-funded initiative.

March 23, 2021

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he Indian companies have stated that data sovereignty and Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) campaign should be centered around the deployment of ambitious 1,900 kilometres long fibre-based submarine cable systems between mainland Kochi and Lakshadweep Islands while the bids invited by the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), an implementing agency, has contradicted the Principal Scientific Advisor K. VijayRaghavan's views to use a repeaterless technology.

"It is imperative for the Indian government to enable and empower domestic companies in submarine cable systems in line with Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) campaign, and consider data security including privacy while awarding a contract to an entity of foreign origin," an industry executive who did not wish to be named for the story said, adding that the restrictive conditions have been deliberately imposed on domestic companies.

Submarine Cable

VijayRaghavan recommended that the use of repeaters could be avoided, and the preference to homegrown companies should be provided in the Kochi-Lakshadweep submarine cable initiative.

The Indian companies, following the absence of technology-agnostic submarine program and stringent conditions in the Rs 1072-crore contract, fear losing out to foreign vendors in a state-funded initiative which they claim has been "tailor-made to create a single-bid scenario" to benefit a particular foreign vendor that has lesser experience in repeaterless technology.

On March 10, BSNL has invited bids for the design, engineering, planning, supply and implementation of the submarine cable system between mainland Kochi and Lakshadweep Islands using 6-fiber pair with 200 Gbps initial traffic capacity connecting islands such as Androth, Amini, Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat, Bitra, Bangaram, Agatti, Kavaratiti, Kalpeni and Minicoy with condition of a repeatered segment from Kochi to Minicoy while keeping 12 non-repeatered segments.

The bidding terms indicate that a company willing to participate shall have an experience in manufacturing of at least 1,000 kilometres of repeatered submarine cable despite the fact that it has been proposed merely in one of the 13 sections, and which according to experts may not be an ideal scenario since the repair cost of repeater cables would be three-fold higher than that of repeaterless cables. n

But the repeatered technology condition has been imposed on the overall initiative which according to local industry appeared to be arbitrary.

In October last year, the Empowered Technology Group (ETG) headed by the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) K.

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Goldman-Backed ReNew to Invest USD 9 Billion in India's Green Push ReNew Power Pvt. Ltd., one of India's biggest renewable power producers, plans to invest USD 9 billion in wind and solar projects through 2025 amid a government-backed effort to reduce emissions.

April 7, 2021

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eNew Power, backed by investors such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, aims to more than triple its renewable power capacity to 18.5 gigawatts by 2025, Chairman Sumant Sinha said in an interview. The Gurugram, Indiabased company will look at building its own projects as well as acquisitions for growth.

India, the world's third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, aims to reduce its dependence on coal and expand renewable power capacity almost five-fold to 450 gigawatts by 2030, a $20 billion a year investment opportunity through the end of the decade, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ReNew is positioning itself to play a central role in the nation's massive green energy build-out.

Renewable Energy

U.S.-based blank-check company RMG Acquisition Corp.

II, a deal that will give it a U.S. listing and net cash proceeds of about $610 million.

New generation is also needed as millions of Indian households take advantage of rising incomes to purchase vehicles and electrical appliances, driving a 5% annual growth in power demand through 2040 in the country, according to the International Energy Agency.

The company is also looking at new ventures, including solar manufacturing. India's decision to levy import taxes on cells and modules makes investment in domestic production a favorable proposition, Sinha said, adding the company's main focus will be to secure supplies for its own projects.

To attract investment in the sector, India has introduced renewable purchase obligations, which require electricity buyers to include clean power in their portfolio. The government has also waived transmission charges for hauling wind and solar power from one state to another.

Power distribution, considered the weakest link in country's electricity value chain, is another area ReNew is examining.

Most distribution firms controlled by provincial governments lose money on sales due in part to theft or poor bill collection, which in turn delays payments to power generators and deprives consumers of reliable electricity. n

ReNew has about 5.4 gigawatts of operational wind and solar plants, while 4.5 gigawatts of projects are under development. The company has agreed to merge with

Adani and Torrent Submit Expression of Interest for South East UP Power Transmission Madrid-based Isolux Corsan had built lines and substations within a 600 km stretch near Aligarh. Now, out of the remaining infrastructure of around 1,000 km, about 30% has been completed so far.

April 3, 2021

after its owner, Isolux Corsan, filed for bankruptcy in Spain and informed Indian lenders of its inability to continue to finance the local affiliate, according to sources.

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ultinational conglomerate Adani Group and Torrent Group have submitted their expression of interest (EoI) to buy South East U.P. Power Transmission Company

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As reported in a leading daily, the enterprise value of the

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NEWS local affiliate's business is pegged at around 6,000 crore, they said.

Bidding is expected to intensify as Sterlite Power, Megha Engineering and sovereign wealth funds are expected to participate in the process. The EoI deadline has been extended by one month to accommodate the late bidders, according to people in the know. The earlier deadline was March 5.

The transmission infrastructure is partially complete. The Madrid-based company has built lines and substations within a 600 km stretch near Aligarh, in Uttar Pradesh, which are already operational. Of the remaining infrastructure of around 1,000 km, about 30% has been completed.

Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited, or UPPCL, which is the master discom in the state, pays South East U.P. Power Transmission Company for carrying the power, as per the terms of the concessions agreement. n

Representational Image: Transmission Towers

Sumitomo Electric Wins Offshore Wind Cable Contract with UK's Gwynt y Môr OFTO The offshore export cable is considered to be a critical infrastructure to deliver renewable energy to UK consumers. transmit power from a 576-megawatt offshore wind farm located approximately 15 km off the North Coast of Wales to the onshore grid.

Sumitomo Electric's state-of-the-art submarine cable technology, backed by significant track records since the early 1900s, was selected by GYM to increase the reliability of its power transmission asset and maximize the availability of the wind farm.

Submarine Cable

May 14, 2021 umitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. has been awarded a contract by a UK Offshore Transmission Owner, Gwynt y Môr OFTO Plc. (GYM), to supply 132-kV offshore export cable to

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interconnector between the UK and Belgium in 2019, Sumitomo Electric is currently constructing two other similar projects in Germany. The contract with Gwynt y Môr will further strengthen its role in the renewable energy market. n

“Sumitomo Electric aims to continue its contribution to support UK and EU governments' offshore wind expansion plans towards net-zero 2050,” said Mr. Yasuyuki Shibata, Managing Executive Officer of Sumitomo Electric.

Sumitomo Electric has been playing a significant role in the development of renewable energy and the trade of such energy between European countries and regions. In addition to the successful commissioning of the 1000-megawatt NEMO

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Nexans Secures Three-Year Contract for Turck's HighPerformance Sensor Cables Nexans has secured a three-year contract as a major supplier of high-performance sensor cables for Turck, the leading player in the OEM sensor market across the US, Europe and China.

March 22, 2021

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he contract will see Nexans supply its specialized Motionline cables to connect Turck sensors used in a wide variety of industrial monitoring and control applications.

Nexans has developed the Motionline range of cables to provide flexibility, high-performance, reliability and long life in fast-moving dynamic industrial applications. They will be fitted to Turck sensors in applications such as monitoring conveyor belts, tool carrier detection in machining stations and installation in distribution boxes to control machine lighting.

Sensor Cables

The Motionline cables for Turck will feature either polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PUR) sheathing depend-

ing on the specific application. They are rated at 300 V and are UL approved. n

Maillefer to Exhibit in Wire Russia 2021 Maillefer Extrusion Oy will be showcasing its products and solutions during Wire Russia 2021 at booth no. 03/D12.

May 10, 2021

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nder its House of Experts theme, Maillefer will showcase the latest innovations and know-how for wire and cable manufacturing. Production technology, piloting and optimization are combined onto Wire Russia booth F0/B41 in Moscow from June 8 to 10, 2021.

Experience the solutions that incorporate intelligent manufacturing. Wire Russia is the place where Maillefer connects the digital and physical production worlds.

Smart Monitoring brings a new and intuitive approach into the wire & cable manufacturing world. Maillefer offers packages to get customers connected from the ground up into an Industry 4.0 environment. The system goes beyond usual line sensors to include vital readings coming from other sources like vibration, temperature, and power consumption gauges, plus more. Analysis, reporting, quick decision making, and dashboarding are at the fingertips.

Smart Monitoring offers the tools to maximize line output while minimizing scrap and material usage.

learning artificial intelligence, Smart Buffering truly assists operators in optimizing production at high speeds and avoiding any quality deviations over time.

Increased intelligence is also found in fiber optic cable manufacturing thanks to Smart Buffering. With the help of data collected in real-time, predefined models, and self-

Maillefer proposes its own longitudinal taping technology for metallic tapes such as aluminum. It is an ideal way to excel in cable quality and to boost sheathing productivity.

www.wirecable.in

Maillefer to Exhibit in Wire Russia 2021

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NEWS The technology provides water blocking and mechanical protection for a variety of cable constructions, including high-voltage, fiber optic, and more. This tape applicator is ready for integration into existing lines or as a key element in complete sheathing lines.

solutions for crossheads allow effortless switching to PP and back to XLPE. In the area of HFFR, the tougher standards are pushing up demand for fire and smoke safe cables. We offer HFFR where extrusion and crosshead configurations are designed to specifically process the highly filled polymers.

Processing ability for PP in power cables systems is part of the program. Our multipurpose medium-voltage lines are designed with the capability of extruding both PP and XLPE materials. Optimized screw designs and hybrid heating

For further details and even more new products and solutions, come and see us in Moscow on booth 03/D12! n

SMD Delivers Multi-Million Pound SeaRex Upgrade for Prysmian The association included the delivery of two new cassettes for the upgraded BT2100 SeaRex tracked vehicle that enables the trenching of power and telecommunication cables in-ground ranging from dense sand, stiff clay and rock, in both shallow and deep water. and therefore, contacts stresses on the power cable.

This design has been developed in partnership with Prysmian to handle both light and heavyweight cables for high voltage power transmission. Both wheel and chain cassettes are interchangeable with existing pre-lay tools and these additions have re-launched SeaRex into the trenching market as a very capable and versatile multifunctional tool. n

FORM IV

The SeaRex was first commissioned in 2012 and this design has been developed in partnership with Prysmian to handle both light and heavyweight cables for high voltage power transmission.

Statement about ownership and other particulars about Wire & Cable India 1. Place of publication

April 1, 2021 oil Machine Dynamics (SMD) has delivered a multimillion upgrade to the SeaRex trenching vehicle for the long-standing customer, Prysmian, a world leader in cable manufacture, energy solutions, and systems.

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The project included the delivery of two new state-of-the-art cassettes for the upgraded BT2100 SeaRex tracked vehicle, including a wheel cutter and a chain cutter, enabling the trenching of power and telecommunication cables in-ground ranging from dense sand, stiff clay, and rock, in both shallow and deep water.

: Bi-monthly

3. Printer's Name Nationality Address

: Parveen Kumar Jain : Indian : F-14/22, Model Town-II, New Delhi-110009

4. Publisher's Name Nationality

: Parveen Kumar Jain : Indian

Address

: F-14/22, Model Town-II, New Delhi-110009

5. Editor's Name Nationality Address

: Parveen Kumar Jain : Indian : F-14/22, Model Town-II, New Delhi-110009 6. Names and addresses of individuals who own the newspaper and partners or shareholders holding

The new chain cutter cassette is capable of cutting a trench 700mm wide and 2.5m deep, was delivered in August 2020 and has already been commissioned on an interconnector power cable between the Greek island of Crete and mainland Greece. Further, the wheel cutter is capable of cutting a trench 450mm wide and 1.5m deep. Both cassettes will handle and trench power cables up to 350mm diameter with a unique loading mechanism that minimizes the lifting height www.wirecable.in

: New Delhi

2. Periodicity of its publication

More than one per cent of the total capital Address

: Parveen Kumar Jain : F-14/22, Model Town-II, New Delhi-110009.

I, Parveen Kumar Jain hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Date: 01 March, 2021

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TROESTER Group to Exhibit at Wire Russia 2021 TROESTER will be exhibiting its products and solutions at booth C18 during Wire Russia 2021 from June 8-10.

May 12, 2021

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ROESTER GmbH & Co. KG is a worldwide leading manufacturer of complete extrusion systems for the cable industry. The excellent results produced by its extrusion technology makes TROESTER a competent and reliable partner in the cable industry.

On the WIRE Russia 2021 TROESTER will present their technology and solutions in the field of: l l

Rubber CV and CCV-Lines up to 35 Kv XLPE CCV and VCV Lines for Power Cables up to 500 Kv

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Sheathing Lines for Medium and High Voltage Cables

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Insulation Lines for LV and MV Cables

Troester MVCCV Extrudergroup

Semiconductive Materials and EPR/EPDM. X-Compound is specialized in the planning and construction of complete systems for the compounding of plastics with the process steps conveying, melting, dispersing, mixing and degassing. n

X-Compound, member of the TROESTER Group will join the booth and present their kneader technology for the continuous compounding of HFFR (LSOH), PVC, XLPE,

Nexans Signs Preferred Supplier Agreement with Empire Offshore Wind, US In the agreement, two cable systems will connect the offshore substation for Empire Wind 1 to landfall and substation in Brooklyn, New York and the Empire Wind 2 will link to Long Island by three parallel cables.

April 1, 2021

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exans has signed a preferred supplier agreement (PSA) with Empire Offshore Wind LLC to electrifying the future of New York State by connecting the Empire Wind offshore projects to the onshore grid. The turnkey projects cover the full design and manufacturing, as well as the laying and protection of over 300 km of export cables that will deliver renewable energy to over one million homes.

Empire Wind is being developed by Equinor and BP through their 50/50 strategic partnership in the U.S. The project is planned for an area of 80,000 acres, in federal waters, an average of 33 km south of Long Island, east of the Rockaways.

Within the agreement, two cable systems will connect the offshore substation for Empire Wind 1 to landfall and substation in Brooklyn, New York. On the other hand, the Empire Wind 2 will link to Long Island by three parallel cables. n

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Offshore Wind Farm. Image: Nexans

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NDC Technologies Introduces the AccuScan Pro Series Single-Axis Diameter Measurement NDC Technologies has launched latest solution in single-axis diameter measurement that offers precision, performance and value — AccuScan Pro Series.

April 27, 2021

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DC Technologies, a leading global provider of intelligent, connected measurement and control solutions, is known across the industry for its BETA LaserMike product line of gauging solutions for the wire, cable, pipe and tube industries. Over the years, the company has introduced a number of leading diameter measurement systems, including the industry's only four-axis gauge. Listening closely to the marketplace and customer needs, the R&D team at NDC has recently unveiled the AccuScan Pro Series diameter gauging system.

AccuScan Pro Series

The AccuScan Pro Series is latest solution in single-axis diameter measurement that offers precision, performance and value. This gauging system is built on the same proven optical engine and electronics platforms that have made the BETA LaserMike AccuScan family of gauges renowned, industry-wide for high-performance diameter measurement. Designed with a compact footprint, the AccuScan Pro Series offers true applications versatility. It can be easily integrated into the process for real-time control of product diameter or can be used as a stand-alone solution for offline diameter applications. Manufacturers benefit from higher product quality and significant material savings. The AccuScan Pro Series can be used to measure plastic pipe/hose/tube, cord, rods, wire, cable and other extruded or drawn cylindrical, flat or unique profile products.

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Performance-wise, the AccuScan Pro Series offers the best value for the investment. Benefits include:

Applications Versatility – accurately measures product diameters up to 100 mm (3.94 in.) across a wide range of applications, online or offline Expansive Measurement Capabilities – stack two or more AccuScan Pro gauges to measure even larger diameters, plus perform single-scan flaw detection of lump and neckdowns for product quality control Powerful Multi-Strand Option – accurately, reliably measure up to 12 diameters simultaneously for 100% on-line inspection of multi-strand wire Flexible Communications – supports a variety of communication protocols for easy integration into processes Low Cost of Ownership – long-lasting, reliable, troublefree operation Preeminent Support – all systems are backed by NDC's dedicated worldwide customer service organization available 24-7 via myNDC cloud service n

Sembcorp Marine Partners with GE Renewable Energy's Grid Solutions The Singapore-based company is a leading global marine and offshore engineering group is strengthening its position in the renewable energy-segment.

March 31, 2021

Located on Dogger Bank, 195 km off the northeast coastline of the UK in the central North Sea, Sofia spans an area of 593 km2. With a capacity of 1.4 gigawatt (GW) that will power the equivalent of nearly 1.2 million UK homes with clean and renewable energy, Sofia will be one of the largest wind farms in the world when completed.

embcorp Marine Ltd and GE Renewable Energy's Grid Solutions have secured a contract from RWE Renewables, to supply the high voltage direct current (HVDC) electrical transmission system for the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm.

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NEWS The contract work scope comprises the design, manufacture, installation, commissioning and maintenance of the offshore converter platform (OCP) and the onshore converter station (OCS), including all ancillary equipment. Sembcorp Marine's scope of work includes the design, construction, installation and commissioning of the OCP. The OCP, at the heart of the wind farm, comprises a 17,000tonne topside and jacket foundation structure piled into the seabed 220 km from the nearest shore. It will be the most powerful and most remote OCP ever built.

Image: Sembcorp Marine

Sembcorp Marine and GE Renewable Energy's Grid Solutions began early design works for the project in July 2020, after being chosen as the preferred supplier of the HVDC electrical transmission system. The HVDC system represents Sofia's second-largest contract and is worth approximately £600 million (USD 1.12 billion).

With this contract win, Sembcorp Marine strengthens its position in the renewable energy segment, validating its strategy to transform itself into an innovative engineering solutions provider in the offshore, marine and energy industries with a focus on sustainability. n

RWE Marks Financial Investment Decision for Sofia Offshore Wind Farm With this move, the leading company in offshore wind power and Europe's third-largest in renewable energy is seeking to play a significant part in helping to reach the UK's ambition to grow offshore wind capacity to 40 GW by 2030. sents a total investment of approximately £3 billion (USD 4.26 million).

The company is now poised to forge ahead with the construction of Sofia, with onshore enabling works due to start this Spring and offshore construction in 2023. Final project completion is expected by Q4 2026. RWE was awarded a Contract for Difference (CfD) for Sofia in 2019, achieving a strike price of USD 56.32 (£39.65) per megawatt hour (in 2012 prices).

The consented project is located on Dogger Bank, 195 km from the nearest point on the UK's North East coast.

The project will have a single offshore converter platform, with the electricity generated transported via a high voltage direct current export cable to landfall 220 kilometres away in Redcar, Teesside. Sofia will require a new onshore converter station, and already has an agreed grid connection point at the existing National Grid substation in Lackenby, Teesside, seven kilometres inland. RWE is reviewing port options for the project's long-term operations and maintenance activity. n

The onshore enabling works will start in Spring 2021 and the offshore construction in 2023.

March 30, 2021

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WE has taken the Financial Investment Decision on its 1.4 gigawatts (GW) flagship Sofia Offshore Wind Farm project, globally the largest offshore project in its renewables fleet. The 100% RWE-owned project repre-

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