Wire & Cable India Emagazine Sep-Oct 2026 by wirecableindia

PRGI No. HRENG/26/A4640

Sep-Oct, 2026 Vol. 01 No. 03 For Private Circulation Only

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES More Fibre, Tighter Engineering

Meet us in Mumbai Nov 30 - Dec 02

Hall No. 6, Booth : H12

Straight Line Wire Drawing Machine

TURNKEY PROJECTS •

We Invite You To Visit Our Booth At Upcoming Exhibitions Held At

Stand No:

J02

Plants For Galvanized Wires - Hot Dipped & Electro coated (High Speed Galvanizing Line With Nitrogen / Pad Wiping)

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Plants For Stainless Steel Wires

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Plants For Cold Ribbed Wires / Deformed Bars

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Plants For Flux-Core Welding Wires

Hall No: 6 30 Nov. - 02 Dec. 2026 Bombay Exhibition Center Mumbai India

MANUFACTURING PROGRAMME •

Straight Line Wire Drawing Machines

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OTO Type Wire Drawing Machines

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Inverted Drawing Blocks (IVD)

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Vertical & Horizontal Bull Blocks

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Rod Break Down Machines

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Wet Wire Drawing Machines

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Vertical Drop Coilers (VDC)

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Wire Spooling Lines - Multi / Single Wires

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Correspondence Address : 26/2 South of G.T. Road Site No. 1, B.S. Road Indl. Area, Ghaziabad - 201 001 (INDIA)

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SEP-OCT, 2026 | WIRE & CABLE INDIA

CONTENTS OFC 36 | Polycab: Transforming OFC Manufacturing For Emerging... 42 | HFCL Spotlights the Ability to Pivot Between Telecom...

36.

42.

52.

52 | Paramount Communications on Turning India’s OFC Scale into... 56 | APAR Highlights OFC Industry’s New Phase of Application-led... 60 | Finolex Cables Takes a 4-Pronged Approach to Advancing OFC... 66 | Birla Furukawa Fibre Optics Sees Higher Capacity Networks...

56.

60.

74 | West Coast Optilinks Points OFC’s Shift from ‘Capacity... 80 | Creating A Blueprint For Zero CAPEX Smart City...

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74.

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES More Fibre, Tighter Engineering

92.

98.

106.

118.

122.

128.

114.

EXTRUSION MACHINERY

EXTRUSION 92 | AI, Digital Connectivity Shape Rosendahl Nextrom’s Next-Gen... 98 |From Higher Speeds to Smarter Processes: Supermac Industries...

ENGINEERING FOR A NARROWER PROCESS WINDOW

106 | MFL Group on Flexible, Connected and Energy-Efficient... 114 | Maillefer Headed Towards More Stable, Flexible and... 118 | Royle Extrusion Systems on Role of Thermal Management... 122 | Rajoo Bausano Puts Twin-Screw Technology, Energy Efficiency... 128 | Sai Extrumech on MaterialSpecific Flexible Screw and...

NEWS

131 | Gopalan Metals Strengthens India’s Copper Value Chain for...

135 | VMI Group: Scaling Aluminium Winding-Wire Leadership

140 | Is Moisture the Missing Variable in High-Speed Cable Extrusion?

141 | Tungsten Carbide Dies Elevating Precision in Wire & Cable...

Aditya Birla Group Launches Wires and Cables Business...

Praneetha EcoCables Begins Commercial Production...

FARREL POMINI® and SUPERMAC Announce Strategic...

NEWS

Aditya Birla Group Launches Wires and Cables Business with ‘Ultravolt’ Aditya Birla Group has entered the wires and cables sector with the launch of Ultravolt, its fourth new business foray in three years. Backed by an investment of INR 1,800 crore and housed under UltraTech Cement Limited, Ultravolt will launch as the second-largest player in the wires segment by capacity, with the ambition of building a scaled national brand and securing a position among the top two industry players within five years. Sep 3, 2026 Aditya Birla Group announced the launch of the wires and cables business, Ultravolt, marking the group’s fourth new business foray in three years. Backed by an investment of Rs.1,800 crore,Ultravolt will be the second largest player in the wires segment by capacity. Housed under UltraTech Cement Limited, the business aims to build a scaled national brand and become one of the top two players within 5 years. UltraTech’s entry in the wires and cables market extends its participation in the construction value chain beyond grey cement, ready-mix concrete, building products, and white cement consistent with its stated Building Solutions strategy. It also enables UltraTech to participate more deeply in the growing opportunity around home building, infrastructure and electrification.

with individual home builders, contractors, real-estate developers and EPC companies, and a pan-India distribution footprint gives us a strong platform to scale. Our aim is to build ambitiously through quality, technology, service and channel partnership.” The business is anchored by a new manufacturing facility at Jhagadia in Bharuch district, Gujarat. The strategic location in the state of Gujarat is expected to facilitate efficient distribution and logistics operations, thereby strengthening the company’s ability to serve markets across India.

Mr Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group said, “Wires and cables are becoming central to India’s next phase of development. They sit at the intersection of three mega trends in the Indian economy – urbanization, electrification and digitization. More than 100 million new homes over the next decade, expanding energy infrastructure, and the rapid rise of data centers are poised to fuel a boom in the category. Our distinctive advantage comes from a deep understanding of the product, its underlying components and the adjacent ecosystems”. He added, “In recent years, successful new business creation has itself become a core part of the Group’s DNA and an important source of differentiation for the group. I increasingly see the Aditya Birla Group as providing the platform and engine for new bets.”

Mr Sriram Rangarajan, CEO, Ultravolt said, “Wires are the lifeline of a house but often go unnoticed. We want to use our understanding of home consumers and to develop products for their growing needs. We want to bring a more consumer-first approach to the category, with safety, performance and future-readiness at the centre of product development. With this thought, we are launching with a portfolio of home wires, flexible wires, and cables designed for residential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure applications. Over time, we plan to expand into a broader range of electrical accessories.”

Mr Dilip Gaur, Director, Ultravolt said, “We are venturing at pan India scale rather than testing the market region by region. Our plan is to reach more than one lakh retailers and further activate availability through over 5,000 UltraTech Building Solutions (UBS) outlets. An ambitious rollout across more than 500 districts and 6,000 pin codes to begin with, reinforces our commitment to growth and innovation. Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, network of more than 20 warehouses, extensive channel connects coupled with UltraTech’s deep relationships

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The business is also building a best-in-class innovative electrician-engagement programme focused on product knowledge, safety and installation standards. The programme has already boarded more than 1,600 electricians pre-launch and aims to train more than 40,000 electricians over the coming year under Skill India programme with ESSCI.

Sep-Oct, 2026

NEWS

Praneetha EcoCables Begins Commercial Production at Sanand Facility Praneetha EcoCables has dispatched the first batch of bare copper wire from its Sanand facility. Solar cable manufacturing is scheduled to commence in October, followed by building wires and flexible cables in November. The company will source 100% of its primary copper from Kutch Copper Limited, part of the Adani Group, ensuring purity levels of 99.97% and above. The 30acre greenfield plant is nearing full commissioning, positioning the company to capitalise on India’s INR 1 lakh crore wire and cable market. Sep 22, 2026 Praneetha EcoCables Limited, a future-focused wires and cables manufacturing company, has achieved a significant milestone with the dispatch of its first batch of bare copper wire from its greenfield manufacturing facility at Sanand, near Ahmedabad. The development marks the commencement of commercial production at the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing plant. Praneetha EcoCables plans to commence full-scale production of solar cables by October, followed by building wires and flexible cables by November. Subsequently, additional product categories will be introduced in a phased manner. Importantly, the company has kicked off a nationwide campaign to set up its dealership network.

The company will source 100 per cent of its primary copper requirements from Kutch Copper Limited, India’s largest copper smelting facility that is part of the Adani Group. This will ensure copper purity levels of 99.97 per cent and above across its product portfolio. The integrated ‘Mine-to-Market’ approach is expected to deliver superior product quality, consistency, reliability, and long-term performance for customers.

Praneetha EcoCables had laid the foundation stone for its world-class manufacturing facility on a 30-acre site in September 2025. Over the past year, construction and infrastructure development have progressed steadily, supported by the installation of advanced manufacturing machinery sourced from Europe, China, Turkey and India. The facility is now nearing full commissioning.

In addition to dispatching its first production batch of bare wire on September 20, Praneetha EcoCables also celebrated the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of newly built temple at the manufacturing facility in the presence of key stakeholders, marking another important step in its journey towards becoming a leading player in India’s wire and cable industry.

Speaking on the occasion, Pranjal Goel, Director, Praneetha EcoCables, said, “Praneetha EcoCables is being built with a clear vision to redefine industry benchmarks in quality, transparency, and sustainability. In a short span, we have made significant progress towards our ambition of becoming one of India’s most trusted and innovative wire and cable manufacturers over the next five years. Backed by advanced manufacturing infrastructure, premium raw material sourcing, sustainability-driven innovation, and a customer-centric approach, we are well positioned to set new standards of quality, reliability, and performance in the industry.”

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India’s rapidly expanding wire and cable industry, valued at over INR 1 lakh crore today, is projected to grow at a healthy pace over the coming years, supported by the country’s infrastructure transformation, renewable energy expansion, urbanisation, and digitalisation initiatives. The sector is expected to reach approximately INR 1.6 lakh crore by 2030, creating significant opportunities for quality-driven manufacturers.

Sep-Oct, 2026

NEWS

FARREL POMINI® and SUPERMAC Announce Strategic Sales Cooperation for India Farrel Corporation (FARREL POMINI®) and Supermac Industries (India) Ltd. have entered into a strategic sales cooperation agreement to deliver integrated compounding and extrusion solutions to India’s growing cable and cable compounding industry. Aug 26, 2026

arrel Corporation (FARREL POMINI®) and Supermac Industries (India) Ltd. have entered into a strategic sales cooperation agreement to offer Indian cable and cable compounding customers a complete processing solution — combining FARREL POMINI’s advanced compounding technology with Supermac’s extrusion lines and equipment, supported by experienced industry professionals. The agreement was signed by Paul Lloyd, President, Farrel Corporation, and Vivek Kohli, Director, Supermac Industries (India) Ltd. Under the agreement, Supermac will support the sales facilitation and market development of FARREL POMINI® products in India, bringing together FARREL POMINI’s global technology and engineering expertise with Supermac’s strong customer relationships, manufacturing capabilities and industry knowledge. The cooperation will enable cable customers to access a coordinated solution from compounding through extrusion, including process technology and support from experienced industry experts. Mr. Paul Lloyd, President, Farrel Corporation, said, “India is an important and growing market for FARREL POMINI®. We are pleased to partner with Supermac, whose market knowledge, customer relationships

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and industry experience will help us serve customers in the Indian cable industry even more effectively. We look forward to building a strong and long-term business relationship together.” Mr. Jasvinder Singh, Managing Director, Supermac Industries (India) Ltd., said, “We are delighted to associate with FARREL POMINI® . This cooperation will enable Supermac to offer Indian customers access to globally proven compounding technology together with our extrusion solutions, creating a comprehensive offering for the cable and compounding industry. We see this as the beginning of a very promising partnership and look

forward to creating substantial value for our customers.” Mr. Vivek Kohli, Director, Supermac Industries (India) Ltd., said, “This agreement brings together two strong capabilities — FARREL POMINI’s world-class compounding technology and Supermac’s deep understanding, manufacturing capabilities and industry expertise. Supermac will be able to provide customers with a complete solution, including process technology supported by experienced industry experts, from compounding with Farrel technology through extrusion with Supermac equipment. We see significant opportunities in India and are committed to developing this market.”

Sep-Oct, 2026

OPTICAL FIBRE CABLES More Fibre, Tighter Engineering

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The image is suggestive and does not represent Sep-Oct, an actual installation. 2026

India’s optical fibre industry is expanding capacity while engineering cables for denser networks, tighter installation constraints and more demanding qualification requirements. The competitive equation now rests on manufacturing depth, integration, quality, utilisation and applicationspecific engineering.

ndia’s optical fibre market is being shaped by several network requirements at once. FTTH continues to drive large volumes, while 5G backhaul, BharatNet, enterprise connectivity and data centres impose different technical demands. The result is not simply a requirement for more fibre. It is a requirement for fibre and cable designs that can deliver greater density, faster installation and predictable performance within increasingly constrained infrastructure.

constructions are gaining importance in high-density applications. Bendinsensitive fibre has moved beyond a specialised feature in several access applications. Micro-duct-compatible and low-friction constructions are being developed to increase fibre density without requiring proportionate expansion of physical infrastructure.

The optical fibre industry is therefore dealing with a more demanding manufacturing problem. More capacity remains important, but competitiveness increasingly depends on how effectively that capacity is utilised and supported by engineering, quality and supply-chain capabilities.

Data centres are an important example. Higher transmission speeds, cloud infrastructure and AI-led workloads are pushing fibre density and connectivity requirements upward. Conventional telecom networks, meanwhile, continue to demand compact, bendoptimised and installation-friendly cables for access and backhaul applications. Rural networks introduce another set of requirements around mechanical protection, environmental resistance and deployment economics.

More Fibre Within Existing Infrastructure

The most consequential product development is taking place around a straightforward physical constraint, i.e., networks need to carry more fibre without continually expanding the infrastructure that houses it.

This differentiation is changing the engineering equation for manufacturers. Cable construction is increasingly being determined by where the product will be installed, how much fibre the infrastructure must carry and how quickly the network needs to be deployed.

Existing ducts, pathways, building risers and other network spaces have finite capacity. Increasing fibre count therefore creates pressure to reduce cable dimensions, improve fibre packing and control the mechanical and optical behaviour of the cable more precisely.

The consequence is visible in the products now moving through development and manufacturing. Higher fibre counts are being accommodated within smaller or optimised cable diameters. Ribbon and intermittently bonded ribbon www.wirecable.in

Higher fibre counts in compact constructions are now commercially relevant across several applications. In FTTH and building environments, bend performance can determine how easily a cable is routed through congested

Sep-Oct, 2026

spaces. In 5G and access networks, aerial and duct configurations need to accommodate rapid deployment under different site conditions. In data centres, high fibre density has to coexist with restricted space and faster connection requirements.

The same principle is appearing at progressively higher fibre counts. Pramod Kumar Srivastava, CEO, West Coast Optilinks, points to growing interest in 288F, 864F and 1,728F solutions where duct space and deployment efficiency are important. Harsh Pagay, Executive President-OFC, HFCL Limited, cites the development of 3,456-fibre and 6,912-fibre micro-duct IBR cables, alongside higher-density designs on the roadmap.

The significance is not the fibre count alone. A higher-count cable becomes commercially useful when it can fit within existing infrastructure, maintain optical and mechanical performance and remain practical to install and maintain. That is why cable geometry is becoming as important as fibre count. Reduced-diameter constructions, thinner coatings, tighter packing, improved bend performance and ribbonisation are being developed together rather than as isolated product features.

Kapil Mehta, CEO, Birla Furukawa Fibre Optics, describes the objective in terms of accommodating higher fibre counts within an optimised cable diameter. He links this directly to better utilisation of existing ducts and infrastructure. The same logic appears in Sunil Upmanyu, President - Operations, Finolex Cables Ltd.’s, assessment that higher fibre count in compact form factors is becoming a central commercial requirement. Deployment is consequently becoming part of cable design. Low-friction jackets, lightweight constructions and air-assisted blowing can influence how www.wirecable.in

FIBRE DENSITY, RE-ENGINEERED

HIGHER FIBRE COUNTS WITHIN CONSTRAINED INFRASTRUCTURE

HIGH-COUNT CABLE EXAMPLES 288F

864F

1,728F

CONSTRAINED INFRASTRUCTURE

6,912F

3,456F

COMPACT CONSTRUCTION

HIGHER PACKING DENSITY

HIGHER FIBRE COUNT

KEY DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Reduced diameter

Ribbonisation

Bend performance

Micro-duct compatibility

Source: WCI Sep-Oct 2026.

far a cable can be installed through a duct. Ribbon construction can reduce the time required for massfusion splicing. Bend-optimised fibre can reduce losses when cables are routed through constrained spaces. These characteristics affect labour, installation time, restoration and the use of existing infrastructure.

Ashish D. Jain, CEO – Telecom Business, Polycab India Ltd., points to high-corecount underground armoured OFC for BharatNet Phase III, ADSS cables for power-utility routes and bendinsensitive fibre for FTTH as examples of how cable construction is being shaped by deployment requirements. Polycab is also developing microsheath and smaller-diameter designs for applications where duct space is constrained. This also explains why there is no single product configuration that can serve every segment efficiently. A cable designed for a hyperscale data-centre environment does not have the same priorities as one intended for a rural BharatNet route. A high-density urban FTTH application has different installation constraints from an aerial 5G backhaul deployment. The move toward application-specific construction is consequently not simply a product-development trend.

It is a response to different physical and economic conditions in the network.

Manufacturing Precision Becomes a Part of the Product As cable designs become denser and less tolerant of variation, manufacturing capability becomes increasingly important.

Automated cabling, online quality checks, optical inspection, process monitoring, traceability and advanced testing are increasingly being treated by manufacturers as baseline capabilities for serious OFC production. Pramod Kumar Srivastava characterises basic automation, quality systems, testing and manufacturing scale as an “entry ticket” for a serious manufacturer. Sunil Upmanyu similarly describes automated cabling lines, inline quality checks and ISOaligned quality systems as increasingly standard expectations among major customers. “…combination of scale, vertical integration and consistency in manufacturing, quality and delivery is where the competitive advantage lies today,” he says. The distinction between baseline capability and competitive advantage is important.

Sep-Oct, 2026

APPLICATION SHAPES CABLE DESIGN APPLICATION

DIFFERENT DEPLOYMENT ENVIRONMENTS, DIFFERENT CABLE PRIORITIES

DEPLOYMENT CONDITION

CABLE PRIORITY

FTTH / BUILDINGS

Constrained routing

Bend performance Compact construction

5G / ACCESS

Aerial + duct deployment

Rapid deployment Site-specific deployment

DATA CENTRES

Restricted space

High fibre density

BHARATNET / RURAL

Environmental + mechanical exposure

Protection Deployment economics

POWER UTILITIES

Aerial routes

ADSS

MICRO-DUCT

Constrained pathways

High fibre density Blowing / installation performance

Source: WCI Sep-Oct 2026.

Automation itself is no longer necessarily the differentiator. What matters is whether the manufacturing system can consistently produce increasingly complex constructions at the required speed, yield and quality. Ashish D. Jain identifies AI-driven automated optical inspection, online monitoring and advanced manufacturing systems as important elements of this control environment. He also points to dry-core technology and automated processes as part of the effort to improve consistency while supporting higher-performance cable constructions. That places greater emphasis on process control. High-density cables require tighter control over fibre handling, coating, tension, ribbon geometry, buffering and cabling. Variations that might have been manageable in a conventional construction can become commercially significant when the design is optimised for high fibre density and

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constrained installation.

performance.

The growing importance of inhouse testing reinforces this point. Manufacturers are investing in optical, mechanical and environmental testing so that product performance can be evaluated throughout development and production rather than only after the cable is complete.

Large network operators, infrastructure companies and other customers increasingly expect documented process control, traceability and evidence of consistent performance. Standards and customer-specific requirements consequently influence production systems well before a finished cable reaches the customer.

Sunil Upmanyu highlights tighter control over attenuation, tensile and crush performance, water blocking, fibre geometry and bend loss across temperature extremes. These requirements are being accompanied by more detailed testing and documentation. The qualification process itself is becoming part of manufacturing capability. Sandeep Aggarwal, Managing Director, Paramount Communications Ltd., links automation, online process monitoring, testing and traceability to the need for greater consistency in field

The practical consequence is that the boundary between manufacturing, quality assurance and product development is becoming less distinct. A manufacturer developing a new high-density cable cannot simply design the product and then ask whether an existing production line can make it. The manufacturing process, testing capability and qualification pathway increasingly have to be considered together. This is also why engineering depth is repeatedly cited alongside

Sep-Oct, 2026

3 1

FROM PREFORM TO DEPLOYMENT THE OFC VALUE CHAIN PREFORM

2 FIBRE DRAWING 3

CABLING

TESTING

Preform production

Fibre geometry

Fibre protection

Attenuation

Supply visibility

Attenuation control

Optimised diameter

Mechanical testing

Cost control

Process consistency

Packing density

Environmental testing

Upstream capability

Drawing capability

Application-specific construction

Process verification

MULTIPLE CAPABILITIES. A CONNECTED OUTCOME

5 QUALIFICATION 6

DEPLOYMENT

Standards & customer requirements

Aerial | Duct | Underground

Mechanical & environmental performance

Installation behaviour

Qualification history

Duct compatibility

Application-specific qualification

Field performance

KEY ENABLERS ACROSS THE VALUE CHAIN SUPPLY CONTROL

PROCESS CONTROL

QUALITY

TESTING

TRACEABILITY

QUALIFICATION

Source: WCI Sep-Oct 2026.

manufacturing scale. Manufacturers need to move from a customer requirement to a manufacturable, testable and qualifying cable design without excessive development time.

The Economics Moves Upstream

The economics of optical fibre manufacturing is becoming more closely tied to control of the value chain. Fibre drawing and preform production involve significant capital investment. That makes capacity utilisation important, while raw-material and glass costs can have a substantial effect on unit economics. At the same time, supply disruptions and changes in global pricing can expose manufacturers that depend heavily on external sources. This explains the industry’s growing interest in backward integration. Sunil Upmanyu describes upstream integration as strategically important, www.wirecable.in

but notes that the economics do not justify the same degree of integration for every OFC producer. In his view, greater control of the value chain becomes more compelling when the scale of operations is sufficient to support the investment. Vertical integration is not automatically an economic advantage simply because more processes are brought in-house. The investment has to be supported by sufficient utilisation, demand visibility and manufacturing scale. Yet the underlying rationale is becoming clearer. In-house control can improve visibility over supply, lead times, quality and production planning. It can also reduce exposure to external price movements. Harsh Pagay places particular emphasis on preform and fibre control, linking upstream supply to cost and lead-time management. HFCL has announced a INR 580 crore investment in a

greenfield preform facility, while also expanding its optical fibre capacity. Finolex has likewise commissioned its own preform facility as part of its backward-integration programme. The industry is moving toward greater control of the fibre-to-cable chain, but the economics differ by manufacturer. For some, integration is primarily a supply-security decision. For others, it is about margin protection, quality control or faster product development. For still others, the priority is balancing the fixed cost of upstream assets against utilisation and the expected demand cycle. That makes utilisation just as important as installed capacity. A large fibre-drawing or preform facility does not automatically create a cost advantage if it operates below an economically sustainable level. Conversely, a manufacturer with a well-balanced domestic and export order book can use the same capital base more effectively. Sunil Upmanyu Sep-Oct, 2026

identifies capacity utilisation and backward integration as key economic levers, alongside raw-material costs and the timing of capacity expansion relative to demand cycles. The product mix adds another layer. Sandeep Aggarwal links competitiveness to manufacturing automation, process consistency, product quality, supply reliability and the ability to meet increasingly specific customer requirements. These factors become particularly important as manufacturers compete across both domestic infrastructure programmes and export markets. The market increasingly distinguishes between high-volume conventional telecom products and more engineered products such as high-count cables, data-centre connectivity and application-specific constructions. These products require greater engineering capability but can also reduce direct exposure to pure price competition. Installed capacity becomes commercially meaningful when manufacturers can sustain high utilisation, maintain yields and quality, and convert production into products that command viable margins and can be delivered reliably.

Quality Extends Beyond Production

The definition of cable quality is also becoming broader. Traditional acceptance criteria remain essential. Attenuation, mechanical strength, water penetration, environmental resistance and dimensional performance continue to determine whether a cable meets its specification. Customers increasingly want evidence of how the cable will behave after installation. Pramod Kumar Srivastava notes that customers are concerned with how cables perform over long service lives and under varying environmental and mechanical conditions. Sunil Upmanyu points to www.wirecable.in

more rigorous testing of attenuation, tensile and crush loads, water blocking and bend-loss performance across temperature conditions. This has pushed testing further into the product-development process. For manufacturers, the objective is not simply to demonstrate that a finished cable passes a type test. It is to understand how the product behaves under the conditions in which it will actually be deployed. That includes blowing behaviour, duct compatibility, friction, installation forces, splicing and restoration. Harsh Pagay describes HFCL’s inhouse jetting and blowing capability as a way of evaluating blowing distance, friction and duct compatibility during development. Such capabilities are significant because a cable can meet optical specifications and still create difficulties during installation if its mechanical characteristics are poorly matched to the deployment environment. The manufacturing decision therefore has consequences beyond production. Qualification, installation behaviour and long-term field performance increasingly feed back into cable design and product development. The commercial implications are substantial. If a cable can be installed faster, occupies less duct space, requires less labour, simplifies splicing or reduces restoration time, those characteristics can influence the economics of the network even if the cable itself carries a higher purchase price. Procurement is consequently becoming more technically detailed. Supplier evaluation increasingly extends beyond price. Customers are looking at quality systems, qualification history, testing documentation and traceability, alongside delivery record, financial strength, supply continuity and

technical support. The evidence does not justify saying that price has ceased to matter. In volume telecom applications, cost remains important. But the supplier evaluation is becoming broader, particularly for large infrastructure commitments where inconsistent quality or delayed supply can affect an entire deployment schedule. Kapil Mehta describes the assessment as increasingly comprehensive, including qualification track record, product consistency, traceability, demonstrated performance and supply assurance. Sunil Upmanyu similarly points to delivery consistency and testing documentation alongside price. The emerging procurement model therefore places greater value on the manufacturer’s ability to sustain performance at scale. A manufacturer may have sufficient capacity to quote for a project, but capacity alone does not establish that it can maintain specification, supply and technical support throughout the project. Pramod Kumar Srivastava captures this distinction succinctly: “Manufacturing capacity may get you to the conversation table, but it doesn’t necessarily win you the business.”

How Complete Is India’s Manufacturing Chain?

India has built substantial capability in fibre drawing, cable design, automation, testing and high-fibrecount optical fibre cables. The more complicated question concerns the layers above and around cable manufacturing. Ashish D. Jain identifies advanced glass preforms, specialised raw materials and some heavy machinery as areas where dependence on external sources remains. At the same time, he points to growing domestic capability in fibre and cable manufacturing, including higher-density and application-specific products. Sep-Oct, 2026

Preforms remain an important area of investment. Several companies are expanding or establishing domestic capability, indicating that the upstream gap is narrowing. But specialised fibres, advanced optical components, specialised materials, precision equipment and some highend technologies remain areas of dependence. This makes “self-reliance” difficult to define as a single industry-wide condition. At the cable-manufacturing level, Indian producers increasingly claim the ability to meet global quality requirements. Fibre-drawing capacity has also expanded. Yet that does not mean every element required to develop and manufacture the most advanced optical products is available domestically at comparable scale. Pramod Kumar Srivastava describes India as having made substantial progress across the value chain while identifying gaps in advanced optical components, specialised fibres, active connectivity and certain high-end technologies. The more useful measure, therefore, is not whether India is “self-reliant” or “import-dependent”. It is where domestic capability exists at each layer of the value chain, where scale is commercially viable, and where international sourcing continues to make economic or technological sense.

The immediate manufacturing agenda is more concrete. It includes higher fibre counts, compact constructions, bend performance, ribbonisation, micro-duct compatibility, automated inspection, process traceability, testing and faster qualification. These are not speculative developments. They respond directly to current network constraints. The more advanced fibre technologies sit further upstream in the development cycle. Their eventual significance will depend not only on technical performance, but also on whether the surrounding ecosystem of fibre, components, connectivity, equipment and manufacturing capability develops at sufficient scale.

Competitiveness Beyond Capacity

Capacity remains the foundation. Without scale, it is difficult to serve large infrastructure programmes or absorb the fixed costs associated with fibre and cable manufacturing. But scale increasingly has to be accompanied by other capabilities.

That distinction is increasingly relevant because the industry’s requirements are expanding beyond conventional telecom cable.

Vertical integration can improve control over supply and cost. Automation can improve consistency and yield. Testing capability can shorten qualification cycles. Application engineering can allow manufacturers to develop products around specific network requirements. Product flexibility can help manufacturers respond when demand shifts between conventional telecom and higher-density applications.

Specialty fibre technologies such as hollow-core and multi-core fibre are being discussed as part of the next technology cycle. Co-packaged optics and increasingly dense data-centre architectures are also influencing cable design. These developments are important, but they should be distinguished from technologies already being deployed commercially at scale.

The importance of flexibility is particularly relevant as demand becomes more segmented. A manufacturer serving only one product configuration may face greater exposure when the market moves. A manufacturer capable of shifting between conventional telecom products, high-density access cables, data-centre constructions and specialised applications can potentially

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use its manufacturing base more effectively. This does not eliminate the importance of price. It changes the factors that determine whether a manufacturer can compete on price sustainably. Lower unit cost can result from scale, but it can also depend on yield, utilisation, raw-material control, energy efficiency, supply-chain reliability and product design. The competitive advantage lies in combining scale, integration, engineering, quality and execution without allowing one element to undermine the others. As Harsh Pagay, Executive President-OFC, HFCL Limited, puts it: “The strategic question, therefore, is not how much capacity a company can add, but what combination of capacity, product mix, integration and market positioning will remain competitive across the cycle.” India’s optical fibre industry is not short of manufacturing expansion. The more consequential question is whether that expansion is accompanied by sufficient upstream control, engineering capability, quality infrastructure and market diversification to support it economically. At the product level, the direction is already visible. More fibre is being engineered into constrained spaces. Cable designs are becoming more application-specific. Manufacturing processes are becoming more closely controlled. Qualification is becoming more demanding. Procurement is looking beyond nominal product specifications toward delivery and lifecycle performance. The result is an industry in which manufacturing capability increasingly extends from the fibre and cable itself to the ability to engineer, qualify, produce, deploy and support the product at scale. That is where the competitive equation is being decided.

Sep-Oct, 2026

POLYCAB

Transforming OFC Manufacturing For Emerging Needs India’s optical fibre cable industry is moving beyond conventional volume-driven manufacturing as FTTH, 5G, BharatNet and data-centre applications create increasingly differentiated requirements for fibre count, cable construction, deployment and performance. BharatNet Phase III, in particular, is driving demand for high-core-count underground armoured OFC, ADSS aerial cables and bendinsensitive FTTH solutions suited to middle and last mile deployment. This shift is placing greater emphasis on manufacturers’ ability to combine high-density product development with automation, backward integration and the flexibility to serve diverse network architectures. In an exclusive interview with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Ashish D. Jain, CEO – Telecom Business, Polycab India Ltd., discusses these evolving requirements and how Polycab is strengthening its OFC manufacturing capabilities in response. From high-core-count cables for BharatNet and 5G backhaul to microsheath, bend-insensitive and ribbon-based designs, the company is expanding its capabilities across applications while leveraging its backward-integrated Halol facility, in-house strength-element manufacturing and advanced automation. Wire & Cable India: India’s fibre deployment is expanding across FTTH, 5G backhaul, data centres, BharatNet, enterprise networks and other segments. Which application segments are currently shaping product development and manufacturing priorities the most and how do their technical requirements differ? Ashish D. Jain: While FTTH, 5G backhaul and BharatNet are currently driving optical fibre product development in India, technical specifications vary widely depending on the deployment environment. As a project implementing agency executing the middle-mile network under the amended BharatNet Phase III programme, Polycab is prioritizing high core-count underground armoured OFC, ADSS aerial OFC and bend-insensitive single-mode grade FTTH OFCs for the last-mile projects.

Mr. Ashish D. Jain, CEO – Telecom Business, Polycab India Ltd.

Our high core-count underground cables utilize corrugated steel tape armour to survive harsh inter-village routes, rodent threats and unorganized roadside excavations, providing reliable backbone capacity for IP-MPLS routers and 5G backhauling between block headquarters and gram panchayats. Concurrently, our ADSS aerial cables feature fully non-metallic, anti-tracking and weather-resistant designs, engineered for safe and high-tensile installation along high-voltage power utility routes.

WCI: Over the past 3-5 years, what manufacturing capabilities or process improvements have become

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Sep-Oct, 2026

Polycab’s facility in Halol manufactures high-density micro-duct cables, rollable ribbons and in-house strength elements (FRP/ARP rods and IGFR yarns), matching global quality-standards for 5G and BharatNet deployments.

commercially essential as an OFC-producer that were previously considered optional? ADJ: Driven by BharatNet Phase-III deployments, 5G roll-outs and data centre inter-connectivity demands, OFC-manufacturing in India has shifted from standard high-volume extrusion to high-density and bendoptimized designs with AI-driven Automated Optical Inspection (AOI). These capabilities were considered optional 3-5 years ago, but are now critical requirements for the manufacturers to remain relevant.

WCI: Which market, technological or customer

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requirements have made these capabilities increasingly critical? ADJ: The shift from standard cableextrusion to high-density, automated manufacturing and dry-core technologies is being influenced by nationwide digital infrastructure programmes such as BharatNet Phase-III and 5G network roll-outs. Furthermore, data centres, cloud infrastructure and 5G backhaul require significantly higher fiber-counts in the existing underground ducts, making micro-sheath, smaller-diameter and bend-resistant fiber-designs increasingly important. At Polycab, our backward-integrated

manufacturing hub in Halol, Gujarat, is directly aligned with these requirements, enabling us to deliver high-capacity and future-proof fiber-optic solutions for India’s digital backbone.

WCI: Network operators today expect higher reliability, faster deployment and longer service-life. Which productattributes, quality-parameters or qualification-requirements have become significantly more demanding? How has Polycab responded? ADJ: To meet network operators’ demands for high reliability, faster installation and longer lifespan, the

Sep-Oct, 2026

As a project implementing agency executing the middle-mile network under the amended BharatNet Phase III programme, Polycab is prioritizing high core-count underground armoured OFC, ADSS aerial OFC and bendinsensitive single-mode grade FTTH OFCs for the last-mile projects. benchmark for cable-quality and qualification has shifted significantly. Industry-standards now require ultracompact micro-sheath designs and high-density bendable ribbons which drastically reduce cable-diameter and weight, enabling faster installation through ducts and maximizing fiberdensity without signal-loss. Compliance testing now requires mandatory Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) certification under the MTCTE framework in India, alongside extreme environmental cycling (-40°C to +70°C aging tests), accelerated UV-resistance and strict dry-core water-penetration testing (IEC 60794 standards) to guarantee field longevity. Polycab’s fully automated manufacturing and testing facilities exceed these parameters, supporting EPC companies, partners and network operators with seamless installation and long-term infrastructure reliability.

WCI: From preforms and optical fibre to cable manufacturing and testing, where has the Indian industry made the most significant progress towards technological self-reliance? Which critical gaps still remain? ADJ: India has gained greater selfreliance by making significant progress across optical fibre drawing, cable manufacturing, process automation, advanced testing capabilities and high-fibre-count products. However, dependency on foreign technologyproviders for advanced glass preforms, specialty raw materials and some heavy machinery remains the most critical gap. Polycab’s facility in Halol manufactures

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high-density micro-duct cables, rollable ribbons and in-house strength elements (FRP/ARP rods and IGFR yarns), matching global qualitystandards for 5G and BharatNet deployments.

WCI: Recent investments across the industry suggest a growing emphasis on automation, quality-assurance and manufacturing scale. In your view, which investments have now become standard expectations or industrynecessities and which continue to provide a tangible competitive advantage for you? ADJ: As OFC manufacturing ecosystem rapidly evolves to meet BharatNet, 5G, FTTH and data centre demands, investments across high-speed automated extrusion and buffering, real-time QA and inline monitoring and high-core count capabilities are critical to meet standard network roll-out demands. Polycab’s in-house backward integration at scale guarantees strict supply-chain control, superior quality consistency and unmatched costcompetitiveness. Investments in advanced high-speed ribbon machines allow us to produce high-density fiber bundles at scale.

and stringent quality governance. As network architectures shift to support 5G roll-outs, data centre expansion and BharatNet, commercial viability for us relies on three core operational capabilities- vertical integration, supply chain resilience and specialization in producing highdensity, micro-sheath and ultra-bendinsensitive fiber-designs.

WCI: Beyond manufacturing capacity, what factors now determine your ability to secure large telecom, infrastructure or data communication projects? How have your procurement expectations evolved? ADJ: Securing large scale telecom infrastructure projects is no longer just about manufacturing volume, it requires total project lifecycle reliability, end-to-end turnkey deployment, advanced digital infrastructure standards, supply-chain transparency and strict environmental, social and governmental compliance. Adhering to robust quality-control, Polycab delivers resilient and futureready infrastructure solutions for global networks of clients and partners.

Sep-Oct, 2026

As network architectures shift to support 5G roll-outs, data centre expansion and BharatNet, commercial viability for us relies on three core operational capabilities- vertical integration, supply chain resilience and specialization in producing high-density, micro-sheath and ultra-bend-insensitive fiber-designs. At Polycab, our focus is on extreme miniaturisation and high density fibre solutions to maximize duct utilization without major civil works. We place strong emphasis on bend-insensitive fibre technology that minimizes attenuation losses from tight bends, enabling reliable performance and structural resilience during highdensity and aggressive routing. Cable sheath mechanics are evolving for airassisted blowing in micro-ducts, using low-friction jackets and lightweight construction to enable longer blowing distances and faster deployment.

WCI: Looking beyond

demand-growth, what do you believe will distinguish the most competitive OFCmanufacturers over the next few years? Please draw upon broader industrydevelopments and the capabilities that will matter most, such as manufacturing excellence, technology, quality systems, engineering expertise and supply-chain resilience. ADJ: Beyond volume-growth, the future of optical fibre cable manufacturing belongs to companies that combine deep backward integration with precision engineering.

At Polycab Telecom, we believe competitive strength rests on advanced manufacturing automation like specialized ribbon technology, inhouse manufacturing capabilities for critical strength components like FRP/ ARP rods, stringent quality-measures and strong R&D capabilities across high-density and specialized OFCproduction. As network architectures evolve for BharatNet, 5G rollouts and data centres, our focus remains firmly centred on delivering scalable, end-toend reliability and total supply-chain resilience.

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Sep-Oct, 2026

HFCL

Spotlights the Ability to Pivot Between Telecom & Data Centre-Grade Fibre-Count Products After serving decades of applications in the conventional telecom industry, the optical fibre cable finds itself in a transitory role, wherein a manufacturer’s ability to pivot between telecom-grade and datacentre-grade high-fibre-count products, establishes their presence in the market. For HFCL, that means building across both ends of the market — from FTTH and 5G backhaul to ultra-high-fibre-count data-centre connectivity. In an exclusive interview with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Harsh Pagay, Executive President-OFC, HFCL Limited, emphasises how this shift is reflected in HFCL’s OptiQ AI™ portfolio and the INR 215 crore facility approved in July 2026 for advanced data-centre connectivity products. At the same time, HFCL has doubled its optical fibre capacity from 14 million to 28 million fibre-km, with 33.9 million fibre-km targeted by December 2026, while its planned INR 580 crore greenfield preform facility strengthens upstream integration. With 3,456-fibre and 6,912-fibre micro-duct IBR cables already developed and higher-density designs on the roadmap, the company’s strategy is increasingly centred on combining scale, integration and manufacturing agility to follow where fibre demand moves next. Wire & Cable India: India’s fibre deployment is expanding across FTTH, 5G backhaul, data centres, BharatNet, enterprise networks and other segments. Which application segments are currently shaping product development and manufacturing priorities the most, and how do their technical requirements differ? Harsh Pagay: Right now, three segments are shaping product development more than any other: FTTH, data centres, and 5G backhaul and each pulls the technology roadmap in a different direction. FTTH demands bend-insensitive G.657.A2 fibre and drop cables that can be routed around tight corners in homes and multi-dwelling units, along with mass, pre-terminated connectivity to keep last-mile deployment fast and low-cost.

Mr. Harsh Pagay, Executive President-OFC, HFCL Limited

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5G backhaul and small-cell densification need ruggedised aerial (ADSS) and duct cables in micro/mini form factors that can be deployed quickly along existing infrastructure. Data centres especially the AI-driven hyperscale build-out are the fastest-moving segment today: demand for data-centre fibre grew roughly 76% year-on-year recently and is projected to keep climbing sharply as a share of total global fibre demand, because AI racks can require over 30 times more fibre per rack than a traditional CPU-based design. That’s pulling us toward ultra-high-fibre-count, pre-terminated MPO/MTP trunk cables with far tighter loss and density specifications than legacy telecom cable. As compute clusters scale and network interfaces move from 800G towards 1.6T, the focus is increasingly on fibre density, compactness, bandwidth, and deployment speed. This is creating demand for high-fibre-count cables, Intermittently

Sep-Oct, 2026

Data centres especially the AI-driven hyperscale build-out are the fastest-moving segment today: demand for data-centre fibre grew roughly 76% year-onyear recently and is projected to keep climbing sharply as a share of total global fibre demand, because AI racks can require over 30 times more fibre per rack than a traditional CPU-based design.

Bonded Ribbon (IBR), micro ductcompatible designs, and high-density connectivity solutions. This is the inspiration behind our OptiQ AI™ portfolio, and the INR 215 crore facility approved in July 2026 for advanced data centre connectivity products. Defence and tactical communications are also emerging as an important segment, with a very different performance profile. Defence applications place greater emphasis on survivability, mechanical robustness and environmental endurance, which is why we have invested in Fibre-inMetal-Tube manufacturing capability. Today, the industry is moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to optical connectivity. Cable designs are increasingly being tailored to the application, the environment in which they will be deployed, and the need to deliver reliable performance at the right cost over the life cycle. Moreover, industry is aggressively working towards development of new fibre types (HCF & MCF) for next generation technologies and the entire eco-system associated with it including optical fibre cables. BharatNet and enterprise networks remain important, steady-volume segments, but their technical requirements durability, costefficiency, ease of rural deployment

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are more mature and less of a forcing function on where we invest R&D today.

WCI: Over the past three to five years, what manufacturing capabilities or process improvements have become commercially essential for OFC producers that were previously considered optional? Which market, technological or customer requirements have made these capabilities increasingly critical? HP: The clearest shift is that inhouse preform and optical fibre manufacturing what used to be considered a nice-to-have layer of backward integration has become commercially essential. Preform is 60–70% of the cost of a fibre, and with global glass/preform supply tightening and prices rising sharply over the past couple of years, manufacturers without that capability are simply price-takers with unpredictable lead times. Alongside that, automated high-speed draw towers with realtime diameter and tension control, ribbonisation for mass-fusion splicing, and NABL-accredited in-house testing across optical, mechanical and environmental parameters have all moved from differentiators to baseline requirements.

The driver in each case is the same: customers, particularly large telecom operators and hyperscalers now run detailed supplier audits before awarding volume contracts, and they expect demonstrable process control and traceability at every stage, not just a finished product that passes acceptance testing. At HFCL, we have increased our optical fibre capacity from 14 million fibre-km to 28 million fibre-km, with 33.9 million fibre-km targeted by December 2026. Our Board has also approved INR 580 crore for a 300–310 tonne-per-annum greenfield preform facility. High-density manufacturing has similarly moved from a niche capability to an important requirement. Producing low-diameter fibre and IBR at scale demands much tighter control over coating, tension, ribbon geometry, fibre handling and cabling processes. Testing and qualification speed have also become commercially essential, because customers want qualification timelines compressed rather than queued behind thirdparty laboratories. That’s why environmental and mechanical testing capability, covering standards such as the IEC 60794 series, Telcordia GR-20-CORE and ICEA S-87-640, is now a procurement prerequisite.

Sep-Oct, 2026

At HFCL, we have increased our optical fibre capacity from 14 million fibre-km to 28 million fibre-km, with 33.9 million fibre-km targeted by December 2026. Our Board has also approved INR 580 crore for a 300–310 tonne-per-annum greenfield preform facility. Our laboratories in Goa, Chennai and Hyderabad are NABL-accredited and recognised under the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement. We also have in-house jetting and blowing capability, so we can validate blowing distance, friction behaviour and duct compatibility during development rather than discovering limitations at a customer site. Automation and AI-enabled process control are another area of evolution. These technologies can help identify process deviations, predict quality excursions, optimise machine parameters and reduce downtime. Finally, sustainability is increasingly a manufacturing parameter, with customers evaluating energy efficiency, water recycling, waste reduction and material efficiency alongside product specifications. The shift is therefore from simply adding capacity to building controlled, automated and resource-efficient manufacturing systems.

WCI: Network operators today expect higher reliability, faster deployment and longer service life. Which product attributes, quality parameters or qualification requirements have become significantly more demanding? How have manufacturers responded? HP: Attenuation and bend-loss performance have tightened considerably the industry has moved decisively toward G.657.A1/A2 fibre even in applications that would have used standard single-mode a few years ago, because tighter routing in buildings, data centres and dense urban deployments simply doesn’t tolerate the old bend-loss budgets. Mechanical robustness expectations

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have also risen cables now need to survive higher crush, impact and tensile loads for underground and high-density data-centre deployments, and fire-safety ratings (LSZH, OFNP/ OFNR/Plenum grades) are now a baseline requirement rather than a premium option for indoor and datacentre cable. Expected service life has extended too, with operators now designing for 25–30 years rather than the traditional 15–20. Manufacturers have responded by expanding in-house qualification labs, tightening incoming raw-material and in-process controls, and investing in rollable-ribbon and pre-terminated connectivity designs that cut field installation time because speed of deployment has become as commercially important as the cable’s own specifications. Installation performance is also now part of product qualification. Customers evaluate factors such as blowing distance, friction, pull tension, splice preparation, and mass-fusion splice yield because these directly influence how much network infrastructure a crew can deploy in each period. Qualification requirements have also expanded to include fire performance, RoHS and REACH compliance, environmental endurance, mechanical robustness, and designlife requirements. Manufacturers therefore need much tighter process control, supported by automation, continuous in-line measurement and in-house qualification capabilities. In other words, the industry is moving from testing whether a cable works to understanding how predictably it can be deployed, spliced, maintained, and restored in the field.

WCI: From preforms and optical fibre to cable manufacturing and testing, where has the Indian industry

made the most significant progress towards technological self-reliance? Which critical gaps remain? HP: India has made significant progress in cable manufacturing and fibre drawing, and the capability available today is far broader than it was several years ago. Indian manufacturers now produce conventional fibre products as well as micro duct, FTTH, high-count, and ribbon-based designs for both domestic and export markets. PLI and DLI schemes have also helped accelerate design and manufacturing activity in India. At HFCL, we have developed 3,456-fibre micro duct IBR cable 6,912-fibre variants, with even higher-density designs of around 13,000 fibres already on our roadmap. These products require precise fibre handling, ribbonisation, and dimensional control. India has made real, visible progress on fibre drawing and cable manufacturing scale. The country is now among the largest producers globally, capacity has expanded significantly across telecom and data-centre-grade products, and patent filings by domestic manufacturers have grown meaningfully over the last few years. Backward integration into preform manufacturing is also now underway across the industry, which is an important step toward reducing import dependence on the single largest cost component. That said, the remaining gaps are real: the core glass/preform raw material is still substantially import-dependent industry-wide, specialty fibres hollow-core, multi-core, polarizationmaintaining fibre for defence, aerospace and emerging quantum-

Sep-Oct, 2026

At HFCL, we have developed 3,456-fibre micro duct IBR cable 6,912-fibre variants, with even higher-density designs of around 13,000 fibres already on our roadmap. These products require precise fibre handling, ribbonisation, and dimensional control. communication applications are still nascent domestically, and precision fibre-drawing and testing equipment is still largely imported. Closing those gaps, particularly on preform capacity and specialty fibre R&D, is where the next phase of self-reliance needs to be concentrated. Based on our own supply chain experience, import dependency is most acute in high-purity precursor chemistry, UV-curable coatings, specialised strength members, and capital equipment such as highprecision draw towers, deposition systems, ribbon and cabling lines, and optical metrology equipment, consistent with the global equipment market, where a small number of specialist manufacturers account for most supply. Building depth across materials, equipment and nextgeneration fibre technology, not just cable production, is what the next phase of India’s OFC self-reliance requires.

qualify a supplier without them today, so they no longer differentiate one manufacturer from another. Scale is increasingly becoming a prerequisite, rather than a differentiator. What separates manufacturers is how effectively that scale is combined with quality, engineering capability, flexibility and execution. Automated production, inline monitoring, end-to-end optical testing, spool-level traceability, thin-coating fibre handling, highcount IBR capability, and dedicated qualification laboratories are becoming fundamental requirements. Strong quality and environmental management systems are similarly moving into the category of baseline expectations.

Competitive advantage comes from operating at the more demanding end of the market. Capabilities such as 3,456F, 6,912F, and emerging ~13,000F micro duct IBR cables, thin-coating draw capability, faster qualification cycles, and proprietary applicationspecific designs require significant engineering depth and process maturity. Geographic diversification also matters. Designing products to meet varying regional standards, compliance requirements, and localcontent rules helps manufacturers stay competitive across geographies, rather than offering a single design everywhere.

HP: Automated quality assurance, ISO/TL 9000 process certification, and digitally traceable manufacturing (MES/ERP-integrated) have become standard expectations. No serious telecom operator or hyperscaler will

But technology alone is not enough. Application engineering is becoming a major differentiator. The ability to take a customer field issue and develop and qualify a solution in weeks rather

than quarters can create significant customer value. Ultimately, the competitive advantage is not automation or capacity in isolation. It is the combination of scale, quality, innovation, and customercentricity. What continues to provide a genuine, tangible edge is backward integration into preform and raw fibre, R&D depth that lets a manufacturer anticipate next-generation fibre types ahead of demand rather than reacting to it, and the speed at which a manufacturer can scale capacity in step with a demand cycle the current AI-driven datacentre fibre demand surge is a good example of how being ready ahead of the curve, rather than after it, is what actually separates winners. Vertical integration across the full value chain, from optical fibre through to finished connectivity solutions, is increasingly the structural advantage that’s hardest for competitors to replicate quickly.

This broader approach is reflected in our OFC business, which recorded its highest-ever order book of INR 13,483 crore in FY26, while the group order book stood at approximately INR 26,665 crore at the end of Q1 FY27.

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Sep-Oct, 2026

Automated quality assurance, ISO/TL 9000 process certification, and digitally traceable manufacturing (MES/ERP-integrated) have become standard expectations. No serious telecom operator or hyperscaler will qualify a supplier without them today, so they no longer differentiate one manufacturer from another. supply chain. Companies with greater visibility into fibre supply, rather than dependence on external sourcing, are better positioned on cost, planning, and reliability. Closely tied to this is utilisation: because this is a capital-intensive business, how efficiently a company runs its manufacturing base matters as much as how large that base is. The second is product mix. Commodity-grade fibre offers limited value creation; the real opportunity lies in higher-engineering products, highcount cable, data centre connectivity, and application-specific designs, where technical capability, not price alone, determines competitiveness. The third is market access. Trade measures, anti-dumping duties, and local-content requirements are increasingly shaping where companies can compete effectively, making geographic strategy a commercial consideration in its own right. Further, execution discipline, qualification speed, capital deployment, and manufacturing yield determine how efficiently a company converts capacity into returns.The strategic question, therefore, is not how much capacity a company can add, but what combination of capacity, product mix, integration and market positioning will remain competitive across the cycle. Raw-material self-sufficiency is also one of the biggest lever, simply because preform/glass cost dominates the cost structure of a fibre a manufacturer with secure, in-house preform supply has a structural cost and lead-time advantage that’s very difficult for an import-dependent competitor to match, especially during the kind of supply tightness the industry has seen recently, with global fibre prices rising sharply and lead times stretching www.wirecable.in

toward a year for some specialty products. Beyond that, scale economics matter given how capital-intensive draw-tower infrastructure is, as does the ability to flex product mix quickly. A manufacturer that can pivot between telecom-grade and data-centre-grade high-fibre-count products as demand shifts will consistently out-earn one that can’t. Export competitiveness in a market that periodically swings between shortage and oversupply, consistent quality that survives increasingly rigorous customer audits, and diversified, resilient sourcing all round out the picture.

WCI: Beyond manufacturing capacity, what factors now determine a manufacturer’s ability to secure large telecom, infrastructure or data communication projects? How have procurement expectations evolved? HP: Beyond raw manufacturing capacity, what wins large telecom, infrastructure and datacommunication projects today is a combination of certified quality systems, financial strength to support multi-year supply commitments, in-house engineering capability to customise designs for project-specific requirements, and dependable logistics at scale. Procurement has clearly shifted from a lowest-cost-per-unit mindset to a total-cost-of-ownership view that weighs reliability, lead-time certainty and the ability to sustain a long-term partnership. We’re increasingly seeing large customers particularly Hyperscalers pursue multiyear framework agreements and even pre-invest in supplier capacity to secure guaranteed volumes; recent multibillion-dollar capacity-lock agreements between Hyperscalers and global fibre manufacturers are a clear signal of where large-account procurement is heading, and manufacturers who

can offer that kind of committed, long-term capacity will increasingly have an edge over those who can only compete on a per-order basis. Product qualification remains fundamental, but total cost of ownership is becoming equally important. Installation distance, duct occupancy, blowing performance, splice time, restoration, and maintenance can materially affect the economics of a network. Compliance expectations have also expanded beyond product standards to include fire classification, chemical compliance, local-content requirements, ESG disclosure, and supplier audits. Engineering and deployment support are increasingly part of the proposition as well. Field trials, deployment support, and training can all influence project outcomes. This broader approach is reflected in our OFC business, which recorded its highest-ever order book of INR 13,483 crore in FY26, while the group order book stood at approximately INR 26,665 crore at the end of Q1 FY27. For large infrastructure programmes, customers are ultimately buying confidence: confidence in the product, the supply chain, and the supplier’s ability to execute.

a few dozen for a traditional cloud rack, pushing cable designs toward several-thousand-fibre-count trunks that would have been unthinkable in telecom cable a few years ago. To fit that density into the same duct and pathway space, miniaturisation thinner coatings (down to 200 micron), reduced buffer and jacket dimensions has become commercially important, as has continued improvement in bend performance to allow tighter routing in increasingly dense environments. On the installation side, rollable ribbon designs for mass fusion splicing and pre-terminated, plugand-play MPO/MTP connectivity are becoming standard because they cut deployment time dramatically, which matters enormously to hyperscale customers racing to bring capacity online. Alongside all of this, durability requirements rodent, UV and moisture resistance remain important

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for outdoor and rural deployments like BharatNet, so manufacturers need range across both ends of this spectrum simultaneously.

swings; R&D depth that anticipates next-generation fibre types hollowcore, multi-core, specialty PM fibre ahead of demand rather than after it; manufacturing agility to shift product mix quickly between telecom-grade and data-centre-grade high-density products as demand cycles change, which recent history shows can happen very fast; quality systems and certifications robust enough to pass the increasingly rigorous audits that hyperscalers and large operators now run; and engineering expertise to deliver customised, applicationspecific solutions rather than commodity products. The companies that combine manufacturing scale with genuine technology leadership and true end-toend integration, from fibre to finished connectivity solutions, will be the ones that pull ahead and everything else increasingly becomes table stakes.

Sep-Oct, 2026

PARAMOUNT COMMUNICATIONS on Turning India’s OFC Scale into Global Capability

India has spent the past few years building scale in optical fibre cable manufacturing; the more important question now is what the industry does with that capacity. As applications become more differentiated and customers place greater emphasis on consistency, traceability, lifecycle performance and application-specific designs, the competitive equation is moving beyond installed capacity. In an exclusive interview with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Sandeep Aggarwal, Managing Director, Paramount Communications Ltd., sees the next phase of the Indian OFC industry being shaped by its ability to combine manufacturing scale with process control, cost efficiency, product development and technological depth. He examines how automation and data-driven quality systems are changing manufacturing, why high-density and compact cable designs are gaining relevance, and how Indian manufacturers can translate their established production base into a stronger position in global OFC markets.

Wire & Cable India: India’s fibre deployment is expanding across FTTH, 5G backhaul, data centres, BharatNet, enterprise networks and other segments. Which application segments are currently shaping product development and manufacturing priorities the most, and how do their technical requirements differ? Sandeep Aggarwal: FTTH, 5G backhaul, BharatNet and data centres are currently among the key demand drivers. However, their requirements are quite different. FTTH and rural connectivity are more focused on cost, ease of installation and deployment efficiency, while 5G and data centres demand higher fibre counts, compact designs, better bend performance and very high reliability. This is pushing manufacturers towards more application-specific products.

Mr. Sandeep Aggarwal, Managing Director, Paramount Communications Ltd.

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WCI: Over the past three to five years, what manufacturing capabilities or process improvements have become commercially essential for OFC producers that were previously considered optional? Which market, technological or customer requirements have made these capabilities increasingly critical? SA: Automation, online process monitoring and advanced testing have become much more important than they were a few years ago. With larger volumes and tighter delivery schedules, manufacturers need to maintain consistent quality with minimal process variation. Customers are also increasingly looking for traceability and reliable performance across every batch, making process control a commercial necessity rather than just a manufacturing advantage.

Sep-Oct, 2026

WCI: Network operators today expect higher reliability, faster deployment and longer service life. Which product attributes, quality parameters or qualification requirements have become significantly more demanding? How have manufacturers responded? SA: The focus has shifted from simply meeting specifications to ensuring consistent performance throughout the product’s service life. Parameters such as attenuation, tensile strength, crush resistance, bend performance and environmental durability are receiving greater attention. Manufacturers are responding through tighter raw-material controls, improved production processes and more rigorous testing at different stages of manufacturing.

WCI: From preforms and optical fibre to cable manufacturing and testing, where has the Indian industry made the most significant progress towards technological self-reliance? Which critical gaps still remain? SA: India has built strong capabilities in optical fibre cable manufacturing, product development and testing, and Indian manufacturers are increasingly capable of serving both domestic and international markets. The larger opportunity now is to strengthen the upstream ecosystem—particularly specialised materials, equipment and certain advanced optical technologies. Greater investment in R&D and indigenous technology development will be important for achieving deeper self-reliance.

competitive advantage? SA: Basic automation, modern testing facilities, quality systems and production traceability are now essential for any large-scale manufacturer. The real advantage comes from how effectively these systems are integrated. Data-driven quality monitoring, flexible production lines, process optimisation and the ability to develop new cable constructions quickly can provide meaningful differentiation in a competitive market.

WCI: The economics of OFC manufacturing are evolving with increasing investments in capacity, technology and quality. In your view, which factors now have the greatest influence on the commercial viability and long-term competitiveness of OFC manufacturing? SA: OFC manufacturing is a scalesensitive business, but capacity alone does not determine competitiveness. Raw-material efficiency, production yield, automation, energy consumption, capacity utilisation and logistics all have a direct impact on margins. Equally important is supplychain resilience, because disruptions in critical inputs can affect both cost and delivery commitments. The ability to consistently deliver quality at the right cost will remain fundamental.

WCI: Beyond manufacturing capacity, what factors now determine a manufacturer’s ability to secure large telecom, infrastructure or data communication projects? How have procurement expectations evolved? SA: Large customers today evaluate the complete capability of a manufacturer—not just its installed capacity. Quality credentials, certifications, product qualification, manufacturing consistency, delivery track record, technical support and financial reliability all matter. Procurement has also become more

technically driven, with greater emphasis on documentation, traceability, testing and long-term reliability.

WCI: As fibre networks become denser and applications more diverse, how are cable designs evolving? In your opinion, which developments, whether in fibre count, cable construction, miniaturisation, bend performance, installation practices or other aspects, are becoming commercially important today? SA: The clear direction is towards higher fibre density in smaller and more installation-friendly cable designs. High-fibre-count, compact and bend-optimised constructions are becoming increasingly relevant, particularly in dense urban networks and data-intensive applications. At the same time, cable design has to consider the complete installation process— handling, jointing, splicing and maintenance—not just fibre capacity.

Sep-Oct, 2026

AUTHORED ARTICLE By Mr. Girish Gupta, SVP & Business Head - Telecom & Convergence, APAR Industries Limited

APAR Highlights OFC Industry’s New Phase of Application-led Connectivity The rapid expansion of AI data centres, structural transformations in defence systems and renewable-energy infrastructure is reshaping fibre demand, driving the need for higher-density, application-specific and specialised connectivity solutions. In an exclusive authored article shared with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Girish Gupta, SVP & Business Head Telecom & Convergence, APAR Industries Limited, examines these evolving requirements and the industry’s shift towards application-led connectivity. The Demand Equation is Changing — Beyond Traditional Telecom Demand

The Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) industry is entering a new phase. For nearly three decades, growth in optical fibre has been driven primarily by conventional telecom applications—mobile networks, broadband, enterprise connectivity and long-distance communications. The next phase, however, is being shaped by a broader set of applications, including AI data centres, advanced defence systems, renewable-energy infrastructure, enterprise digitisation and the continued digitalisation of homes and businesses. Three major structural shifts are making this change in the industry demand: AI Data Centres Artificial Intelligence is creating one of the largest infrastructure investment cycles in the history of the digital economy. The rapid adoption of Generative AI, Large Language Models, AI inference, autonomous systems and AI-enabled applications is driving unprecedented growth in computing requirements. This is translating directly into demand for highdensity GPU infrastructure and consequently a new generation of largescale AI data centers. But the AI transformation is changing more than the size of data centers. It is fundamentally changing their power density, network architecture, bandwidth requirements and optical connectivity. Traditional data centers were predominantly designed around moderate CPU workloads. AI workloads are fundamentally different, requiring training and inference with large numbers of GPUs operating together as highly interconnected computing clusters. The performance of the AI system is therefore increasingly dependent not only on GPU processing power but also on the ability to move enormous volumes of data across multiple data centers and within data centers. The architecture therefore

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CHARGUARD™ Organoclay Fire Retardant Synergist

AUTHORED ARTICLE increasingly depends on high-bandwidth, lowlatency and highly reliable optical networks. This creates a structural increase in the requirement for fiber connectivity with highdensity patching, high fiber count trunk cables, MPO fiber cable systems, bend optimized fibre and connectorized solutions to enable the required scale. The very important distinction to note is that in traditional telecom networks, fibre demand is primarily driven by route kilometres × fiber count, whereas in AI data centers the economics are increasingly driven by number of optical ports × speed × architecture × redundancy. A relatively small physical data centre campus can therefore generate an enormous amount of fiber demand because of the density of internal optical connections. This shift is also creating a specific fiber corridor demand for Data Centre Interconnect (DCI) – a dedicated fiber network which is more reliable, high capacity with less flaps and low latency. Structural Transformation in Defence Connectivity Electronic warfare (EW) has evolved exponentially over the past decade and has fundamentally changed the global defence ecosystem. The evolution of modern warfare has increasingly shifted from conventional kinetic attacks toward the ability to detect, disrupt, deceive and deny an adversary’s electromagnetic spectrum. This evolution has also accelerated the importance of electronic attack, jamming and spoofing, where RF-based communication, navigation and control systems can be deliberately disrupted or manipulated. As defence forces increasingly depend on connected platforms, the resilience of communication links has become as critical as the platforms themselves. This has created a new requirement for highly secured requirements for drones, UAVs and other unmanned systems towards resilient connectivity. In environments where conventional RF communications are vulnerable to interference, interception or spoofing, fiberlinked and tethered connectivity is providing a fundamentally different communications architecture. Fiber offers a highly secure, lowlatency and EMI/RFI-immune communication medium, making it particularly attractive for applications where communication integrity,

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reliability and resistance to electronic attack are critical. The result is an emerging convergence between electronic warfare, unmanned systems and fiber-optic connectivity, creating a new and rapidly expanding opportunity for specialized defence-grade fiber solutions. Renewable Energy: New Distributed Architecture of Power Industry The global energy system is undergoing a fundamental transformation. The rapid deployment of solar, wind, battery storage and distributed energy resources is changing not only how electricity is generated, but also how power networks need to be monitored, controlled and protected. The traditional power grid was designed around a relatively small number of large, predictable generation assets. The renewable grid is fundamentally different. Generation is becoming more distributed, geographically dispersed, more variable which in turn pushes the need for a 100% digitally controlled environment. The rapid build-out of renewable-energy assets is creating another growth opportunity for fibre. As solar and wind installations become increasingly distributed and digitally managed, fibre is being deployed for real-time monitoring, control, asset management and predictive maintenance.

APAR Telecom Solutions: Shift from Telecom to Applicationlead Connectivity Against this changing industry backdrop APAR Telecom Solutions has significantly evolved over the last couple of years. APAR is among the leading players in India’s optical fibre cable segment, with more than two decades of experience in connectivity. However, the business has increasingly moved beyond conventional cable manufacturing towards engineering telecom solutions for application-specific requirements. Its capabilities span design, application engineering and customised manufacturing, supported by backward-integrated material science capability. Today, APAR Telecom Solutions has evolved beyond requirements of FTTH, 5G, Rural connectivity to AI-driven data centres, defence, power, and renewable energy requirements.

Importantly, the company’s capabilities have expanded beyond traditional telecom applications over the last 3 years into specialised defence solutions spanning tactical systems, torpedo applications and other mission-critical platforms. APAR has also entered the fibre-based drone segment, further expanding its application-led defence portfolio. These solutions are being deployed across Indian defence applications, demonstrating how fibre is extending from conventional fixed infrastructure into highly specialised and mission-critical systems. In renewable energy, APAR also provides connectorized fibre solutions for connecting, monitoring, control and data transmission, supporting the growing digitalisation of solar, wind and other energy infrastructure. The company has also invested and developed data-centre cable solutions designed for increasingly power and fibre-intensive architectures, enabling customers to address the growing bandwidth and high current requirements of AI and next-generation computing environments. As applications become more diverse, the requirements placed on the

Sep-Oct, 2026

AUTHORED ARTICLE underlying fibre and cable architecture are also changing. This is leading to a more applicationspecific approach to material selections such as fibre and jacketing materials. The fibre that is optimal for a dense AI data centre may not be the same as that required for a long-distance telecom network, an urban deployment or a specialised defence system. The current shift is not only shaping the demand of fiber but also shifting the type of fiber demand, from conventional G652D fiber to G657A1/A2 and G654E fibers. Standard jackets are getting replaced with installation and application specific jacketing materials.

mechanical strength, weight, installation conditions and applicationspecific installation environment are becoming important considerations alongside the fibre itself.

The question, therefore, is not which fibre is universally superior, but which fibre and cable architecture best fits the application and the environment in which it will operate. As networks become more complex and applications more demanding, cable design is increasingly moving beyond a standardised approach. Density, bend requirements,

For nearly seven decades, APAR Industries Limited has been a trusted partner in India’s infrastructure journey, contributing to the development of power T&D networks that have supported the country’s industrialisation, electrification, and economic growth. Building on this legacy of engineering, manufacturing and infrastructure expertise, APAR has continued to evolve with the changing connectivity landscape—from conventional telecom networks to increasingly specialised, application-led connectivity solutions.

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For a connectivity solutions provider, this creates an opportunity to move up the value chain—from supplying fibre and cable to engineered solutions around the specific requirements of the end application. This is where APAR Telecom Solutions’ evolution becomes significant. Its growing product range across AI data centres, defence, renewable energy and advanced telecom networks reflects this shift from conventional cable supply towards application-led connectivity. The opportunity is therefore to develop the right connectivity solutions for evolving specialised applications architecture.

Sep-Oct, 2026

FINOLEX CABLES

Takes a 4-Pronged Approach to Advancing OFC Manufacturing As OFC manufacturing becomes increasingly technology- and quality-intensive, the competitive equation is shifting from simply adding capacity to building greater control across the manufacturing value chain. Backward integration into fibre drawing and preforms, tighter quality assurance, applicationspecific engineering, and the ability to maintain supply continuity at scale are emerging as important differentiators for manufacturers seeking to serve increasingly demanding telecom and data communication projects. In an exclusive interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Sunil Upmanyu, President - Operations, Finolex Cables Ltd., discusses the company’s four-pronged approach to strengthening its OFC manufacturing capabilities. He elaborates on Finolex’s focus on vertical integration, datadriven quality, engineering depth and supply-chain resilience, while highlighting its investments in fibre drawing, cabling and a newly commissioned preform facility.

4-Pronged Approach to Advancing OFC Manufacturing • First, vertical integration from fibre drawing through to finished, tested cable • Second, consistent quality systems • Third, engineering depth - the ability to customise cable design for specific applications • Fourth, supply-chain resilience

Mr. Sunil Upmanyu, President - Operations, Finolex Cables Ltd.

Sunil Upmanyu: Right now, three critical areas are influencing product development: FTTH, 5G backhaul, and data centres. Each pulls the design in a different direction. FTTH demands compact, bend-insensitive cables that can be installed quickly in congested urban ducts and building risers, so fibre count flexibility and ease of termination matter most. 5G backhaul requires cable solutions that can be deployed quickly and flexibly. Depending on the site and terrain, this could involve aerial or ADSS cables, or duct cables. Till now in India, telecom operators have not felt the need to install micro-duct solutions that make use of existing infrastructure. With towers and small cells being deployed rapidly, the ability to minimise extensive civil work is becoming increasingly important. Data centres are a newer but fast-growing priority: here the emphasis shifts to very high fibre density, low-loss ribbon, and MPO-compatible designs since space and connection speed inside a data hall are

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at a premium. BharatNet and rural connectivity projects add another layer - cables there need to manage harsher outdoor conditions and longer unsupported spans at a reasonable cost. While FTTH shapes our volume manufacturing, data centres and 5G shape our technology roadmap.

WCI: Over the past three to five years, what manufacturing capabilities or process improvements have become commercially essential for OFC producers that were previously considered optional? Which market, technological, or customer requirements have made these capabilities increasingly critical? SU: Backward integration into fibre drawing is becoming increasingly strategically important, and some manufacturers, including us, are now extending that further upstream into preforms. This isn’t necessarily a requirement for every OFC producer, but for those with the scale to justify it, controlling more of the upstream process helps protect both margins and delivery timelines against global fibre pricing swings and supply disruptions. Alongside that, customer testing and qualification requirements have become noticeably more rigorous over the past few years, which has pushed tighter process controls on fibre coating, colouring, and buffering across the industry. Telecom operators and EPC contractors now prefer to order on a single tender or turnkey basis.

WCI: Network operators today expect higher reliability, faster deployment, and longer service life. Which product

attributes, quality parameters or qualification requirements have become significantly more demanding? How have manufacturers responded? SU: Attenuation performance, mechanical strength under tensile and crush loads, and long-term waterblocking performance are all being tested far more rigorously than before. Operators are placing greater emphasis on long service life and want more robust, well-documented test data to back it up, rather than relying only on type-test certificates. OTDR and

other detailed testing are increasingly important in qualification and quality verification, along with tighter geometry tolerances on the fibre itself and improved bend-loss performance across temperature extremes. Manufacturers have responded by investing in in-house testing infrastructure across the full chain from fibre draw to finished cable - so that quality is verified at every stage rather than only at the final product.

WCI: From preforms and optical fibre to cable manufacturing and testing, where has the Indian industry made the most noteworthy progress towards technological self-reliance? Which critical gaps remain? SU: Cable manufacturing is where India has achieved significant capability - Indian manufacturers today are increasingly competitive with global benchmarks on cable design,

At Finolex, our approach has been to invest in our own fibre drawing and cabling capacity, and we’ve now commissioned a state-of-the art preform facility of our own as part of that backward integration journey, in line with the broader industry’s efforts to close this gap over time.

ruggedisation and testing. Fibre drawing capacity has also expanded meaningfully across the industry in the last few years. The bigger gap remains further upstream, at the preform stage - this is the critical upstream stage where the optical glass preform is produced and building that capability domestically continues to require deep R&D investment, huge capital investment and technology partnerships. At Finolex, our approach has been to invest in our own fibre drawing and cabling capacity, and we’ve now commissioned a state-of-the art preform facility of our own as part of that backward integration journey, in line with the broader industry’s efforts to close this gap over time.

WCI: Recent investments across the industry suggest a growing emphasis on automation, quality assurance, and manufacturing scale. In your view, which investments

Backward integration into fibre drawing is becoming increasingly strategically important, and some manufacturers, including us, are now extending that further upstream into preforms. This isn’t necessarily a requirement for every OFC producer, but for those with the scale to justify it, controlling more of the upstream process helps protect both margins and delivery timelines against global fibre pricing swings and supply disruptions.

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have now become standard expectations or industry necessities, and which continue to provide a tangible competitive advantage?

ability to secure large telecom, infrastructure, or data communication projects? How have procurement expectations evolved?

SU: Automated cabling lines, in-line quality checks, and ISO-aligned quality management systems are increasingly baseline expectations among major customers. What still separates leading manufacturers is scale combined with integration and quality: being able to go from fibre draw to finished, tested cable under one roof, with the capacity to serve large multi-year telecom or infrastructure orders without quality drift between batches. That combination of scale, vertical integration and consistency in manufacturing, quality and delivery is where the competitive advantage lies today.

SU: Track record on delivery timelines and consistency of quality across large order volumes now matter alongside price. Large telecom operators and EPC contractors are increasingly evaluating vendors on their testing documentation, traceability, and ability to scale supply quickly without compromising specification. Financial stability and ability to deliver timely with consistent quality have also become part of the evaluation, since these are long-term infrastructure commitments, not one-off purchases. Procurement has shifted from being largely price-led to being much more holistic - quality systems, certifications, and proven execution capability now carry real weight in vendor selection.

WCI: The economics of OFC manufacturing are evolving with increasing investments in capacity, technology, and quality. In your view, which factors now have the greatest influence on the commercial viability and long-term competitiveness of OFC manufacturing? SU: Capacity utilisation and backward integration are two of the most important levers. OFC manufacturing has high fixed costs in fibre drawing and preform infrastructure, so the ability to run plants at high utilisation - supported by a steady order book across domestic and export markets - is critical to long-term viability. Raw material and glass input costs, along with the ability to time capacity expansion ahead of demand cycles like data centre growth, also weigh heavily. Manufacturers who can balance domestic telecom demand with export opportunities tend to be better placed to absorb these cost pressures.

WCI: Beyond manufacturing capacity, what factors now determine a manufacturer’s

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WCI: As fibre networks become denser and applications more diverse, how are cable designs evolving? In your opinion, which developments, whether in fibre count, cable construction, miniaturisation, bend performance, installation practices or other aspects, are becoming commercially important today? SU: Higher fibre count in compact form factors is probably the clearest trend - networks need more fibre per duct or per building riser without increasing cable diameter. Bend-insensitive fibre has become increasingly mainstream rather than a premium feature, because it directly reduces installation time and space constraints, especially in FTTH and in-building deployments. Ribbon cable construction is gaining commercial relevance for data centre and highdensity applications, and aerial, self-supporting designs continue to matter for faster rural and 5G rollout where duct infrastructure isn’t always available. Overall, the direction is

towards cables that are easier and faster to install since deployment speed has become as important as the fibre specification itself.

WCI: Looking beyond demand growth, what do you believe will distinguish the most competitive OFC manufacturers over the next few years? Please draw upon broader industry developments and the capabilities that will matter most, such as manufacturing excellence, technology, quality systems, engineering expertise, and supply-chain resilience. SU: I would point to four things. First, vertical integration - from fibre drawing through to finished, tested cable - because it gives control over both cost and quality. Second, consistent quality systems that can be demonstrated with data, not just certificates since operators are getting more technical in their evaluations. Third, engineering depth - the ability to customise cable design for specific applications like data centres or difficult terrain, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all product. And fourth, supply-chain resilience - manufacturers who can secure raw materials and scale output reliably, even with global supply disruptions, will be the ones telecom operators and infrastructure players trust with their largest projects. At Finolex, this is exactly the direction we’re investing in - we’re expanding our fibre-drawing capacity and cabling capacity, alongside commissioning our own preform facility as part of deepening backward integration, to build the manufacturing depth needed to support India’s growing fibre requirements over the next several years.

Sep-Oct, 2026

BIRLA FURUKAWA FIBRE OPTICS

Sees Higher Capacity Networks as Essential to OFC Evolution With the wire and cable industry running at par with the demands of the nation, Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) increasingly stands out as a key driver across multiple application segments, including FTTH, BharatNet and data centres. Moving beyond its primary demand driver—the telecom industry—OFC is finding an increasingly important place in rapidly expanding data centres across geographies, catering to rising data consumption, cloud services and AI-led applications. In an exclusive interview with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Kapil Mehta, Chief Executive Officer, Birla Furukawa Fibre Optics Pvt. Ltd., shares insights into the evolving technical requirements, OFC design and construction, and ambitions of the segment amid expanding digital infrastructure demand. He highlights the growing commercial importance of higher fibre-count cables within optimised cable diameters, increasingly stringent performance and qualification requirements, and the industry’s focus on OFC designs that deliver higher fibre density, improved installation flexibility and long-term optical reliability while making optimum use of existing ducts, pathways and network infrastructure. Wire & Cable India: India’s fibre deployment is expanding across FTTH, 5G backhaul, data centres, BharatNet, enterprise networks and other segments. Which application segments are currently shaping product development and manufacturing priorities the most, and how do their technical requirements differ? Kapil Mehta: India’s optical fibre and cable market is being shaped by multiple application segments, including FTTH, 5G/Mobile backhaul, BharatNet, data centres and enterprise networks. Historically, telecom segment has been the primary demand driver for the industry, supported by the continued expansion of last mile connectivity. However, the rapid growth in data consumption, cloud services, AI-led applications and the increasing need for data storage and processing has led to significant investments in building data centre across geographies. The need for specialized fibre and cable solutions for these data centres is now shaping product development and manufacturing priorities.

Mr. Kapil Mehta, Chief Executive Officer, Birla Furukawa Fibre Optics Pvt. Ltd.

Technical requirements for fibre and cable design used in data centre applications are significantly more demanding than those for conventional telecom deployments. Fibre and cable solutions require tighter control of optical parameters, improved bend performance, higher fibre density, compact cable constructions and reliable performance at higher transmission speeds.

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Over the past few years, cable construction supporting higher fibre counts within an optimized cable diameter has evolved from being a value added feature to a commercially essential capability for OFC manufacturers. improvements have become commercially essential for OFC producers that were previously considered optional? Which market, technological or customer requirements have made these capabilities increasingly critical? KM: Over the past few years, cable construction supporting higher fibre counts within an optimized cable diameter has evolved from being a value added feature to a commercially essential capability for OFC manufacturers. Increasing network capacity requirements, coupled with space constraints in existing ducts and cable infrastructure is driving the demand for such cables. Higher fibre count cables enable operators to maximize the utilization of available duct space, reduce the number of cables required for a given network capacity and improve the overall economics of fibre deployment.

of such ribbons can be bundled into a single master cable, allowing thousands of fibres to run through standard data center conduits without clogging them.

This requirement has also increased the importance of manufacturing capabilities around reduced geometry fibres, tighter dimensional control and advanced cable designs, enabling manufacturers to achieve higher fibre density without proportionately increasing the overall cable diameter.

Key product attributes that have gained importance include low attenuation, improved bend performance, geometry control of the fibre parameters, mechanical strength, resistance to environmental stresses and long term reliability of the cable construction. Qualification and testing requirements have correspondingly become more stringent, with greater focus on environmental ageing, temperature cycling, water penetration, tensile and crush performance, bending performance and long term optical stability.

CPO Driving Next-Generation Data Centre Cable Designs Next-generation data centre requirements are increasingly centred around Co-Packaged Optics (CPO), which processes data across massive parallel lanes to keep pace with AI workloads. This changes how cables are structured.

Fibre and cable manufacturers, including the M.P. Birla Group, have responded through sustained investment in advanced fibre drawing and cable manufacturing technologies, tighter process controls, automated inspection and testing, improved material quality and enhanced inhouse qualification capabilities.

Instead of running individual, round fibre cables, data centres are moving towards high-density fibre ribbon cables and rollable ribbon cables. These designs pack 12 to 24 fibres into a flat, thin ribbon, while hundreds

WCI: From preforms and optical fibre to cable manufacturing and testing, where has the Indian industry made the most significant progress towards technological

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self-reliance? Which critical gaps still remain? KM: India has made significant progress towards technological selfreliance across the OFC value chain, particularly in optical fibre and cable manufacturing. Industry has developed substantial domestic capabilities in optical fibre and cable manufacturing, with several Indian manufacturers now possessing the scale, technology and process expertise to cater to both domestic and international markets. India also has well established capabilities in testing and qualification, with manufacturers operating in-house laboratories for optical, mechanical and environmental testing in accordance with international standards. These capabilities have enabled Indian OFC products to meet the increasingly stringent quality, performance and reliability requirements of telecom operators and global customers. However, preform manufacturing remains one of the key areas where India has historically had limited domestic capacity, resulting in fibre manufacturers relying on imports either from their overseas partners or independent OEM suppliers. Encouragingly, this gap is now being addressed, with several leading fibre and cable manufacturers announcing investments in greenfield preform manufacturing facilities in India. These investments are expected to strengthen domestic preform availability, reduce import dependence, improve supply chain resilience and further enhance India’s position as an integrated global manufacturing base for optical fibre and cable.

WCI: Recent investments across the industry suggest a growing emphasis on Sep-Oct, 2026

Several leading fibre and cable manufacturers are announcing investments in greenfield preform manufacturing facilities in India. These investments are expected to strengthen domestic preform availability, reduce import dependence, improve supply chain resilience. automation, quality assurance and manufacturing scale. In your view, which investments have now become standard expectations or industry necessities, and which continue to provide a tangible competitive advantage? KM: Online monitoring and inspection, process traceability, automated testing and robust quality management systems are increasingly becoming standard expectations. Alongside these developments, there is also an increasing use of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) in areas such as material handling, in-process movement and packaging. These capabilities are essential to ensure consistent optical and mechanical performance, minimize process variation, improve manufacturing yields and meet the increasingly stringent qualification requirements of customers. Investments in advanced process automation continue to provide a tangible competitive advantage, particularly in enabling consistent dimensional and optical performance in reduced-geometry fibres and high-fibre-count compact cables — a level of process control and manufacturing expertise that is not yet widely commoditised. Advanced analytics, real-time process monitoring and predictive quality systems can further improve yields, reduce variability and enhance overall manufacturing efficiency.

KM: The commercial viability and long-term competitiveness of OFC manufacturing are increasingly influenced by several factors acting together, rather than any one in isolation. Scale and capacity utilization remain fundamental to the economics of OFC manufacturing. The industry is relatively capital intensive and achieving competitive costs requires efficient utilization of fibre drawing and cable manufacturing capacities. Raw material costs, energy efficiency and manufacturing yields are also significant factors. Improvements in process efficiency, automation and yield can have a meaningful impact on unit economics, particularly in a competitive and price sensitive market like India. In house preform manufacturing and other specialized materials can further improve supply chain resilience and reduce exposure to import related risks. Investments in R&D and advanced manufacturing capabilities would also contribute to long term competitiveness. Quality and reliability are equally important; particularly as Indian manufacturers increasingly participate in global markets. Overall, the long term competitiveness of an OFC manufacturer will depend not simply on having additional capacity, but on achieving scale with high utilization, better manufacturing yields, technology led product differentiation, consistent quality, supply chain resilience and access to international markets.

WCI: Beyond manufacturing capacity, what factors now determine a manufacturer’s ability to secure large telecom, infrastructure or data

communication projects? How have procurement expectations evolved? KM: OFC manufacturer’s ability to secure large telecom, infrastructure and data communication projects is determined by a combination of product quality, proven field performance, delivery capability, technical support, financial strength and supply chain reliability. Procurement expectations have evolved significantly from a primarily price and capacity driven approach to a more comprehensive assessment of the supplier’s ability to deliver consistent quality at scale over the entire project lifecycle. Large customers increasingly evaluate qualification track record, adherence to international and customer specific standards, product consistency, reliability, traceability and demonstrated performance in comparable network deployments. On time delivery and supply assurance have also become critical. Large infrastructure projects operate on tight deployment schedules and customers increasingly expect manufacturers to demonstrate sufficient capacity, robust supply chains, inventory planning and the ability to respond quickly to changes in project requirements. Local manufacturing and shorter supply chains can therefore provide an important advantage. Technical capability is another key differentiator. Customers are increasingly looking for suppliers that can offer application specific solutions. The ability to provide engineering support, product customization and assistance during installation and deployment is also becoming increasingly valuable.

WCI: As fibre networks become denser and applications Sep-Oct, 2026

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more diverse, how are cable designs evolving? In your opinion, which developments, whether in fibre count, cable construction, miniaturisation, bend performance, installation practices or other aspects, are becoming commercially important today? KM: Optical fibre cable design construction is getting increasingly focused on achieving higher fibre density, improved installation flexibility and reliable optical performance. The objective is to accommodate significantly higher network capacity while making optimum use of existing ducts, pathways and other infrastructure. One of the most commercially important developments, discussed earlier in the context of manufacturing priorities, is the continuing increase in fibre count within a reduced or optimised cable diameter. From a design standpoint, this is being achieved through finer sheath and buffer tube constructions, improved fibre packing arrangements and more efficient use of the cable cross-section. Improved bend performance is another significant development, particularly for FTTH, access networks and high density applications where cables are routed through constrained spaces, cabinets, closures and buildings. Bend-optimized designs help simplify installation while reducing the risk of optical losses caused by tight bends and handling during deployment. Cable designs are also evolving to support faster and easier installation. Depending on the application, features such as lightweight constructions, improved stripping and access characteristics, flexible designs and installation friendly cable configurations can reduce deployment time and labour requirements. These factors are becoming increasingly important as network rollouts move into more challenging and densely populated environments. www.wirecable.in

At the same time, cable manufacturers are developing application specific designs rather than relying on a one size fits all approach. Data centres, for example, require very high fibre density, compact form factors and precise optical performance, while FTTH and telecom access networks place greater emphasis on installation flexibility, cost efficiency and field robustness. Overall, the direction of cable development is clearly towards more fibres in less space, improved bend performance, lighter and more installation friendly constructions and application specific designs.

WCI: Looking beyond demand growth, what do you believe will distinguish the most competitive OFC manufacturers over the next few years? Please draw upon broader industry developments and the capabilities that will matter most, such as manufacturing excellence, technology, quality systems, engineering expertise and supply-chain resilience. KM: Beyond demand growth, the manufacturers that stand out over the next few years are likely to be those that bring several of these capabilities together, rather than excelling in just one. Manufacturing excellence will increasingly be expressed through strong yields, automation, process discipline and continuous technological improvement and advancement, building on the scale and capacity utilisation discussed earlier. This will be critical for maintaining cost competitiveness, particularly in high-volume telecom and FTTH applications; manufacturers that achieve greater consistency and productivity while maintaining quality will have a structural advantage. Technology and product innovation will become increasingly important as networks move towards higher fibre

density, higher transmission speeds and more constrained deployment environments. Capabilities in reduced geometry fibres, high fibre count cable constructions, bend-optimized products and application specific cable designs will enable manufacturers to address emerging requirements in the network infrastructure. Engineering and customer support capabilities will provide another source of competitive advantage. Customers are increasingly looking for suppliers that can provide application specific solutions, technical support, customization and faster response to evolving network requirements. The ability to work closely with customers from product development through deployment can create stronger and more durable customer relationships. Finally, supply chain resilience and vertical integration will become increasingly important. In house preform, fibre and cable manufacturing, can improve quality control, cost management, supply security and responsiveness. Localisation of critical inputs and diversification of sourcing will also help manufacturers manage geopolitical, logistics and commodity related risks. Overall, the leading OFC manufacturers are likely to be those that can bring together scale, operational efficiency, advanced technology, uncompromising quality, engineering expertise and a resilient supply chain. The competitive advantage will increasingly come from the ability to deliver the right product, at the right cost and quality, with assured supply and technical support rather than from manufacturing capacity alone. At the M. P. Birla Group, including Birla Furukawa, we have been deeply invested in building capabilities across these areas and will continue to play a leading role in such developments, setting benchmarks and contributing to higher standards across the industry. Sep-Oct, 2026

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Points OFC’s Shift from ‘Capacity Game to Capability Game’ The optical fibre cable market is no longer being shaped by a single dominant application or a straightforward capacity expansion cycle. As fibre moves deeper into data centres, AI infrastructure, enterprise networks, defence and utility applications, the definition of a competitive OFC manufacturer is changing with it. In an exclusive interview with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Pramod Kumar Srivastava, CEO, West Coast Optilinks, points to this transition as a move from a capacity game to a capability game – one where vertical integration, application-specific engineering, high-fibre-density designs, faster product qualification and consistent long-term network performance are becoming central to how manufacturers create value. In this interaction with Wire & Cable India, he discusses what this shift means for product development, manufacturing investments and the evolution of India’s OFC ecosystem. Wire & Cable India: India’s fibre deployment is expanding across FTTH, 5G backhaul, data centres, BharatNet, enterprise networks and other segments. Which application segments are currently shaping product development and manufacturing priorities the most, and how do their technical requirements differ? Pramod Kumar Srivastava: At West Coast Optilinks (WCO) we believe that OFC grows where data consumption grows. The OFC industry is moving from a predominantly telecomled market to a multi-demand environment. 5G, FTTH and BharatNet have been the traditional drivers and remain important, but hyperscale data centres, AI infrastructure, enterprise networks and various utilities are changing the way data is consumed.

The manufacturers that understand the customer’s application and can respond quickly are likely to have a significant advantage. Mr. Pramod Kumar Srivastava, CEO, West Coast Optilinks

The biggest change is the increasing diversity of fibre demand. We are moving from one cable architecture serving multiple applications to application specific network architectures. For example the requirement for data centres is higher fibre count with lower latency vs 5G networks.

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capabilities and ability to manufacture high-fibre-count and faster turnaround for specialised cables are becoming important.

attributes, quality parameters or qualification requirements have become significantly more demanding? How have manufacturers responded?

where has the Indian industry made the most significant progress towards technological self-reliance? Which critical gaps still remain?

For WCO specifically, vertical integration into optical fibre is an important differentiator because it improves control over quality, supply and development specially in uncertain market conditions.

PKS: Customers are no longer looking only at whether the cable meets the specification at the time of delivery. They are increasingly concerned about how the cable will perform over 20–25 years in the field, how consistently it can be installed and how it behaves under different environmental and mechanical conditions. Performance lifecycle is becoming increasingly important in buying decisions specially considering the high deployment timeline and criticality of online services. Reliability, performance stability, mechanical and bend performance are becoming increasingly important.

PKS: Today India can be viewed as a significant turnaround story for the progress we are making across the OFC value chain. Globally, India may soon be having the 3rd largest fibre drawing capacity with multiple players also announcing preform production capacities. On the cable manufacturing side, significant investments are being made in R&D, specially for the higherfibre-count and specialised cable technologies.

We believe that the significant increase of fibre requirement in hyperscale data centres, defence applications and others has led to the need for faster turnaround in product development. How consistently, quickly and flexibly can one manufacture exactly what the customer needs is becoming increasingly important.

WCI: Network operators today expect higher reliability, faster deployment and longer service life. Which product

WCI: From preforms and optical fibre to cable manufacturing and testing,

Today, Indian manufacturers are comfortably able to meet the global quality expectations. At the same time, there are still gaps in some advanced optical components, specialised fibres, active connectivity and certain highend technologies. The opportunity for India is to build strength in the

Globally, India may soon be having the 3rd largest fibre drawing capacity with multiple players also announcing preform production capacities. On the cable manufacturing side, significant investments are being made in R&D, specially for the higher-fibre-count and specialised cable technologies.

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Sep-Oct, 2026

strategically important parts of the optical ecosystem while remaining globally integrated for technologies where global scale makes more sense.

WCI: Recent investments across the industry suggest a growing emphasis on automation, quality assurance and manufacturing scale. In your view, which investments have now become standard expectations or industry necessities, and which continue to provide a tangible competitive advantage? PKS: The biggest mistake is to invest only in capacity. The industry needs to invest simultaneously in technology, people and process automation which is aimed to deliver consistent performance in the networks over its lifetime. In my view, investments in basic automation, quality systems, testing and manufacturing scale have now become the entry ticket for a serious OFC manufacturer. They are no longer necessarily differentiators.

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Real competitive advantage emerges through vertical integration, advanced R&D, specialised product capability and the ability to take a product from customer requirement to qualification and commercial production quickly. Therefore, these are investments that allow you to participate in the market and differentiate you. At WCO we are continuously enhancing our testing capabilities, automation, systems & process capabilities and increasing our investments towards R&D.

entire value chain and offer application focussed, differentiated products. In today’s volatile environment, vertical integration and product differentiation win.

WCI: Beyond manufacturing capacity, what factors now determine a manufacturer’s ability to secure large telecom, infrastructure or data communication projects? How have procurement expectations evolved? PKS: Manufacturing capacity may get you to the conversation table, but it doesn’t necessarily win you the business. Large customers want confidence on quality, supply continuity, delivery performance, technical support and the financial ability to support large projects. They want to see how fast can a manufacturer customize and respond to changes in applications. They want suppliers who understand their network architecture and help them solve deployment problems. I therefore see the relationship moving

Sep-Oct, 2026

For WCO specifically, vertical integration into optical fibre is an important differentiator because it improves control over quality, supply and development specially in uncertain market conditions. from a traditional buyer-seller relationship towards a strategic supply partnership. The manufacturers that understand the customer’s application and can respond quickly are likely to have a significant advantage.

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fibre density, smaller size and more application-specific designs. We are already seeing increasing interest in 288F, 864F and 1728F solutions, particularly where duct space and deployment efficiency are important. Technologies such as IBR are interesting because they address not simply the requirement for more fibre, but the requirement to put more fibre into the same infrastructure and deploy it faster. Micro-cables, bendoptimised designs and specialised fibres are also becoming increasingly relevant. Looking ahead, we expect data centres and AI infrastructure to accelerate this shift towards highdensity and high-performance optical solutions.

Sep-Oct, 2026

CASE STUDY

CREATING A BLUEPRINT FOR ZERO CAPEX SMART CITY DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE: HOW STERLITE ELECTRIC REIMAGINED URBAN CONNECTIVITY THROUGH A PPP MODEL

s Indian cities become increasingly connected, digital infrastructure has emerged as a critical enabler of urban development. Intelligent traffic systems, integrated command centres, public surveillance, smart utilities and citizen services all rely on resilient, high capacity fiber networks. Yet for most urban authorities, creating this digital backbone requires significant capital investment, long term operational expertise and continuous maintenance often stretching already constrained public budgets.

traffic management, CCTV surveillance, public Wi Fi, integrated command centres and future digital applications. The challenge, however, was delivering this infrastructure without significant upfront capital investment while ensuring that the network remained operationally reliable and financially sustainable over the long term. Sterlite Electric’s Convergence team addressed this challenge through an innovative DBFOOT (Design-Build-Finance-Own-OperateTransfer) model that fundamentally reimagined how urban digital infrastructure could be developed.

The challenge is therefore no longer just about building digital infrastructure but about developing commercially sustainable models that allow cities to accelerate digital transformation without increasing public expenditure. One of India’s earliest and most successful examples of this approach emerged in Gurugram through a pioneering Public Private Partnership between the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and Sterlite Electric.

GMDA’s approach to building Gurugram’s digital backbone was structured around competitive, zone-based allocation rather than a single-vendor award. The city was divided into zones based on density, existing infrastructure and development priorities, with each zone put out for competitive bidding.

As Gurugram rapidly evolved into one of India’s foremost business and technology hubs, GMDA envisioned a city wide fiber backbone capable of supporting its ambitious Smart City programme. Beyond enabling digital governance, the network needed to provide the foundation for intelligent www.wirecable.in

Three operators were awarded contracts across these zones, including Sterlite Electric Limited, which secured its allocation through the same contested bidding process as the other two. Each operator was responsible for designing, building and financing the optical fiber network within its

Sep-Oct, 2026

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CASE STUDY awarded zone, in line with GMDA’s unified technical and commercial framework. GMDA’s partnership with Sterlite Electric leveraged an asset swap framework. GMDA provided Right of Way access across the city, while Sterlite Electric assumed responsibility for designing, financing, building, operating and maintaining a four duct underground optical fiber network. Two dedicated ducts were transferred to GMDA for exclusive Smart City applications, while the remaining two ducts were commercially monetized by Sterlite Electric, creating a selfsustaining revenue model that financed long term network operations and maintenance. As part of the arrangement, Sterlite Electric also committed to maintaining GMDA’s dedicated network for 21 years without any additional operational cost to the authority. This execution model by Sterlite Electric’s Convergence Team was bought to life with on-ground expertise in operating shared digital infrastructure at scale. A capability built over years of managing multi-tenant fiber networks and enabling seamless, non-discriminatory access for telecom operators and ISPs. In Gurugram specifically it architected a carrier-neutral access framework handling multi-operator provisioning while maintaining service-grade reliability across a dense, highdemand urban network all without disrupting the dedicated Smart City ducts reserved for GMDA.

infrastructure without duplicating network investments. This was made possible by Sterlite Electric’s proven track record of enabling ISP onboarding in Gurugram, from streamlined last-mile access to responsive network management, this allowed operators to scale their footprint in the city faster and more cost-effectively than building independent infrastructure. It is this operational depth, as much as the underlying fiber asset, that has sustained the network’s growing base of 20+ operators over time.

The result was far more than a fiber deployment and it established a commercially viable framework through which public infrastructure and private investment could jointly accelerate urban digital transformation.

The GMDA and Sterlite Electric partnership remains a benchmark for urban digital infrastructure in India. More than a successful fiber deployment, it proved that PublicPrivate Partnerships can transform existing public assets such as Right of Way into commercially sustainable digital infrastructure. As cities continue to invest in smart urban ecosystems while balancing fiscal priorities, the model offers a scalable blueprint for accelerating digital connectivity without increasing the burden on public finances.

Today, the network spans approximately 138 kilometres across Gurugram and serves as the city’s digital backbone, supporting critical Smart City infrastructure including intelligent traffic management systems, CCTV surveillance, public Wi-Fi and the Integrated Command and Control Centre. The platform has consistently delivered 99.98% network uptime while attracting more than 20 telecom operators and internet service providers, demonstrating both its technical robustness and commercial viability.

By combining innovative commercial structuring with longterm operational expertise, Sterlite Electric demonstrated that the future of smart city infrastructure lies not only in technology, but in creating sustainable business models that unlock long-term value for governments, industry and citizens alike.

Beyond creating a reliable digital network, the project fundamentally changed the economics of urban infrastructure development. GMDA secured ownership of a world class fiber backbone without incurring significant capital expenditure while eliminating long-term operations and maintenance responsibilities. Sterlite Electric, in turn, demonstrated how commercial monetization of shared infrastructure can create a financially sustainable model that benefits both public institutions and private stakeholders.

The Gurugram partnership is not intended as a one-off. Sterlite Electric views the DBFOOT model as a replicable, scalable framework and it plans to extend to other cities where similar conditions exist: high digital infrastructure demand and monetization potential for shared duct/fiber assets. Each new city partnership will be structured around the same core principle that made Gurugram successful — long-term ownership aligned with public infrastructure goals, built on genuine, durable partnerships rather than one-time contracts.

For telecom operators and internet service providers, the project created access to high-quality carrier-grade

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Sep-Oct, 2026

EXTRUSION

EXTRUSION MACHINERY Engineering for a Narrower Process Window Cable manufacturers are asking extrusion lines to process more materials, products and applications at higher output and tighter tolerances. The focus is on process stability, material-specific engineering, measurement, control and lifecycle economics.

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The image is suggestive and does not represent Sep-Oct, an actual installation. 2026

EXTRUSION

able extrusion is being asked to accommodate a wider production envelope. Manufacturers are processing more polymers, developing specialised cable constructions and serving applications with tighter dimensional and performance requirements. At the same time, pressure for higher output, material efficiency and lower operating costs remains high.

Costabile, Area Manager, Wire & Cable Division, MFL Group, links this processing window to screw and extruder design, tooling, temperature control, cooling and overall line configuration. “…extrusion equipment can no longer be designed around a single ‘standard’ material,” he says. Moisture control is another process variable that becomes more important with moisture-sensitive materials. Vijay Chaudhry, Chief Executive Officer, Bry-Air (Asia) Pvt. Ltd., highlights the role of controlled drying and low-dew-point air in achieving consistent material conditions before extrusion, particularly for polymers such as PBT and PA/nylon. For FRLS and ZHFR compounds, he also points to dehumidification as part of material conditioning before processing.

The result is a narrower and more demanding process window. HFFR and LSZH compounds can bring higher filler loading, different rheological behaviour and greater sensitivity to thermal conditions. XLPE and related materials introduce different requirements around dispersion, residence time, cooling and curing. Thermoplastic elastomers, PUR and engineering polymers add further processing requirements.

XLPE presents another set of requirements. Dispersion, temperature control and cooling influence the final properties of the material, while thermoset applications bring curing into the machinery equation. Rubber, silicone and other specialised materials similarly require processspecific approaches.

These requirements are influencing machinery design itself. Screw and barrel geometry, feeding, thermal management, tooling, cooling, curing and process control are increasingly being considered in relation to the material and application rather than as independent machine elements.

For machinery builders, this makes the extrusion line an engineered process system rather than a generic platform. Screw geometry, feeding characteristics, melt temperature, pressure, tooling and cooling have to work together within the processing window of the material.

Dr. Mikko Lahti, R&D Director, Maillefer, describes the operating challenge in similar terms. “Today’s extrusion systems must cope with an unprecedented range of cable constructions, materials and application requirements.” He points to automotive electrification, renewable energy, HVDC transmission, data communication and fire-safe building cables as applications placing greater demands on materials, tolerances and production conditions.

Material Behaviour Is Reshaping the Machine

Curing technology adds another dimension to the machinery equation. Thermoset, rubber and silicone applications can require different curing approaches, including steam, infrared and continuous vulcanisation systems. The machinery challenge therefore extends beyond melt preparation and shaping to the controlled development of the cable’s final material properties. Reji Koshy Daniel, Executive Director, Royle Extrusion Systems Private Limited, adds: “Cable manufacturers may be wise to discuss their requirements with extrusion system manufacturers who offer all types of curing system solutions.”

HFFR and LSZH compounds are a clear example. Their formulations can contain high levels of mineral fillers, affecting melting, pressure management, thermal behaviour and wear. Davide

This also makes process engineering increasingly important alongside mechanical design. A machine can have sufficient installed capacity, but its commercial performance depends on how consistently it maintains the required process conditions.

As cable designs become more material-efficient, acceptable process variation also becomes smaller. Maintaining output linearity, temperature control and dimensional consistency therefore becomes more consequential.

Material characteristics increasingly determine extrusion-system configuration.

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Sep-Oct, 2026

EXTRUSION MATERIAL DEFINES THE MACHINE HFFR / LSZH

Feeding

XLPE

Screw / Barrel

MATERIAL BEHAVIOUR

Thermal control

PROCESSING WINDOW

Engineering polymers

Tooling

offset the additional output obtained from running faster. Rubber / Silicone

Cooling

MACHINE CONFIGURATION

Curing

PROCESS STABILITY

Dr. Lahti puts the trade-off directly: “The most common trade-off arises when manufacturers seek higher line speeds without compromising dimensional accuracy, concentricity or insulation quality.” Maillefer’s position is that output stability is a major contributor to production economics. Stable extrusion across the operating range can support higher productivity with lower scrap, fewer operator interventions and stronger overall equipment effectiveness.

Source: WCI Sep-Oct 2026

Flexibility Has Limits

Manufacturers increasingly want extrusion lines that can accommodate changing products and materials. This is partly an economic requirement. A line that can process several product families can spread capital investment across a broader production base and reduce the risk of equipment becoming underutilised as product demand changes. Vivek Mehta, Managing Director, Sai Extrumech Pvt. Ltd., points to plants increasingly moving between materials such as PVC, HFFR and XLPE. Vivek Kohli, Director, Supermac Industries (India) Limited, says the company designs lines with configurable single-, dual- and triple-extrusion arrangements, depending on the product and customer requirement. Flexibility, however, has limits. A line designed to accommodate multiple materials still needs appropriate screws, tooling, temperature settings and downstream configurations. More demanding applications can therefore require dedicated arrangements rather than simply broader machine capability. Sandip Bhuva, CEO, Rajoo Bausano Extrusion Private Limited, describes movement toward modular and

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configurable systems. He relates equipment configuration to material, product geometry and production requirements rather than assuming a standard line for every application. Rajoo Bausano’s contribution focuses substantially on compounding extrusion. Flexibility does not mean that every material can be processed under the same conditions. It means that the machinery can accommodate different defined process windows without compromising stability. The balance is between platform flexibility and application-specific optimisation. The more specialised the cable, the greater the importance of getting that balance right.

Speed Is Useful Only When the Process Remains Stable

Line speed remains a major performance parameter. The more important distinction is between nominal speed and productive output. As throughput increases, the available process window can become narrower. Small changes in feeding, melt temperature, pressure or cooling can affect dimensional stability and product quality. The resulting scrap, adjustment time or downtime can

Sandip Bhuva makes a similar point from the compounding extrusion side. As throughput increases, the process window narrows, and variations in feeding, temperature, pressure or cooling can influence granule quality. The same principle applies downstream. A higher production rate has limited value if the resulting product requires greater intervention, produces more scrap or creates additional downtime. Productivity is therefore increasingly evaluated through the combination of output, quality, availability and resource consumption, rather than through line speed alone. Higher speed requires coordinated control of the extruder, thermal system, tooling, cooling, cable tension and downstream equipment. Improving one component without maintaining stability across the complete line can simply move the constraint elsewhere.

Measurement Is Becoming Integral To Production

A narrower process window is increasing the importance of measurement and faster correction. Online diameter measurement, wallthickness monitoring, eccentricity measurement, gravimetric feeding and closed-loop process control are

Sep-Oct, 2026

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EXTRUSION

SPEED IS NOT PRODUCTIVITY PROCESS WINDOW

SPEED

TEMPERATURE

FEEDING

NARROWER PROCESS WINDOW

PROCESS STABILITY PRESSURE

GREATER SENSITIVITY

PRODUCTIVE OUTPUT COOLING

CONSISTENT OUTPUT

POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES

VARIATION

SCRAP

ADJUSTMENT

DOWNTIME Source: WCI Sep-Oct 2026

becoming more closely integrated with production. Sai Extrumech highlights laser-based measurement and feedback as an example. Instead of relying entirely on downstream inspection to identify dimensional drift, online information can detect deviations while production is continuing. Supermac similarly identifies online diameter control and automatic process adjustment as important developments.

For cable manufacturers operating with tighter tolerances, a shorter correction cycle has direct economic value. Less variation can mean lower material loss, fewer interruptions and more consistent output.

Digital Capability Is Ahead of Digital Utilisation Digitalisation is now embedded in extrusion-equipment development, but its implementation remains uneven.

That is different from treating automation as a collection of sensors or PLC functions. The value comes when measurement is connected to a control response.

MFL Group’s Davide Costabile describes the gap clearly: “The gap we still see is not really a lack of technology. It is the ability to turn data into operational decisions.”

The same approach extends to material feeding and thermal management. Gravimetric systems can improve consistency in material consumption, while process monitoring can identify temperature or pressure changes before they develop into larger quality problems.

Production systems can collect large amounts of information on temperature, pressure, speed, torque, energy consumption, quality and machine performance. The more difficult task is converting that information into decisions on the

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production floor. Maillefer’s Dr. Mikko Lahti identifies advanced data acquisition, process monitoring and data-driven optimisation as areas already delivering measurable benefits, while noting that the industry’s ability to fully use available production data remains incomplete. The immediate value lies less in collecting more data than in making existing data actionable. Predictive maintenance, OEE monitoring, process analysis and quality-deviation detection all depend on the same underlying capability: linking machine information with an understanding of the process. AI has a role in the machinery discussion, but its application depends on the availability and quality of process data. Davide Costabile and Sandip Bhuva describe AI-based analysis and monitoring capabilities,

Sep-Oct, 2026

EXTRUSION BEYOND THE PURCHASE PRICE

while Reji Koshy Daniel points to the limited data and experience available for emerging compounds, which makes it harder to define and trust AI-based systems.. The evidence points to a gradual progression from monitoring to interpretation and then to automated correction, rather than a wholesale move to autonomous extrusion. Operator capability remains part of this equation. The need for training and process knowledge persists even as machine interfaces become more intuitive. Automation can reduce intervention, but it does not remove the need to understand why a process is behaving differently.

The Economics Extend Beyond the Purchase Price The economics of an extrusion line extend well beyond its purchase price. Total cost of ownership is increasingly associated with scrap, energy consumption, uptime, maintenance, changeover time, spare parts, service support, reliability and machine life.

Costabile describes the investment value of an extrusion line in these terms, with customers examining downtime, maintenance requirements, changeover performance and longterm reliability alongside productivity. Bhuva identifies output, specific energy consumption, product consistency, availability, changeover time, maintenance, raw-material utilisation, automation and technical support as factors affecting TCO. This changes the way machine performance should be assessed. A line with a lower purchase price can become more expensive to operate if it generates higher scrap, requires longer changeovers or suffers extended downtime while waiting for parts or service. Conversely, higher initial investment can be justified when it produces measurable gains in

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PURCHASE PRICE

YIELD

UPTIME

ENERGY

CHANGEOVER

LIFECYCLE ECONOMICS yield, uptime, energy use or product consistency. Royle Extrusion Systems’ emphasis on MTBF and MTTR reinforces this relationship. Reliability is not simply a maintenance attribute. It affects production availability and therefore the economics of the installed asset. Energy efficiency is part of the same calculation. Sandip Bhuva identifies specific energy consumption as an important operating consideration, while Davide Costabile links energy performance with thermal efficiency, machine loading, start-up losses and stable processing. This broader view also makes upgradeability relevant. A machine that can be modified as product requirements change can protect the value of the original investment, particularly where product portfolios are evolving. The commercial value of an extrusion line therefore extends across its operating life. The relevant output is not simply kilograms or metres produced, but conforming product produced consistently and economically.

Applications are Changing Equipment Choices

The diversification of cable applications is reinforcing these requirements. Automotive cables place emphasis on thin-wall insulation,

MAINTENANCE

SERVICE

Source: WCI Sep-Oct 2026

dimensional accuracy and material efficiency. Data communication cables require particularly consistent dimensions and process precision. Renewable energy and EV applications are increasing demand for materials and constructions with specific thermal, electrical and environmental performance requirements. Railway and building applications are important drivers for LSZH and HFFR processing. Medium- and high-voltage cables bring different requirements around XLPE processing, curing and cleanliness. Silicone and rubber applications introduce their own curing and process-control requirements. These applications therefore influence more than material selection. They affect screw configuration, crossheads, tooling, cooling, curing, measurement and downstream handling. Dr. Mikko Lahti describes an increasingly application-oriented approach, with specialised crossheads, optimised extruders, measurement systems and process-specific production concepts. Davide Costabile points to applications ranging from conventional power and low-voltage cables to wind-power and specialised automotive cables, including high-performance PEEK-insulated applications. Sandip Bhuva describes machinery configured around material characteristics, product geometry and production requirements, supported

Sep-Oct, 2026

EXTRUSION by rheological analysis and process testing. Application diversification is therefore increasing the number of process configurations that machinery builders need to engineer reliably.

Standardisation Still Has a Place

Greater application complexity does not mean every extrusion line must become increasingly customised. Rosendahl’s standardised approach to common low-voltage cable applications provides an important counterpoint. Where product requirements are sufficiently repetitive, standardised machinery can reduce engineering complexity and investment requirements while maintaining defined production capability. This creates two valid equipment

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strategies. For specialised products, manufacturers may need configurable or highly engineered systems capable of handling demanding materials and tight process windows. For repeatable, high-volume products, standardisation can provide a different route to economic efficiency. Machine architecture therefore needs to match production requirements rather than treating flexibility or customisation as universal objectives.

Managing Complexity Economically Cable manufacturers are asking lines to handle more materials, more constructions and more demanding applications. They are also asking for higher output, tighter tolerances and lower operating costs.

Machinery development is responding through material-specific screw

and tooling design, tighter thermal management, more specialised curing systems, online measurement, closedloop control, digital monitoring and greater attention to reliability and lifecycle cost. The resulting equipment is more closely integrated with the process it is expected to perform. Material behaviour influences the processing window, which influences machine design. Machine design and control influence stability. Stability affects yield, downtime and quality. Together, these factors determine the economics of the line. The most useful measure of an extrusion system is its ability to maintain stable, repeatable and economically viable production under the material and application conditions for which it is installed.

Sep-Oct, 2026

EXTRUSION

AI, Digital Connectivity Shape Rosendahl Nextrom’s Next-Gen Extrusion Strategy Rosendahl Nextrom is advancing cable extrusion technology by combining process engineering, automation, digital monitoring and material expertise. As cable manufacturers demand higher speeds, tighter tolerances and greater product flexibility, the company focuses on stable processing, faster changeovers and reduced scrap. In an exclusive interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Marc Richling, Director - Extrusion Technology, Rosendahl Nextrom, talks about how they integrate machine design, controls and data architecture while addressing the specific processing requirements of HFFR, LSZH, XLPE, elastomers and high-performance polymers. Laboratory testing, material collaboration and application-specific engineering further support reliable production and shorter development cycles. Looking ahead, Rosendahl Nextrom sees AI-assisted control, simulation and connected process data shaping the next generation of extrusion machinery. Wire & Cable India: Cable manufacturers today produce an increasingly diverse range of products using different polymers, performance requirements and production speeds. Which developments are placing the greatest demands on modern extrusion systems, and why? Marc Richling: The greatest demand is no longer maximum output for one product; it is maintaining high output, stable quality and short changeover times across a broad range of polymers and cable designs on the same line. This requires an extrusion system with a wide operating window, simple handling and screw and feeding concepts that remain stable without compromising homogenisation.

Mr. Marc Richling, Director - Extrusion Technology, Rosendahl Nextrom

Rosendahl Nextrom addresses this through extensive laboratory work and our modular feed concept. Physical foaming raises the bar further: tighter tolerances require highly stable feeding and melt pressure, uniform mixing and precise gas dosing. Lowtemperature PP or PE foams are especially challenging because these are often multi-component blends which differ markedly in melting and thermal behaviour. The decisive point is that the complete process must be engineered as one system—the best gas dosing can compensate for neither an unsuitable screw nor an unsuitable polymer, which also underlines the importance of polymer selection. This holistic approach gives customers the flexibility to run more products, change over faster and still achieve consistently high quality.

Sep-Oct, 2026

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Booth A47

EXTRUSION Compared with five years ago, the increasing number of shaped, non-round and special products has made material flow through the tooling much more difficult to control. Small flow imbalances can quickly affect geometry, wall-thickness distribution and surface quality. The answer is a stronger combination of flow simulation, accurate material characterisation and practical validation. MR: Compared with five years ago, the increasing number of shaped, non-round and special products has made material flow through the tooling much more difficult to control. Small flow imbalances can quickly affect geometry, wall-thickness distribution and surface quality. The answer is a stronger combination of flow simulation, accurate material characterisation and practical validation. We work closely with material manufacturers and often evaluate new compounds at a very early stage, which gives us better data for designing screws, crossheads and tooling. By combining simulation with trials on our laboratory lines, we reduce development loops, shorten time to market and give customers more predictable results. Software is becoming increasingly important, but it creates real value only when it is backed by deep process know-how.

production conditions. Mechanical precision alone is therefore not enough. Stable extrusion must be combined with automated, closed-loop process control that continuously uses product measurements to keep dimensions within tolerance. At Rosendahl Nextrom, we design the machine, controls and data architecture as one system, allowing customers to increase output without losing process transparency or quality. Digital monitoring also provides full production traceability and can be connected to existing ERP and manufacturing systems. The objective is not simply to run faster, but to produce more saleable cable with less operator intervention, less scrap and consistently high quality.

MR: The guiding principle is simple: every polymer must be treated according to its specific behaviour. With HFFR and other highly filled compounds, the challenge is to combine high output with sufficient plasticisation, low melt temperature and good homogeneity while minimising plateout. Thermoplastic elastomers such as TPE-U and TPE-C require gentle processing because excessive shear can damage their morphology. XLPE demands a self-cleaning, carefully designed flow path to prevent pre-crosslinking and surface defects. High-performance polymers such as PPSU, PEEK and TPI also require disciplined material handling, including thorough drying and, in some cases, inert-gas conditions. Through early cooperation with material manufacturers and application testing in our laboratories, Rosendahl Nextrom develops the correct processing window before a material reaches broad production. This material know-how is essential for quality, uptime and long cleaning intervals.

MR: From an operating-cost perspective, process control, digital monitoring and automation currently deliver the greatest measurable benefit because they reduce scrap, raw-material consumption and unplanned downtime—the largest cost factors in many cable plants. Energy efficiency remains important, but its economic impact is often overestimated when viewed in isolation. In many extrusion processes, more than 80% of the energy used to melt the polymer is introduced mechanically through the screw and drive, while the barrel heaters provide the smaller share. A 30% reduction in heater energy would therefore reduce total extrusion energy by only around 6% in this example. The practical gap is that many plants collect data but do not yet convert it into effective automatic control. Our focus is to turn data into stable quality and measurable customer value.

MR: The main trade-off appears when higher speed amplifies even small fluctuations in material properties or

MR: The investment value of an extrusion line is determined far more by total cost of ownership than by

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Sep-Oct, 2026

EXTRUSION From an operating-cost perspective, process control, digital monitoring and automation currently deliver the greatest measurable benefit because they reduce scrap, raw-material consumption and unplanned downtime—the largest cost factors in many cable plants. purchase price alone. Over the life of the line, raw material, scrap, downtime, changeover time and lost production capacity usually outweigh the initial investment. Machine design must therefore prioritise stable quality, high uptime, flexibility and fast product changes. In one conservative comparison involving a fibre-optic bundling line, the higher initial investment was recovered after approximately 1.5 years through raw-material savings and higher production output. This is the customer-benefit perspective that guides Rosendahl Nextrom: a line should not merely be technically advanced; it should create a measurable economic advantage throughout its operating life.

performance can be corrected mainly through machine settings. In reality, the correct choice of extruder concept (such as smooth-bore or grooved-barrel design), screw geometry, material preparation and processing window is decisive. Incorrect selections often result in lower output, unstable quality and higher scrap. High-performing plants treat extrusion as a complete system: they understand their materials, use standardised recipes, plan product sequences intelligently and organise changeovers to minimise cleaning and setup time. They also invest in operator knowledge and use production data to improve the process continuously. For Rosendahl Nextrom, transferring this know-how is part of the solution, because even the best machine delivers its full customer benefit only when technology and operational practice work together.

MR: Different applications still require different line configurations, tooling and process conditions. The real engineering challenge is to create customer-specific, multipurpose lines that cover several products without compromising output or quality. That requires more than modular machinery; it requires detailed product, material and process know-how. Rosendahl Nextrom uses application-specific laboratory lines and close cooperation with material manufacturers to test new compounds and cable concepts early. This enables us to react quickly to market developments and configure flexible lines with short changeover times and reliable production windows. We therefore see ourselves not only as a machine supplier, but as a technology and know-how partner that helps customers enter new markets with lower technical risk.

MR: The next generation of extrusion machinery will connect the entire process digitally—from pellet properties and screw behaviour to melt flow, tooling and final product quality. Greater computing power will enable more holistic simulation, while AI-based assistants and controllers will help operators identify deviations earlier, stabilise production and shorten setup times. Nevertheless, plastics processing will not become a purely virtual discipline; material data are never perfect, and real compounds must still be validated under production conditions. Technology leadership will therefore depend on combining simulation and automation with laboratory testing, close cooperation with material manufacturers and deep application experience. This is where Rosendahl Nextrom intends to remain ahead: not by developing technology for its own sake, but by translating technical excellence into clear customer value—flexible lines, fast changeovers, low scrap, reliable quality and solutions that are tested early enough to keep customers one step ahead.

The next generation of extrusion machinery will connect the entire process digitally—from pellet properties and screw behaviour to melt flow, tooling and final product quality. Greater computing power will enable more holistic simulation, while AI-based assistants and controllers will help operators identify deviations earlier, stabilise production and shorten setup times.

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EXTRUSION

From Higher Speeds to Smarter Processes: Supermac Industries on the Evolution of Cable Extrusion Supermac Industries is advancing cable extrusion technology through process engineering, automation, digital monitoring and flexible machine design, with a focus on process stability, efficient production and application-specific solutions. In an exclusive interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Vivek Kohli, Director, Supermac Industries (India) Limited, talks about how the company integrates screw and barrel design, cross-head technology, tooling, cooling, line control and online measurement to achieve consistent extrusion processes. He also discusses the growing role of Industry 4.0, IoT-enabled systems, remote diagnostics, online diameter control and modular, upgradeable machinery in improving productivity and extending equipment life. Looking ahead, Supermac Industries sees intelligent process control, data-driven manufacturing, material flexibility and energy-conscious systems shaping the next generation of extrusion machinery. Wire and Cable India: Cable manufacturers today produce an increasingly diverse range of products using different polymers, performance requirements and production speeds. Which developments are placing the greatest demands on modern extrusion systems, and why? Vivek Kohli: The biggest change we see is that cable manufacturers are no longer looking for machines designed around one product or one material. They increasingly want flexible platforms capable of handling a wider range of materials, cable constructions, diameters and production speeds without compromising consistency. The growth of renewable energy, EVs, automotive, data communication and higher-performance power cables is bringing more demanding materials and tighter dimensional requirements. At the same time, manufacturers expect higher output and faster changeovers. This places greater demands on the complete extrusion system—not just the extruder. Screw and barrel design, temperature control, cross-head flow distribution, tooling, cooling, line tension and online measurement all have to work as one integrated system.

Mr. Vivek Kohli, Director, Supermac Industries (India) Limited

At Supermac, we therefore see process stability and flexibility as equally important as maximum line speed. Our lines are designed with configurable single, dual and triple extrusion arrangements, depending on the product and customer requirement.

WCI: Compared with five years ago, which aspects of the extrusion process have become technically www.wirecable.in

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EXTRUSION One common misconception is that a higher machine speed automatically means higher productivity. In reality, productivity is determined by the amount of conforming products produced efficiently and consistently. more difficult to control consistently? How have machinery design and process engineering evolved to address these challenges?

The challenge is therefore to achieve homogeneous melting and mixing without excessive shear, degradation or temperature variation.

VK: The principal challenge is maintaining consistent product quality at increasingly higher speeds and with increasingly narrow tolerances.

This is driving improvements in screw and barrel geometry, temperature-control systems, melt-flow distribution and cross-head design. Tooling has become particularly important because the melt has to be distributed uniformly around the conductor while maintaining very tight wall-thickness tolerances.

Melt temperature stability, pressure variation, wall-thickness consistency, eccentricity, cooling conditions, line tension, and synchronization between different sections of the line become more critical as speed increases.

Supermac’s triple-extrusion technology for silane-XLPE, for example, uses a dedicated cross-head and melt distributors matched to the different insulation and semiconductive layers.

The industry has therefore moved from machines that were primarily mechanically controlled to integrated electromechanical and digital process systems. Modern extrusion lines increasingly incorporate recipe-based operation, online diameter measurement, automatic process adjustments, improved communication between machines and remote diagnostics. Supermac’s systems incorporate Industry 4.0/IoT capabilities and online remote service, while our machine-upgrade programs can also bring newer control and drive technologies to existing equipment. The objective is not simply automation for its own sake. The objective is to make the process less dependent on operator intervention and more repeatable from one production run to another.

WCI: Modern cable compounds such as HFFR, LSZH, XLPE, specialised elastomers and engineering polymers each present unique processing characteristics. Which materialrelated challenges are driving the most significant innovations in extrusion equipment today? VK: Material technology is probably one of the strongest drivers of extrusion-machine development. Materials such as HFFR and LSZH can have very different flow, thermal and shear characteristics compared with conventional PVC compounds. XLPE and silane-based systems introduce their own processing and curing requirements, while specialised elastomers and engineering polymers can demand precise temperature and residencetime control.

Going forward, we expect material-specific process engineering rather than one-size-fits-all extrusion design to become increasingly important.

WCI: Customers increasingly expect higher line speeds together with tighter quality tolerances. In practice, where do machinery builders encounter the greatest trade-offs between productivity, process stability and product quality, and how are these being addressed? VK: The fundamental issue is that speed alone does not represent productivity. Increasing line speed can reduce production time, but if it creates higher scrap, dimensional variation, frequent stops or difficult changeovers, the real productivity gain can disappear. The most important engineering challenge is therefore to increase speed while maintaining stable melt conditions, precise wall thickness and eccentricity, consistent cooling, stable cable tension, reliable take-up and pay-off, accurate synchronization between line components, and fast response to process disturbances. Modern systems address this through better screw and crosshead design, improved drives, closed-loop measurement, online diameter control and better coordination between the different sections of the line. Our philosophy is to optimise output per hour of goodquality cable, rather than simply maximising nominal

The future of extrusion is not simply about making machines faster. It is about making the complete process more intelligent, stable, flexible, energy-efficient and repeatable.

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EXTRUSION machine speed. Supermac’s equipment incorporates online diameter control and precision pay-off/take-up systems for this reason.

of being upgraded as technology develops. Supermac has specifically focused on machine upgrades because existing equipment can often be improved through new screw-and-barrel designs, drives, servo systems and communication technologies rather than being completely replaced. Therefore, we believe upgradeability and long-term service support are becoming as important as the initial machine specification.

VK: The greatest measurable benefits are currently coming from a combination of efficient drives, process optimisation, automation and reduced downtime. Energy efficiency is important, but manufacturers should look beyond the electrical consumption of the extruder alone. A more efficient machine is one that also reduces start-up waste, improves changeover time, reduces rejected cable and minimizes unplanned downtime. Digital monitoring and remote diagnostics are also becoming increasingly valuable. They allow manufacturers and machinery suppliers to identify problems faster and reduce the time required for troubleshooting. Supermac already incorporates IoT-enabled systems, Industry 4.0-compatible controls and online remote service capabilities. The gap we still see is between what digital technology can technically deliver and what plants are operationally prepared to use. Installing sensors is relatively easy; converting the data into useful process decisions, predictive maintenance and measurable productivity improvements requires disciplined implementation and trained personnel.

Consequently, the future is not one universal extrusion line. It is modular machine architecture combined with application-specific screw, barrel, cross-head and tooling design.

VK: Customers are increasingly evaluating an extrusion line on its total cost of ownership, rather than simply its purchase price. The important parameters include production output, material utilization and low scrap, energy consumption, changeover time, reliability and uptime, maintenance requirements, availability of spare parts and service, operator requirements, the ability to handle future products, and machine life and upgradeability.

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Data cables are a different challenge altogether because dimensional accuracy, eccentricity and electrical characteristics become extremely sensitive to the extrusion process. Supermac’s high-speed tandem data-cable systems, for example, incorporate online diameter control and capacitance monitoring. For power cables, particularly higher-voltage products, the emphasis shifts toward multi-layer extrusion, precise crosshead design, cleanliness and process stability.

This is changing machine design significantly. Equipment needs to be easier to operate, easier to maintain and capable

VK: Diversification is creating a much greater need for application-specific extrusion solutions. For automotive and EV cables, manufacturers require high productivity combined with precise insulation dimensions and reliable material processing. Renewable-energy cables can require specialized insulation and sheathing systems, as well as long continuous production capability.

WCI: From your interactions with cable manufacturers, what are the most common misconceptions about extrusion that often lead to avoidable quality issues, inefficiencies or higher production costs? Conversely, what operational practices consistently distinguish high-performing plants? VK: One common misconception is that a higher machine speed automatically means higher productivity. In reality, productivity is determined by the amount of conforming products produced efficiently and consistently. Another misconception is that extrusion quality is primarily determined by the extruder. In reality, the complete line—from pay-off through extrusion and cooling to take-up—including the right selection of materials, has to be properly balanced.

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EXTRUSION We also see situations where manufacturers try to process different materials using the same screw, barrel and tooling configuration without sufficient consideration of material behaviour. This can lead to instability, excessive waste or inconsistent quality. High-performing plants typically have disciplined process parameters, well-maintained tooling, properly calibrated measurement systems, consistent raw-material handling, controlled start-up and changeover procedures, trained operators, preventive maintenance, and effective use of process data. The best plants also treat the machinery supplier as a technology and process partner, rather than simply as an equipment vendor.

WCI: Looking ahead, which engineering capabilities do you believe will define the next generation of extrusion machinery? Please elaborate from an industry perspective, focusing on the underlying technological and process developments rather than individual product launches. VK: We believe the next generation of extrusion machinery will be defined by intelligent process control, flexibility, energy efficiency and the ability to continuously optimise production. The machine of the future will increasingly understand the relationship between material, process parameters, line speed and final product quality. The key developments will include: 1. Closed-loop process control: Online measurement will increasingly feed directly into machine controls, allowing the system to automatically correct process deviations and maintain consistent product quality.

2. Data-driven manufacturing: Production data will be used not only for monitoring but also for process optimisation, predictive maintenance and quality analysis. 3. Greater material flexibility: Machines will need to process a wider range of modern compounds while maintaining stable output and product quality. 4. Faster and more intelligent changeovers: Recipe management and automated settings will reduce operator dependence and production losses. 5. Modular and upgradeable machinery: Customers will increasingly seek modular and upgradeable equipment that can evolve with their products and technology rather than becoming obsolete. 6. Energy-conscious process engineering: Energy consumption will be considered at the complete-line level, together with scrap, downtime and productivity. 7. Remote technical support and connectivity: Remote diagnostics and service will become standard expectations, particularly for globally distributed manufacturing operations. Ultimately, the next generation of extrusion machinery will not be defined simply by higher RPM or higher line speed. It will be defined by how intelligently the machine converts raw material into consistent, high-quality cable with minimum waste, energy consumption and downtime. That is where we see the real evolution of extrusion technology. “The future of extrusion is not simply about making machines faster. It is about making the complete process more intelligent, stable, flexible, energy-efficient and repeatable.”

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EXTRUSION

MFL Group on Flexible, Connected and Energy-Efficient Extrusion Systems In an exclusive interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Davide Costabile, Area Manager (Wire & Cable Division), MFL Group, discusses how the growing diversity of polymers and cable applications is reshaping extrusion machinery design. He emphasises that equipment can no longer be designed around a single “standard” material, making flexible extrusion platforms essential for maintaining process stability across a wider range of compounds. The discussion also highlights the growing importance of energy efficiency, thermal management and longterm reliability, along with MFL Group’s approach to integrating machinery, production data and digital tools through the MFL X ecosystem. Looking ahead, he envisions more adaptable, autonomous, connected and energy-efficient extrusion systems. Wire and Cable India: Cable manufacturers today produce an increasingly diverse range of products using different polymers, performance requirements and production speeds. Which developments are placing the greatest demands on modern extrusion systems, and why? Davide Costabile: Today, cable manufacturing involves a wide range of polymers, so machine manufacturers like MFL Group need to consider all of them when designing an extrusion line. The material itself increasingly determines how the extrusion process must be designed. HFFR and LSZH compounds are a good example. Their formulations can be highly filled and therefore place very different demands on melting, pressure management and thermal control compared with conventional PVC or PE.

Mr. Davide Costabile, Area Manager (Wire & Cable Division), MFL Group

Then there are materials such as TPE, PUR or highperformance engineering polymers, which can require different temperature windows, residence times and mechanical conditions. For us, this means that extrusion equipment can no longer be designed around a single “standard” material. The processing window of the material has to be considered at the engineering stage, from screw and extruder design through to tooling, temperature control, cooling and line configuration. The evolution we see is therefore towards highly flexible extrusion platforms, capable of handling a broader range of

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EXTRUSION Extrusion equipment can no longer be designed around a single “standard” material. The processing window of the material has to be considered at the engineering stage, from screw and extruder design through to tooling, temperature control, cooling and line configuration. compounds without compromising process stability. MFL’s current extrusion portfolio, for example, covers materials ranging from PVC, PE and XLPE to HFFR, LSZH, PP, PUR, TPE and other specialised materials.

WCI: Compared with five years ago, which aspects of the extrusion process have become technically more difficult to control consistently? How have machinery design and process engineering evolved to address these challenges? DC: As operators’ technical knowledge is gradually declining, our role in supporting customers is becoming increasingly important, not only in selecting the right technology, but also in addressing production challenges and solving production issues. At the same time, we are continuously upgrading our machines to minimise operator intervention and make their operation simpler and more intuitive.

This is also an area where MFL Group is continuously pushing the boundaries, developing extrusion solutions capable of achieving benchmark production speeds even with demanding materials, while maintaining a stable, repeatable process and consistent product quality.

From a processing perspective, these materials are considerably more demanding than conventional polymers. They require very precise thermal management and stable processing conditions to achieve consistent output and cable quality, due to the combination of material formulation, high filler content and sensitivity to processing conditions.

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This is where engineering becomes critical. Extruder design, thermal management, tooling, cooling, cable tension and automation all have to work together to ensure process stability, particularly as production speeds increase.

One of the most significant developments is the increasing use of halogen-free flame-retardant materials, particularly HFFR and LSZH compounds. Their adoption is being driven by increasingly stringent safety requirements, especially in building and infrastructure applications, where smoke generation, flame propagation and the absence of halogens are becoming increasingly important considerations.

Our systems are engineered to deliver up to 40% higher

A patented extruder design, precise thermal management, and long-term mechanical reliability ensure repeatable results and prevent material degradation even at high production speeds, making the system suitable for demanding processes.

DC: The real challenge for cable manufacturers is to achieve the highest sustainable production speed while maintaining a stable process and consistent product quality.

DC: Processing XLPE requires excellent dispersion of all components throughout the extruder, as well as controlled and gradual cooling of the cable to ensure that the material develops the required mechanical properties.

To address these challenges, MFL Group has developed extrusion solutions in collaboration with leading global polymer manufacturers.

throughput compared to leading market benchmarks (EXB 120/25, 60 RPM), while maintaining stable quality and full compliance with CPR requirements. Fast compound changeovers without barrel disassembly, combined with stable processing conditions, help reduce downtime and improve operational efficiency.

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EXTRUSION A patented extruder design, precise thermal management, and long-term mechanical reliability ensure repeatable results and prevent material degradation even at high production speeds, making the system suitable for demanding processes. start-up losses and maintaining stable processing conditions can deliver benefits simultaneously in terms of energy consumption, productivity and scrap.

components, faster and more repeatable changeovers, improved process stability, easier maintenance, digital monitoring and upgradeability.

This is also where the MFL X ecosystem can add value by connecting machinery, production data and digital tools. Acumen provides continuous monitoring of production performance, helping manufacturers track key indicators such as OEE, identify inefficiencies and understand where productivity losses occur. Eagle, with its AI-based cable quality analysis capabilities, adds a further layer by supporting the identification and analysis of quality deviations.

In our view, the best investment is a line that consistently delivers high output and high-quality products, while keeping operating costs under control and providing the flexibility to adapt to future production requirements.

The value comes from bringing these capabilities together - monitoring what is happening, understanding why it is happening and using that information to improve the process.

DC: The growing diversification of applications is driving the demand for increasingly flexible extrusion lines. Different sectors require different materials and process conditions, so the same line must be able to adapt to each application through the appropriate process configuration and operating parameters.

The gap we still see is not really a lack of technology. It is the ability to turn data into operational decisions. Many manufacturers already collect large amounts of production data, but not all of them have integrated systems, clear KPIs or processes that allow operators and managers to use that data effectively. The next step is therefore less about collecting more data and more about making existing data actionable and connecting it to the decisions made on the production floor.

DC: The investment value of an extrusion line increasingly has to be evaluated in terms of total cost of ownership rather than simply the purchase price of the equipment. Productivity is fundamental, but customers are also looking closely at scrap rates, energy consumption, downtime, maintenance requirements, changeover times and longterm reliability. We are seeing greater emphasis on high-efficiency

At MFL Group, our extrusion technology covers a broad range of applications, from power and low-voltage cables to wind power and highly specialised automotive applications, including high-performance PEEK-insulated cables.

First, machines will need to become increasingly capable of handling a wider range of advanced materials while maintaining a stable and well-defined processing window. Second, process control will become more autonomous. Instead of simply monitoring parameters, future systems will

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EXTRUSION increasingly be capable of detecting deviations, identifying their causes, and automatically adjusting the process within predefined limits. This will become increasingly important as the availability of skilled operators becomes more limited. By embedding more process knowledge into the machinery, automation can support operators, reduce the need for highly specialised intervention and make production more consistent and repeatable. Third, digital technologies will play a larger role in turning production data into operational intelligence. This includes predictive maintenance, real-time performance monitoring, recipe management and a better understanding of the relationship between process parameters and final cable quality.

Finally, energy efficiency, durability and long-term reliability will become increasingly important. Customers will need machinery that uses resources as efficiently as possible, while being designed to operate reliably over a long service life with reduced maintenance requirements. Longer-lasting components, lower wear and easier maintenance can help reduce downtime and total operating costs, making the machine a stronger long-term investment. Overall, we see the next generation of extrusion machinery evolving towards systems that are more adaptable, autonomous, connected and energy-efficient, making production more stable, consistent and sustainable.

NEWS

APAR Industries Accelerates INR 1,500 Crore Capex for Cables, Conductors and Digital Infrastructure APAR Industries is fast-tracking capacity and technology investments across cables, conductors, OPGW and fibre solutions to support India’s evolving T&D and digital infrastructure. Sep 1, 2026 APAR Industries Limited is accelerating its capacity expansion programme with INR 1,500 crore of planned capex for FY2026-27, following INR 740 crore invested during FY2025-26. The company is fast-tracking a three-year cable programme to bring manufacturing capacity online ahead of the demand curve, while simultaneously pursuing debottlenecking initiatives in its conductor business. The investments are aimed at capturing opportunities emerging from renewable energy, grid modernisation, global exports and hyperscale data centres. As part of its expansion strategy, APAR is strengthening its high-performance conductor portfolio for modern transmission networks. The company is progressing towards commercial production of coated conductors and AERO-Z conductors, while developing extra-highconductivity and 4000/5000-series alloy products. The company is also scaling its OPGW and reconductoring capabilities to address the growing requirements of T&D networks. APAR has completed more than 272 power-line reconductoring projects and supplied over 7,075 circuit kilometres of HTLS, while continuing to develop turnkey solutions covering HTLS reconductoring and OPGW live-line installation.

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Alongside power infrastructure, APAR is expanding its presence in telecom and optical-fibre connectivity. Its Telecom Solutions business has enhanced capabilities in high-capacity fibre and specialised connectivity solutions, including submarine and drone-based applications, as well as the Kavach project for Indian Railways. The cable expansion is further supported by APAR’s E-beam technology and irradiation capabilities. The company has been increasing the share of E-beam curing in its cable manufacturing operations, with nearly 30% of curing already migrated to E-beam technology across six operational facilities. This technology-led capacity expansion is supporting the company’s focus on highperformance, renewable-energy, speciality and safetycritical cable applications.

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EXTRUSION

Maillefer Headed Towards More Stable, Flexible and Efficient Cable Extrusion As cable manufacturers face increasing demands for higher-performance materials, diverse cable constructions, tighter process tolerances and demanding production conditions, extrusion technology is evolving to deliver greater process stability, flexibility and precision. During an exclusive interview with Wire & Cable India, Dr. Mikko Lahti, R&D Director, Maillefer, shares insights into how advanced automation, data acquisition, intelligent control systems, digital process monitoring and data-driven optimisation are providing measurable benefits to manufacturers. He stresses output stability as one of the most important contributors to overall production economics. Looking ahead, he highlights process modelling, digital factory simulation, real-time quality monitoring and integrated data management as key capabilities shaping the future of extrusion systems. Wire and Cable India: Which developments are placing the greatest demands on modern extrusion systems, and why? Mikko Lahti: Today’s extrusion systems must cope with an unprecedented range of cable constructions, materials and application requirements. Growth in automotive electrification, renewable energy, HVDC transmission, data communication and firesafe building cables is driving demand for higherperformance materials and tighter process tolerances. At the same time, manufacturers are expected to deliver higher output rates while reducing material consumption and energy use. These trends place increasing demands on extrusion stability, melt quality, dimensional accuracy and process repeatability. Modern extrusion lines must be flexible enough to process a broad spectrum of materials, from XLPE and HFFR compounds to advanced thermoplastics, while maintaining consistent product quality at high production speeds. Dr. Mikko Lahti, R&D Director, Maillefer

WCI: Compared with five years ago, which aspects of the extrusion process have become technically more difficult to control consistently? ML: The biggest challenge is maintaining stable output and consistent melt quality across increasingly diverse materials and production conditions. As cable designs become more material-efficient, acceptable process variation decreases, placing greater emphasis on output linearity, temperature control and dimensional consistency.

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EXTRUSION Process modeling, digital factory simulation, real-time quality monitoring and integrated data management will play a central role. Future extrusion systems will combine high productivity with optimized energy consumption, reduced material usage and greater production flexibility, enabling cable manufacturers to respond rapidly to changing market requirements while maintaining exceptional product quality. To address these demands, extrusion technology has evolved toward advanced automation, data acquisition, digital process monitoring and intelligent control systems. Process modelling, neural-network-based optimisation and factory-level performance analysis are increasingly used to determine optimal operating conditions and maintain productivity while keeping melt temperatures within safe processing limits.

mized curing technologies are therefore designed to increase capacity while simultaneously improving cable quality.

WCI: Which developments are delivering the greatest measurable operational benefits today, and where does a gap still exist between expectations and implementation? ML: Automation, process monitoring and data-driven optimization currently provide some of the most measurable benefits. These technologies improve consistency, reduce scrap, support minimum tolerance production and allow operators to better understand process performance. Advanced data acquisition and production analysis tools make it possible to identify inefficiencies and optimize both energy and material consumption.

WCI: Which material-related challenges are driving the most significant innovations in extrusion equipment today? ML: Material diversity is a major driver of innovation. Cable manufacturers increasingly process XLPE, HFFR, LSZH compounds, thermoplastic elastomers and other specialized materials, each requiring specific screw designs, processing conditions and tooling solutions.

A gap still exists in the industry’s ability to fully utilize the large amount of production data available. While digitalization, AI and Industry 4.0 technologies offer significant potential, achieving practical value depends on combining technology with process know-how and a deep understanding of extrusion behavior.

From an equipment perspective, the challenge is to ensure stable processing windows and excellent melt homogeneity across multiple material families. This is why modern extrusion systems increasingly feature application-specific screw designs, optimized feeding technologies and advanced process simulations that help define ideal temperature profiles and operating conditions.

WCI: Which factors now have the greatest influence on the investment value of an extrusion line? ML: Investment decisions increasingly focus on total value generation rather than machine output alone. Key factors include material savings, reduction of scrap, output stability, energy efficiency, operational flexibility and long-term productivity.

A key bottleneck in HVDC cable manufacturing is line speedthe rate at which HVDC cables are produced. Conventional manufacturing processes, while reliable, may lack the throughput required to meet accelerating demand. Enhancing line speed without compromising cable quality is essential to support the rapid deployment of HVDC infrastructure aligned with global energy transition goals.

WCI: Where do machinery builders encounter the greatest trade-offs between productivity, process stability and product quality? ML: The most common trade-off arises when manufacturers seek higher line speeds without compromising dimensional accuracy, concentricity or insulation quality. Increasing output alone does not necessarily improve productivity if process stability deteriorates or scrap levels increase. Maillefer emphasizes that output stability is one of the most important contributors to overall production economics. Stable extrusion across the entire operating range allows manufacturers to achieve higher productivity with lower scrap rates, fewer operator interventions, and better Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). Advanced extrusion concepts and opti-

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Manufacturers also seek equipment that can respond to changing market demand by processing different cable types and materials efficiently. Flexible production concepts that allow the same line to support multiple applications improve investment security and long-term competitiveness.

WCI: How are renewable energy, EV, automotive, railway, data communication and specialty cable applications influencing machine design? ML: These sectors are pushing manufacturers toward increasingly specialized cable designs and higher quality requirements. Automotive applications require thin-wall insulation and efficient material usage. Renewable energy and power transmission applications demand advanced insulation technologies and highly reliable production processes. Data communication cables require extremely consistent dimensions and process precision.

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EXTRUSION As a result, machine designs are becoming more applicationoriented, incorporating specialized crossheads, optimized extruders, advanced measurement technologies and processspecific production concepts that improve both quality and efficiency.

WCI: What misconceptions about extrusion often lead to avoidable quality issues, inefficiencies or higher production costs? ML: One common misconception is that maximum output automatically delivers maximum profitability. In practice, unstable production, excessive material usage and scrap generation can easily outweigh the benefits of higher nominal throughput. Another misconception is underestimating the importance of process stability and extrusion know-how. High-performing plants consistently focus on maintaining stable operating conditions, optimizing temperature profiles, controlling material use and continuously analyzing production

performance. They treat extrusion as a complete process rather than simply a machine operation.

WCI: Which engineering capabilities will define the next generation of extrusion machinery? ML: The next generation of extrusion systems will be characterized by intelligent process control, advanced automation, AI-assisted quality management and increasingly sophisticated data analytics. Manufacturers will expect machines not only to produce cables efficiently but also to provide actionable insights that continuously improve performance. Process modeling, digital factory simulation, real-time quality monitoring and integrated data management will play a central role. Future extrusion systems will combine high productivity with optimized energy consumption, reduced material usage and greater production flexibility, enabling cable manufacturers to respond rapidly to changing market requirements while maintaining exceptional product quality.

While digitalization, AI and Industry 4.0 technologies offer significant potential, achieving practical value depends on combining technology with process know-how and a deep understanding of extrusion behavior.

+91-120-4267409 | 9818332292 | info@trivenipolychem.com | www.trivenipolychem.com | Corporate Park, 1103-1104, Tower A-1, 11th floor, Sector – 142, Noida – U.P – 201305

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EXTRUSION

Royle Extrusion Systems on Role of Thermal Management and Process Stability for Handling Demanding Compounds In an exclusive interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Reji Koshy Daniel, Executive Director, Royle Extrusion Systems Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royle Systems Group (USA), discusses evolving extrusion demands, material challenges, process stability, AI-driven control and the technologies shaping next-generation machinery. He highlights the growing need for precise thermal management and process stability as manufacturers handle demanding compounds such as EPR, silicone, highly filled and thermosetting materials. With higher line speeds narrowing the process window, maintaining consistency in melt temperature, pressure, wall thickness and concentricity remains critical. He also underscores the need for AI-driven processes to evolve alongside changing compounds, while emphasising flexibility, advanced process control and energy efficiency as key future capabilities. Wire and Cable India: Cable manufacturers today produce an increasingly diverse range of products using different polymers, performance requirements and production speeds. Which developments are placing the greatest demands on modern extrusion systems, and why?

Mr. Reji Koshy Daniel, Executive Director, Royle Extrusion Systems Private Limited

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Reji Koshy Daniel: Royle’s directors (Chairman, Mr. John C. Ramsey, in particular) and executives have seen the global wire and cable industry from the middle of the 20th century through the first quarter of the 21st century, with all its highs and lows. As we transition to the second quarter of the 21st century, the immediate challenge is the necessity to deliver cables that fulfill the demand to improve the performance in hostile environments or that require increased flexibility to meet the more stringent international regulatory requirements, defined by IEC, ICEA, NEMA, BIS and others. To fulfill the new regulatory standards, it will be necessary to process thermosetting materials, as thermoplastic materials often do not meet the new standards. This is increasing the demand for extrusion systems designed to continuously process thermosetting materials. There are several types of systems that fulfill this requirement, such as water systems to cure MV sioplas PE, IR systems to cure silicone rubber, and steam and drycure CV systems that process all types of rubber and thermosetting PE materials. Cable manufacturers may be wise to discuss their requirements with extrusion

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EXTRUSION system manufacturers who offer all types of curing system solutions and have the experience to recommend the best system to provide process stability, flexibility and repeatability across the complete product range.

WCI: Compared with five years ago, which aspects of the extrusion process have become technically more difficult to control consistently? How have machinery design and process engineering evolved to address these challenges? RKD: Highly filled flame-retardant compounds (ATH- and MDH-based, used in HFFR and LSZH constructions) carry a higher percentage of filler, which raises melt viscosity and shear heating and accelerates screw/barrel wear; these new materials require narrower, more repeatable temperature windows than PVC or PE. Solar- and EV-driven XLPO, EVA and EPR compounds add another level of complexity, as they must be processed close to their cross-linking threshold and must not cure prematurely in the barrel. Holding melt temperature, screw speed and residence time within a tight band has become more difficult simply because more material types now need to run on the same extrusion lines. The equipment design response includes finer control of barrel temperature zones, screws designed for highly filled compounds, and use of IE3class motors, which give tighter speed control in addition to improved efficiency.

WCI: Modern cable compounds such as HFFR, LSZH, XLPE, specialised elastomers and engineering polymers each present unique processing characteristics. Which materialrelated challenges are driving the most significant innovations in extrusion equipment today? RKD: Rubber-based compounds, especially EPR and silicone, have made a real comeback, driven by demand for renewable energy, EV and specialty cables, as their thermal and flexibility properties are difficult to challenge with thermoplastics. These materials can require high shear during processing, which generates significant heat and makes precise temperature control more challenging. The Royle Alurobe Extruder addresses this through a fluid-based heating and cooling system, allowing tighter and more responsive temperature control throughout the extrusion process. This helps maintain stable processing conditions even with demanding compounds such as EPR and silicone, supporting consistent output and melt quality.

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EXTRUSION The immediate challenge is the necessity to deliver cables that fulfill the demand to improve the performance in hostile environments or that require increased flexibility to meet the more stringent international regulatory requirements. quality, and how are these being addressed? RKD: The core trade-off is speed against process stability. As speed rises, the acceptable window for melt temperature and the pressure of the extrudate as it flows in the barrel and head narrows, and small variations may cause variations in wall thickness, concentricity or surface finish. The equipment design response has been on two fronts: improvements in screw design and tighter thermal control of the extruder screw itself, since screw temperature directly drives melt consistency. Also, improved crosshead cooling (oil, water or electrical) to maintain the stability of the temperature of extrusion tooling independent of upstream fluctuations. Together, these improvements allow lines to run faster without operators having to manually chase temperature drift.

WCI: Energy efficiency, automation, digital monitoring and process control are widely discussed across the industry. Which of these developments are delivering the greatest measurable operational benefits today, and where do you still see a noticeable gap between industry expectations and practical implementation? RKD: The gap is in AI-driven process control and analytics, as customers often ask for. There’s a lot of talk about using collected process data to predict quality issues or autooptimize settings, but most plants are still at the stage of gathering and organizing data rather than acting on it in real time. The tools exist; plant-floor adoption is behind the conversation. In addition, the industry does not have enough data or experience to feed into AI for the emerging compounds, to define and trust AI-based systems. AI-driven processes need to evolve with the changing compound scenario, so that such adoption will be safer for the future.

machine design and development? RKD: Reliability remains the biggest factor - high MTBF and low MTTR minimize unplanned downtime, which improves productivity and directly lowers operating cost. Improved methods of cleaning crossheads and head design improvements that reduce the time to refit tools for product changes also help reduce start-up scrap. DTU improvements simplify the crossover from full to empty reel and changing of reels, while new CV splice-box designs (easier opening/ closing, seal replacement) further improve efficiency. Payoff and take-up accumulators all contribute to increased line uptime. Energy efficiency matters too - wider adoption of IE3/IE4 motors and efficient drives lowers lifetime energy cost. Spare-parts availability and ease of maintenance directly affect uptime. A line that can handle multiple products with minimal downtime provides the best ROI for cable manufacturers who must market a wide product mix.

WCI: From your interactions with cable manufacturers, what are the most common misconceptions about extrusion that often lead to avoidable quality issues, inefficiencies

The next generation of extrusion machinery will be defined by advanced process control, flexibility of equipment design to fulfill changing applications, and energy efficiency.

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EXTRUSION AI-driven processes need to evolve with the changing compound scenario, so that such adoption will be safer for the future. or higher production costs? Conversely, what operational practices consistently distinguish high-performing plants? RKD: One common misconception we encounter is the assumption that Drycool is a “better and necessary” configuration for MV and HV cables rather than water cooling, which is the normal and more efficient process supplied on a conventional CCV line, regardless of the product. Drycool isn’t always an improvement - for most standard constructions, a well-run Drycure/water cool CV line delivers perfectly consistent quality, and adding Drycool adds cost and reduces cooling efficiency without a matching benefit unless the cable specification actually demands it. What separates high-performing plants is experienced process and operating personnel, who are less dependent on having the “latest and greatest” or most advanced machine as may be claimed by an equipment supplier.

WCI: Looking ahead, which engineering capabilities do you believe will define the next

generation of extrusion machinery? Please elaborate from an industry perspective, focusing on the underlying technological and process developments rather than individual product launches. RKD: The next generation of extrusion machinery will be defined by advanced process control, flexibility of equipment design to fulfill changing applications, and energy efficiency. More precise thermal management will become increasingly important as manufacturers process a wider range of demanding materials, including highly filled and thermosetting compounds. Advanced monitoring and process control will also help plants use production data to improve quality, stability and efficiency in real time. Since Royle was established in 1855, we have seen and facilitated the transitions from Industry 2.0 to Industry 5.0 and dealt with all of the intriguing challenges. From this perspective, we can testify that the industry will surge ahead with the technologies needed for the future.

Advanced Performance for Power and Telecom Cables A specialized compound for cable manufacturing designed to prevent water ingress while maintaining electrical conductivity.

At Gladwin Electrolink Industries, we follow a controlled, quality-driven approach in manufacturing ZHFR/ LSZH cable compounds, ensuring safety, consistency, and compliance at every stage.

KEY PROPERTIES Electrical Conductivity Provides low electrical resistance for shielding.

Water Swellability Swells upon contact with water for effective sealing.

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Adhesion Bonds well to cable components, ensuring long-term protection.

Thermal Stability Remains stable under high ciple operating temperatures.

INNOVATION IN EVERY GRANULE. PERFORMANCE IN EVERY CABLE.

SAFE & DURABLE MATERIALS FOR TOYS Corporate Office : STS - 009, Ground Floor, Silokhera-II, Dlf Star Tower NH- 8, Sec-30, Gurugram - 122001, HR, India

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Manufacturing Unit Plot No - F- 614 , RIICO Industrial Area, Bhiwadi - 301019, Rajasthan, India

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Email: info@gei.company, marketing@gei.company Phone: - 9999000443, 9811073775, 8233336825

Sep-Oct, 2026

EXTRUSION

Rajoo Bausano Puts Twin-Screw Technology, Energy Efficiency and Digitalisation at Core In an exclusive interview with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Sandip Bhuva, CEO, Rajoo Bausano Extrusion Private Limited, discusses the evolving requirements of wire and cable compounding amid the use of diverse polymers, rising production speeds and higher performance demands. With its Granulex line, advanced twin-screw technology, optimised screw and die geometries, precise thermal management, automated process control and patented MULTIDRIVE system, Rajoo Bausano focuses on productivity, consistent granule quality and energy efficiency. Its approach also extends to digitalisation, with real-time monitoring and AIbased systems supporting process stability. Mr. Sandip highlights the company’s material- and application-specific machine design and SPHERA digital ecosystem, comprising Pharos, Scout and Ranger, to enable more intelligent and connected extrusion operations. Wire and Cable India: Cable manufacturers today produce an increasingly diverse range of products using different polymers, performance requirements and production speeds. Which developments are placing the greatest demands on modern extrusion systems, and why? Sandip Bhuva: The growing use of different polymers, higher performance requirements and increasing production speeds are placing greater demands on compounding extrusion systems. Today, manufacturers require higher output, excellent mixing and dispersion, precise temperature control, consistent melt quality, lower energy consumption, and reliable continuous operation. For wire and cable compounds, particularly PVC and other specialty materials, uniform dispersion and consistent granule quality are critical because any variation can directly influence the performance of the final cable.

Mr. Sandip Bhuva, CEO, Rajoo Bausano Extrusion Private Limited

At Rajoo Bausano, our Granulex line is designed to address these requirements through advanced twin-screw technology, efficient mixing and homogenisation, precise process control, optimised die heads, automatic screen changing, and efficient cooling systems. The patented MULTIDRIVE system is specifically designed to improve energy efficiency, helping reduce energy consumption while ensuring reliable operation and stable processing. This contributes to consistent granule quality for demanding wire and cable applications.

WCI: Compared with five years ago, which aspects of the extrusion process have become

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EXTRUSION As cable manufacturers expand into renewable energy, automotive, EV charging, data communication, railway and other specialty applications, extrusion lines need to become more application-specific and configurable. technically more difficult to control consistently? How have machinery design and process engineering evolved to address these challenges? SB: Compared with five years ago, the industry has moved towards higher production rates, tighter quality specifications, and greater material complexity in compounding extrusion lines. The need for higher production rates is mainly driven by increasing demand for wire and cable, the pressure to improve manufacturing efficiency, and the need to achieve higher output within the same production time. At the same time, wire and cable manufacturers are facing stricter quality requirements, as their products are being used in increasingly demanding applications where consistent electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties are critical. The growing use of different materials and application-specific formulations has also increased material complexity, making precise processing and uniform dispersion more important. To address these challenges, we have introduced several technological advancements in our compounding extrusion lines, including advanced screw geometries for improved mixing and dispersion, more precise temperature control, efficient heating and cooling systems, highperformance drive technology, automated process control, online monitoring and improved pelletising and cooling systems.

WCI: Customers increasingly expect higher line speeds together with tighter quality tolerances. In practice, where do machinery builders encounter the greatest tradeoffs between productivity, process stability and product www.wirecable.in

quality, and how are these being addressed? SB: The main challenge is to achieve higher production speeds without compromising granule quality and process stability. As throughput increases, the process window becomes narrower. Small variations in feeding, melt temperature, pressure, or cooling can influence final granule quality. For wire and cable applications, even small variations in granule quality can affect the performance of the final product. Therefore, modern compounding extrusion systems need to balance productivity with precise process control and reliable operation. We address this through a combination of optimised screw and die geometries, precise thermal management, hightorque drive technology, and advanced process control. Our twin-screw extrusion technology is designed to maintain consistent material flow and melt quality at higher throughputs, while the downstream pelletising and cooling systems help maintain uniform granule characteristics. Digital monitoring further allows critical parameters such as temperature, pressure, screw speed, torque, and energy consumption to be monitored in real time, helping operators identify process deviations early and maintain stable production. Together, these features help maintain stable processing, uniform cooling and consistent granule quality while achieving higher productivity.

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and practical implementation? SB: Energy efficiency and intelligent process control are delivering some of the most measurable operational benefits today. Energy consumption directly affects production costs, so technologies that reduce specific energy consumption while maintaining the required output are becoming increasingly important. Rajoo Bausano’s approach combines optimised machine design with energy monitoring, allowing manufacturers to track consumption in real time and identify areas where efficiency can be improved. The patented MULTIDRIVE system, for example, distributes torque across multiple drive shafts, reducing mechanical losses and energy consumption at equivalent performance levels. The system can deliver energy savings of up to 30% compared with traditional drive systems at equivalent performance levels. By distributing the mechanical load across multiple drive units, MULTIDRIVE also reduces stress on shafts, gears and other transmission components, improving reliability and extending component life. We also offer induction heating technology, which can reduce energy consumption by up to 30–35% compared with conventional heating methods. Digitalisation is also becoming increasingly valuable because it turns process data into actionable information. Through Rajoo Bausano’s digital systems, parameters such as temperature, pressure, screw speed, torque and energy consumption can be monitored in real time, while IIoT and AI-based analysis can help identify process deviations, predict maintenance requirements and reduce unplanned downtime. A noticeable gap still exists in the availability of skilled operators who can fully utilise technologically Sep-Oct, 2026

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EXTRUSION Modern compounding extrusion systems need to balance productivity with precise process control and reliable operation. advanced extrusion systems. Modern machines offer advanced automation, digital monitoring and process control, but their full potential can only be achieved when operators have the right technical knowledge and training to use these features effectively.

WCI: With cable manufacturers placing increasing emphasis on productivity, quality and operating costs, which factors now have the greatest influence on the investment value of an extrusion line, and how are they shaping machine design and development? SB: Customers increasingly evaluate an extrusion line based on its Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) rather than just the initial machine price. Key factors influencing investment value include output capacity, specific energy consumption, product quality and consistency, machine availability and reliability, ease of operation, changeover time, maintenance requirements, automation, rawmaterial utilisation and process flexibility. After-sales service, technical support and expected machine life also play an important role in determining the long-term value of the investment. These requirements are shaping machine design towards higher productivity with lower operating and lifecycle costs. Our modern extrusion lines increasingly incorporate automation and AI-based systems, which help reduce the possibility of human error and improve process consistency. By continuously monitoring and controlling critical parameters, these technologies help maintain stable and consistent product quality while reducing process variations. AI-based monitoring can also identify deviations and support timely corrective actions, helping manufacturers achieve more reliable production with less wastage and www.wirecable.in

downtime. This combination of automation, intelligent control, and real-time monitoring is making our extrusion lines more precise, reliable, and efficient.

WCI: As cable manufacturers diversify into sectors such as renewable energy, automotive, EV charging, data communication, railway and specialty cables, how are these applications influencing extrusion line configuration, tooling and overall machine design? SB: As cable manufacturers expand into renewable energy, automotive, EV charging, data communication, railway and other specialty applications, extrusion lines need to become more application-specific and configurable. Each application can demand different material characteristics, dimensional tolerances, insulation or protection requirements, and longterm performance. This is influencing the selection of the extruder, screw configuration, die, and downstream equipment rather than relying on a standardised line for every application. Rajoo Bausano’s approach is to develop the line around the material, product geometry and specific production requirements, supported by rheological analysis and process testing. The machine design is therefore moving towards modular and highly configurable systems, where tooling, cooling, calibration and cutting can be adapted to the application. This flexibility allows the same engineering approach to be adapted to increasingly specialised wire and cable-related applications while maintaining process stability and consistent quality.

WCI: From your interactions with cable manufacturers, what are the most common misconceptions about

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extrusion that often lead to avoidable quality issues, inefficiencies or higher production costs? Conversely, what operational practices consistently distinguish highperforming plants? SB: One common misconception is that higher extrusion speed automatically means higher productivity. In practice, excessive speed without proper control of temperature, pressure, material flow, and cooling can lead to defects, dimensional variations, and inconsistent product quality. In reality, productivity depends on the combination of output, quality, machine availability and energy efficiency. A higher production rate is only truly productive when it is achieved while maintaining consistent quality, minimising downtime and controlling energy consumption. Similarly, assuming that a stable process does not require continuous monitoring can result in avoidable downtime and higher production costs. High-performing plants typically follow a more data-driven and disciplined approach. They continuously monitor critical process parameters, maintain proper material and temperature control, carry out preventive maintenance, and optimize the process based on actual production data. Advanced AI-based systems can further detect process deviations and potential anomalies early, helping maintain stable quality, reduce waste, and avoid unplanned downtime. Another common misconception is that a high-performing extrusion line alone can ensure high productivity and consistent quality. In practice, skilled operators also play an important role in achieving the full potential of the machine. Proper understanding of process parameters, timely adjustments, and effective monitoring can help maintain stable production, Sep-Oct, 2026

EXTRUSION In reality, productivity depends on the combination of output, quality, machine availability and energy efficiency. A higher production rate is only truly productive when it is achieved while maintaining consistent quality, minimising downtime and controlling energy consumption. consistent quality, and efficient machine operation. The combination of advanced technology and skilled operators is therefore important for achieving the best overall performance.

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automation, artificial intelligence and real-time data-driven process control - technologies that are already part of our advanced extrusion systems today. A strong example of this direction is our SPHERA ecosystem, an integrated digital platform combining Industrial IoT, AI and advanced automation. Within our SPHERA ecosystem, Pharos, Scout and Ranger are three digital tools, each designed to address a different aspect of extrusion operations. Pharos enables real-time monitoring of critical parameters such as temperature, pressure, RPM, energy consumption and alarms, along with KPI and OEE analysis. Scout is a digital spare-parts management tool

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that provides interactive 2D exploded views, compatibility checks and access to technical documentation, helping reduce identification errors and maintenance-related downtime. Ranger is the next-generation virtual assistant offering continuous, intelligent support for operators, technicians and supervisors. More than a chatbot, Ranger delivers precise answers, contextual help and predictive guidance through a natural language interface. Together, these tools connect machines, data and people, helping improve process visibility, reduce downtime and support more efficient and consistent extrusion operations.

Sep-Oct, 2026

EXTRUSION

Sai Extrumech on Material-Specific Flexible Screw and Barrel Engineering As cable manufacturers move towards more demanding materials, tighter tolerances and increasingly diverse applications, extrusion machinery is being challenged to deliver flexibility, process stability and consistent quality at higher speeds. In an exclusive interaction with Wire and Cable India, Mr. Vivek Mehta, Managing Director, Sai Extrumech Pvt. Ltd., discusses the evolving demands on extrusion systems, material-specific screw and tooling design, in-line measurement, energy efficiency and total cost of ownership. Drawing on Sai Extrumech’s over 25 years of experience in wire, cable and tubing extrusion machinery, with machines installed across India and international markets, he highlights the importance of matching machinery to specific compounds and applications while balancing productivity, quality, reliability and operating costs. Wire and Cable India: Cable manufacturers today produce an increasingly diverse range of products using different polymers, performance requirements and production speeds. Which developments are placing the greatest demands on modern extrusion systems, and why? Vivek Mehta: The hardest demand is not raw speed; it is running different compounds on the same line without long stoppages in between. A plant that once made mostly PVC building wire now wants to switch between PVC, HFFR and XLPE in a week. Each of these materials behaves differently in the barrel, so the screw, temperature profile and the tooling all have to cope with a much wider window than before. In addition, walls are getting thinner while tolerances get tighter, so the crosshead has to hold concentricity that we would have called laboratory-grade ten years ago. The machine that survives this is the one built around flexibility and measurement, not the one with the biggest motor.

Mr. Vivek Mehta, Managing Director, Sai Extrumech Pvt. Ltd.

WCI: Compared with five years ago, which aspects of the extrusion process have become technically more difficult to control consistently? How have machinery design and process engineering evolved to address these challenges? VM: Filled compounds are the honest answer. HFFR and LSZH carry heavy mineral loading; they are abrasive and can scorch if you push shear too hard. Five years ago, most of our customers ran forgiving PVC. Now they run materials that punish a poorly matched screw within weeks. Holding the melt temperature steady at higher output is genuinely harder, because the faster you run, the less time the melt has to settle before the die. We have answered it with better zone temperature control, gravimetric feeding so the throughput does not drift, bimetallic screws and barrels for the abrasive grades, and closed-loop control, where a laser gauge on the line corrects the process instead of an operator noticing an hour later.

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EXTRUSION At Sai Extrumech, we design and build our screws, barrels and crossheads in-house and keep the spares moving, because a line down for three weeks waiting for a part has wiped out whatever it saved at purchase. WCI: Modern cable compounds such as HFFR, LSZH, XLPE, specialised elastomers and engineering polymers each present unique processing characteristics. Which materialrelated challenges are driving the most significant innovations in extrusion equipment today?

implementation?

VM: HFFR and LSZH are pushing the most change, because they combine three awkward traits: high filler content that wears the screw and barrel, weak melt strength that makes a clean surface difficult, and sensitivity to moisture. That has moved bimetallic barrels and carefully designed mixing screws from optional to normal, and it has made drying and degassing part of the conversation rather than an afterthought. XLPE pulls in a different direction, where the whole game is controlling scorch and getting the cure right, which is why curing lines matter so much for medium and high voltage. Elastomers need cold-feed screw designs that have little in common with a thermoplastic screw. The equipment is specialising because the materials refuse to be treated the same. In our own work with these compounds, we treat drying and a properly matched mixing screw as nonnegotiable, because we have seen what a generic screw does to a filled grade within weeks.

WCI: Customers increasingly expect higher line speeds together with tighter quality tolerances. In practice, where do machinery builders encounter the greatest trade-offs between productivity, process stability and product quality, and how are these being addressed? VM: You cannot cheat physics. When you raise line speed, the melt spends less time in the barrel, so melt quality is the first thing to suffer if the screw is not designed for it. More speed also means more shear heat, which is dangerous with XLPE and filled compounds that can scorch. And the faster the conductor moves, the harder it is to keep the insulation centred. We deal with this in two ways. First, screw geometry and a longer L/D so the melt is properly prepared even at speed. Second, in-line measurement of diameter, wall and eccentricity feeding back into the line so a drift is corrected before it becomes scrap. What I tell customers is simple: a line built for 33 kV cable should not be flogged to make thin building wire at maximum speed and expected to hold quality. Match the line to the job.

VM: The measurable wins today are unglamorous. Efficient AC drives and a screw designed for the actual compound cut the energy used per kilogram of output, and you can see it on the meter. Gravimetric control and in-line measurement cut scrap, which, on a copper cable line, is real money saved every shift. That part works. The gap is in the digital story. A lot of plants now collect data they never look at. They buy sensors and dashboards, and the predictive maintenance screen sits in a corner while the line runs to failure anyway. The technology is ahead of the habit of using it. Monitoring only pays when someone acts on what it shows, and that is a training and discipline problem more than a hardware one.

WCI: As cable manufacturers diversify into sectors such as renewable energy, automotive, EV charging, data communication, railway and specialty cables, how are these applications influencing extrusion line configuration, tooling and overall machine design? VM: Every one of these sectors comes with its own material and its own tolerance, and that changes the line. Solar and EV cable push XLPO and HFFR compounds and tighter specs, and they often need dual- or triple-layer construction, which means more extruders and the right crosshead rather than a single insulation head. Data cable lives and dies on wall consistency and foam-skin control. Railway and building cables are about fire performance, so LSZH dominates. Medium- and high-voltage work for power and renewable projects needs proper XLPE curing. We already build across this spread at Sai Extrumech, from cable and building-wire lines to medical tubing and lab extruders, so we see first-hand how differently each application treats

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EXTRUSION tooling and control. That last point on curing is where we are investing next. We are planning to build a Catenary Continuous Vulcanisation (CCV) line for cables up to 66 kV in the coming years to serve the growing medium- and high-voltage demand that the power and renewable sectors are creating. The application decides the machine, and the applications are multiplying.

in-line measurement to correct in real-time rather than filing the data away, and they keep their operators trained. None of that is exotic. It is just done consistently.

WCI: From your interactions with cable manufacturers, what are the most common misconceptions about extrusion that often lead to avoidable quality issues, inefficiencies or higher production costs? Conversely, what operational practices consistently distinguish high-performing plants? VM: The most expensive misconception is that a screw is a generic part, that any screw will run any compound if you adjust the temperature. It will not, and forcing it shows up as scrap and premature wear. The second is buying on price and headline speed alone, then wondering why the numbers never match on real material. The third is ignoring screw and barrel wear until output quietly drops, by which point you have been paying for it for months. The plants that run well do the boring things properly. They match the screw and tooling to the compound they actually run, they maintain on a schedule instead of waiting for failure, they use their

VM: The direction I believe in is the line that corrects itself. Measurement and control are still too often bolted on as separate boxes. The next generation ties them together so the line holds wall and concentricity on its own, and the operator supervises rather than chases. Alongside that, screw and barrel engineering will keep getting more material-specific because the compounds are only getting more demanding. Real energy reduction will matter more as power costs rise, and I mean measured reduction, not marketing. And predictive maintenance will finally earn its place when it is built to be acted on rather than displayed. We try to stay close to that curve by working with engineering institutions such as IIT Delhi and BITS Pilani alongside our own shop-floor experience. The machinery that wins will be the one that is reliable, serviceable and honest about what it can do, built by people who still work on the shop floor.

NEWS

Bansal Wire Industries Expands Manufacturing Capacity to 6.80 Lakh MTPA Bansal Wire Industries has expanded its manufacturing capabilities, with installed capacity reaching 6.80 lakh MTPA and the Dadri facility anchoring growth. Aug 24, 2026 Bansal Wire Industries Limited has continued to strengthen its manufacturing platform through capacity expansion and investments in higher-value steel wire products. The company reported an installed manufacturing capacity of 6.80 lakh MTPA across its operations in FY 2025-26, with the Dadri plant playing a central role in its expansion strategy. The Dadri facility, described as India’s largest singlelocation steel wire manufacturing facility, has enabled the company to enhance operational efficiency, product consistency and customer responsiveness. Bansal Wire is also expanding its focus on specialty and high-margin

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wire products, including IHT wires, steel tyre cord and LRPC strands, while scaling its presence across diverse end-use sectors.

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Sep-Oct, 2026

COPPER

Gopalan Metals Strengthens India’s Copper Value Chain for a Self-Reliant Future As India advances its infrastructure, renewable energy, electric mobility and digital connectivity ambitions, copper is emerging as a key enabler of the country’s industrial growth. Building resilient domestic manufacturing capabilities and integrated supply chains will be critical to meeting this rising demand. In an exclusive interaction with Wire & Cable India, Mr. Pramod C, Director, Gopalan Metals, discusses the evolving role of copper in India’s energy transition, the need to enhance domestic manufacturing and recycling capabilities, the advantages of an integrated manufacturing ecosystem, and the opportunities shaping the future of the country’s wire and cable industry. He also shares how Gopalan Metals is positioning itself to contribute to India’s vision of becoming a globally competitive and self-reliant manufacturing hub. Wire & Cable India: To begin with, could you give us an overview of Gopalan Metals and Gopalan Wires & Cables, including your product portfolio, manufacturing capacities, key end-use industries, and market presence? Pramod C: Gopalan Metals is a copper manufacturing company under the Gopalan Enterprises group. Established in 2023, we are headquartered in Bengaluru, with our manufacturing facility located in the KIADB industrial area in Hoskote. Our product portfolio spans the copper value chain, including copper rods, busbars, bare and tinned annealed copper wires, fine and superfine copper wires, bunched copper conductors, continuous cast copper rod(OFC), copper strip and premium OFC rod, and TPC-covered copper wires and strips conductor.

Mr. Pramod C, Director, Gopalan Metals

Under our Gopalan Wires & Cables vertical, we manufacture PVC insulated cables built on 99.97% pure copper conductors, offered in FR, HRFR, FRLS and ZHFR insulation grades

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COPPER Under our Gopalan Wires & Cables vertical, we manufacture PVC insulated cables built on 99.97% pure copper conductors, offered in FR, HRFR, FRLS and ZHFR insulation grades and conforming to IS 694:2010, with conductors meeting IS 8130:2013. and conforming to IS 694:2010, with conductors meeting IS 8130:2013. These cables are designed for fixed wiring in conduits and under plaster and for appliance wiring and distribution applications, with standard coil packing of 90m, 100m, 180m and 360m. These products serve a wide industry base spanning power and electrical, automotive, telecommunications, construction and industrial manufacturing, transformers and switchgear, solar energy, railways, marine and defence, and precision electronics and robotics applications where high-purity conductivity is nonnegotiable. Operationally, we run on an SAP-integrated backend across MM, PP, SD and FI/CO modules for realtime inventory tracking and precision scheduling, and we position ourselves as a high-responsiveness technical partner to OEMs and industrial clients rather than as a purely commodity supplier. We are actively expanding our footprint across domestic and international markets, with renewable energy and power distribution as key growth areas.

WCI: Copper has become increasingly strategic for infrastructure, renewable energy, electric mobility, and digital connectivity. How do you see its role evolving in supporting India’s long-term growth? PC: Copper is fast becoming one of the foundational metals of India’s next growth cycle, shifting from a conventional industrial input to a strategic enabler of the energy transition. The International Energy Agency has noted that renewable power infrastructure such as solar and wind requires between 2.5 and 7 times

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more copper than equivalent fossilfuel-based generation, depending on the technology. Global refined copper demand itself is projected to reach around 33 million tonnes by 2035 and 37 million tonnes by 2050 under the IEA’s stated policy scenario, while the International Copper Association estimates demand could reach about 50 million tonnes by 2050. In India specifically, the Centre for Social and Economic Progress projects copper demand in conventional sectors alone will reach 3.24 million tonnes by FY2030, with additional demand layered on from energytransition uses such as EVs, grid infrastructure and renewables. On the mobility side, a battery electric vehicle uses significantly more copper than a conventional vehicle, largely for motors, batteries and wiring harnesses. With India targeting 500 GW of installed non-fossil power capacity by 2030, and having already crossed 262.74 GW as of November 2025, the grid, transmission and cabling build-out this demands places copper squarely at the centre of India’s infrastructure, mobility and digital connectivity story for decades to come.

WCI: Despite growing domestic demand, India continues to rely on imports for several copper products. What steps are needed to strengthen domestic copper manufacturing and achieve greater self-reliance? PC: The self-reliance gap is real and widening. In FY2024-25, India produced approximately 497,000 metric tonnes of refined copper domestically, a 7.1% increase over the previous year, yet the country still imports over 90% of its copper concentrate requirement, a share projected to rise to as much as 97% by

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2047. This gap traces back significantly to constrained domestic smelting and refining capacity, a shortfall that widened after a major smelter closure in 2018 that once met over a third of India’s refined copper demand. Closing this gap needs sustained investment across the value chain, not only at the mining end, and that investment is underway. New smelting capacity is also coming online, alongside a stronger push toward domestic copper recycling and organised scrap collection as a supplementary raw-material source, since global mine supply alone will not keep pace with demand. For manufacturers like us further down the value chain, in wires, cables and conductors, this upstream investment is what will eventually translate into more stable domestic cathode and rod availability.

WCI: Supply chain resilience has become a key priority for manufacturers. How can India’s copper and wire & cable industry reduce import dependence while building a more robust and competitive supply chain? PC: Resilience here needs to be built on two fronts: reducing concentration in import sources and strengthening the secondary, recycled-copper stream. A stock-and-flow study developed by Fraunhofer ISI for the International Copper Association found that India currently sources less than half, around 46%, of the copper needed for semifinished and finished goods from primary (mined and refined) routes, with the remaining 54% coming from secondary sources, largely the recycling of new and old scrap. That secondary route is a genuine strategic asset, though it needs more organised,

Sep-Oct, 2026

COPPER

The self-reliance gap is real and widening. In FY2024-25, India produced approximately 497,000 metric tonnes of refined copper domestically, a 7.1% increase over the previous year, yet the country still imports over 90% of its copper concentrate requirement, a share projected to rise to as much as 97% by 2047.

formal recycling and e-waste recovery infrastructure to scale it responsibly and consistently. At the same time, import dependence currently concentrated among a handful of source countries needs geographic diversification, faster rampup of announced domestic smelting and mining capacity, and continued policy support for native refining. The IEA’s own modelling under its Net Zero Emissions scenario points to a nearly 20% supply deficit, equivalent to about 6 million tonnes globally, by 2030 if energy-sector demand alone grows as projected, so this isn’t a challenge unique to India but one where early investment in resilient, integrated domestic capacity becomes a genuine competitive advantage.

WCI: How does an integrated manufacturing ecosystem—

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from copper processing to finished wires and cables— help improve product quality, operational efficiency, and supply consistency? PC: An integrated ecosystem from the copper rod to the finished wires and cables gives the manufacturer far tighter control over the variables that determine quality: conductivity, consistency of draw, insulation adhesion and dimensional accuracy. Integrating wire drawing, annealing, tinning and cable extrusion within the same rod-casting framework eliminates handoff losses, minimises third-party variability and speeds up root-cause resolution. Our own operations reflect this, as we track the entire production lifecycle through an SAP-integrated digital backbone spanning materials management, production planning,

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sales and distribution, and finance, which gives us real-time visibility into raw material and finished goods movement rather than periodic vendor updates and supports a just-in-time, zero-defect manufacturing approach. Cable manufacturers running large infrastructure or utility orders cannot afford input volatility, whether that’s price volatility on purchased rod or lead-time volatility from an external supplier, and an integrated, digitally tracked setup lets us plan production schedules against firm input availability rather than external market timing, supporting the large-volume, on-time delivery expectations that construction, power and infrastructure buyers increasingly demand.

WCI: As customer expectations continue to evolve, how important are technology, process control, and quality

Sep-Oct, 2026

COPPER assurance in ensuring Indian manufacturers meet both domestic requirements and global benchmarks? PC: Technology, process control and quality assurance are non-negotiable if Indian manufacturers are to be seen as equal to global benchmarks, rather than as lower-cost alternatives. Our copper rods are produced from highpurity electrolytic copper to guarantee excellent conductivity and corrosion resistance. All products are subjected to rigorous testing and process control in-house prior to dispatch. On our cable lines we apply modern extrusion technology to maintain insulation thickness and heat resistance uniformity. Our cables are produced to meet IS 694:2010, conductors meeting IS 8130:2013 Class 2 and Class 5 specifications, tested against parameters such as oxygen index, temperature index and heatshock resistance, rather than merely meeting basic pass-or-fail criteria. As buyer sophistication increases, particularly among EPC contractors and utility procurement teams executing under the government’s renewable energy and transmission build-out, so does scrutiny at every stageraw material traceability, in-process testing, and third-party certification. A structural shift is also happening in India’s wire and cable market from unorganised regional manufacturing to BIS-certified, organised players. Mandatory BIS certification is nudging institutional buyers towards manufacturers that can demonstrate consistent process discipline. Investment in testing infrastructure and certification is no longer a differentiator; it is baseline table stakes to win and retain large accounts.

WCI: With India’s manufacturing ecosystem expanding rapidly, what opportunities do you see for domestic wire and cable manufacturers across sectors such as power, renewable

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energy, telecom, construction, and electric mobility? PC: The opportunity in front of Indian wire and cable manufacturers right now is genuinely broad-based. Mordor Intelligence estimates the India wire and cable market at USD 23.13 billion in 2026, growing at a 9.01% CAGR to reach USD 35.58 billion by 2031, with utility projects tied to India’s 500 GW non-fossil capacity target creating multi-year procurement pipelines for extra-high-voltage products. The insulated wire and cable segment specifically is projected to grow from USD 8.1 billion in 2025 to USD 12.6 billion by 2034. Sector by sector, the drivers are distinct but all point the same way. In power, transmission and distribution network expansion tied to the renewable buildout is generating sustained EHV and MV cable demand. In telecom, India’s BharatNet program is extending fibre connectivity to 250,000 village councils, underpinning long-run demand for both fibre- and copper-based network infrastructure. In construction, roughly 600,000 new urban homes completed in 2023 alone are driving demand for flame-retardant, low-smoke housing wire in premium residential and commercial projects. And in electric mobility, rising EV production, where a battery electric vehicle can use well over twice the copper of a conventional vehicle, is creating an entirely new demand category for high-performance conductors and charging infrastructure cabling. Beyond these, we’re also seeing steady demand build in railways, defence and marine, and precision segments like 5G telecom, robotics and microelectronics, where fine and superfine copper wire accuracy is critical. For Gopalan Metals specifically, renewable energy and power distribution are priority growth areas as we expand our domestic and international footprint, alongside a broader push to diversify our portfolio for evolving electronics and automotive standards.

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WCI: Looking ahead, what will be the key drivers for India to emerge as a globally competitive player in the copper and wire & cable value chain, and how does Gopalan Metals intend to contribute to this vision? PC: India’s way to become a player in the copper and wire and cable industries depends on a few important steps: increasing the speed of building smelting and refining capacity in the country to cut down on importing copper concentrate and cathode; creating a better-organised and bigger system for recycling copper; keeping investing in process technology and testing facilities to meet global quality standards; and having consistent policies that let manufacturers feel safe to invest in long-term projects. At Gopalan Metals, our role is to create this model that focuses on quality from copper rods to finished wires and PVC cables. We use an SAP-based system and follow the strict standards and testing rules that big companies now expect as a basic requirement. Our goal matches with the government’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat plan. We make quality, accurate copper products locally to cut down on importing and to help the country’s manufacturing system grow stronger. As India’s power, renewable energy, telecom, construction and electric mobility industries grow together, our long-term aim is to be known around the world as one of the most trusted copper manufacturers. We want to be known for our technology and for helping the industry reduce its need for imported copper products, one product area, at a time. Sources provided by the company: • https://csep.org/reports/the-copper-report-navigating-through-the-demand-and-supply-gap/ • https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2209478&reg=3&lang=1 • https://www.icicidirect.com/research/equity/finace/ details-about-copper-industry-in-india • https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2024-07/securing-india-copper-supply.pdf • https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/india-wire-and-cable-market

Sep-Oct, 2026

CONDUCTOR

VMI Group: Scaling Aluminium Winding-Wire Leadership In an exclusive interview with Wire and Cable India, Mr. Abhinav Goyal, Managing Director, Vidya Metal Manufacturing Company Pvt. Ltd., discusses the company’s transition from volume-led manufacturing to application-led scale. With a new aluminium winding-conductor unit commissioned in December 2025, approximate annual production of 25,000 tonnes, installed capacity of approximately 36,000 tonnes per annum and a nationwide distribution network, the company is positioning its VM Insulation brand in the organised winding-wire trade market for value-added growth, new applications and exports. He also highlights the company’s manufacturing flexibility, segmentspecific production and quality protocols, application engineering, sustainability, R&D and focus on delivering value-added aluminium winding-conductor solutions across diverse markets. Wire and Cable India: VMI Group had announced plans to increase its aluminium winding-wire production capacity to 25,000 TPA. How far have you progressed, and what has the latest expansion enabled?

Mr. Abhinav Goyal, Managing Director, Vidya Metal Manufacturing Company Pvt. Ltd.

Abhinav Goyal: The expansion has progressed successfully. Before this phase of investment, our annual production was approximately 14,000-15,000 tonnes. Following the commissioning of our new manufacturing unit in December 2025, our current annualised production has increased to approximately 25,000 tonnes. Our installed capacity is now approximately 36,000 tonnes per annum, depending on the product mix, conductor dimensions, insulation construction and operating schedule. The importance of this investment goes beyond the headline capacity. Aluminium winding conductors are a high-mix product category - changes in conductor geometry, temper, insulation build, coil configuration or customer specifications alter the process window and production planning. The expanded facility gives us the flexibility to handle both largevolume programmes and specialised

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orders while maintaining dimensional accuracy, electrical consistency and reliable delivery. It has also strengthened our ability to serve several markets simultaneously, including distribution and power transformers, fans, inverters, appliances and the organised trade channel. This scale, supported by application-specific manufacturing capability, has placed VM Insulation among India’s largest aluminium winding-conductor manufacturers. For us, the expansion represents a transition from volume-led manufacturing to application-led scale.

WCI: How has VMI Group evolved from its traditional copper business into a major aluminium winding-wire manufacturer, and what does the present portfolio include? AG: VMI Group was traditionally a manufacturer of copper rods, conductors, busbars and other related copper products. These operations have been running successfully for many years and continue to form an important part of the Group’s manufacturing base. The experience developed through non-ferrous metallurgy, wire drawing, annealing,

Sep-Oct, 2026

CONDUCTOR Aluminium winding conductors are a high-mix product category - changes in conductor geometry, temper, insulation build, coil configuration or customer specifications alter the process window and production planning.

profiling, process control and nationwide distribution created the technical and commercial foundation for our next phase of growth. The aluminium winding-wire division was added in 2017 under the VM Insulation brand. It was a strategic addition to our established copper business, not a replacement for it. Since then, we have built a broad aluminium winding-conductor portfolio comprising super enamelled round winding wires, enamelled rectangular strips, bare round and rectangular conductors, aluminium DPC wires and strips, thermally upgraded paper-covered and Nomexcovered conductors, fibre-glasscovered conductors, aluminium busbars, and thin bare aluminium winding strips or foil. We also develop customised conductor dimensions, insulation constructions and winding formats to meet specific customer applications. The wider Group combines complementary manufacturing businesses. Vidya Metal Mfg. Co. Pvt. Ltd. provides the Group’s longestablished copper manufacturing base, while VM Insulation is focused on aluminium winding wires and related value-added conductors. Alliance Copper Concepts Pvt. Ltd.

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adds specialised conductor-processing and enamelling capabilities. VMI Plastic Pvt. Ltd., operating under the SUNLITE brand, manufactures a wide range of engineered plastic and polycarbonate products, including solid, corrugated, multiwall and multicell sheets and panels, roofing and ventilation products, polycarbonate tubes, bottles and jars, suitcase-frame components, and safety products such as shields and batons. Although these businesses serve different markets, they share a common operating philosophy: disciplined materials processing, in-house technical capability, consistent quality and strong channel relationships. This combination gives the Group both industrial depth and market reach.

WCI: How are emerging sectors creating new growth opportunities for VM Insulation, and how are you aligning the portfolio with their requirements? AG: The opportunity for aluminium is expanding, but each sector must be approached through application engineering rather than simple metal substitution. A transformer, a fan motor, an inverter magnetic component and an appliance motor

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have different electrical, thermal, mechanical and winding requirements. Our task is to engineer the appropriate conductor geometry, temper, insulation system, winding behaviour and termination method for each platform.

Transformers and grid infrastructure Distribution and power transformers remain one of our core markets. We are a market-leading supplier of aluminium enamelled wires, rectangular strips and DPC conductors to the transformer industry, serving manufacturers across India according to their design and utility requirements. In this segment, dimensional tolerances, edge profile, conductor resistance, paper coverage and insulation build must remain consistent because they directly influence winding-window utilisation, losses and coil reliability. The outlook for the transformer industry is positive. India is continuing to invest in distribution-system modernisation, renewable-energy integration, industrial capacity, urban infrastructure and replacement of ageing electrical assets. These developments support sustained demand for distribution and power transformers, while the focus on lower

Sep-Oct, 2026

CONDUCTOR nationwide trade and distribution network. Over the years, we have progressively formalised and organised our distribution markets. Today, our dealer and trade-partner network reaches customers across all Indian states, giving us strong brand visibility, last-mile availability and regular market feedback.

losses and greater reliability increases the importance of technically consistent winding conductors.

Fans and copper-to-aluminium conversion We have recently entered the fan industry and have worked with manufacturers to convert selected motor platforms from copper to aluminium winding conductors. A successful conversion is not a one-to-one replacement. It requires optimisation of conductor cross-section, number of turns, winding resistance, slot-fill factor, I2R losses, temperature rise, enamel performance, high-speed windability and termination reliability. Our technical team supports customers through sampling, winding trials, electro-thermal evaluation and production validation.

VM Insulation has become a leader in the organised winding-wire trade market and one of the most recognisable brands in India. We have a particularly strong presence in major transformer and electrical-manufacturing clusters in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat, while our distribution network supports customers throughout the country.

The fan market is moving towards higher energy efficiency, better motor design, BLDC technology and tighter costperformance targets. This creates an important opportunity for aluminium, provided the conductor and motor are engineered as a complete system. Our objective is to build a meaningful and long-term position in this division by working closely with OEMs rather than presenting aluminium merely as a lower-cost alternative.

Catering to so many segments under one manufacturing and commercial platform is inherently complex. An institutional transformer customer may require customised rectangular conductors, detailed technical documentation and a dedicated quality plan. A trade customer may require standardised sizes, dependable availability, consistent packaging and rapid replenishment. Fan, inverter and appliance OEMs require their own qualification cycles and process parameters.

Inverters, appliances and other electrical equipment

We manage this complexity through segment-specific speci-

We have added thin bare aluminium winding strips, also referred to commercially as aluminium winding foil, for selected inverter and power-magnetic applications. For these products, width and thickness tolerance, soft temper, surface cleanliness, edge quality, burr control and coil build are critical. The addressable applications include inverter transformers, UPS systems, stabilisers, renewableenergy power-conversion equipment and other magnetic assemblies, subject to the customer’s design. We have also started servicing the appliance industry. Fans, pumps, air coolers, washing-machine motors and other fractional-horsepower applications offer significant potential, but the market is technically fragmented. We therefore intend to qualify applications selectively, establish the required electrical and thermal performance, and then scale them in partnership with the customer. We have also increased production of fibre-glass-covered winding strips for selected transformer, motor, generator and reactor applications. Renewable energy, smart infrastructure and automotive electrification present additional longerterm opportunities, although these sectors require rigorous qualification and application-specific R&D.

WCI: Could you provide an overview of VMI Group’s market footprint and distribution strength? AG: Our market footprint is built on two complementary channels: direct engagement with OEMs and a structured

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Sep-Oct, 2026

CONDUCTOR Scale is meaningful only when it is supported by consistency. That principle remains central to every expansion and every new product we undertake. fications, production planning, quality protocols, packaging formats and service levels, while retaining the benefits of a common metallurgical and manufacturing platform. This combination of manufacturing flexibility and nationwide distribution is one of our strongest competitive advantages. Our export division is currently being developed. The immediate focus is on product documentation, target-market selection, international customer approvals, export packaging and dependable logistics. We want exports to become a recurring, technically qualified business rather than an occasional commodity shipment. Our objective is not merely to export metal, but to export approved winding solutions.

WCI: How do your manufacturing processes ensure consistent quality, performance and reliability? AG: In winding conductors, small variations can create significant problems after thousands of turns have been wound into a transformer or motor. Quality therefore has to be built into the process and controlled at every stage, rather than checked only at final inspection. Our control system begins with raw-material verification and continues through drawing, annealing, profiling, enamelling, paper covering, fibre-glass serving, rewinding and packaging. Depending on the product, the critical parameters include electrical conductivity and DC resistance, conductor diameter or cross-section, width and thickness, edge radius, tensile strength, elongation, temper, surface finish, enamel integrity, dielectric breakdown, paper overlap, insulation build and coil winding quality. We use in-process measurement, laboratory testing, batch traceability and www.wirecable.in

customer-specific inspection plans to control these parameters. For specialised products, the first-off sample and process settings are verified before sustained production. The emphasis is on process capability and repeatability: the objective is not only to pass a batch, but to maintain the same electrical, mechanical and insulation performance from batch to batch. Our quality-management systems and product testing are aligned with applicable national and international standards, including relevant IS and IEC specifications, as well as customer-specific requirements. As we expand further into OEM applications and exports, we are strengthening statistical process control, digital traceability, inline monitoring and application-validation protocols. Scale is meaningful only when it is supported by consistency. That principle remains central to every expansion and every new product we undertake.

WCI: How are sustainability, advanced technology and R&D being incorporated into VMI Group’s growth strategy? AG: We see sustainability and cost competitiveness as mutually reinforcing. Drawing, annealing, enamelling and curing are energyintensive processes, so a higher share of green electricity can reduce both our environmental footprint and our conversion cost. Our roadmap includes increasing the use of renewable power, improving the efficiency of motors, drives and heating systems, optimising process cycles, monitoring energy consumption at line level, improving metal yield and reducing process scrap. The key business measures will be specific energy consumption per tonne, renewable energy share,

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first-pass quality, yield and conversion cost. Green energy must ultimately improve the competitiveness of Indian manufacturing, not remain only a branding initiative. Technology will support this programme through better production traceability, inline dimensional monitoring, statistical process control, preventive maintenance and realtime visibility of energy and process performance. These systems help reduce variation, shorten development cycles and improve consistency across a diverse product mix. R&D is another major priority. We want to identify more applications in which aluminium can offer a technically reliable and commercially attractive alternative to copper. This requires work on conductor geometry, annealing profile, temper, enamel adhesion, winding behaviour, thermal ageing, jointing and termination, corrosion management and the complete electro-thermal design of the customer’s product. We are also establishing a structured annual product-development roadmap. Our goal is to introduce new value-added products or meaningful application-specific variations every year - whether through a new conductor size, profile, insulation construction, foil dimension, surface requirement, winding format or customer-specific grade. This disciplined product diversification will expand our addressable market while keeping us focused on our core capabilities in metallurgy, conductor processing and insulation technology.

VMI: What are VMI Group’s priorities for the next five to ten years, and what industry challenges require policy attention? AG: Our next phase of growth will be Sep-Oct, 2026

CONDUCTOR driven by value addition, application development and market expansion rather than capacity alone. We intend to consolidate our leadership in distribution and power-transformer conductors, expand our presence in fans, inverters and appliances, and continue developing specialised aluminium solutions in partnership with OEMs. We will continue adding technically differentiated products and variants every year, with greater emphasis on conductor geometry, insulation systems, processability and end-use performance. At the same time, green energy, better yield, automation and digital process control will help us reduce conversion costs and improve international competitiveness. Starting exports is an important strategic objective. We are building the foundation through customer qualification,

compliance documentation, testing, packaging and logistics. Over time, we want exports to become a meaningful and diversified part of the business, supported by recurring customers and value-added products. One important challenge for the domestic industry is the pressure created by low-priced imports, particularly from China. Indian manufacturers are prepared to compete on productivity, quality, technology and service. However, imported products should be assessed against equivalent standards of quality, traceability, safety and regulatory compliance. When price becomes the only criterion and compliance is not enforced uniformly, domestic investment in technology, employment and capacity is placed at a disadvantage. The Government can help the industry by ensuring strict and consistent

implementation of applicable BIS and quality-control requirements, stronger customs valuation and rules-of-origin verification, timely trade-remedy action where evidence supports it, and greater support for domestic testing, R&D, green-energy adoption, export development and international certification. The industry is not seeking insulation from fair competition; it is seeking a level playing field. Our long-term vision is to build VM Insulation into an internationally recognised aluminium windingconductor brand known for scale, nationwide reach, application engineering, manufacturing consistency and customer-specific innovation. The next chapter of VMI Group will be about building on our manufacturing heritage, developing more aluminium applications and taking Indian manufacturing to a wider global market.

NEWS

KEI Industries Approves INR 700 Crore Expansion for Wire and Cable in Rajasthan KEI Industries has approved a capital investment of approximately INR 700 crore to expand its wires and cables manufacturing capacity at its upcoming Salarpur facility in Rajasthan. Jul 4, 2026 KEI Industries Limited approved a INR 700 crore capacity expansion at its new Salarpur, Rajasthan unit. The project will enhance cable production and strengthen backward integration through a new galvanized iron (GI) wire manufacturing unit, with phased commissioning targeted by September 2028. The new manufacturing unit will be established at Salarpur in the Khairthal-Tijara district of Rajasthan and will add 50,000 KMS of cable manufacturing capacity along with 40,000 MT of GI wire capacity for backward integration.The expansion is expected to improve supply chain integration, support higher production volumes, and reinforce KEI’s manufacturing capabilities.

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Sep-Oct, 2026

AUTHORED ARTICLE By Dr. Vijay Chaudhry, Chief Executive Officer, Bry-Air (Asia) Pvt. Ltd.

Is Moisture the Missing Variable in High-Speed Cable Extrusion? As cable extrusion advances towards higher speeds, greater automation and increasingly demanding polymer applications, controlling moisture is emerging as an important factor in maintaining process consistency and product quality. In this authored article, shared with Wire & Cable India, Dr. Vijay Chaudhry, Chief Executive Officer, Bry-Air (Asia) Pvt. Ltd., explores how precise moisture and dew-point control can support stable extrusion, while highlighting evolving drying technologies and the potential of waterless drying for moisturesensitive cable compounds. Wire and cable extrusion is becoming faster, more automated and increasingly dependent on advanced polymers. As manufacturers move toward applications such as EVs, fibre optics and high-performance cables, process consistency is becoming just as important as line speed. Moisture control is one part of this equation that deserves closer attention. Cable manufacturers already use dehumidification for hygroscopic materials such as PBT and PA/nylon. A dehumidifying dryer is suggested for FRLS and ZHFR cables to remove moisture from the compound granules before processing. However, the focus is often on achieving the required resin condition rather than treating moisture and dew point as active process-control parameters. This matters because moisturesensitive polymers can experience hydrolysis or processing defects when inadequately dried. Consistent low-dew-point air helps create repeatable drying conditions before the material enters the extrusion process. The drying technology itself is also evolving. Conventional desiccant systems remain widely used, while manufacturers are increasingly looking at energy efficiency, reduced water consumption and simpler auxiliary systems. This is where waterless drying offers an interesting approach. Bry-Air’s Wonder Dryer™ uses desiccant-based dehumidification without requiring a chilled-water circuit for the drying process. By eliminating the need for associated chiller, cooling-water and condensate infrastructure, the approach can help simplify the drying system while maintaining controlled dry-air conditions for moisture-sensitive plastics. As cable extrusion moves toward higher speeds and tighter quality requirements, moisture control should not be viewed simply as a preprocessing step. It is becoming part of the broader effort to achieve stable processing, consistent quality and more efficient manufacturing.

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Sep-Oct, 2026

DIES

Tungsten Carbide Dies Elevating Precision in Wire & Cable Manufacturing As wire and cable manufacturers demand greater precision, higher drawing speeds and longer tool life, tungsten carbide dies are playing an increasingly important role in achieving consistent quality and productivity. In this authored article, shared with Wire & Cable India, Mr. R. Manjunath, Sales Director, Mikrotek, examines the role of advanced tungsten carbide dies, taper inserts and pressure nibs in enhancing dimensional accuracy, surface finish, process stability and die life across demanding wire drawing applications. Mr. R. Manjunath, Sales Director, Mikrotek

n the fast-evolving wire and cable industry, achieving consistent dimensional accuracy, superior surface finish, and high productivity is essential for maintaining competitive advantage. Tungsten carbide dies have become the industry benchmark, combining durability, precision, and cost efficiency to support a wide range of drawing operations. Manufactured from fine-grain tungsten carbide with optimized cobalt binders, these dies offer an exceptional balance of hardness and toughness. With hardness values ranging from 1600 to 2100 HV30, they deliver superior resistance to wear, deformation, and high-pressure conditions—ensuring reliable performance in continuous, highspeed production environments. Their robustness significantly extends die life, reducing downtime and improving operational efficiency.

improved lubrication retention, and consistent output—resulting in excellent wire roundness, tight dimensional tolerances, and highquality surface finish. In addition to tungsten carbide dies, taper inserts are specifically engineered for demanding applications such as low and high carbon steel wires, stainless steel wires, welding wires (MIG/TIG), spring wires, and fastener wire dry drawing operations at higher speeds. Pressure nibs are indispensable delivering superior wire surface finish, tighter dimensional control, and enhanced process stability during high-speed drawing operations. By optimizing lubrication flow and reducing friction, heat generation,

and die wear, pressure nib technology significantly improves productivity, wire quality, and die life in fine and ultra-fine wire production. Covering a wide size range from 0.5 mm to 50 mm, tungsten carbide dies are extensively used across construction wires , power & infrastructure cables, armouring applications, tyre cord wires and specialty alloy wire manufacturing. By delivering higher productivity, drawing process consistency, and extended die life, tungsten carbide dies remain a technologically advanced and strategically essential solution for modern wire and cable manufacturing industries worldwide.

Performance is further enhanced through precision-engineered die geometry. Advanced grinding and polishing techniques produce uniform profiles, optimized reduction angles, and mirror-finished bearing surfaces. This enables smooth wire drawing,

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Sep-Oct, 2026

NEWS

RR Kabel Crosses USD 1 Billion Revenue Milestone RR Kabel has crossed the USD 1 billion revenue milestone, a key achievement highlighted by Chairman Ramesh D. Chandak during the company’s 32nd Annual General Meeting. The milestone underscores the company’s sustained growth trajectory and forms a key part of its long-term strategic roadmap. Jul 24, 2026 At its 32nd Annual General Meeting, RR Kabel announced that it has achieved the significant milestone of surpassing USD 1 billion in revenue. Chairman Ramesh D. Chandak highlighted the achievement while outlining the company’s operational and financial performance, leadership transition, enhanced shareholder value, and strategic roadmap for sustainable growth. All ten resolutions placed before shareholders at the AGM were approved with the requisite majority. The latest milestone comes shortly after RR Kabel was featured in the Hurun India 500 list, which recognizes India’s most valuable companies, reflecting

the company’s growing scale, market presence, and consistent business performance.

HFCL Approves INR 820 Crore Additional Capex for Optical Fibre, Cable and Preform Expansion HFCL Limited has approved an additional INR 820 crore investment to expand its Optical Fibre (OF), Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) and preform manufacturing capacities. The investment will take the company’s total planned capex for these capacity enhancement initiatives to approximately INR 1,800 crore. Sep 14, 2026 HFCL Limited has approved an additional INR 820 crore investment for capacity expansion across its optical fibre, optical fibre cable and preform manufacturing operations. This investment is in addition to the approximately INR 980 crore capex already approved, taking the company’s total planned capex for these capacity enhancement initiatives to approximately INR 1,800 crore. The Board has approved additional capacity of 4.60 million fibre-km per annum for OF, 5.64 million fibrekm per annum for OFC and 300 MT per annum for preform. Upon completion of the ongoing and proposed expansions, HFCL’s capacities are expected to reach 43.10 million fibre-km per annum for Optical Fibre, 62 million fibre-km for OFC and 600 MT per annum for Preform. The OF and OFC expansion projects are expected to be completed by July 2028, while the preform manufacturing facility is targeted for establishment by October 2028. The expansion is supported by HFCL’s strong OFC and www.wirecable.in

connectivity order book of approximately INR 19,000 crore, along with growing demand from hyperscale data centres, AI infrastructure, cloud computing, telecom expansion and fibreisation. The proposed preform facility will strengthen HFCL’s backward integration by securing access to a critical raw material for optical fibre production, reducing dependence on external suppliers and supporting supply-chain resilience, cost efficiencies and margin enhancement.

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NEWS

Sterlite Technologies Approves INR 3,000 Crore Capex to Expand Manufacturing Capacity by 50% Sterlite Technologies has approved a INR 3,000 crore capex plan to increase its manufacturing capacity by approximately 50 percent by FY29. Sep 3, 2026 Sterlite Technologies Ltd (STL) has announced a INR 3,000 crore capital expenditure plan to expand capacity at its existing manufacturing facilities. The proposed expansion, approved by the company’s Board of Directors, is expected to increase STL’s installed manufacturing capacity by approximately 50 percent by the end of FY29. The expansion is aimed at meeting anticipated growth in global demand for optical fibre cables and connectivity solutions while strengthening the company’s manufacturing capabilities. STL currently operates at around 70 percent capacity utilisation.

accruals and/or debt. The company has not disclosed its existing manufacturing capacity, citing the commercially sensitive and competitive nature of the information.

The proposed investment will be funded through internal

Diamond Power Infrastructure Advances INR 168 Crore Capex for Cable Capacity Expansion Diamond Power Infrastructure Limited is investing INR 168.62 crore across three projects to expand cable capacity, strengthen HV/EHV capabilities and remove manufacturing bottlenecks amid rising power infrastructure demand. Aug 19, 2026 The largest investment of INR 133.59 crore is being allocated to expand the company’s low-voltage (LV) cable manufacturing capacity. The project involves upgrading the existing rod mill and conductor plant into a modern facility for 1.1 kV aluminium and copper power and control cables. Commercial production is scheduled from FY28, with installed capacity of 3,502 km per month, or 42,024 km annually. The second project involves INR 17.03 crore for two additional aluminium corrugation lines. These lines will address the existing bottleneck in 66 kV and 132 kV cable production and enable capacity to shift from 33 kV to higher-voltage products. Commercial production is targeted for June 2027. The project is expected to generate around INR 375 crore of additional annual revenue potential. The company has also received inprinciple approval for a sixth CCV line, with the purchase order targeted for August 2026 and commissioning planned before December 2027. www.wirecable.in

The capacity expansion is being undertaken at Diamond Power’s integrated 110-acre Vadodara manufacturing complex, which has 55 acres available for future expansion. The facility currently has 33,060 KMPA of cable capacity and 1,00,000 MTPA of conductor capacity. The company is also installing additional CCV and MV Silane lines and developing a new LV cable facility.

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NEWS

Laser Power & Infra Secures In-Principle Approval for 40Acre Land in West Bengal Laser Power & Infra Ltd has received in-principle approval from WBIDC for allotment of approximately 40 acres of land at Vidyasagar Industrial Park, Kharagpur, West Bengal, to establish a manufacturing facility for integrated power cables and conductors. Sep 24, 2026 Laser Power & Infra Ltd has received a provisional Letter of Intent from the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) for the allotment of approximately 40 acres of land at Vidyasagar Industrial Park, Kharagpur. The land will be allotted on a 99-year long-term lease. The proposed facility will manufacture integrated power cables and conductors and is expected to support the company’s manufacturing capacity expansion and improve supply chain efficiency. The land allotment remains subject to the terms and conditions specified in the LOI, with the company required to complete the

prescribed formalities before executing the lease and commencing the project.

Hindalco Commissions India’s First Superfine PPT ATH Plant for Cable Fire Safety Hindalco Industries has commissioned a greenfield Superfine PPT ATH (Precipitated Aluminium Trihydrate) plant in Belagavi, Karnataka, with an annual capacity of 30,000 tonnes, supporting domestic production of halogenfree flame-retardant material for cable and electrical applications. Aug 27, 2026 Hindalco Industries Limited, the metals flagship of the Aditya Birla Group, has commissioned a greenfield Superfine PPT ATH manufacturing plant in Belagavi, Karnataka, bringing domestic production of this highvalue specialty alumina product to India for the first time. The new facility has an annual production capacity of 30,000 tonnes and strengthens Hindalco’s Specialty Alumina portfolio while advancing India’s self-reliance in critical fire-safety applications. PPT ATH is a high-value, halogen-free flame-retardant material used in Halogen-Free Flame Retardant (HFFR) cables, polymer insulators, thermal insulation, composites and paints. In cable applications, it helps suppress flame propagation and smoke generation without releasing halogen acid gases, supporting safer electrical and infrastructure systems. The plant’s Phase 1 capacity of 30,000 tonnes per annum

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is designed to meet almost the entire domestic demand for safer cables from the wire and cable industry. The facility is also designed for phased expansion to 60,000 tonnes, enabling Hindalco to scale capacity in line with domestic market growth. The facility is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy from biomass, solar and wind sources, supporting the production of high-performance specialty materials with a lower environmental footprint.

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NEWS

RR Kabel to Acquire U M Cables’ Optical Fibre Cable Business for INR 77 Crore RR Kabel has approved the acquisition of U M Cables’ entire Optical Fibre Cable business for INR 77 crore through a slump sale, expanding its communication cable portfolio. Sep 25, 2026 RR Kabel’s Board has approved the acquisition of the Business Undertaking of U M Cables Limited (UMCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Usha Martin Limited, engaged in manufacturing and selling Optical Fibre and related Cables. The business undertaking, representing the entire business of UMCL, will be acquired on a going-concern basis through a slump sale for a lump-sum cash consideration of INR 77 crore, subject to working capital adjustments and conditions under the Business Transfer Agreement. The transaction does not involve acquisition of shares. The acquisition is aligned with RR Kabel’s objective of entering the optical fibre cable segment and expanding its presence in the communication cable segment. UMCL reported a turnover of INR 781.86 crore in FY2025-26.

The transaction is expected to be completed within 60 days from execution of the Business Transfer Agreement, subject to fulfilment of the stipulated conditions.

LAPP India Expands Bhopal Facility into Its Largest Global Manufacturing Plant LAPP India has expanded its Bhopal manufacturing facility into the largest plant in its global production network, adding a state-of-the-art unit for low-voltage power cables. Sep 7, 2026 The new facility, whose construction began in 2025 and became fully operational on August 27, 2026, is designed to manufacture LV power cables for industrial automation, commercial buildings, mobility, utilities and renewable energy applications. The expansion strengthens LAPP’s local manufacturing capabilities as demand rises from India’s infrastructure, energy and industrial sectors. Established in 2012, the Bhopal facility has evolved from producing basic single-core cables to manufacturing multicore and solar cables, supported by in-house compounding capabilities and electron-beam (E-Beam) cross-linking technology. LAPP said the investment reflects its “in India for India” strategy, with India now

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serving as its second-largest market after Germany and an important contributor to the Group’s global growth.

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Pratap Technocrats Invests INR 850 Crore in Optical Fibre and Energy Storage Manufacturing Pratap Technocrats has invested INR 850 crore in two new Madhya Pradesh facilities to manufacture optical fibre, BESS and lithium-ion battery solutions. Aug 24, 2026 Pratap Technocrats Pvt. Ltd. has announced an investment of INR 850 crore to establish two advanced manufacturing facilities in Madhya Pradesh through Corsis Industries and Voltters Technologies. The new facilities will manufacture advanced optical fibre, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and lithiumion battery solutions. The optical fibre unit will cater to applications including broadband connectivity, 5G networks, FTTH, data centres, smart cities and defence infrastructure. Meanwhile, the battery manufacturing facility will deploy robotics and Industry 4.0 automation to support renewable energy and energy storage applications.

The investment is also expected to generate significant employment opportunities and strengthen Madhya Pradesh’s position as a growing hub for advanced technology and manufacturing.

Deepak Deshmukh Appointed President & National Sales Head - B2B Channel at Polycab India Deepak Deshmukh brings extensive experience in B2B sales, strategy, business development and commercial leadership to strengthen Polycab India’s B2B business. Aug 24, 2026 Deepak Deshmukh has been appointed as President & National Sales Head – B2B Channel at Polycab India Limited. He brings extensive experience across B2B sales, strategy, business development and commercial leadership. Prior to joining Polycab India, Mr. Deshmukh held senior sales leadership positions at Hindalco Industries Limited, including Joint President – Head of Sales (Aluminium Extrusions) and Vice President – Sales (Aluminium Extrusions). His earlier experience includes roles in strategy and business development at Novelis, Hindalco Industries and Grasim Industries, along with consulting experience at Boston Consulting Group and ECS Limited. With a career spanning sales, strategy, business development and commercial functions across multiple industries, Deshmukh is expected to contribute to the

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Mr. Deepak Deshmukh, President & National Sales Head B2B Channel, Polycab India expansion and strengthening of Polycab India’s B2B sales channel.

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RR Kabel Commences Commercial Production at New Silvassa Unit RR Kabel has commenced commercial production at its newly established Unit 3 manufacturing facility for wires and cables in Silvassa, with an initial operational capacity of 12,000 MT per annum. The facility’s full planned capacity of 18,000 MT per annum is expected to be operational by December 2026. Sep 16, 2026 RR Kabel has commenced commercial production at its new manufacturing unit, Unit 3, located at Village Karad, Silvassa, in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, effective September 15, 2026. The new facility is situated close to the company’s existing manufacturing units in Silvassa. The facility has a total planned capacity of 18,000 MT per annum. Commercial production has begun with an operational capacity of 12,000 MT per annum, while the remaining capacity is expected to be ready by December 2026.

The new unit is dedicated to the manufacturing of wires and cables and is part of RR Kabel’s manufacturing operations in the Silvassa region.

Diamond Power Exits NCLT Framework One Year Ahead of Schedule Diamond Power has completed its exit from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) resolution framework, after fully prepaying the INR 501 crore cash consideration due to its erstwhile lenders, one year ahead of schedule. Sept 11, 2026 Diamond Power Infrastructure Limited has formally completed its exit from the resolution framework under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), following the full implementation of its NCLT-approved Resolution Plan. The company has prepaid the entire INR 501 crore cash consideration payable to its erstwhile lenders, originally scheduled to be paid by September 30, 2027. The Resolution Plan involved total consideration of INR 2,401 crore, comprising INR 501 crore in cash and INR 1,900 crore in 30-year redeemable bonds. With the plan fully implemented, Diamond Power said it is now eligible to obtain credit ratings, facilitating access to bank financing, debt capital markets and institutional funding. The company also stated that its entire fixed-asset base, including its Vadodara manufacturing facility, plant and machinery, rod mills and captive power assets,

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is available as security for working-capital and term financing. Diamond Power said its focus will now shift to scaling MV and EHV cable capacity, strengthening backward integration and expanding its customer base as India accelerates investments in power transmission and grid infrastructure.

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Paramount Communications Strengthens Export Focus, Expands EHV Cable Capabilities Paramount Communications is strengthening its position in the power and infrastructure cable market through an expanding export footprint, a broader product portfolio and investments in specialised manufacturing capabilities. Aug 17, 2026 Paramount Communications closed FY26 with an order book of INR 583 crore and metal throughput of 29,664 MTPA. The company operates two manufacturing facilities in Rajasthan and Haryana, with a third facility under construction at Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh, focused on greenfield EHV cable manufacturing. Exports remain a major growth driver, with Paramount present across 35+ export geographies and exports contributing approximately 50% of revenue. The company’s portfolio spans power transmission and distribution, railway and metro, telecom, renewable energy, industrial, defence, EPC projects and data centres. Paramount is also expanding its

capabilities beyond conventional cables. Its upcoming Narmadapuram facility is expected to support the next phase of growth in EHV cables, specialised transmission conductors, E-Beam and other specialised cables.

Systematic Industries to Acquire Wire Brigade Industries for INR 21.50 Crore Systematic Industries has approved the acquisition of 100% of Wire Brigade Industries for INR 21.50 crore, adding a 24,000 MT-per-annum manufacturing facility in Howrah and taking its total manufacturing capacity to 1.72 lakh MT per annum. Sept 14, 2026 Systematic Industries Limited has approved the proposed acquisition of 100% equity shareholding of Wire Brigade Industries Private Limited, a promoter group company engaged in the manufacturing of galvanised steel wires and strips, for a total consideration of INR 21.50 crore. The acquisition will add an established manufacturing facility in Howrah, West Bengal, and is expected to increase Systematic’s overall manufacturing capacity to 1.72 lakh MT per annum. Wire Brigade operates a manufacturing facility in Howrah and recorded INR 109.75 crore in revenue. The Howrah facility is expected to strengthen Systematic’s manufacturing presence in Eastern India and complement its existing pan-India manufacturing network. Siddharth Rajendra Agarwal, Managing Director, Systematic Industries Limited, said the acquisition

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would strengthen the company’s presence in Eastern India and provide an established manufacturing base in a strategically important region. He added that the integration of the Howrah facility, alongside the recently added Siltara facility, would support the company’s focus on disciplined capacity expansion, wider geographical reach and a stronger manufacturing platform.

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Polycab Bags INR 10,900 Crore Order from Bharat Net & RDSS In its Q1 FY27 earnings conference call, Polycab India reported a 39 percent year-on-year growth in the wire and cable segment. Bharat Net and RDSS contribute a combined order book of nearly INR 10,900 crore, providing strong revenue visibility over the coming years. Jul 20, 2026 In its Q1 FY27 earnings conference call, Polycab India reported that its wires & cables business sustained strong growth, leveraging its market leadership and robust execution capabilities. The segment recorded a 39 percent year-on-year growth, while the domestic wires & cables business outperformed with an impressive 43 percent year-on-year growth. Highlighting emerging opportunities in optical fibre cable, the company estimated the OFC market at INR 20,000– 25,000 crore over the next 6–8 years, driven primarily by the rapid expansion of data centres. Polycab has already supplied cables for data centre projects of Vodafone Idea across Mohali, Pune, and southern India. The company also pointed to the strong outlook for the power transmission sector. It noted that the average annual transmission line capacity addition increased from approximately 15,000 circuit kilometres during FY20–FY25 and is expected to rise to 20,000–21,000 circuit kilometres annually during FY26–FY30, as per CEA. Around 2,000 circuit kilometres have already been executed during April and May 2026, supported by transmission projects worth nearly INR 24,000 crore.

of revenue from RDSS in FY27. Together, BharatNet and RDSS contribute a combined order book of nearly INR 10,900 crore, providing strong revenue visibility over the coming years.

On the infrastructure front, Polycab shared that the BharatNet project has an overall order book of approximately INR 8,000 crore, of which INR 4,500 crore pertains to the execution of new infrastructure over a three-year period. The company expects nearly onethird of the execution value to be recognised as revenue with this scheme, with INR 800–1,000 crore likely to be contributed to the revenue during the current fiscal. Under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), Polycab has secured an order book of around INR 3,250 crore. With execution also spread over three years, the company expects approximately INR 800 crore

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West Coast Optilinks Expands FRP Capacity to 45,000 km/ Month West Coast Optilinks has commissioned new FRP manufacturing lines, expanding capacity to meet growing demand from India and global fibre markets. Aug 11, 2026 West Coast Optilinks (WCO) has commissioned new state-of-the-art Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) manufacturing lines, increasing its production capacity to 45,000 km per month. The expansion strengthens WCO’s ability to manufacture FRP strength members for optical fibre cable applications, with enhanced production capacity, consistent quality and faster delivery capabilities. The company aims to support growing demand from customers across India and international markets.

Bansal Wire Advances Speciality Wire Push with Steel Cord, IHT and OHT Expansion Plans Bansal Wire Industries is strengthening its presence in high-value speciality wire segments with progress in steel cord, IHT and OHT wires, as the company targets new growth opportunities in automotive and other advanced applications. Jul 29, 2026 Bansal Wire Industries Limited is making steady progress in its speciality wire portfolio, with key developments across steel cord, IHT wire and OHT wire businesses. During its Q1 FY2027 earnings call, Managing Director and CEO Pranav Bansal highlighted that the company received its first trial order from one of India’s leading tyre manufacturers for its steel cord business. The product has successfully cleared the sample approval stage with multiple customers and has entered the field/bulk trial phase. The approval process involves multiple trials, with each stage expected to take around two to three months. The company expects further trial orders from other customers in the coming quarters. Bansal Wire has established a 20,000 tonnes per annum pilot capacity for steel cord manufacturing and aims to scale up significantly after achieving customer approvals. The company’s long-term vision is to build a speciality wire capacity of around 2 lakh tonnes, supported by growing demand for import substitution products.

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The company’s IHT and OHT wire businesses are also progressing well. Currently, Bansal Wire has a combined capacity of 9,000 tonnes for IHT and expects this to increase to 15,000 tonnes after OHT commissioning. IHT production is expected to reach around 50% capacity utilisation shortly, with the company targeting 60-80% utilisation levels by the end of FY2027. The company expects these specialty products to become meaningful contributors to its growth strategy, particularly in automotive applications, including electric vehicle components.

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JD Cables Commences Production at New Cable Manufacturing Unit in West Bengal JD Cables Limited has commenced production at its new cable manufacturing unit located at Chakundi, Star Battery Gate, Dankuni, Hooghly, West Bengal, further expanding its manufacturing operations. Sep 15, 2026 Strengthening its manufacturing operations, JD Cables Limited has commenced production at its new cable manufacturing unit in Chakundi, Dankuni, Hooghly, West Bengal. The Cable Division began production on September 14, 2026, following the earlier commencement of production for the company’s Conductor Division at the facility.

Bharat Wire Ropes Targets Full Utilisation of 72,000 MTPA Manufacturing Capacity Bharat Wire Ropes is targeting 100% utilisation of its 72,000 MTPA manufacturing capacity across its Atgaon and Chalisgaon facilities in Maharashtra, backed by an operational efficiency push. Sep 4, 2026 The company operates steel wire rope manufacturing facilities at Atgaon and Chalisgaon in Maharashtra, with a combined capacity of 72,000 MTPA. The focus on higher capacity utilisation comes amid near-term pricing and demand pressures, with Bharat Wire Ropes also prioritising value-added products and cost optimisation to strengthen operational performance.

Lumino Industries to Raise Around INR 700 Crore Through IPO Lumino Industries is set to launch its initial public offering (IPO) on August 27, 2026, with plans to raise around INR 700 crore. The issue will comprise a fresh issue of INR 500 crore along with an offer for sale of up to 2.44 crore equity shares. Aug 25, 2026 Lumino Industries, a manufacturer of conductors, power cables and electrical wires, has fixed the IPO price band at INR 78–INR 82 per share. The issue will close on August 31, 2026, with the company scheduled to list on the BSE and NSE on September 3, 2026.

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NEWS The company operates two manufacturing facilities in Howrah, West Bengal, and serves sectors including power distribution, industrial applications, renewable energy and communication. Its portfolio includes aluminium conductors, high-temperature low-sag conductors, power cables and electrical wires. For FY2026, Lumino Industries reported revenue of INR

2,089.31 crore and a profit after tax of INR 160 crore, compared with revenue of INR 1,946.68 crore and profit of INR 124.59 crore in FY2025. A significant portion of the fresh issue proceeds is proposed to be utilised towards repayment or prepayment of certain outstanding borrowings, along with capital expenditure at an existing manufacturing facility.

Precision Wires Begins Trial Production at Zaroli Copper Refining Plant Precision Wires India Limited has commenced trial production of copper cathodes at its copper refining and recycling plant in Zaroli, Gujarat, with commercial production expected to begin shortly in Q3 FY 2026-27, subject to final regulatory approvals. Sep 17, 2026 Precision Wires India Limited has started trial production of copper cathodes at its Copper Refining/Recycling Plant located at Zaroli, Gujarat. The company said trials of some important equipment at the facility are still underway. Commercial production is expected to commence shortly in Q3 FY 2026-27, subject to receipt of all final regulatory approvals, sanctions and permissions.

Systematic Industries Expands Manufacturing Footprint with New Facility in Chhattisgarh Systematic Industries Limited has announced the expansion of its manufacturing footprint with a new facility in Chhattisgarh. The strategic investment is aimed at increasing production capacity for GI wire while enabling faster deliveries and stronger customer support across Central India. Jul 4, 2026 Systematic Industries Limited has established a new manufacturing location in Chhattisgarh as part of its growth strategy to strengthen its presence in the Indian steel wire market. According to the company, the new facility will enhance its production capacity for premium GI wire and improve its ability to serve customers across Central India. The strategic location is expected to reduce delivery timelines, strengthen the supply chain, and support rising regional demand.

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SETIC & POURTIER Strengthens Presence in India’s Wire & Cable Market SETIC & POURTIER will participate in Wire India 2026 in Mumbai from November 30 to December 2, at Booth J18, showcasing advanced machinery and production solutions for the evolving wire and cable industry. Aug 12, 2026 Following our continued development in the Indian market and our successful participation in recent industry events, SETIC & POURTIER is pleased to announce its participation in Wire India 2026, one of the leading exhibitions dedicated to the wire and cable industry in the region. India remains one of the most dynamic markets worldwide for the wire and cable sector. Strong investments in power transmission and distribution networks, renewable energy projects, transportation infrastructure, urban development, and digital connectivity continue to drive demand for increasingly sophisticated cable solutions. As manufacturers move towards higher-performance products, the need for advanced production technologies is growing rapidly. Benjamin Grasset, Sales Manager, comments: “We are seeing a clear evolution in the Indian market. Beyond increasing production capacity, manufacturers are now focusing on higher-value and more technically demanding cable designs. This trend requires reliable equipment, proven manufacturing processes, and strong technical support, areas where SETIC & POURTIER has built its reputation for decades.” For more than a combined 160 years, SETIC & POURTIER has been supporting cable manufacturers worldwide by delivering complete production solutions for energy, telecommunications and special cables. Our approach goes beyond supplying machinery: we help customers optimize their manufacturing processes through technical expertise, process know-how, training, and long-term service support. At the exhibition, SETIC & POURTIER will showcase

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its Milliken Drum Twisters with up to seven sectors for high-capacity conductor production, Rigid Stranders with capacities of up to 169 wires for demanding power cable applications, and Large Double Twist Machines for power cable manufacturing. The company will also present LAN Cable Production Solutions for communication and data networks, alongside its broader portfolio of rotating machinery, equipment upgrades and services. Wire India is also a valuable opportunity to meet customers, partners and industry professionals faceto-face. These direct exchanges allow us to better understand market expectations, discuss new projects and build long-term partnerships based on trust and technical excellence. As industry requirements continue to evolve, SETIC & POURTIER remains committed to innovation while capitalizing on decades of proven experience. Through our C2S service activities, we help customers improve productivity, modernize existing equipment and extend machine lifetime. Our BOW TECHNOLOGY division also supplies premium carbon bows compatible with all major double twist machine brands.

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Omya Signed an Agreement to Distribute Hindalco’s Specialty ATH Products Across Europe Omya has partnered with Hindalco Industries to exclusively distribute its fine precipitated Aluminium Trihydrate (ATH) products across Europe, strengthening access to specialty flame-retardant materials for demanding applications. Aug 13, 2026 Omya has signed an agreement with Hindalco Industries Limited to become the exclusive distributor of Hindalco’s fine precipitated Aluminium Trihydrate (ATH) products across Europe. The partnership combines Hindalco’s specialty alumina manufacturing expertise with Omya’s technical capabilities and established European distribution network. The collaboration is expected to improve supply security, technical support and access to high-quality ATH grades for demanding applications. Through the agreement, Omya aims to strengthen its ability to support European customers responding

to increasingly stringent performance and fire-safety requirements.

Medek & Schörner to Showcase Advanced Cable and Fiber Solutions Medek & Schörner will showcase advanced cable marking and optical fiber processing technologies at wire China 2026, highlighting innovations designed to enhance production efficiency, quality, and process reliability across the evolving wire, cable, and optical fiber industries. Visit Medek & Schörner at wire China 2026, Stand E1 C21, to discover how its advanced technologies can help optimise production processes and support future manufacturing requirements. Aug 12, 2026 Medek & Schörner is pleased to announce its participation in wire China 2026. Founded in 1929, Medek & Schörner is a leading supplier of cable marking machines and optical fiber processing lines, serving customers worldwide with innovative and reliable technologies. Driven by the evolving requirements of the wire, cable, and optical fiber industries, the company consistently develops advanced solutions that enable new product designs and improve production efficiency, product quality, and process reliability. Among the latest innovations are: Driven by the evolving requirements of the wire, cable, and optical fiber industries, the company consistently develops advanced solutions that enable new product

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designs while improving production efficiency, product quality, and process reliability. Among the latest innovations are cutting-edge intermittent ribbon production technology; optical fiber coloring and curing stations using energy-efficient LED irradiation units; innovative optical fiber ring marking technology; and optional memory functionality for the FMS 5 hot foil

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NEWS sequential meter marker, enabling smarter operation and increased process reliability. Combining decades of industry experience with extensive in-house engineering expertise, Medek & Schörner delivers high-performance machines designed for demanding production environments. The company’s highly skilled workforce works closely with customers to develop tailored solutions that help transform specific requirements into practical and efficient manufacturing processes. Medek & Schörner offers a comprehensive portfolio of cable marking machines and optical fiber processing lines, including optical fiber color coating systems for ring marking, tight buffering, and proof testing, as well as production lines for optical fiber ribbons, micromodule

cables/compact fiber units (CFU), and intermittent ribbons. The company’s cable marking solutions comprise highquality gravure printers, offset markers for irregular cable surfaces, embossing and hot foil sequential length markers, high-speed embossing printers for indented or raised marking, high-performance ring markers, and laser marking systems. In addition, the portfolio includes camera supervision systems for monitoring the printing quality of high-speed printing machines, custom-made cable marking machines and optical fiber processing solutions, as well as IoT/Industry 4.0-ready machine interfaces. With a strong commitment to innovation, quality, and customer-focused engineering, Medek & Schörner continues to set industry benchmarks in cable marking and optical fiber processing technology.

Lumino Industries to Nearly Double Cable and Conductor Capacity at Ranihati Facility Lumino Industries is undertaking a three-phase expansion at its Ranihati facility, raising cable and conductor capacity to 75,000 tonnes per annum and adding HT power cable production up to 66 kV. Sep 23, 2026

increase from 40,000 tonnes to 75,000 tonnes.

Lumino Industries Limited is adding 35,000 tonnes per annum of capacity at its Ranihati cable and conductor facility through a three-phase expansion programme. The first phase will add 10,000 tonnes by H2 FY27, followed by 11,000 tonnes in Q3 FY28 and a further 14,000 tonnes in Q1 FY29. Upon completion, the facility’s capacity, measured in terms of annual aluminium consumption, will

The expansion will increase capacity across existing product categories and enable the manufacture of HT power cables up to 66 kV. The company said the additional capacity will support greater contribution from specialised conductors and cables, including highervoltage products, while its EPC business will focus on substations and HTLS reconductoring opportunities.

OCI Cables Appoints Actress Rakul Preet Singh as Brand Ambassador OCI Cables India has announced the appointment of actress Rakul Preet Singh as its new Brand Ambassador, marking a new chapter for the company as it builds on its legacy of quality, reliability and trusted connections. Sep 15, 2026 OCI Cables India has welcomed actress Rakul Preet Singh as its Brand Ambassador, with the announcement featuring Mr. Vishal Tayal, Chairman, OCI Group. The company said the association reflects its continued focus on carrying forward its legacy while entering an exciting new chapter. Welcoming Mrs. Singh to the OCI family, the company expressed confidence in the partnership and its significance for the brand.

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KSH International Unit 3 Continues Making Round Enamelled Winding Wires KSH International’s Unit 3 in Chakan, Pune, continues manufacturing round enamelled copper and aluminium winding wires following the reported renewal of its factory licence, extending operational validity through December 31, 2030. Sept 02, 2026 KSH International’s Unit 3 at Chakan, Pune, manufactures round enamelled copper and aluminium winding wires, with an annual installed capacity of 7,484 MT for standard and specialised winding wires. The unit has reportedly received renewal of its factory licence from Maharashtra’s Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, extending its validity until December 31, 2030. The licence renewal supports continued operations of the company’s enamel wire division. Meanwhile, KSH International’s total annualised installed capacity increased to 43,445 MT as of March 31, 2026, from 29,045 MT in FY25. The company has also

commissioned a 5,000 MTPA upcast copper rod facility (Unit 5) at Chakan, Pune, supporting its backward integration initiatives

Susan Electricals to Expand Cable Manufacturing Capacity by 60% Susan Electricals is expanding its cable manufacturing capacity from 7,500 km p.a. to 12,000 km p.a., a 60 percent increase. The expanded capacity is expected to commence commercial operations in February 2027, supporting growing demand across LT, HT and higher-value cable segments. Sep 21, 2026 Susan Electricals India Limited is set to expand its cable manufacturing capacity by 4,500 km per annum, increasing its installed capacity from 7,500 km p.a. to 12,000 km p.a. The company expects the expanded capacity to commence commercial operations from February 2027. The expansion represents a 60% increase in installed capacity. The additional capacity is intended to support growing demand across Low Tension (LT), High Tension (HT), and other higher-value cable segments. The company stated that the capacity expansion is progressing as planned and forms part of its strategy to

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strengthen its presence in higher-value cable products. Susan Electricals has also reported an unexecuted order book of approximately INR 142.39 crore as of June 30, 2026, while its active order pipeline stood at approximately INR 150 crore, providing visibility for future growth.

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Diamond Power Infrastructure Commissions 1,500 MT/ Month Copper Cable Line Diamond Power Infrastructure has commissioned a 1,500 MT/month copper wire drawing and cable manufacturing line at its Vadodara plant on Aug 20, using existing manufacturing infrastructure, avoiding fresh capital expenditures. The expansion marks its entry into the higher-value copper cable segment. Aug 20, 2026 Diamond Power Infrastructure Ltd. has commissioned a dedicated copper wire drawing and cable manufacturing line at its existing facility in Savli, Vadodara, Gujarat, with commercial production commencing on August 20, 2026. The new line has an installed capacity of 1,500 MT per month and will manufacture copper conductor power cables for data centres, power plants and industrial installations. The facility features in-house copper wire drawing from copper wire rod for manufacturing cables used in power plants, data centres and industrial installations, enabling greater control over conductor quality and production costs. The facility features in-house copper wire drawing from copper wire rod to manufacture copper conductor power cables for applications in power plants, data centres and industrial installations, enabling the company to exercise greater control over conductor quality and production costs. The move marks a strategic expansion

for Diamond Power, which has traditionally focused on aluminium-based cables and conductors. With the new capacity, the company can now offer both aluminium and copper cable solutions to customers. The company stated that no substantial new investment was required for the capacity addition, as the required machinery and infrastructure were already available. Diamond Power plans to serve both domestic and export markets through the new line.

TJK Expands Mumbai Footprint with Second Facility and New Manufacturing Capabilities TJK has inaugurated its second facility in Mumbai, expanding beyond its existing warehouse and office setup to add manufacturing capabilities, strengthen market reach and improve the efficiency of equipment delivery to customers. Sept 08, 2026 TJK Machinery India Private Limited has inaugurated its second facility in Mumbai, marking an expansion of its existing presence in the city, which includes a warehouse and office setup. The new facility adds manufacturing capabilities to the company’s Mumbai operations and is expected to support its growing market presence. The expansion is aimed at improving the company’s ability to serve customers by strengthening local manufacturing and enabling more efficient equipment delivery. www.wirecable.in

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Windak Advances Cable Rewinding Quality with Smarter Automation Windak Group is advancing cable rewinding with automation technologies focused on quality monitoring, consistent cable laying and repeatable machine setup. Its Active Cable Inspection System, SafeWind technology and HMI-based recipe management help operators detect defects, maintain winding consistency and achieve reliable results across different production runs and shifts. Aug 17, 2026 During a long rewinding cycle, a single large reel can contain many kilometers of cable. Maintaining consistent quality throughout the entire reel therefore requires much more than speed alone. Cable condition, tension and laying quality need to remain under control from the first meter to the last. Windak develops its payoff, take-up and rewind solutions with this philosophy in mind: automation should support the operator, improve process consistency and help ensure that every finished reel meets the required quality standard. Three areas are particularly important: continuous cable inspection, consistent cable laying and repeatable machine setup. Continuous Quality Monitoring Windak’s Active Cable Inspection System adds an additional level of process control by monitoring the cable during operation. If a potential defect is detected, the system automatically stops the line. With the Reverse Function, the operator can then move the cable back to the affected section for closer inspection and corrective action before continuing the rewinding process. This combination of automated monitoring and operator control helps reduce the risk of a cable defect passing unnoticed onto the finished reel and supports more consistent product quality throughout the entire rewinding cycle.

Repeatable Machine Setup Different cable types and reel sizes require different winding parameters. Windak’s HMI allows operators to store fine-tuned settings in more than 100 product recipes, making it easy to recall optimized parameters for future production runs. This simplifies product changeovers and helps achieve more repeatable results across different products and shifts.

Consistent Cable Laying Windak’s SafeWind technology helps maintain stable and uniform cable laying throughout the rewinding process.

Automation That Supports Quality The value of automation in rewinding is not simply about replacing manual tasks. It is about giving operators better control over the process.

Its motorized laying arm moves up/down, in/out and left/ right, keeping the laying point close to the drum and following the cable as the reel builds up.

Continuous inspection helps identify potential defects, SafeWind supports consistent cable laying, and recipe management improves repeatability.

Together with precise tension control, this supports consistent winding quality while reducing the need for continuous manual adjustment.

Together, these technologies help cable manufacturers achieve a more controlled, reliable and quality-focused rewinding process — from the first meter to the last.

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RR Kabel Strengthens Power Cable Manufacturing with SIKORA X-RAY 8700 NXT System RR Kabel has integrated SIKORA’s X-RAY 8700 NXT into the hot position of its SIOPLAS and CCV production line to strengthen real-time quality control and process efficiency. The system enables continuous, precise, real-time, and reliable monitoring of critical cable parameters, including wall thickness, diameter, concentricity and ovality, allowing the manufacturer to maintain high production standards while improving process control. Jun 08, 2026 RR Kabel, one of India’s leading wire & cable manufacturers, uses SIKORA’s X-RAY 8700 NXT to ensure accurate, real-time measurement and control in its SIOPLAS lines. With more than 2,000 systems sold worldwide, SIKORA’s X-RAY 8000 series has set the standard for continuous and reliable quality control in power cable production. The systems deliver precise and reliable measurements of concentricity, wall thickness, diameter and ovality as well as by controlling cables with up to three layers. Power cable manufacturers, including RR Kabel, install X-RAY devices from SIKORA for quality control in SIOPLAS as well as in CCV lines. In addition, producers of power cables benefit from the final quality control as it ensures the highest quality of the cables delivered to their customers. The X-RAY 8700 NXT is installed at the hot position of the SIOPLAS line and immediately provides information for fast centering of the crosshead and automatic control of the wall thickness. The system precisely measures the wall thickness, diameter and eccentricity at the beginning of the production line, which ensures that only cables of the highest quality are delivered. The X-RAY 8700 NXT supports a wide application

range, including cables with solid and stranded as well as Milliken conductors with single, double or triple layer insulation. It is also suitable for quality control of insulation material based on polypropylene, including High Performance Thermoplastic Elastomer (HPTE).

Modernizing PLASTICOLOR Equipment and Systems: Proven Technology, New Possibilities WOYWOD modernizes PLASTICOLOR dosing systems with advanced motors, optimized dosing technology, enhanced safety and connectivity for efficient cable production. Sep 7, 2026 PLASTICOLOR dosing units have been reliably serving cable production facilities for many years. However, with rising demands regarding efficiency, safety and www.wirecable.in

connectivity, modernizing existing equipment and systems is a worthwhile investment. WOYWOD offers solutions ranging from the replacement of older dosing units to the targeted upgrading of existing systems with state-of-theart technology.

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NEWS Enhanced Performance with the G330 Motor Generation The brushless (BLDC) motor generation operates maintenance-free, significantly reducing the time and effort required for maintenance and servicing. With a speed range of up to 1:800 and high torque reserves, the motor covers a wide dosing range and enables the processing of challenging materials. Serving as a standardized motor for various PLASTICOLOR dosing units, it also simplifies spare parts inventory and servicing. Plug-in connections allow for motor replacement (if necessary) in a matter of seconds. The integrated control system of the 48 V DC drive and optional fieldbus interfaces, such as PROFINET and CANopen, make the G330/G331 a future-proof solution for both existing and new systems.

A standardized motor bracket for the PLASTICOLOR 1500, 2500 and 3500 models also simplifies motor replacement and spare parts inventory management.

Optimized Dosing Technology Current PLASTICOLOR dosing units also offer numerous advantages over older generations of equipment. An optimized intake zone improves material flow and enables emptying with virtually no residue. Newly tuned screw/ cylinder combinations (featuring a larger annular gap and improved sealing) expand the application range to include challenging materials such as PUR and other materials that are difficult to process. The new neckpiece slider valve facilitates hose connection, throughput testing and material sampling. Optional test containers, which can be easily mounted on the test outlets, further simplify handling and ensure a clean production environment.

Enhanced safety and connectivity Modern motor shut-off systems can also improve workplace safety for existing installations. Depending on the specific version, options include a safety shut-off certified to EN ISO 13849-1 or a proprietary WOYWOD solution featuring a contact sensor. Opening the motor bracket during operation cuts off the power supply to the motor. Whether it involves a complete unit replacement or a targeted upgrade, modernizing existing PLASTICOLOR systems offers a way to combine proven machine designs with state-of-the-art technology. WOYWOD helps you find the ideal modernization solution for your existing PLASTICOLOR system.

HFCL to Invest INR 215 Crore for Setting Up Data Centre Connectivity Products’ Facility HFCL will invest INR 215 crore for a manufacturing facility producing data centre connectivity products, including miniature multi-fibre (MMC) and super high-density multi-fibre termination (SNMT) assemblies, powering India’s data centre infrastructure. Jul 23, 2026 HFCL Limited has received board’s approval to invest INR 215 crore for setting up a data centre connectivity products manufacturing facility, as per the regulatory filing. The connectivity products include miniature multi-fibre (MMC) and super high-density multi-fibre termination (SNMT) assemblies used for hyperscale data centers and high-performance AI hardware, optimizing hardware cooling and bandwidth scalability. The facility will have an expected annual production www.wirecable.in

capacity of 2,70,000 assemblies and is expected to be commissioned by September 2027, supporting India’s data centre ecosystem.

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TROESTER Highlights Advanced Cable Extrusion and Compounding Solutions TROESTER GmbH & Co. KG, a worldwide leading manufacturer of complete extrusion systems for the cable industry, will showcase its latest technologies at WIRE China 2026, to be held from September 21-24, 2026, in Shanghai, China. Jul 23, 2026 The company’s portfolio includes CV lines for XLPE and rubber cables, sheathing and insulation lines, and a complete range of downstream equipment, including winders, caterpillars, capstans, and accumulators. In China, TROESTER is represented by its subsidiary, TROESTER Machinery Shanghai (TMS), which is responsible for sales, after-sales service, and local production for the domestic market. At WIRE China 2026, TROESTER will present its latest developments in CCV and VCV lines for medium-, high-, and extra-high-voltage cables up to 1000 kV, rubber CV and CCV lines for cables up to 35 kV, and production equipment for submarine cables.

covering conveying, melting, dispersing, mixing, and degassing processes. The division will highlight its advanced kneader technology for the continuous compounding of HFFR (LSOH), PVC, XLPE, semiconductive materials, and EPR/EPDM compounds.

X-Compound, a member of the TROESTER Group, will also showcase its complete compounding systems

Tempsens Instruments to Launch INR 650-Crore IPO on 20 August 2026 Tempsens Instruments will launch its INR 650-crore IPO on August 20, 2026, with proceeds partly earmarked for capital expenditure in electrical heating and specialised cable solutions, along with debt repayment. Aug 17, 2026 Temperature sensing, electrical heating and specialised cable solutions provider, Tempsens Instruments (India) Ltd. will launch its IPO on August 20. The price band has been fixed at INR 285–300 per equity share, with the issue closing on August 24. The IPO comprises a fresh issue of up to INR 95 crore and an Offer-for-Sale of up to 1.85 crore equity shares. At the upper end of the price band, the IPO is valued at INR 650 crore, implying a postissue market capitalisation of approximately INR 2,515 crore. The company plans to use the fresh issue proceeds towards capital expenditure for its electrical heating and

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specialised cable businesses, repayment of debt and general corporate purposes. The shares are proposed to be listed on the BSE and NSE on August 28.

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From Wire Drawing to Cold Forming: Traxit to become Cold Forming Field of Application within SurTec Effective January 1, 2027, Traxit Wire Lubrication will become SurTec’s sixth Field of Application, expanding its portfolio from wire drawing into cold forming through integrated products, expertise and global technical service. Sep 16, 2026 Effective January 1, 2027, Traxit Wire Lubrication, currently a brand of Klüber Lubrication, will become SurTec’s sixth Field of Application. This strategic realignment within Freudenberg Chemical Specialities reflects both the changing dynamics of the wire drawing market and the attractive growth opportunities in adjacent cold forming applications. By combining Traxit’s long-standing expertise in dry lubricants, wet drawing lubricants and carrier coatings with SurTec’s global application know-how in metal pre-treatment and industrial parts cleaning, SurTec’s position in the metal forming market will be further sharpened and significantly strengthened.

their complementary strengths to create one of the industry’s most comprehensive offerings for cold forming applications.”

Customers will benefit from an integrated product portfolio and comprehensive know-how for applications across the entire field of cold forming, extending beyond Traxit’s core business in wire drawing. The basis of the new Field of Application remains Traxit’s existing customer base, product portfolio and high-quality technical service. This will be complemented by SurTec’s global network and market expertise in the cold forming industry.

“Since 1881, Traxit has stood for technical expertise and close customer relationships,” said Hartmut Schröder, CEO Traxit. “The integration into SurTec’s structure creates a strong foundation for the positive development of the business. Customers benefit from an expanded range of solutions, combined expertise and strong global service capabilities.”

“The establishment of Cold Forming as a new Field of Application marks an important step in the further development of our portfolio,” said Dr. Karsten Grünke, CEO SurTec. “Traxit and SurTec combine

The new Cold Forming Field of Application provides a solid framework for the further development of the Traxit business and supports SurTec’s long-term strategy of further expanding its expertise across adjacent industrial manufacturing processes.

Prysmian to Acquire Atkore, Expanding into End-to-End Electrical Infrastructure Solutions Prysmian has signed a definitive merger agreement to acquire US-based electrical infrastructure solutions provider Atkore, strengthening its leadership in North America and accelerating its transformation into a fully-fledged electrical solutions provider. Aug 4, 2026 The acquisition will significantly expand Prysmian’s North American footprint by adding complementary products such as electrical conduits, cable management systems, armoring, framing solutions, and plastic pipes and fittings to its existing cables portfolio. The combined offering is

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expected to simplify procurement, speed up installation, and enhance reliability for customers investing in electrification and AI-driven infrastructure. Prysmian said the integration will also create new opportunities for innovation by combining cables with adjacent electrical components, enabling the

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NEWS development of safer, more efficient, and productivityenhancing solutions for installers and infrastructure operators. Commenting on the acquisition, Massimo Battaini, CEO of Prysmian, said, “Electrification, AI-driven data centers and digitalization all require major investments in infrastructure, and they are critical to the modern economy. Atkore offers an attractive combination of complementary products, structural growth exposure and meaningful synergy opportunities, representing a major acceleration in Prysmian’s evolution into a fullyfledged electrical solutions provider. We look forward to welcoming their team into Prysmian as we continue to grow our North American electrical solutions portfolio.” Michael V. Schrock, Chairman of Atkore’s Board of Directors, added, “Atkore and Prysmian are highly complementary organizations, and we believe this combination will create a stronger platform with greater

scale and a more comprehensive portfolio of solutions to better serve customers. We expect Atkore to benefit from additional opportunities as part of a larger global organization.”

TROESTER Showcases Advanced Cable Extrusion and Compounding Technologies TROESTER GmbH & Co. KG, one of the world’s leading suppliers of complete extrusion systems for the cable industry, will showcase its latest innovations at WIRE India 2026, to be held from November 30 to December 2, 2026, in Mumbai, India. The company’s portfolio includes CV lines for XLPE and rubber cables, insulation and sheathing lines, as well as a complete range of downstream equipment such as winders, caterpillars, capstans, and accumulators. Jul 23, 2026 At WIRE India 2026, TROESTER will present its latest developments in CCV and VCV lines for medium-, high-, and extra-high-voltage cables up to 1000 kV, rubber CV and CCV lines up to 72 kV, insulation and sheathing systems, CV tubes and components, including the variable Endseal TRENDSEAL, and production equipment for submarine cables. The company’s X-Compound Division will also showcase complete compounding systems covering conveying, melting, dispersing, mixing, and degassing. The portfolio includes advanced kneader technology for the continuous compounding of HFFR (LSOH), PVC, XLPE, semiconductive compounds, and EPR/EPDM. Supporting these technologies is TROESTER India, which provides customers with comprehensive local service and technical support. Its growing team of cable and compound specialists offers commissioning, aftersales service, and rapid technical assistance, while the

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company’s expanding spare parts network ensures faster response times and enhanced customer support across India. Visitors to the TROESTER booth will have the opportunity to discuss current and future projects with the company’s experts and learn how its technologies contribute to more efficient, reliable, and sustainable cable production.

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