India Outlook

WIRE JOURNAL JANUARY 2013

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L www.wirenet.org

• Report to Members • IWCS wrapup

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL

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WIRE JOURNAL

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

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

CONTENTS

Volume 46 | Number 1 | January 2013

F EATURES

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Industry News . . . . . . . . . . . 10 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Asian Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Fiber Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Fastener Update . . . . . . . . . . 24

Report to Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

WAI News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

In his 2012 report, WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll looks both back and forward at Association activity.

Chapter Corner . . . . . . . . . . . 36

IWCS 2012 wrapup . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

Technical Papers . . . . . . . 56-69

IWCS organizers were quite pleased with the 2012 staging of this annual event.

Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Indian Outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Career Opportunities . . . . . . . 75

This feature includes a range of observations on the potential for, and the challenges facing India, with the perspective of the heads of an Indian cable company and an Indian steel association, a wrapup of wire India 2012, and more.

Advertisers’ Index . . . . . . . . . 78

T ECHNIC AL PAPERS /P RESENTATIONS

Next issue February 2013 • Packaging (reels, carriers & packaging equipment)

Research on the manufacturing technology and processing of continuously cast aluminum rods Tadeusz Knych, Piotr Uliasz and Marzena Piwowarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 System for online analysis of wiredrawing conditions Chanchal Saxena, Rajesh Raul, Prashant Koli, Rajesh Mohite and Ashish Pingle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Sustainability: good for business, but only if business is part of the processs Allen Weidman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Cover: India, the world’s second most populous country, remains an intriguing destination for the wire and cable industry and suppliers in many countries. See p. 46.

JANUARY 2013 | 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEVER UNDERESTIMATE TECH APPEAL . . . .38

Exchanging business cards at Advanced Cable Asia 2012, a first-time event by U.K.-based Integer Research, were (l-r), Weiren You, director of Technology Research Institute at Jiangsu Zhongtian Technology; Dr. Risheng Yang, representative to the chairman at Jiangsu Zhongtian Technology; and Hiroshi Kobayashi, senior analyst at the Metal Economics Research Institute in Japan. The conference featured presentations on industry in China and other Asian countries.

Above is a slide presented during the Plenary Session at IWCS 2012, where Michael T. Jones, chief technology advocate for Google, Inc., proved to be an unorthodox speaker.

He told audience members that much of what they believe is not true, and that such mistaken beliefs stand in the way of real progress. Google’s success, he said, stems from not accepting the limits set by others, when what is really needed is a vision of what can be.

CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE APPEAL AT CHINA EVENT . . . .20

4 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

EDITORIAL WIRE JOURNAL

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EDITORIAL

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

Participating in your professional community Publisher | Steven J. Fetteroll

My first job after graduating from college was with Southwire and that was 37 years ago. It has been an incredible journey and for those of you that know me, I would not have changed a thing. I feel fortunate to have spent my entire career in manufacturing and working for a very special company filled with quality people.

Over the course of my career, I have developed strong opinions on everything in the operations sector (and beyond). You can’t put this many years in without establishing hard positions on what I consider key operational issues such as management style, innovation on the plant floor, and commitment to excellence. For those that have worked with me, you understand that it is a necessity considering my role and the size of the operation.

As I begin my term as President of The Wire Association International (WAI), I can’t turn off my strong opinions switch and frankly, I would be doing those that elected me to this position a disservice by not being myself.

So, here is my hot button when it comes to WAI…. we all need to participate in the wire and cable community!

For the past year, I have been intimately involved in re-growing the WAI membership, because I believe that the wire and cable industry deserves a strong dedicated association. Manufacturing wire and cable is a unique profession with our own production processes, materials, lean practices, and equipment.

Every professional has a responsibility for contributing to the profession, and this includes the supplier segment. No, it doesn’t have to be WAI, as there are many ways to contribute to the industry. However, WAI is uniquely positioned because of its well established educational mission and global reach.

If you are not participating now, consider joining. You will be in good company as more than 400 of your industry colleagues have joined in the past year. The timing is perfect as you will also be able to take advantage of the full 2013 series of webinars scheduled to begin in February and also attend Interwire in April with all of the perks of membership.

Most importantly, as a member you can be a participant in your profession.

I look forward to serving as your President.

Richard Miller Southwire Co. WAI President

Editor-in-Chief | Mark Marselli Senior Graphic Designer | Bill Branch Director of Sales | Robert Xeller Advertising Sales | Anna Bzowski Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications | Janice E. Swindells Graphic Artist | Adrienne E. Simpson Proofreader | Livia Jacobs Publications Committee Dane Armendariz Ferruccio Bellina | TKT Group/President ACIMAF, Italy Malcolm Michael | AWIA Australia Don Schollin | Q-S Technologies, USA Ralph Skalleberg | Skaltek USA Dave Stackpole | Nutmeg Wire, USA Giulio Properzi | Continuus Properzi, Italy Robert Wild | Niehoff Endex North America, USA Technical Advisors John Drummond | Scotia Group R. M. Shemenski | RMS Consulting, Inc.

WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL (ISSN-0277-4275) published monthly by The Wire Journal, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Wire Association International, Inc., which is located at 1570 Boston Post Road, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA, and can be contacted at tel.

203-453-2777; fax 203-453-8384; Internet wirenet.org; e-mail editorial@wirenet.org. Address all correspondence concerning advertising production, editorial and circulation to the above address. WJI is printed in USA. Subscription rates: $110 per year, USA; $120 per year, Canada and Mexico; other countries, $140 per year (includes air mail). Back copies: $10 WAI members, $15 non-members. Periodicals postage paid at Guilford, CT 06437, USA, and at additional offices.

Wire Journal International grants photocopy permission to libraries and others registered with Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 21 Congress St., Salem, MA 01970, USA, for a fee of $0.50 per article. Payments should be sent directly to the CCC. Requests for bulk orders or reprints should be sent to the Wire Journal International, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA. © 2013 by Wire Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Publisher of WJI assumes no responsibility for the validity of manufacturers’ claims made herein. Back issues of WJI are on microfilm and available from University Microfilm, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. Phone: 313761-4700.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wire Journal International, P.O. Box 578, Guilford, CT 06437-0578, USA.

6 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

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CALENDAR

CALENDAR Feb. 18-20, 2013: AWPA Annual Meeting Orlando, Florida, USA. The American Wire Producers Association (AWPA) will hold its annual meeting at the Hilton Bonnet Creek. Registration available online.

Contact: AWPA, Heather Outhuse, tel. 703-200-4434, houthuse@awpa.org, www.awpa.org.

April 3-5, 2013: Kyiv Technical Trade Show 2013 Kyiv, Ukraine. The eighth staging of this event will be held at the Kyiv Expo Plaza Exhibition Centre. Contact the event organizers at TDS-Expo Ltd., tel. 380-44-596-93-08, fax 380-44-596-92-20, www.weldexpo.com.ua, skype: krasko_olga.

April 23-25, 2013: Interwire 2013 Atlanta, Georgia, USA. WAI returns to the Georgia World Congress Center to stage its biennial trade show, technical programs and the Association’s 83rd Annual Convention.

May 8-9, 2013: The 13th Annual Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. This event, the largest U.S. show dedicated to wire processing event, will be held at the Delta Center (formerly the Frontier Airlines Center) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It will co-locate with the Electrical Manufacturing & Coil Winding Expo 2013, with cross-over admission for all attendees. Contact: Expo Productions, www.electricalwireshow.com, tel. 800367-5520.

May 23-26, 2013: wire Russia 2013 Moscow, Russia. This event wil return to the ZAO Expocentr Exhibition Centre in Krasnaya Presnya.

Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, tel. 312781-5180, fax 312-781-5188, info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com.

Sept. 17-19, 2013: wire Southeast Asia Bangkok, Thailand. Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, tel. 312-781-5180, fax 312-781-5188, info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com.

Oct. 8-13, 2013: wire South America 2013 São Paulo, Brazil. Messe Düsseldorf and its partner Grupo Cipa will stage this fair for the Brazilian market at the Imigrantes Exposicoes Exhibition Centre.

Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, tel. 312-7815180, info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com.

Nov. 10-13, 2013: 62nd IWCS ConferenceTM Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. To be held at the Charlotte Convention Center. Contact: Pat Hudak, IWCS, tel. 732-389-0090, phudak@iwcs.org, www.iwcs.org.

April 7-11, 2014: wire Düsseldorf Düsseldorf, Germany. This biennial event will be held at the Messe fairgrounds. Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, tel. 312-781-5180, info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com.

June 16-18, 2014: 14th Guangzhou International Metal Plate, Bar, Wire, Metal Processing & Setting Equipment Exhibition Guangzhou, China. This event, to be held at the China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex, is organized

by Guangzhou Julang Exhibition Design Co., Ltd. The event organizers can be contacted at tel. 86-2038621071, fax 86-20-38620781, expo@julang.com.cn, www.metalchina-gz.com.

Sept. 24-27, 2014: wire China 2014 Shanghai, China. To be held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Contact: Messe Düsseldorf North America, tel. 312-781-5180, info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com.

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

Jan. 24, 2013: New England Chapter Meeting Uncasville, Connecticut, USA. The chapter will hold its 19th annual meeting at the Mohegan Sun Resort Conference Center. Contact: Anna Bzowski, tel. 203-4532777, ext. 126, abzowski@wirenet.org. See p. 36.

8 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

April 23-25, 2013: Interwire 2013 Atlanta, Georgia, USA. WAI returns to the Georgia World Congress Center to stage its biennial trade show, technical programs and the Association’s 83rd Annual Convention.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS Statoil reports contracts for Nexans and GEOS for offshore oil fields Norway’s Statoil ASA, a fully integrated global petroleum company, has placed orders with Nexans and GEOS related to its offshore oil fields.

A press release said that Nexans has been awarded a 45 million euro contract to supply static and dynamic umbilicals for three fast-track projects on the Norwegian Continental Shelf: the Oseberg Delta field (North Sea), the Snøhvit gas field (Barents Sea) and the Smørbukk Sør (Norwegian Sea). The Nexans plant in Halden, Norway, will manufacture 42 km of static and dynamic umbilicals for Statoil’s new standardized umbilical design for fasttrack projects, offering tie-ins to existing infrastructure as well as other kinds of subsea oil and gas projects, it said.

The umbilicals will provide hydraulic, data and fiber optic services for subsea equipment at a water depth of 100 m for the Oseberg field, 345 m for Snøhvit and 300 m for Smørbukk, it said, adding that manufacturing is expected to start in the middle of 2013, with delivery anticipated during 2014/15.

“This latest umbilical contract for Statoil furthers our long-standing working relationship with this very important customer on the Norwegian Continental Shelf,” said Ragnvald Graff, Sales & Marketing Director, Hybrid Underwater Cables Division, Nexans Norway. “In addition to our excellent references from historic projects, this is a good continuation of our co operation with Statoil on the two ongoing projects in the Åsgard and Gullfaks fields.”

The second contract calls for U.S.-based Geospace Technologies Corporation (GEOS) to supply seabed seismic reservoir monitoring systems to Statoil, which plans to use them for two seabed oil fields.

A press release said that the definitive agreement calls for GEOS company to provide the monitoring systems, which include about 700 km of seismic cables, for the Snorre and Grane fields on the Norwegian continental shelf. The systems, it said, will cover an area totaling approximately 240 sq km (190 on Snorre and 50 on Grane), which combined will represent the world’s largest seismic project of its kind. The final contract value is approximately $160 million and requires the systems to be delivered at various intervals extending into fiscal year 2015, it said.

A press release said that the new seismic technology is hoped to result in 30 million extra barrels of oil from Snorre and Grane when Statoil and its partners start using the permanent reservoir monitoring (PRM) systems. The technology will ensure a better understanding of the reservoirs, and these two old fields, it noted, have large

remaining reserves. Placing the seismic cables in trenches on the seabed of these fields will allow the company to better recover the remaining oil, it said, explaining the technology as follows: The ordinary gathering of seismic data involves towing streamers after a ship which transmits a sound signal. The PRM technology involves embedding the streamers into the seabed on a permanent basis. To collect seismic data, a ship with a signal source crosses the field and the cables on the seabed will register the signals and transmit them to the platform and onshore for interpretation.

“Better seismic data are essential to the company’s strategy for increased oil production. This is a very important project for Statoil,” said Øystein Michelsen, executive vice president for development and production on the Norwegian shelf. “This technology is an important contribution to reaching our ambition of increasing the recovery rate for oil to 60% from our fields on the Norwegian shelf,” he said, noting that the global average recovery rate is about 35%, while Statoil’s rate is about 50%.

U.K.’s National Grid invests in U.S. HV transmission line developer U.K.-based National Grid will invest $40 million in Clean Line Energy Partners LLC, a Houston-based developer of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines designed to move large amounts of renewable power to U.S. markets. The news is especially noteworthy due to the scope of the projects that Clean Line is involved in, as seen in the below bulleted items.

A press release said that National Grid USA, a business of National Grid, will make the equity investment that will result in the company acquiring “a significant ownership stake in Clean Line’s portfolio of long-distance,

A map showing four Clean Line transmission projects.

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

10 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Belden reports acquisition of PPC, continues its downstream expansion U.S.-based Belden Inc. announced that it has acquired privately held PPC, a provider of advanced connectivity technologies for the broadband service provider market. based in Syracuse, New York, for $515.7 million.

A press release said that the deal significantly enhances Belden’s Broadcast Solutions platform and increases exposure to attractive end markets. It noted that PPC, which has operating margins above 22%, has projected 2012 revenues of approximately $238 million, “has a long history of innovation and an industry leading portfolio of products, supported by a talented team, and strong customer relationships.”

“This acquisition is a wonderful example of our business transformation and highlights our strategic focus on building global business platforms with strong financial attributes, serving attractive end markets,” said Belden President and CEO John Stroup. “PPC provides innovative products that enable our customers to profitably grow their business by delivering higher bandwidth and enhanced services, with fewer service calls. Belden and PPC will provide unique end-to-end solutions for these customers, and I am excited about the opportunity ahead of us.”

A company spokesman told WJI that Belden has not been a supplier to PPC. “The complementary nature of Belden’s existing business and PPC is an opportunity that we’ve identified and will work to realize quickly to allow for a more complete solution for our customers,” he said.

“The complementary nature of Belden’s existing business and PPC will allow for a more complete solution for our customers. We would expect to expand both our product portfolio and our geographic footprint as a result of this combination. There are notable opportunities outside of the U.S. for PPC’s products.”

PPC Vice President and General Manager Dave Jackson and his team will lead the PPC organization, the spokesman said. Asked if there was to be a name change, he said that there are several companies that Belden has acquired over the past decade that continue to operate under their original brand name within the Belden family of companies. “We will evaluate the best course as we continue to talk with PPC customers, partners, and employees.”

The spokesman said that Belden began its expansion beyond wire and cable in 2007, with the acquisition of Lumberg Automation and Hirschmann. Since that time, Belden has acquired several companies to offer complete signal transmission solutions, he said. “The acquisition of PPC significantly expands Belden’s Connectivity portfolio and is consistent with our strategic goals.”

Asked about future plans for PPC, the spokesman, noting that Belden has completed more than a dozen acquisitions over the past decade, said that “Belden and PPC will develop an integration plan that best leverages the

JANUARY 2013 | 11

INDUSTRY NEWS

direct-current transmission projects.”

At its website, Clean Line reports that it has strategic alliances with companies that include General Cable, Siemens and Southwire Company. It notes that it has begun preliminary work, such as permits and rights-ofway, for four new U.S. transmission lines, which collectively represent an investment of more than $8 billion and include: • The Plains & Eastern Clean Line. This line is designed to move 3,500 MW of power from western Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas to consumers in the U.S. Southeast. A $2 billion project, the Plains & Eastern Clean Line is expected to use approximately 25 million conductor feet of high-voltage conductor. General Cable will provide the cable. The order could be worth $100 million or more depending on commodity prices.

• The Grain Belt Express Clean Line. This line will deliver 3,500 MW of renewable power from Kansas to Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. A $2 billion project, the energy will be transported via a 700-mile overhead HVDC line. The cable supplier was not named yet.

• The Centennial West Clean Line. This line will move 3,500 MW of power from New Mexico to California. A $2.5 billion project, it will require an approximately 900-mile overhead HVDC line. The cable supplier was not named yet.

• The Rock Island Clean Line. This line will deliver 3,500 MW from northwest Iowa and the surrounding region to communities in Illinois and other states to the east. Siemens will provide HVDC technology. Southwire Company is the preferred supplier for the overhead transmission cable.

“The agreement anticipates that the cable will be produced from Southwire’s facility in Flora, Illinois, and results from the strong support of the State of Illinois for renewable energy development. Clean Line’s potential future supply order from Southwire could be worth $70 million or more depending on commodity prices and other variables,” a press release said about the project. It noted that “… the facility expects to produce cable over 12 to 14 months, with project construction to begin as early as 2014.”

“We continue to make steady progress on the development of our four projects,” said Michael Skelly, Clean Line president. “National Grid’s participation in Clean Line will further enhance our technical, financial and development capabilities.”

“We strongly support the advancement of tomorrow’s network technologies and clean energy resources in the U.S., and our equity investment in Clean Line underscores each of those objectives,” said Tom King, president of National Grid’s U.S. operation.

“Clean Line has a strong and capable development team and a portfolio of compelling projects that will advance the growth of renewable energy and the modernization of America’s energy infrastructure,” said Steve Holliday, National Grid’s chief executive officer.

INDUSTRY NEWS

combined capabilities of the companies. We are early in the process, and it is too soon to speculate on specific actions.” He added that “Belden will continue to evaluate opportunities to expand its portfolio that are consistent with our strategic goals.”

Belden completes the sale of its Thermax and Raydex businesses Belden Inc., a global leader in signal transmission solutions for mission critical applications, announced that it has completed the previously reported sale of its Thermax and Raydex businesses, serving the aerospace and defense industry, to Carlisle Companies Incorporated for approximately $265 million.

“I’m pleased to announce the closure of this sale and look forward to the continuing transformation taking place here at Belden,” said Belden President and CEO John Stroup. “We have already identified attractive opportunities for these proceeds in both the acquisition of PPC and the ongoing repurchase of Belden stock.”

U.S.-based Lear Corporation to open its 2nd wire facility in Morocco U.S.-based Lear Corporation announced that it plans to open a new automotive wiring plant this year in Morocco’s Amer Saflia area that will bolster the company’s production for the European market.

A press release said that the new plant will create approximately 700 jobs, a number that it observed is “expected to increase significantly over upcoming years based on the projected growth in Lear’s Electrical Power Management Systems business.” Lear currently operates

our customers’ needs,” said Mariano de Torres, Lear Vice President, Europe/Africa - Electrical and Electronics.

“We also are pleased to be working with Morocco’s MEDZ Atlantic Free Zone Investment and Fonciere Chella. As Lear grows in Morocco and around the world, our core values include operational excellence, being an employer of choice and supporting the communities where we do business.”

Lear Corporation spokesman Mel Stephens told WJI that Morocco is an excellent location because it is a lowcost region and wiring harnesses are very labor intensive.

The company provides formal training and has had good experience in finding and maintaining good employees, he said, noting that Lear’s plant in Tangier has more than 1,700 employees.

Stephens said that Lear serves the North American market with wire operations that employ more than 10,000 employees in five sites in Mexico, the majority of those in three plants: Aztecas-Juarex (4,500), Monarca-Juarez (3,300) and Planta Nova Consolidated (2,100); and the Asian wire market with its site that is located in the Philippines, Consolidated Plant Gabriela, which has 1,700 employees.

General Cable Corporation completes its acquisition of Alcan Cable China General Cable Corporation announced that it has completed the acquisition of Alcan Cable China, which represents approximately 10% to 15% of overall revenues of Alcan Cable.

A press release said that the company has a 430,000-sqft, vertically integrated manufacturing plant in Tianjin, China and 10 regional sales offices. “Alcan Cable China is highly complementary to our two long-standing partnerships in China and continues to generate positive momentum in the market. We are off to a fast start executing on our integration plans in North America and expect to do the same with the business in China,” said General Cable President and CEO Gregory B. Kenny.

La Farga Group and ContinuusProperzi to proceed independently

Wire operations at Lear Corporations’s existing plant in Morocco. three plants in Morocco, including two in Tangier for electrical wiring systems and automotive seating and one in Rabat, for electronics, for European automakers such as BMW, Renault and Volkswagen.

“Lear is proud to plan the opening of another worldclass automotive electrical wiring plant as we focus on 12 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Spain’s La Farga Group and Italy’s Continuus-Properzi plan to proceed independently, per the below announcement from La Farga Group CEO Oriol Guixá Arderiu and Continuus-Properzi S.p.A. President and CEO Giulio Properzi.

“In the global world, changes are the only constant that characterizes all the activities in all the sectors of industry. After twenty-five and more years of successful cooperation La Farga Group (Spain) and Continuus-Properzi (Italy) have decided to change strategy for approaching the new opportunities offered by the market and they will proceed independently.

“All works and commissioning in progress will be com-

Nexans lands 1st contract for its anti-theft cable for railway use Nexans reports that it has won a contract for its CORETAG® anti-theft cable technology that it said represents its first such use by a railway.

A press release said that the contract from Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer (SNCF) is for the network of Réseau Ferré de France (RFF). The cable, it said, will be installed in the network infrastructure in four of the regions operated by RFF, which owns and maintains France’s rail network.

The key to the cable, the release said, is that it presents a new solution to the problem of cables being stolen for their copper value, noting the following: usually when cable is stolen the insulation, which could be used to

identify the owner, is burnt off the cable just leaving the copper conductor. In contrast to more complex and expensive tagging techniques such as those using rare earth elements, Nexans’ CORE-TAG® solution involves installing a coded fire-resistant copper tape that is intertwined in the conductor. The dot-matrix markings on the coded tape – typically identifying the owner (RFF in this case) and make it easy to trace the origins of the stolen copper when it is brought to a scrap dealer, even after the insulation has been burnt off. The presence of the CORE-TAG® within the cable is immediately apparent simply by visual examination of the cut cable cross-section. A length of only around 25 cm then has to be opened up to read the identification code.

Since the tape is embedded along the length of the conductor, it is virtually impossible for the thief to remove it.

The release said that the earthing cable, which has a lead-sheathed copper conductor with a 25 sq mm crosssection, has been manufactured at Nexans’ facilities in Mehun-sur-Yèvre, France.

JANUARY 2013 | 13

INDUSTRY NEWS

pleted as previously promised and guaranteed to all the Buyers of CCR copper rod lines and refining furnaces, in combination with La Farga refining technology developed and perfected during the past twenty-five years.

“Each party wishes the other, all the best for the future and express the warmest thanks for the good jobs accomplished during the past, promoting such an interesting and successful niche of the copper industry.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

IEWC agrees to buy Delco Wire U.S.-based IEWC reports that it has agreed to buy the assets of Delco Wire and Cable Limited of Concord, Ontario, a UL and CSA certified stocking cable distributor specializing in audio and broadcast products.

A press release described Delco, an ISO 9001 certified distributor, as an industry leader in the development and marketing of high-end digital audio and video cables, based in Toronto, with distribution centers and sales offices in Calgary, Alberta, and Tampa, Florida.

The release said that Eric Paszat, president of IEWC’s Canadian division, will oversee growth initiatives for the combined entity; Jim Clark, IEWC’s sales director for the U.S. South Region, will be responsible for the Tampa location; and Delco’s Roger Caynor will join IEWC as Vice President of the Audio & Broadcast operations.

“The Tampa location will serve to round out IEWC’s presence in the Southeastern quadrant of the USA while the Calgary location serves to reinforce IEWC’s commitment to the Western Canadian marketplace,” said Paul Bryant, IEWC’s chief commercial officer. “In addition to Delco’s audio & broadcast specialty, the Delco business model is very similar to IEWC’s, with emphasis placed on creating and sustaining business partnerships that underpin the product and service offering. It’s a great move for both companies.”

First U.S. physical copper ETF gets okay, but some cablers not pleased JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) has won regulatory approval for the first U.S. exchange-traded fund backed by physical copper, but several cable companies claim that this action could be disruptive to the market.

Per media reports, the proposed rule change by NYSE Arca Inc. to list the JPM XF Physical Copper Trust was approved on Dec. 14. Further, BlackRock Inc. (BLK) and ETF Securities, Ltd., also want to start physically backed ETFs for industrial metals in the U.S. ETFs trade like stocks, giving investors access to commodities such as copper without taking physical delivery. The claim is that the copper fund only holds about 2,000 metric tons of copper, a small amount compared to the more than 20 million tons that the International Copper Study Group (ICSG) said will be mined and used this year. ICSG, fund supporters said, notes that copper output is set to top demand by 458,000 tons in 2013.

A group of industrial copper consumers that includes Southwire Co. and Encore Wire Corp., AmRod Corp. and hedge fund RK Capital LLP, have opposed the plan, saying such funds would leave less copper available for manufacturers, creating shortages and driving up prices.

A statement from Southwire expressed the company’s disappointment with the SEC’s decision. “Throughout this process, we have maintained we do not believe a physically backed copper ETF is in the best interest of

14 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

U.S. copper fabricators. We hold to that belief. The physical supply and demand balance of copper cathode remains very tight, especially in the U.S. market, where there is very little available spot copper to serve the needs of a recovering and growing construction market. Removing a large part of this available inventory to secure JPMorgan’s ETF, and maybe other ETFs to come, will increase volatility associated with copper pricing and potentially create a shortage for ‘immediate delivery’ copper cathode. Ultimately, this decision only will hurt American copper fabricators. Southwire is evaluating the options before us as we decide on a response.”

Also opposed to the action was John Gross, the longtime publisher of The Copper Journal and president of JE Gross & Co., Inc., (www.jegross.com), price risk management consultants. “While the copper ETFs will create potential trading opportunities for investors, (maybe) they will also have the potential to cause problems for consumers of copper if in the event the market becomes tight for whatever reason. While most people don’t remember it now, there was a severe shortage of copper in the early 1970s to the extent consumers had to request the U.S. government release copper from the ‘strategic reserve’ in order to help keep the industry operating.

“So the question is: If market conditions tighten and metal is held in inventory to support the ETFs what happens – other than the price going up? The other disappointing aspect of the SEC decision is that their staff did not see any relationship between prices and inventory levels. While this view may be accurate relative to the past four years, it is only because of QE 1, 2, 3 & 4 that metal prices have risen while at the same time inventory levels have also climbed. If one were to look back to the 1970s, 80s and 90s there is a clear inverse relationship between inventories and prices. With the approval for copper ETFs now made, Pandora’s Box is now open.”

Gross can be contacted at john.gross@jegross.com.

Usha Martin subsidiary forms Thailand JV with Kobe Steel The Hindu reports that Usha Siam Steel Industries Ltd., a subsidiary of Usha Martin in Thailand, has formed an equal joint venture in Thailand with TESAC Wire Ropes, a Japanese wire rope company of Kobe Steel Group.

The new business, to be called TESAC Usha Wire Rope Company, will have an annual capacity of 12,000 metric tons of steel wire rope used in elevator and cranes, the report said. It noted that production will “meet the growing demand of the Japanese elevator makers in the ASEAN region.” The new plant, which begins with an investment of $17 million, is adjacent to Usha Siam’s existing plant in the Pathum Thani’s Navanakorn Industrial Estate in Thailand, it said, adding that the plant is schedule to be operational in 2014.

Usha Siam, located in Bangkok, was identified as a market leader in Thailand, set up in 1980, and having

SpringWorld organizers report that attendees were in ‘a buying mood’ Despite a lagging economy, exhibitors at SpringWorld® 2012, held Oct. 3-5 at the Donald E. Stephenson Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, USA, were pleased with both attendance and quality, organizers report.

A press release from SpringWorld Show Manager Tom Renk said that attendee registration for spring and wire form manufacturers in 2012 exceeded 2010 totals by 16.2%. Attendees appeared to be in “a buying mood,” he reported. Most of the equipment being show on the exhibit floor had already been pre-sold and was being delivered directly from the show to the companies, he said. The event included a free education series for attendees, he said, noting that the sessions were well attended, with many having “standing room only.”

Attendee activity at SpringWorld 2012.

The 2012 show had total attendance of 2,753 people, including all but 67 people in spring manufacturing or wire forming, up from 2010, which had total attendance of 2,368, with 131 outside the fields, the release said.

“Evaluations from the 98 exhibiting companies indicate this year’s show was a successful show. Exhibitors reported strong sales leads and indicated that a lot of spring

making equipment was sold despite the mixed manufacturing economy,” it said.

Another good indicator was that more than two dozen exhibiting companies had reserved space for 2014 before they left the exhibit hall, the release said.

In addition to education, the Spring Manufacturer’s Institute (SMI) hosted attendees at the All Industry Reception, the release said. A new addition, an Oktoberfest Beer Garden Reception sponsored by WAFIOS on the second day of the show, was a rousing success and WAFIOS has already signed up to sponsor Oktoberfest again, it said.

The show, sponsored by The Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers (CASMI), will return to Donald E. Stephens Convention Center for the 2014 staging on Oct. 8-10, 2014. For more information, contact Tom Renk at tom@casmi-springworld.org.

ABB wins contract for power link cable for North Sea oil and gas fields Swiss-based ABB has won a contract worth $170 million from Subsea 7, to build a power link between a new oil and gas field being developed by Total E&P Norge AS in the North Sea and the Norwegian power grid.

The Martin Linge (formerly known as Hild) field lies at a depth of 115 meters and is believed to be among the oil and gas fields with highest potential reserves in the North Sea, a press release said. The field, it said, will receive its electricity feed through the world’s longest subsea AC link: a 162-km HV submarine power cable that will lie 370 meters below sea level, at its deepest point.

The 145 kilovolt high-voltage three-core polymeric insulated (XLPE) submarine cable—which has low electrical losses, excellent tensile strength and is resistant to solvents, oil and abrasives—will be capable of supplying up to 55 megawatts of AC (alternating current) power from the mainland grid to the new Martin Linge field, the release said. The cable, it noted, will include the fiber optic links that will enable the facilities to be controlled from shore.

“This electricity cable connection will help reduce environmental impact,” said Brice Koch, head of ABB´s Power Systems division. “ABB has the in-house manufacturing capability as well as the technical knowhow, domain knowledge and experience required to execute such a complex project.”

ABB’s project scope includes the technical pre-studies, design, engineering, production and installation of the high-voltage cable system, the release said. The cable link will power a wellhead and production platform, a floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel; production from the field is expected in 2016, it said.

Subsea 7 was described as a leading seabed-to-surface engineering, construction and services contractor to the offshore energy industry worldwide.

JANUARY 2013 | 15

INDUSTRY NEWS

annual production of about 36,000 metric tons of wire rope, auto cables, strands and specialty wires. TESAC Wire Rope, a Kobe Steel group company, is a well-established Japanese wire rope company that is a leader in the elevator rope market. Its Nishikinohama factory in Osaka, is the newest and the largest such wire rope factory in Japan, Usha Martin reports.

The JV with Usha Siam will be TESAC’s first manufacturing base outside Japan, although “both companies have been working together for more than a decade and aim to strengthen their relationship through the joint venture,” the report said.

INDUSTRY NEWS

News in brief Davis-Standard Wire and Cable Systems recently presented a $2,000 scholarship from the Wire and Cable Industry Suppliers Association® (WCISA) to Jonathan Ludka, who works part-time with Davis-Standard’s mechanical engineers while attending Three Rivers College in Norwich, Connecticut. He is pursuing a career

Davis-Standard’s John Zachow (r) presents a $2,000 WCISA scholarship to Jonathan Ludka, a part-time company employee attending Three Rivers College.

in the engineering field. “It has been a privilege to learn from the engineers during my internship and see firsthand what engineers do daily,” Ludka said. “As I pursue my future career, I look forward to the challenge of learning through higher education.” … U.S.-based B&H Tool Company has appointed two regional companies to represent its products and services in the Northern Midwest and Southwest regions, respectively. The first company, Repco Industries, is based in Madison, Wisconsin, and has an active service area that includes all of Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana, North and South Dakota and Iowa. Repco President/owner Nick Liotus noted that his company (tel. 608-845-3950, www.repcoindustries.com) has a decade of experience with leading suppliers of capital equipment, film laminates, and control systems used in the wire and cable industry. The second company, Industrial Machinery Sales Inc. (IMSI), is based in Southlake, Texas, and will cover Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi as well as support B&H Tool’s customer base in Juarez, Laredo, Reynosa, Monterrey and Tamaulipas, Mexico. IMSI President Larry Burchett said his company (tel. 817251-6503, or www.imsiplastics.com) can support injection molders and extruders with equipment, automation, monitoring systems, and material handling that enables

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petitiveness and innovation, while constantly seeking to respect the environment and use resources responsibly.

Values that are essential in adventures at sea, such as teamwork, strategy, commitment and adaptability, complete the Prysmian Group’s brand vision.” ... U.S.-based Superconductor Technologies Inc., a developer and supplier of high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials and associated technologies, announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a critical patent on STI’s Reactive Co-Evaporation Cyclic Deposition and Reaction (RCE-CDR) device and method for fabricating HTS thin films for 2G HTS wire. The newly issued patent, U.S. Patent No. 8,290,553, is entitled “Device and Method for Fabricating Thin Films by Reactive Evaporation” and expires in 2025. “This patent issuance represents another step forward in the execution of our intellectual property (IP) strategy in conjunction with our Conductus® 2G HTS wire development,” said STI President and CEO Jeff Quiram. “As part of our strategy to capture market potential, we are utilizing existing IP as the foundation for the commercial development of Conductus 2G HTS wire. We will continue to focus on strengthening our global IP portfolio to support our growing market position.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS

them to be more profitable, and more competitive. … The Prysmian Group, a leading global supplier of energy and telecom cables and systems, has chosen sailing as a medium for communicating its brand internationally. A press release said that the Group will support Giancarlo Pedote, the solo sailor, in the 2013 edition of the Transat 6.50 race, a single-handed Atlantic crossing for the smallest class of racing yachts (Mini 6.50). The biennial event covers some 4,000 miles, which must be faced solo and with no shore contact. He will sail Prysmian ITA 747, a prototype Mini yacht known for its innovative design and revolutionary shape. “This partnership combines the values of sailing with the business mission of the Prysmian Group: in fact, sailing is synonymous with the spirit of entrepreneurship and discovery, along with great passion for nature. Likewise, the Group pursues excellence in terms of performance, quality, com-

PEOPLE

PEOPLE Eshan Narang is a sales and marketing associate at Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp. where he supports the company’s sales and marketing efforts. Eshan began his career in the financial services industry where he worked at Goldman Sachs and Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO).

Eshan earned a degree in business management, with honors, from the University of Miami. Based in Bristol, Connecticut, USA, Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp. sells a comprehensive selection of second-hand Eshan Narang and reconditioned machines at its eight North American locations.

Metro Wire and Cable-Iowa City announced that Phil Zajdel has been named sales consultant, working with customers in and around Iowa, as well as specializing in providing solutions to electrical contractors, fire and security companies, utilities, OEMs and other customer bases.

He previously served as a sales consultant at the compa-

18 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

ny’s Southeast Distribution facility in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He joined the company in 2006 and has a broad knowledge of electrical cable and accessories. Based in Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA, Metro Wire and Cable is a stocking distributor of wire and cable products, with other locations in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and Iowa City, Iowa.

Fil-Tec, Inc., reports that Jamie Moreno has joined the company in the position of technical sales. She will be based in High Point, North Carolina, with her sales territory responsibilities to include North and South Carolina. She has experience in turn-key sales and project management. She is a graduate of Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, where she obtained a BA degree in art. Based in Hagerstown, Maryland, USA, Fil-Tec, Inc., supplies binders fillers, yarns, insulation and more to industries that include Jamie Moreno wire and cable.

PEOPLE

Allied Wire & Cable reports that Liz Gilmore has joined the company’s Tennessee sales team as an account representative. She studied nursing for a few semesters at Tennessee State University, but decided to pursue other opportunities. Her previous employment was in the service industry. She is new to wire and cable but her education will literally be a family affair as she will be working alongside her father, industry veteran Tom Gilmore, who has been with the company for seven years but has more than 35 years of experience in the industry, Liz Gilmore and Tom Gilmore starting when he was 18. Tom Gilmore has been a “go-to” source for the company for information on all types of cable, from mil-spec cable, to automotive wire and aerospace cable. With such a well-rounded wire and cable background, it would be hard to think of someone more qualified to show Liz the ropes. Based in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, USA, Allied Wire & Cable is a family-owned and operated wire and cable distributor and value-added manufacturer that services markets that include the government, military, aerospace, automotive and telecommunication industries.

The OM Lesmo Group has named Dimitrios Gkolfis as technical area manager, based in the company’s headquarters near Milan, Italy. He will support OM Lesmo clients in every region of the world, focusing on the Middle East market, particularly in Turkey. He has extensive experience in the production of low- and medium-voltage power cables for the international markets, and has extensive knowledge of all the aspects and technology of submarine cables. He previously worked for 24 years for Fulgor Greek Electric Cables in Corinthos, Greece, where he held positions that include quality assurance manager, technical director and production director. His hiring follows the company’s tradition of hiring highly skilled personnel coming directly from the cable manufacturing world. The company also announced the return of Massimo Gori as area sales manager. He will assist in all selling and commercial aspects of the OM Lesmo Group product lines in North America. The company said that Gori’s return will further the company’s efforts to make the U.S. one of its signature territories. Based in Italy and with its North American operation located in Canada, the OM Lesmo Group supplies wiredrawing and rotating equipment for the global wire and cable industry.

JANUARY 2013 | 19

ASIAN FOCUS

ASIAN FOCUS

Hiroshi Kobayashi, senior analyst at the Metal Economics Research Institute in Japan, speaks at Advanced Cable Asia 2012. Seated at right is moderator Philip Radbourne, Integer Research.

New Chinese conference offers details, opportunities, challenges and more Advanced Cable Asia 2012, a first-time event by U.K.based Integer Research that was held Nov. 27-28 in Shanghai, China, saw widespread participation by upperlevel representatives from many domestic countries.

The event included eight sessions and two panel discussions that collectively covered a very comprehensive range of topics, from Upgrading of DC grid and development of superconducting DC cable technology in China and Navigating the tides of change, to Implications and strategies for Chinese cable makers and Update on the wire and cable industry in Indonesia.

Below are summations of some of the presentations.

Philip Radbourne, Director, Wire and Cable, Integer Research, led off the proceedings with a broad overview of the latest developments in the global and Asian wire and cable markets. He emphasized the severity of the 2009 global downturn, and noted that, despite positive growth in the Chinese market, the contraction in the world’s economy resulted in the largest decline in global cable consumption in 30 years. Since then, Asia, primarily China, has driven the recovery in demand, he said. Radbourne stressed the magnitude of the Chinese industry’s expansion since the mid-1990s. It saw spectacular “once-in-a-generation” growth, and its cable production is forecast to reach US$46 billion in 2012, more than double the level of the U.S. Integer estimates that there are 4,000 significant cable producers in China, with more than 9,000 in total when smaller cord set, building wire and electronic wire produc-

ers are included. Most cable makers are located in Eastern and Southern China, owing to the first foreign investors in the industry coming from nearby Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan, and the development of the coastal provinces.

A panel discussion on Growing wire and cable business in emerging Asian markets, led by Andrea Valentini, senior analyst, Integer Research, included panelists Shanhua Ding, chairman and general manager; Jiangsu Shangshang Cable Group; Jingzan Qi, vice general manager, Federal Cables Co. Ltd; Shinsho Harada, general manager, Engineering Division, The Japanese Electric Wire and Cable Makers’ Association; and Noval Jamalullail, Chairman, Indonesian Electric Cable Manufacturers’ Association (APKABEL).

The panelists agreed that cable makers across Asia face challenges, such as overcapacity in China, high costs in Japan, and intensified import competition in the free trade area of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). To overcome these obstacles, the panel stressed the likelihood of “survival of the fittest,” with only those cable makers that are adaptable and proactive being successful. Panelists’ suggestions to improve producers’ competitiveness, including manufacturing more advanced cable products, such as extra high voltage power (EHV), submarine or industrial specialty cable, investing in R&D and advanced technologies, and expanding sales and investment into new export markets in Asia and elsewhere.

In his presentation, speaking during the session on market and development of ultra-high voltage (UHV) power cables in China, Jingzan Qi, vice general manager, Federal Cables, Co. Ltd., explained that China’s heavy investment in its national power grid, as well as in electricity generation, is

Have news that belongs here? If so, e-mail it to editorial@wirenet.org.

20 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

for islands, offshore oil and gas platforms and wind power.

China’s demand for 500 kV cable is forecast to reach 1700 kilometers (km) by 2020, from nearly 400 km in 2010.

Qi highlighted advancements made in the R&D of superconducting cable for power transmission (superconductors)

by European, US, Japanese, and Korean companies, as well as in China, which continues to undertake related research projects. Most notably, a 75 km, long AC HTS transmission cable of 10.5 kV/1.5 kA was installed and successfully tested in Baiyin City, Gansu Province.

In his presentation, Market drivers of copper price volatility and its impact on the costs of cable production, Long Liu, general manager, China Cable Exchange stressed the importance of cable makers reducing the impact of volatility in the price of raw materials, given their importance to cablemaking production costs and in turn profit margins.

The quality of raw materials and their impact on finished product quality is important to consider, especially in view of the high degree of competition in the Chinese industry.

Cable makers generally use financial derivatives, such as futures and options to reduce the impact of copper price volatility, Liu said. However, only around 15% of Chinese cable makers are members of the Shanghai Metals Exchange (SHME), and copper options are not available in China. Liu therefore recommends using a spot market, such as the China Cable Exchange, as a means by which to buy copper and other raw materials on a competitive basis. The exchange sells copper wire rod, as well as other cable making raw materials.

A panel discussion, Applications of aluminum alloy in power transmission, was moderated by Weiren You, director, Zhongtian Technologies Conductor Institute.

The panelists including Guoquan Duan, chief engineer, Aerospace Electric Technology Co. Ltd; Gang Ma, marketing director, Alcan Cables; and Yuping Teng, senior engineer, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In terms of developments in power transmission, the panel thought that superconducting cables would not be commercially deployed for at least ten years in China, given that there are only small scale trials currently being performed in China. Aluminum conductor steel-reinforced

cable (ACSR) is typically used in power transmission, but steel is magnetic. If the core is replaced with stainless steel core, it reduces transmission losses, but it is expensive.

There are further options for using a range of aluminum alloys in conductors and cables. Aluminum alloy offers the advantage of costing less and is more conductive per unit weight than copper, although copper is more conductive in absolute terms. Aluminum’s ore, bauxite, is also more readily available than copper ore. However, concerns expressed by panel members about a lack of copper in the long run were felt to be overblown by other panel members.

The panel stressed the importance of manufacturing and process equipment for aluminum alloys, to control trace elements in high strength magnesium alloys and aluminum zirconium, and silicon alloys, and need for complex heat treatment.

In order to encourage more aluminum alloy use, China needs to train workers to install, terminate and join aluminum products. Further education programs are increasing across China, with more than 40-50 producers of ACSR and other overhead conductors. There is still a lack of standards applied to aluminum alloy products, which once put in place, will increase the confidence in and use of aluminum alloys in power transmission.

At the Beta LaserMike tabtletop display are Stuart Manser, director of sales, Asia, and Randy Luffman, vice president of global sales. The company also made a presentation.

Asked by WJI about his expectations for the event, Radbourne said that the company was quite pleased with the results. “We had been a bit worried, as ever with a first event. Would Chinese delegates take to the open format, with panels, and lots of questions, and networking? But it went really well, and we got the support of the key cablemakers (among the largest) in China. Plus the key associations and government organizations are really keen to support us and develop the event. ... We felt there was a need for such a conference, and based on the very positive results we plan to hold this event again in 2013.”

For more details on the 2013 event, contact Integer Research at www.integer-research.com.

JANUARY 2013 | 21

ASIAN FOCUS

rapidly increasing demand for UHV cable, which Federal Cables produces. He singled out the “Three Hua” project that involves the development of three UHV rings to interconnect the power grids of North China, East China, and Central China by 2015, as a great boost to UHV cable demand. Under the 12th Five-Year Plan, around RMB 520 billion is to be invested in the UHV alternating-current (AC) and direct-current (DC) power transmission network.

Qi expects future growth in orders for 500 kV submarine cable as investments are made in power connections to land

FIBER WATCH

FIBER WATCH Sub-Sahara is a leader in terms of growth in optical fiber deployment Six of the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies between 2000 and 2010 were in sub-Saharan Africa, a number that is expected to increase by 2015.

A report in Global Telecoms Business said that internet usage in Africa has risen 30-fold over the last 11 years, up from 4.5 million at the end of 2000 to 140 million by 2011.

One reason for the strong growth is that service providers in Africa, long challenged by technical and financial challenges, including little or no access to international submarine cables, now have far more options, it said.

The story said that nine new international submarine cables have landed on the coastline of sub-Saharan Africa since 2009, and that tens of thousands of km of new optical fiber are being laid across the continent each year.

The story cited Chris Wood, CEO of WIOCC, a wholesale operator that is owned by 14 telecom companies in the region, as saying that his company now has access “to an unparalleled 50,000 km of terrestrial fiber network footprint in Africa.” That, he said, is helping to bring down the cost of terrestrial backhaul capacity, which now represents as

22 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Terrestrial fiber networks are linking inland Africa to the new submarine cable. WIOCC map.

AT&T plans to transition away from its copper-line telephone network AT&T reported last month that it plans to eventually transition away from its copper wire network, spending $14 billion over three years to extend its Internet-based broadband service to 75% of its landline service area, and to provide high-speed wireless service to virtually all of it.

AT&T notes that its customer base served by copper wire lines still serves some 76 million homes and businesses in 22 states. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said that the carrier

plans to spend $14 billion over three years to extend its Internet-based broadband service to 75% of its landline service area, and to provide high-speed wireless service to virtually all of it. The three-year plan will extend high-speed internet service to 8.5 million more homes and businesses but could eventually leave a quarter of the customers in AT&T's landline footprint, or 19 million homes and businesses, without any landline service from AT&T, he said.

Post Hurricane Sandy, Verizon plans to replace some copper with fiber Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam recently told investors that the company is replacing copper cables damaged by Hurricane Sandy with optical fiber.

News reports said that post Hurricane Sandy, Verizon, which was hard hit in New York area in late October, is swapping damaged copper cables with optical fiber.

McAdam said that the company had its 140 West Street headquarters building up and running 48 hours after the flood, though its Broad Street facility took about a week as there was severe damage that included some of the electrical switch gear.

The company is now taking the opportunity to replace damaged copper cables around the area with optical fiber, McAdam said. “We are going in with fiber.”

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much as 50-60% of the cost of an international circuit in some markets, he said. “In Lesotho, for example, internet service prices have fallen by up to 67% as a result of WIOCC delivering lower-cost internet connectivity,” he said.

“We are now doing business in countries such as Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Lesotho, enabling operators there to provide businesses and consumers with faster, more reliable and significantly more affordable, high-speed international connectivity,” Wood said.

WIOCC notes that it has strategic investments in three of the new submarine cables that now serve the African coast, EASSy, WACS and EIG. The company has also bought capacity on other cables that connect Africa to the world, including SAT3, Seacom, SMW3 and TEAMS.

FASTENER UPDATE experienced fastener specialist.” It also includes a complete glossary with a visual index of types of points, drive recesses and head styles, “a staple in fastener training,” it said, citing two Q&A samples:

DOC reports final results of ADD review on threaded rods from China The US Department of Commerce announced the final results of antidumping duty administrative review on certain steel threaded rods from China, setting 19.68% as the dumping margins for RMB Fasteners Ltd., and IFI & Morgan Ltd., and 206.00% as the general margins for Chinese related companies.

The Commerce Department started the antidumping probe in March 2008 under HS Code 73181550.60, and finally ruled in February 2009, with Chinese dumping margins at 55.16%-206%, reported Chinafastener.info.

Q. For good assurance against fatigue and loosening, at what percentage approximately, should a bolt be tightened to proof load, producing a high preload, although below yield strength? ______ %: A. 75%

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REPORT

TO MEMBERS

REPORT

2013 WAI Report to Members The following is a report on The Wire Association International (WAI) prepared by Executive Director Steve Fetteroll. It is both a look forward and a look back. It is written not only for the WAI membership, but for all individuals who are active in the industry so they can see the Association’s activities and direction.

First, I would like to congratulate you on being an engaged professional in the wire and cable industry. I make this judgment not only because you are a subscriber to Wire Journal International and possibly a WAI member, but also because you have reached the second paragraph of this report.

WAI’s mission is to help companies get that reel out the door. No, we are not selling forklifts. Rather, we provide information, encourage innovation and serve to interconnect this diverse industry. We believe in manufacturing and we celebrate the impact that wire and cable manufacturers have on society. Automobiles are safer, planes are more comfortable and surgery is less invasive because of the products you make every day.

As an organization that was formed in 1930 with an educational mission, we have been a consistent source of information for the industry. The Wire Journal International, with its 10,000 subscribers, is the most recognized source for industry information, but the Association also produces the quarterly WIRE BULLETIN in India, which goes out to more than 3,000 subscribers and hosts wirenet.org as well.

The Association is also in the business of offering traditional face-to-face programming, such as the 2012 Operations Summit & Wire Expo, held last May in Dallas, Texas. While this event served as our annual conference and Wire Expo, WAI’s board of directors redesigned it to provide more practical programming.

Extensive work by WAI volunteers has helped bolster the Association’s membership roster.

Now that you have been identified, I don’t need to tell you that you have chosen an interesting, challenging, difficult and rewarding profession. You may feel like you didn’t choose this field, but I can assure you that every day you report to work is your choice. Sure, I recognize that there are personal factors that may be influencing our decisions, but we all walk through the workplace door voluntarily.

Ideally, work should be like a symphony, one where the various elements (or instruments) come together, and the occasional flat notes are redirected to a harmonious tone.

The coordination may feel natural, but actually it is not, when you consider the motivations and skill sets of the different functions of sales, engineering, purchasing, quality, production and distribution.

The collaborative commitment is rewarded every time a reel is shipped from the plant. That reel represents the entire operation, both past and present. From the team that commissioned the equipment to the production supervisor who resolved the daily challenges, it is a true team effort.

26 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

A staffer at Encore Wire’s new R & D Center, which was opened up for a tour by attendees at the Operations Summit & Wire Expo held last May in Dallas, Texas.

For the 1,200 people who attended the event, the programming change was very well received. The tours at the Encore and Gerdau facilities attracted much interest and the Texas-style reception was just plain fun.

WAI’s chapters remain an integral link between the Association and the membership. They provide a local presence for the Association through their activities. In the past year, the Italy chapter purchased WAI books for their members and the greater industry within Italy, while the Southeast Chapter sponsored a webinar on Spark Testing. The Poland and New England Chapters were more traditional in their offerings, producing face-to-face

President Nick Nickoletopoulos presenting on wire and cable industry trends at the WAI Poland Chapter technical seminar held September 20-22 in Zakopane, Poland.

The event attracted 55 participants from 29 companies.

seminars. The chapters also ran five golf tournaments in 2012, which attracted more than 400 players. For those that have not been to a golf outing, the format is very friendly for inexperienced players, the inherent networking is excellent, and the proceeds of the tournaments have funded many scholarships over the years, including six in 2012.

Utilizing technology is essential and to that point, WAI presented three new webinars in 2012, expanding to 17 the number of recorded videos now available free to members in the archive. As many as 65 companies took part in one of the live broadcasts, while countless others have viewed the recorded versions posted on WAI’s Wirenet website. Topics presented included spark tester safety, flame-retardant polymers and wiredrawing.

Participants continue to hail WAI’s webinar program as a great educational vehicle and membership value. One attendee of the most recent installment described it as “an excellent communication platform,” and added, “I certainWAI’s wirenet.org web-site has been redesigned in support of the membership ly enjoyed the event.” and our mission.

The Education Committee, with the full support of the Board of Directors, time to contribute to the success of the Association. This has made webinars a priority for the organization. This includes many wire and cable manufacturers that are now year will see the launch of a series of webinars that will intimately involved through senior executive volunteer be a true human resource development tool for the indussupport and sizeable membership commitments. try. It will provide quality educational programming for On behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff, we both the ferrous and nonferrous sectors that will be free to thank you for your support of the Association, we wish members. Future issues will have more details on these you the very best in 2013, and hopefully, WAI will be a programs. contributing factor to your success.

The membership growth in the past year has been a

JANUARY 2013 | 27

REPORT

tremendous positive for the Association. This campaign, which was developed to grow the membership to 3,000, has been championed by WAI President Richard Miller, in conjunction with the Member Relations Committee.

While the goal is to grow the total membership to 3,000, the direct and indirect impacts are far reaching.

Membership reflects participation and participation positively influences new product offerings, volunteer support, Wire Journal International circulation, meeting attendance and wirenet.org activity. In all of the above areas, the Association benefits and becomes a better resource for the industry.

As we are going to press with this issue of the Wire Journal International, we are launching our newly redesigned WAI website, wirenet.org, which will enable us to better serve the industry. The website will be your source for breaking news as well as the portal for members to access the webinars series, the directory of wire products, and more than 1,000 technical papers with a click of the mouse.

As the New Year begins, the Association enjoys tremendous support from the industry, not only from a membership standpoint but also from a volunteer standpoint. We have more than 100 volunteers who give up their personal

WAI NEWS

JANUARY 2013

WAI MEMBERSHIP

SPOTLIGHT This section introduces a new WAI member each issue.

Daniel P. Finnefrock General Manager Precision Wire Technologies

Q: What does your company do?

A: Precision Wire Technologies is an ISO 9001:2008 certified manufacturer of specialty wire in a wide variety of alloy materials including resistance, music, lighting, and mechanical wire. We have a strong focus on customer satisfaction and continual improvement processes.

Q: What is your role there?

A: I joined the company last February to utilize the knowledge I have obtained in the last 16 years in the wire industry. I also viewed it as a great opportunity to expand on my current skill set as my previous experience is with magnet wire.

Q: What do you like best about your position?

A: The most enjoyable aspect is working with a team towards primary goals to ensure customer satisfaction.

Recently, we partnered with our customer in the lighting industry to address a problem that arose from a change in their process. We were able to supply an alloy that was unique in nature and improves their final product.

Q: How has the industry most changed?

A: Initially the wire industry had a strong focus on throughput and pounds and later it focused on throughput and scrap reduction. Around 2000, the industry shifted gears and tried to maintain a standard of quality. A critical standpoint for a company to be recognized for their quality standards is to become certified by ISO, which we are.

Q: How does your company remain competitive?

A: At PWT, all employees and customers agree we are vastly different from our competitors. There is a value proposition between our company and every consumer.

We have an in-house quality lab to ensure we can guarantee satisfaction.

Q: Why did you recently join WAI? A: Technological advancements are made continuously, and WAI spotlights the latest equipment and product changes along with sharing insight to what competitors are implementing in the industry.

28 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

The following individuals recently joined Wire Association International.

Brian Benoit Inventory Manger Hueson Corp Jacob F Boomershine Senior Process Engineer Fort Wayne Metals Research Rodney L Brown Engineering Manager General Cable Corp Paul James Buriak President Inoex LLC John Dennis Chalk President RSCC Wire & Cable Corp Stephanie Coulon Sumitomo Electric Wiring Systems Europe Ltd (SEWS-E) Ivan Dalrymple Plant Manager General Cable Corp Kirk D Dion Senior Process Engineer General Cable Corp Sean Donnelly Sales/Service/Parts Kinrei of America LLC Craig Dusek Process Engineer Hobart Brothers Co Chuck Ennis Operations Manager Fluoropolymer Resources Inc Daniel P Finnefrock General Manager Precision Wire Technologies LLC

Arthur J Gagnon, Jr Wire Making Supervisor Whitney Blake Co Bruce W Geiger Field Service Engineer Windak USA Inc Greg Gitto President Color Resource, LLC Todd A Given Engineering Manager Whitney Blake Co Michael A Hagan Process Engineer Southwire Co Gustav E Heidecker Owner Textile Sales & Solutions Victor Heininger Sales Coordinator Inbra Industrias Quimicas Ltda Daniel Hughes President Hueson Corp Mohamed Ibrahim Quality Manager Precision Wire Technologies LLC Casey Ike Analytical Chemist Encore Wire Corp Tracy L Kendall Assistant Design Engineer Whitney Blake Co Safi Khan Operations Manager TE Wire & Cable LLC

James C McKinney Field Service Engineer Windak USA Inc Phillip Mefford Process Manager General Cable Corp Jay Munsey National Sales Director S & E Specialty Polymers LLC Michael Pascino Engineering Manager General Cable Corp Michael A Phaneuf Production Engineer Whitney Blake Co Michael L Poppa Manufacturing Manager Kuhar Metallizing Co Inc Kermit L Reins Rod Mill General Manager Sterling Steel Co Antti-Jussi Rissanen Executive Vice President Maillefer Extrusion Oy Daniel L Shelander President Windak USA Inc Elisa A Sorrentino Quality Manager General Cable Corp John Tremblay Manufacturing Manager General Cable Corp Michael H Tules R&D/Process Engineer Fluoropolymer Resources Inc

Barry E Lawson Process Engineer General Cable Corp Robert Luerssen Director of Marketing & Distribution Operations Paramount Die Co JANUARY 2013 | 29

WAI NEWS

Taressa L Foster Human Resource & Safety Manager Southwire Co

Thomas Madelung Regional Sales Manager WAFIOS Machinery Corp

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

Andrew Florian Wire Products Supervisor Fluoropolymer Resources Inc

WAI NEWS

WAI

NEWS

Richard R. Miller to serve as WAI president in 2013 Richard R. Miller, Southwire Co., will serve as WAI president for 2013, succeeding Nicholas Nickoletopoulos, Sivaco Wire Group and Ifastgroupe. The other 2013 officers are 1st Vice President William (Bill) Avise, Leggett & Platt, and 2nd Vice President William Reichert, Champlain Cable Corp.

The WAI officers are key to the direction and planning for events, products and services to serve the WAI’s more than 2,200 members. Steven Fetteroll serves as executive director/secretary and David LaValley is the treasurer.

President: Richard R. Miller Richard R. Miller will serve as chairman of the Board of Directors (BoD) and as the 59th president of the 83-year-old association, which is based in Guilford, Connecticut, USA. Miller is senior vice president at Southwire Co. in Carrollton, Georgia, USA, where he began his career 37 years ago, serving in numerous positions in engineering, materials management and plant management. Prior to 2012, he was senior vice president of electrical manufacturing, responsible for 12 Southwire manufacturing plants.

A WAI member since 1996,

2013 WAI organizational chart Following are the committees/boards and chairmen that will help direct the WAI’s activities this year.

Executive Committee President: Richard R. Miller, Southwire Co. 1st V. P.: William Avise Leggett & Platt 2nd V.P.: William Reichert Champlain Cable Corp.

Member: Anthony DeRosa, Cortinovis Machinery America Immediate Past President: Nicholas Nickoletopoulos, Sivaco Wire Group and Ifastgroupe

30 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Miller has served on the WAI’s BoD, executive committee and multiple committees that include member relations, conference programming and paper awards. He has also been a key driver in an association-wide initiative to increase WAI membership. At work, Miller was instrumental in developing the nationally recognized 12 for Life program—a partnership between Southwire Co. and the Carroll County School System—to reduce the high school drop-out rate by allowing at-risk students to work in a manufacturing plant that is designed for students while earning credit toward a high school diploma.

Miller was awarded Southwire’s H.A. Case Technological Achievement Award in 1994 and its D.B. Cofer Enterprise Award in 1998. He holds a B.Sc. degree in industrial engineering technology from Southern Technical Institute, and several Southwire patents.

1st Vice President: William Avise William (Bill) Avise currently holds the position of president of the Wire Group and vice president of Leggett & Platt. His career in the wire industry started in August 1970 at Union Wire Rope (Armco) in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. From 1970 to 1975, he worked as a wire drawer while attending college at Central Missouri State University. After graduating with a B.S. degree in

Board of Directors Lou Arcuri, Pinnacle Metals William Avise, Leggett & Platt Richard Baker, Alcan Cable Neville Crabbe, Leoni Wire Anthony De Rosa, Cortinovis Machinery America David Ferraro, Carris Reels, Inc. Jaime Fuente, Condusal SA de CV Steven S. Jones, Asarco LLC - Amarillo Refinery Malcolm Michael, Australasian Wire Industry Association Richard Miller, Southwire Co. Patricio G. Murga, ViakableSA de CV Ralph Noonan, Etna Products Mahesh Poddar, Miki Wire Works Jose Ranc, Whitney Blake Co. William Reichert, Champlain Cable Donald Schollin, Q-S Technologies Sheldon Scott, Whitney Blake Co. Gary Spence, Encore Wire Corp.

Mark Spencer, W. Gillies Technologies

2nd Vice President: William Reichert William Reichert is vice president of operations for Champlain Cable Corp. in Colchester, Vermont. He has been in manufacturing industries for 30 years, 28 of these in wire and cable in various operations, engineering, sales and marketing assignments, with the last nine at Champlain Cable, where he is responsible for facilities in Colchester, Vermont, El Paso, Texas and Leeds, MA. A founding advisor for Wire & Cable FOCUS and a member of the Wire and Cable Manufacturer's Alliance (WCMA), he is an active member of the WAI, where he has

Andy Talbot, Mid-South Wire Co., Inc. Mark Thackeray, General Cable Corp.

Bhaskar Yalamanchili, Gerdau Ameristeel

Bylaws Committee Sharon K. Young, Versitech

Education Committee Brian Parsons, Southwire Co.

Exhibition Planning Committee Jan Sorige, Enkotec Co.

Finance Committee Ronald R. Reed, Lloyd & Bouvier

Memorial Awards Committee Anand Bhagwat, Minova International

served as a member of the board of directors and the finance committee as well as several conference committees. He has also served as a part-time instructor at the University of Vermont, where he teaches Production and Operations Management in the MBA program. He graduated from the University of Vermont with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and an MBA.

Executive Committee and Board of Directors for 2013 In 2013, the WAI Executive Committee will consist of Richard Miller, Southwire Co. (President); William (Bill) Avise, Leggett & Platt (1st Vice President); William Reichert, Champlain Cable Corp. (2nd Vice President); Nicholas Nickoletopoulos, Sivaco Wire Group and Ifastgroupe (Immediate Past President); and member Anthony DeRosa, Cortinovis Machinery America, Inc. WAI’s full Board of Directors includes Lou Arcuri, Tri Star Metals LLC; Avise; Richard Baker, General Cable Corp.; Neville Crabbe, Leoni Wire; De Rosa, David Ferraro, Carris Reels, Inc.; Jaime Fuente, Condusal SA de CV; Steven S. Jones, Asarco LLC - Amarillo Refinery; Malcolm Michael, Australasian Wire Industry Association; Miller; and Patrico G. Murga, Viakable SA de CV. Also, Ralph Noonan, Etna Products; Mahesh Poddar, Miki Wire Works; Jose Ranc, Whitney Blake Co.; Reichert; Donald Schollin, Q-S Technologies; Sheldon Scott, Whitney Blake Co.; Jan Sorige, Enkotec Co., Inc.; Gary Spence, Encore Wire Corp.; Mark Spencer, W. Gillies Technologies; Andy Talbot, Mid-South Wire Co., Inc.; Mark Thackeray, General Cable Corp.; and Bhaskar Yalamanchili, Gerdau Ameristeel.

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

Nominating Committee Dane G. Armendariz

Oversight Committee William Avise, Leggett & Platt

Paper Awards Committee Bhaskar Yalamanchili, Gerdau Ameristeel

Publications Committee Dane G. Armendariz

WAI Chapters India Chapter, Italy Chapter, Mid-South Chapter, Midwest Chapter, New England Chapter, Ohio Valley Chapter, Poland Chapter, Southeast Chapter, Western Chapter JANUARY 2013 | 31

WAI NEWS

business in 1975, he became a shift supervisor and progressively worked up to the position of operations manager. In 1988 he accepted the position of plant manager with Leggett & Platt at the Merit Steel facility in Kouts, Indiana.

Following a promotion to vice president of operations, he relocated to Carthage, Missouri, and became president of the Wire Group in 2009.

Avise has been a member of the Wire Association International since 1993 and is currently serving a first term on the Board of Directors. He is a member of the 2012 Conference Programming Committee as well as executive committee liaison to the Exhibition Planning Committee.

He has actively participated with the American Wire Producers Association (AWPA) since 1994, serving as the organization’s Operations Committee Chairman from 1999 to 2004.

WAI NEWS

Volunteer Sp✹light This occasional section will provide readers a better idea of the activities of WAI’s committees and its board of directors.

WAI’s 2013 Conference Programming Committee roster The Conference Programming Committee was reorganized earlier in 2012 to improve efficiency and ensure a rotating membership to introduce new ideas on a regular basis.

Membership was reduced from 28 in 2011 to just 12 now, and the committee was further subdivided into two six-person subcommittees assigned separately to ferrous and nonferrous/electrical topics.

“The goal was to create smaller working groups to encourage a greater sense of ownership of the program,” said WAI’s Marc Murray, Director of Education and Member Services and staff liaison to the committee. “The idea is that members will feel less like just one in a group of many and instead feel they have greater individual ability to create the kind of specific program segments they want.”

Most members are new to the committee and this project, though one-third have served on previous versions of the committee. They are asked to serve two-year terms, enabling each to participate in the planning of two conferences, or one full two-year cycle. The terms are staggered so the committee turns over no more than half its membership each year.

The aim is to maintain year-to-year continuity of experienced members while also rotating in new participants with fresh ideas and new contacts. The current committee comprises wire and cable manufacturers exclusively.

The committee met from September through November.

The preliminary Interwire schedule the group has compiled calls for about 50 unique presentations. It will include a mix of technical papers, practical “ops. reports,” panel discus-

2013 article index is up for review An index of news articles published by WJI in 2012 can be accessed at www.wirenet.org by clicking on “WJI” then “WJI Article Indexes.” Readers can view/download the PDF version of article indexes back to 2006, including Industry News, WAI News, Chapter News, Exhibitions and Conferences and Technical Articles and features.

Pops to lead off 2-year webinar series that will cover the A’s-to-Z’s of wire In 2013, WAI is launching a two-year series of webinars designed to present the fundamentals of wire and cable

32 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

sions, and plenary speakers.

Part of the committee’s task is to continue to distinguish the Interwire program from the newly created Operations Summit, which debuted in May 2012 alongside Wire Expo in Dallas. Interwire will continue to offer a more technologybased program, while future Operations Summits will focus on practical topics vital to the day-to-day functioning of a wire operation.

“That doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty of practical business topics at Interwire,” Murray added. “While the focus is technical, the overall program will offer a balanced mix that includes subjects like health and safety, workforce development, and Lean.”

Conference Programming Committee Members Ferrous William Avise, Leggett & Platt Inc. (Co-Chairman) Mike Ferringer, Bekaert Corp.

Randy Gibbs, Southwestern Wire Inc. Tracy Gooding, Mar-Mac Wire Inc. Allen Lindholm, ArcelorMittal Ferndale Richard Wagner, Insteel Industries Inc. Nonferrous/Electrical Richard Baker, Alcan Cable David Hawker, Nexans Energy USA Inc. Steven Jones, ASARCO Dimitri Maistrellis, Comtran Cable LLC Richard Miller, Southwire Co. (Co-Chairman) Roy St. Andre, EIS Wire & Cable Co. WAI Liaison Marc Murray, WAI staff

manufacturing in more than 30 installments in ferrous, nonferrous, and electrical tracks, starting Wednesday, Feb. 13, with “An Overview of Nonferrous Rod and Wire Technology,” by Dr. Horace Pops.

The Pops webinar is intended for those in the wire industry involved primarily with the production and application of nonferrous rod and wire. Principles and practices of copper and aluminum conductors are discussed from a metallurgical perspective, and include the importance of impurities, annealability, surface effects, and property control. Topics to be presented in this first year will include rod technology, electrical properties, surface treatment, drawing, insulating and sheathing materials,

26 new exhibitors among those that have signed up for Interwire 2013 The floor plan for Interwire 2013 was all but full as of press time, with less than 2% of the exhibit spaces unfilled, and including 26 companies that will be first-time exhibitors (and four that have not exhibited in a long time) when the show is held April 23-25 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. “We think it’s great that attendees will be able to find out what solutions these new exhibitors may be able to offer them,” said WAI Sales Director Bob Xeller. He noted that the list may soon be much longer as there is growing interest in a Chinese pavilion at the event. Below are the names and booth numbers of the new and returning exhibitors: • Advaris GmbH, Germany, booth 1070 • AESA SA, Switzerland, booth 120 • Austrian Pavilion/AWCMA, Austria, booth 1050 • Besel Basim San Tick, Turkey, booth 457 • Chengdu Centran Industrial, China, booth 771 • Clayton Industries, U.S., booth 1064 • Custom Machining & Fabrication LLC, U.S., booth 770 • Enercon Industries, U.S., booth 453 • Fasten Group Imp/Exp Co., China, booth 264 • GMP Slovakia sro, Slovakia, booth 558 • Guney Celik, Turkey, booth 764 • Handuk Ultrasonic, South Korea, booth 1660

JANUARY 2013 | 33

WAI NEWS

problem-solving, lubrication and filtration, machinery, and extrusion.

“This definitely represents a turning point in our webinar program,” said WAI Director of Education and Member Services Marc Murray. “We’ve had a successful, relatively small program since we started doing webinars four years ago. But this will be a major expansion that lets us take full advantage of the medium, providing comprehensive manufacturing education that goes beyond what we’ve done in the past.”

Previously, webinars have been scheduled one at a time as standalone, non-sequential topics. The new schedule represents the first effort to present all the major topics of the fundamentals of wire and cable manufacturing as a long-term series of webinars.

Murray said a key driver for the new program was the goal of providing more value to WAI members. Webinars are free to members and $55 for nonmembers. Members also have free access to online archives of past webinars.

A convenient alternative to the Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing course held at Interwire/Operations Summit & Wire Expo, the webinar series will provide members free access to training resources year-round.

The live presentations offer opportunities for interaction with instructors.

For more details, or to register, visit www.wirenet.org.

WAI NEWS

• Heraeus Noblelight LLC, U.S., booth 864 • Lors Machinery, U.S., booth 117 • Lubrimetal Corp., U.S./Italy, booth 458 • Maklada Europe, Tunisia, booth 252 • Manner Plastics LP, U.S., booth 401 • Nanjing Capatue Chemical Co. Ltd., China, booth 2120 • Newtech Srl, Italy, booth 132 • PolyFab Plastics & Supply, U.S., booth 2018 • RTO Manufacturing, U.S., booth 217

34 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

• Shenyang Jinggong Cable Matrl. Co., China, booth 1053 • Tecnofil SA, Peru, booth 108 • Titan Strapping Systems, U.S., booth 670 • Tonar Plastics, U.S., booth 652 • Unisource Logistics Solutions, U.S., booth 2014 • Vinston US Corp., U.S., booth 158 • Web Industries, U.S., booth 551 • YuConn Electronic Inc., U.S., booth 964 • Zhejiang Tenglong Stainless Steel, China, booth 360

Everything I needed to know about networking I learned at Wire Expo.”

I renew my WAI membership to stay on top of industry trends and new technology.”

Aaron Nolan

Andrew P. Helffrich

I can help WAI members learn more about copper, continuous casting, and process innovation.”

WAI’s networking summits propelled me to peak performance.”

Christine Lovett

WAI’s resources helped put the fun into hard work.

Seriously.”

Dane G. Armendariz

I can help WAI members look at operations today and see ahead to tomorrow.”

Bill Reichert

If you’re serious about a career in wire and cable, all signs point to WAI membership.”

Erik A. Macs

I joined WAI for the member discount on a technical conference and the investment paid off.

No regrets!”

Gary Spence

I can help people solve technical problems and improve their careers.”

Dr. Horace Pops

Paola D’Oria

DISCOVER WAI. Some things you know as well as your name. Other times it takes a little searching to find—or learn— what you need, especially if you are new to the wire and cable industry or plan to keep pace with its innovative advances.

Wire Association International (WAI) is the place to start.

As a WAI member it’s easy to stay informed. Likewise, you won’t have to dig too deeply to uncover the industry’s rich history and accepted certainties.

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

When you consider that wire making can be traced on one timeline from the golden threads in ancient Egyptian jewelry—through telephony, countless creature comforts, and modern infrastructure— toward yet unimagined applications, you can appreciate your vital role in the wire manufacturing continuum.

WAI members represent a living history of the industry. Whatever your direction, if you earn a living with wire, cable, supplies, or equipment you’ve earned a place in WAI’s global network.

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

M O R E :

w w w . w i r e n e t . o r g

The Wire Association International, Inc. 1570 Boston Post Road | P.O. Box 578 | Guilford, CT 06437-0578 USA | Telephone: (001) 203-453-2777 | Fax: (001) 203-453-8384 | www.wirenet.org

CHAPTER CORNER

CHAPTER CORNER New England Chapterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual meeting to be held this month at Mohegan Sun

Poland Chapter to return this March to Zakopane for industry conference

The New England Chapter will return on Jan. 24 to the Mohegan Sun Resort Conference in Uncasville, Connecticut, USA, to hold its 19th Annual Meeting, where the Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest chapter will introduce its new officers, provide time for mingling and to review the past year and look forward to future events.

The event will open with a reception at 5 pm, followed by a buffet dinner. The keynote speaker will be Bruce Tulgan, an internationally recognized leading expert on young people in the workplace, who focuses on leadership and management. A best-selling author, he is an advisor to business leaders all over the world and a management trainer. Since 1995, he has worked with organizations ranging from Aetna to Wal-Mart; from the Army to the YMCA. Tickets for the event are $120, $110 for WAI members and $100 for New England Chapter members. The registration form can be accessed at the chapterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s web page at www.wirenet.org.

For more details, contact WAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anna Bzowski at tel. 203453-2777, ext. 126, abzowski@wirenet.org.

WAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Poland Chapter has planned a technical conference, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Modern technologies and modeling of drawing and manufacturing processes of metal products,â&#x20AC;? to be held at the AntaĹ&#x201A;Ăłwka Hotel in Zakopane, Poland.

Chapter President Jan Pilarczyk said that 32 papers have already been accepted for presentation which will be arranged in four sessions. The topics in those sessions include: Steel wire and wires products; Nonferrous wires and wire products; Electrical wires and special products; and a Poster Session.

The event will include tabletops, an Opening Reception and a Gala Dinner with folk music. It will also see two recipients receive the Schneider Memorial Award 2013: Prof. Paul Van Houtte from Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering (MTM) KU Leuven, who won the WAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mordica Memorial Award in 2012; and Prof.

Zbigniew Pater from the Lublin University of Technology.

The members of the scientific committee for the event include: President Prof. Zbigniew Muskalski, CUT, President; and members Prof. Henryk Dyja, CUT; Prof.

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Western Chapter golf outing: small by the numbers, large by the experience Two dozen players took part in the Western Chapter’s golf tournament on October 22 at the Los Verdes Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, but the event was declared a success by the field.

E-mail: fukaseco@ja2.so-net.ne.jp http://www.fukase.co.jp

“We had a great time,” said Michael Weiss, Whitmor/ WIREnetics, who was on the winning team along with colleague Ray Sprinkling and Martin Kenner, Commission Brokers. Weiss, who often travels to play in other chapter golf events and is known for his generous support, noted that some golfers had driven two hours to play in the chapter’s 12th Annual Golf Tournament.

Second place, with a score of 61, was the Blue Moon Commodities team of John Van Diepen, Daryl Belisle, Todd Mayne and Harold Brazee, with third place, and with a score of 63, going to the team of Rick Nazzareno; Fred Camarena Jr., F. Camarena Inc.; Philip Shows, NEPTCO; and John Gomez, Helistrand.

Closest to the Pins were won by Nazzareno and John Gomez while the Long Drive was won by Sprinkling, whose shot sailed more than 300 yards.

Event organizer Michael Howard, Coast Wire, thanked the following sponsors for their support: Closest to the pin: Helistrand Inc. and Silver State Wire & Cable; Long Hole: Whitmor/WIREnetics; 19th Hole: Commission Brokers; Corporate Hole sponsors included: B&H Tool Company; F. Camarena Inc.; Engineered Machinery; Gem Gravure; Leoni Wire; Q-S Technologies; Silver State Wire & Cable; Whitmor/WIREnetics; and WireMasters Inc.

Sk Bldg #1 2-10-10 Makuhari-Hongo, 2- 6 -1 Hamada Mihama -Ku Hanamigawa-Ku, Chiba, Chiba Bhiba-Ken 261-0025, Japan 262-0033 Japan Tel : +81-43-276-0630 FAX Fax :81-43-276-0463 +81-43-276-0463 TEL 81-43-276-0630

JANUARY 2013 | 37

CHAPTER CORNER

Bogdan Garbarz, IMZ; Prof. Eugeniusz Hadasik, The Silesian University of Technology; Prof. Tadeusz Knych, AGH University of Science and Technology (AGH); Prof. Janusz Łuksza, AGH; Prof. Zbigniew Pater, Lublin University of Technology; Prof. Maciej Pietrzyk, AGH; Prof. Jan W. Pilarczyk, CUT; and Prof. Zbigniew Smieszek, Institute for Non-Ferrous Metals, Gliwice. Dr. Sylwia Wiewiórowska is president of the Organizing Committee, Dr. Robert Kruzel is the secretary and members include Mgrs. Monika Kucharska, Piotr Bartosinski, Justyna Adamczyk and Wojciech Ciepiela.

Specific details on the conference, travel there and more can be found at www.konferencja.wip.pcz.pl, the conference website. The registration fee—which includes accommodations in the Antałówka Hotel, meals, a copy of the proceedings and the social program—is 1800 PLN (about US$570). The fee for a company tabletop is 1500 PLN (about $475).

EVENT WRAPUP

IWCS 2012: attendance up from past few years The International Wire & Cable Symposium, Inc. (IWCS) reports that the 61st staging of its annual event, now called the IWCS International Cable • Connectivity Symposium, showed renewed strength, with a fuller technical program and attendance up 10% from recent prior events.

A press release said that the event, held at the Providence Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island, had a total of 1,125 registrants. It noted that there were more than 120 technical presentations, a hundred exhibitors, interesting Executive Session presentations and a memorable Plenary Session presentation by Michael T. Jones, chief technology advocate for Google. The compressed schedule, it said, kept attendees quite busy.

“This year’s event was so rich in content that the Technical Symposium had to be scheduled for an additional half day,” said IWCS CEO John Barteld. “Even with the extended Symposium, attendance in the sessions was strong right up to the end.”

During his Plenary Session presentation, held during lunch, Jones challenged the core beliefs of the audience.

“I would argue that most of what you know is wrong,” he declared. People tend to believe and assume certain things because that is how life works, he said. “Do you know the food (here) is not poisoned? We don’t know. We just believe that it isn’t.”

Beliefs can hold people back from thinking of and developing better ways of doing things, Jones insisted, citing the classic Dr. Seuss story, Green Eggs and Ham. “Sam I am doesn’t want to eat green eggs and ham. He knows he doesn’t want them, even though he’s never tried them. He believes that with total conviction until his mind is changed, and then he has total faith in that (new belief),” he said.

That’s why companies should not let a perception of what

Attendees at an IWCS Professional Development Course.

38 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

A hundred exhibitors showcased their techncology. people want—especially for something as evolving as bandwidth—dissuade their efforts, he said, relating Google’s success in its Kansas City network as an example. The huge response from consumers there surprised other providers that had not envisioned such results, he said. “The people who live in the present stand in the way of the future,” he said. “We have choices. You can be David or, if you’re big, you can be Goliath, and a lot of impossible things become possible.”

Earlier, two CRU staffers, both long-time presenters at IWCS, shared their perspectives during the Executive Track.

CRU Group’s Robert Daniels gave his outlook for the metallic cable industry, which he said grew by 4% in volume in 2011 while 2012 likely would close with somewhat slower growth, at 2.4%. He projected that 2013 will see growth of 4.4%, increasing to more than 5% for 2014 and 2015.

One interesting point was that the developing world now represents more than two thirds of the overall market although two thirds of the production by the largest cable companies comes from the developed market. “This illustrates the fragmented nature of the cable industry outside of the developed world,” Daniels said.

Commenting on the optical fiber sector, CRU’s Patrick Fay said that the North American market is uncertain following completion of stimulus projects and recent announcements from AT&T. Europe is challenged by stronger countries slowing down while China continues to be the Asian leader, with 5.4% growth to 122 million fiber km installed, although it is uncertain whether that pace can be maintained. Emerging markets will become more of a factor, including in African countries such as Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.

An edited version of a presentation by Alan Weidman, one of three sustainability related

EVENT WRAPUP The Plenary Session remains a key IWCS attraction.

A new product introduction is made at IWCS.

presentations during the Executive Session, is presented on p. 66. His talk covered the potential results of sustainability regulations on the wire and cable industry. Other reports in the session included one by J. Carlini, Carlini & Associates, on “intelligent” buildings; and R. Foster, Innovative

Engineering Systems, who spoke about building IT. Also speaking during the Executive Track was DuPont economist Robert Fry, who said there were some promising indicators for the U.S. Manufacturing has been up the last two years although it has slowed again, but the automotive

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JANUARY 2013 | 39

EVENT WRAPUP Michael T. Jones, chief technology advocate for Google, delivered a memorable Plenary Session address.

More than 120 technical papers were presented at the symposium.

field is better. One reason for that, he said, is that so many people have delayed new auto purchases and the fleet has become older, which bodes well for future sales. Inflation has remained low and the U.S. is better off than Europe, much of which is struggling at a recession level, he said.

The question mark is the “Fiscal Cliff” that was due to take part at year’s end if some action does not occur, Fry said. Theoretically, such a fall could make it “almost impossible to avoid a recession.”

The Products section that starts on p. 70 includes many products that were either seen or talked about in the tabletops. Windak Inc. was one of the companies reporting that they were quite pleased with IWCS 2012. They presented information on the company’s new Spool Winder 6-14 and Automatic Reeler AR24 and said that they received “several solid sales leads that should close in the near future.”

“At this year’s IWCS, we’ve seen an increase in show attendance as well as a more enthusiastic outlook towards the economy and need for more measurement system solutions,” says Bob Stockholm, director of North America sales for Beta LaserMike. “This international venue also gave us the opportunity to share the latest technology advances with

our industry peers, such as our technical paper discussion on testing the shielding effectiveness of communication cables, which was well received.”

Rosendahl and Nextrom representatives reported that they were pleased to meet with partners and industry colleagues at IWCS. Beyond the information provided at their booth, the companies contributed two technical presentations, both of which were well attended: “Latest developments in FOC production equipment”and “Process and Technology developments for Fluor-Polymer foam and specialty materials processing for data, aerospace and medical cable” The event was not all classrooms and tabletop perusing, as Cable Components Group once again hosted Monday Night Football, featuring Troy Brown, a former star wide-receiver with the New England Patriots. Brown fascinated the party goers with stories about his years in professional football, and generally charmed everyone in attendance, whether a fan of his former team or not.

The 2013 IWCS event will be held Nov. 10-13 at the Charlotte Convention Center, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Inhol BV/PTL’s Ron Goethals talks about a new product.

Windak’s Dan Shelander also manned the laptop.

40 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

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WAI will add 30+ new installments over the next two years in the ferrous, nonferrous, and electrical tracks.

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INTERWIRE 2013 EXHIBITING COMPANIES — As of December 2012 — Ace Metal Inc.

Cary Compounds LLC

Eurolls SpA

Howar Equipment

ACM AB

Cemanco LC

EuroWire Magazine

Huestis Industrial

Advantage Austria

Central Wire Industries Ltd.

George Evans Corp.

IBA Industrial

Advaris GmbH

CeramTec AG

EVG

ICE Wire Line Equipment Inc.

AEB International Inc.

Chase/NEPTCO

Evolution Products

IDEAL Welding Systems

AEI Compounds Ltd.

Chase Wire and Cable Materials

Fabritex Inc.

Ideal-Werk

AESA SA

Chemetall US/Chemetall Oakite Chengdu Centran Industrial Co. Ltd.

Fasten Group Import & Export Co. Ltd.

iim AG Measurement & Engineering

AIM Inc. All Forming Machinery Inc.

Cimteq Ltd.

Amacoil Inc.

Clayton Industries

Amaral Automation Associates

Clifford Welding Systems

American & Efird Inc.

Clinton Instrument Co.

American Kuhne

CM Furnaces Inc.

Anbao Wire & Mesh Co. Ltd.

CMEC International Exhibition Ltd.

AW Machinery LLC

CN Wire Corp.

AXIS Computer Systems Inc.

Collins & Jewell Co. Inc.

Axjo America Inc.

Cometo SNC

Aztech Lubricants LLC

Commission Brokers Inc.

B&H Tool Co.

Condat

B&Z Galvanized Wire Industry Inc.

CONDUCTIX WAMPFLER

Bartell Machinery Systems LLC

Conneaut Industries Inc.

Baum’s Castorine Co.

Continuus Properzi SpA

Bekaert Corp.

Cortinovis Machinery America Inc.

Bergandi Machinery Co.

CPA Wire Technologies GmbH

Besel Basim San Tic Ltd. Sti

Custom Machining & Fabrication LLC

Beta LaserMike Blachford Corp.

Bock GmbH & Co. KG Bogimac Engineering Boockmann GmbH/ The Slover Group BOW TECHNOLOGYGauder Group Boxy SpA

FIB Belgium SA Fil-Tec Inc. Filtertech Inc. Fine International Corp.

InterWire Products

Flymca & Flyro

Intras Ltd.

FMS USA Inc.

IWE Spools & Handling GmbH

Foerster Instruments Inc.

IWG High Performance Conductors Inc.

Fort Wayne Wire Die Inc. Fortune Machinery OM Frigerio Frontier Composites & Castings Inc. FSP-one Inc. Fuhr GmbH & Co. KG Gauder Group Inc. Gavlick Machinery Corp.

GCR Eurodraw SpA

DALOO-Gauder Group

Gem Gravure Co. Inc.

Davis-Standard LLC

Genca

Design & Engineering LLC

Gimax SRL

Die Quip Corp.

GMP Slovakia sro

Domeks Makine Ltd. Sti

Guill Tool & Engineering Co.

Ebner Furnaces Inc.

Guney Celik

EJP Maschinen GmbH

H. Folke Sandelin AB Hall Industries

Engineered Machinery Group Inc.

Hangzhou JR Exhibition Co. Ltd.

Enkotec Co. Inc.

Heacock Metal & Machine Co. Inc.

Er-Bakir Elektrolitik Bakir Mamulleri A.S.

Heany Industries Inc.

Caballe SA Cable Consultants Corp.

ERA Wire Inc.

Calmec Precision Ltd.

Esteves Group USA

Canterbury Engineering Co.

Etna Products Inc.

Carris Reels Inc.

Eurobend GmbH

Buttwelders USA

International Wire Group

Fisk Alloy Wire Inc.

Handuk Ultrasonic

Buhler Wurz Kaltwalztechnik GmbH

Inosym

International Wire Machinery Association (IWMA)

Enercon Industries

Brookfield Wire Co.

InnoVites Cable ERP Software

Finoptics Inc.

Electron Beam Technologies Inc.

Breen Color Concentrates Inc.

INHOL LLC

Hearl Heaton - Pentre Group Heatbath Corp.

HENRICH Maschinenfabrik GmbH Heraeus Noblelight LLC Heritage Wire Die Inc.

Joe Tools Inc. Jouhsen - Bundgens Inc. Kalmark Integrated Systems Keir Manufacturing Inc. Kieselstein GmbH King Steel Corp.

Kinrei of America LLC KMK KP America Inc. Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Lämneå Bruk AB LaserLinc Inc. Leggett & Platt Wire Group Leoni Wire Inc. OM Lesmo Group Lesmo Machinery America Inc. Lloyd & Bouvier Inc. Lors Machinery Lubrimetal Corp.

The Lubrizol Corp.

LUKAS Anlagenbau GmbH Macromeric Magnetic Technologies Ltd. Maillefer SA Maklada Europe

INTERWIRE 2013 EXHIBITING COMPANIES — As of December 2012 continued — Manner Plastics LP

Pressure Welding Machines Ltd.

Smeets SA

Mathiasen Machinery Inc.

PrintSafe

Joe Snee Associates Inc.

Messe Düsseldorf North America

Promostar srl

Sonoco Reels

Metavan nv

Properzi International Inc.

Spirka Schnellflechter GmbH

MFL USA Service Corp. - Frigerio

Proton Products

The MGS Group

QED Wire Lines Inc.

SPX Precision Components FENN Division

MGS Manufacturing Inc.

QUEINS Machines GmbH

Micro Products Co.

Raajratna Stainless Wire (USA) Inc.

Microdia USA Mid-South Wire Mikrotek Machines Ltd. Morgan-Koch Corp.

Mossberg Associates Inc. Nanjing Capatue Chemical Co. Ltd. Nano-Diamond America Inc. Newtech Srl Niagara Composites International Niehoff Endex North America Inc. Northampton Machinery Co. (USA) Numalliance North America

Radyne Corp.

Rainbow Rubber & Plastics Rautomead Ltd. Reel Options by Vandor Corp.

Reel-O-Matic Inc. Refractron Technologies Corp.

RG Attachments Ltd. RichardsApex Inc. Rizzardi Rockford Manufacturing Group FELM

Oklahoma/Iowa Steel & Wire

Rosendahl Nextrom Technologies

OMA USA Inc.

Roteq Machinery Inc.

OMCG North America Inc.

RTO Manufacturing

OMCG SpA

S&E Specialty Polymers

P&R Specialty Inc.

Saco Plymers

P/A Industries Inc.

SAMP SpA

Paramount Die Co.

SAMP USA Inc.

Parkway-Kew Corp.

SAMPSISTEMI

Pave Automation Design

Sanxin Wire Die Inc.

Petig AG

Sark-USA Inc.

Phifer Wire Inc.

Sarkuysan AS

Pioneer Machinery USA

Schlatter North America

Pittsburgh Carbide Die Co.

SETIC-Gauder Group

Pittsfield Plastics

Shanghai Pudong International Exhibition Co.

Plas-Ties Co.

STAKU-Anlagenbau GmbH Steel Orbis Prime Magazine Stolberger KMB Maschinenfabrik GmbH Strecker USA Sylvin Technologies Inc. T&T Marketing Inc. Talladega Machinery & Supply Taubensee Steel & Wire Co. Taymer International Inc. Tecnofil SA Tecnoherramental SA de CV Teknikor Teknor Apex Tensor Machinery Ltd. Titan Strapping Systems LP Tonar Plastics Tramev SRL Traxit North America LLC Troester GmbH & Co. KG Tubular Products Co. Tulsa Power Inc. Ultimate Automation Ltd. Unisource Logistics Solutions United Wire Co. Inc. UNITEK Uniwire International Ltd. US Synthetic Wire Die Reel Options by Vandor Corp.

Vinston US Corp.

Plymouth Wire Reels & Dies Inc.

Shenyang Jinggong Cable Material Co. Ltd.

PolyFab Plastics & Supply

Sictra Srl

Vinston US Corp.

PolyOne

SIKORA International Corp.

Vollmer America Inc.

Polytec Inc.

SIMPACKS

vom Hagen & Funke GmbH

POURTIER-Gauder Group

Sivaco Wire Group

Precision Die Technologies Inc.

Sjogren Industries Inc.

WAFIOS Machinery Corporation

Premier Wire Die

SKET Verseilmaschinenbau GmbH

Vitari SpA

Stolberger Inc. dba Wardwell Braiding

WCISA - Wire & Cable Industry Suppliers Association Web Industries Weber & Scher Mfg. Co. Inc. Windak Inc. Wire & Cable ASIA Magazine Wire & Cable Technology International Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp.

The Wire Association International, Inc. Wire Forming Technology Wire Journal International Wire Lab Co. Wire Machine Systems Inc. Wire Technology Machinery Wire World Internet WiredIn USA Witels Albert USA Ltd. Woodburn Diamond Die Inc. Worth Steel & Machinery Inc. Yield Management Corp.

YuConn Electronic Inc. Zhejiang Tenglong Stainless Steel Products Co. Ltd. Zumbach Electronics Corp.

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FEATURE

W

ith the world’s second largest population and arguably the largest need for better infrastructure and electrical power, India has long been looked

to as a land of opportunity, a place that should keep the wire and cable industry busy for decades to come. As one observer in this feature notes, opportunity and results do not necessarily follow a simple path, but there are reasons to believe in the country.

One can focus on articles praising India’s potential or those citing the litany of challenges the country faces and wonder whether meaningful progress ultimately can be achieved in a country that has dreams of topping China.

Set aside such issues as bureaucracy and a slow path to action, and the numbers show that, even in less-than-ideal conditions, the wire and cable industry has done well. Not without growing pains, but a recent article in the Times of India assessing the country’s wire and cable industry sees it as a growing segment with a good outlook. It noted that wire and cable represents about 40% of the country’s entire electrical industry, which is expected to double in size over the next five years, driven by growth in the power and infrastructure segments.

The report observed that the wire and cable industry “has moved from being a small industry 20 years back to a very large industry over the last decade.” The market is volumedriven, and the focus at this time is on making further advances in brand and quality perception.

The steel wire outlook is more frustrating, as is the case for much of the global steel industry, where there is too much capacity and not enough demand, although the latter 46 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

stems more from needs that lack funding, and the real challenge for steel wire is competition from exporters.

In terms of challenges, one need look no further than the state of Odisha (previously called Orissa), where major projects, some announced years ago with fanfare, have faltered. See p. 52.

Led by service and I.T. industries and blessed with one of the world’s youngest populations, India’s businesses have become more competitive on the global stage. The government has committed to a path to achieve success, highlighted by its pledge to invest $1 trillion in India’s infrastructure during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-2017). That ambitious target has since been rolled back because of global conditions, but at least it is a recognition of what needs to be done. Further, some of those long postponed steel projects have actually inched closer to fruition.

This feature includes observations from the CEO of an Indian cable company, the head of India’s steel wire association, comments by Huned Contractor, editor of WIRE BULLETIN, WAI’s publication in India, and a wrapup of Wire & Cable India 2012.

Uniflex Cables, which was founded in 1993 and in 2012 became amalgamated with APAR Industries Ltd., manufactures a wide line of electrical and telecom cables, marketed under the brand name “UNICAB.” Below, company CEO V.K. Bajaj shared his thoughts on the challenges and potential for the industry with WJI.

tions. They generally do not have as much technical competency as the older companies that may still be struggling, but they still command higher technical brand equity.

Customers have become more knowledgeable about cables and prefer to buy from low cost sources, ignoring the technical expertise of erstwhile leading companies. The quality requirements from the customers also seem to have diluted and price is now supreme.

The number of wire and cable industry manufacturers has increased significantly, perhaps due to the low-entry barriers, both technically and commercially. Equipment costs have come down and finance is more easily available for expansion. Quite a few multinationals have been eying to enter the Indian market, but so far not many have succeeded. A few of them that made JVs have already experienced some difficulty with their Indian partners.

WJI: How long have you been with your company and what is its scope and product range?

Bajaj: I have been associated with the cable industry for more than 30 years, the last four at Uniflex Cables, which is now amalgamated with Apar Industries Limited. We manufacture a very wide range of products broadly categorized into power and control cables, elastomer insulated cables, fiber optic cables and specialty hybrid cables. The cable range includes medium-voltage XLPE cables up to 33 KV, low-voltage WJI: Does your company XLPE/PVC power and compete more against other control cables, flame domestic wire and cable retardant and fire resistmanufacturers or, for some ant cables, elastomer products, do you compete (rubber) cables for ship more against imported wiring, locomotives, cables? windmills, solar, minBajaj: We came out with ing, nuclear plants etc. a strategy to have a focus Because of in-house on exports, compete with capability, Uniflex also domestic manufacturers manufactures subsea and also work on import hybrid cables as a comsubstitute product developbination of electrical ments. Since the last two power, instrumentation years, about 30% of our and fiber optic elements sales come from exports. for defense and special V.K. Baja, CEO of Uniflex Cables, Ltd., seated, center, with his We are developing a few applications. Uniflex company’s management team. innovative products that recently commissioned have a good potential to an electron beam irradicompete with imported cables. We have been successful in ated facility for cables and other polymer products and this developing medium-voltage rubber cables (especially 33 year will soon be offering specialty cables. kv) for the windmill sector which were earlier imported into India. We also have developed rubber CRD cables with WJI: In what ways has the wire and cable industry in integrated fiber optics as replacement for cables being India most changed in recent years? imported into India by the steel sector. We have also develBajaj: The wire and cable industry in India has seen sigoped umbilical cables as import substitute for the defence nificant restructuring during the last decade. The older leadsector. Presently these specialty cables constitute only 5-7% ing manufacturing companies generally could not survive of our sales and are slated to grow in coming years. the competitive environment and quite a few either closed or are reeling during the financial crisis due to high manWJI: Given the unsettled global economy, has the wire power costs and inefficient ways of manufacture. These and cable industry in India been able or willing to invest in companies perhaps did not upgrade/modernize their manutechnology as it needs to? facturing infrastructure to the latest high-speed machines Bajaj: It may be an unsettled situation for wire industry and had to pay higher wages to older workmen who in the western world, but in India, we have not felt so. The became less productive. wire and cable segment in India is growing at over 15% The last decade has seen the emergence of newer players and perhaps may grow at a faster pace over next three-five that are currently occupying the volume leadership posi-

JANUARY 2013 | 47

FEATURE

India outlook: Uniflex Cables

FEATURE

years. The cable manufacturing equipment industry is also growing though not so rapidly. Most of the manufacturers have undertaken capacity expansion in the last two years. We at Uniflex are also expanding our fiber optic cable, rubber cable and low-voltage power cable capacity over the next three to four months. We recently invested over US$10 million for setting up two electron beam accelerators for a polymer cross linking facility.

WJI: What are your company’s long-range goals?

Bajaj: One of the strategies that we are following is working to explore more business opportunities overUniflex Cable has been expanding its range of cable products. seas, where we are finding relatively better remunerative prices than in the Indian market, besides assured payment terms via Letter of Credit. (There are lots of payto focus more on strategic issues related to marketing, prodment defaults in Indian market.) uct development, building a cohesive and motivated team, We are focusing more on rubber cables and fiber optic procurement and manufacturing. The first three of these are cable business since the relative competition is less and the ones that occupy a significant part of my time. margins are better compared to the situation in power cables. Improved business volume of innovative specialty WJI: Are you optimistic about the outlook for the wire and cables with significantly higher contribution margins, and cable industry in India, and if so, why? development of import substitute products will drive our Bajaj: The future outlook for the wire and cable industry bottom line. Commissioning of electron beam accelerators in India looks encouraging due to the thrust being given for will help us in entering high technology cable products, power generation and infrastructure development by the besides offering a E-beam facility as a service center. government. The demand for power is far more than power availability and the demand seems to be growing faster than WJI: As CEO, what specific areas do you find take up the the power generation. The distribution of power with a lot greatest part of your time? Is complying with regulations or of automation, growing infrastructure and improved lifestyle the country’s infrastructure a major challenge? is driving the growth of the industry. Though the volumes Bajaj: Fortunately, we have a commercial department that are expected to grow, so is the competition, so it may not be is taking care of managing the regulations, etc., leaving me as rosy as it appears.

India outlook: an editor’s take For almost a year now, there have been several issues keeping the Indian economy in a tight corner. Inflation, increase in fuel prices and the depreciation of the rupee against the U.S. dollar are some of the primary concerns that have affected the growth of the industry.

India is a very large country with very large concerns that on the face could make one feel the long-term outlook is not very good.

Bureaucracy, “red tapism” and corruption in governance are some of the factors that have always been a drag on the Indian industry. However, for all its challenges, India is also a country that has made great strides in many areas, although these did not always happen in a determined straight line. The government seemed to have been in a state of limbo till only very recently. Attempts are now being made to move towards single-window clearances and transparency and the country has taken a more proactive role in terms of approving some pending legislations that will go in favour of India Inc. One example is the emergence of Gujarat as a prime industrial hub simply because of measures taken by the state’s chief minister, Narendra Modi, to ensure that a red carpet is laid out for companies willing to invest there.

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The mood has therefore begun to change.

Especially so in the wire and cable industry that I have been monitoring for the past three years.

Huned Contractor This is primarily because of the fact that India’s power sector is slated to grow at a CAGR of 8% with increasing technological advancement triggering rapid growth in the Rs 1,10,000 crore sector.

Meanwhile, the cable industry comprises 40% of the entire electrical industry and this is expected to double in size over the next five years.

There are many challenges, yes, but India’s crude steel production is continuing to grow, and infrastructure needs must eventually be served. If government takes the right actions a better future seems assured. And rewarding for those in the fray! Huned Contractor

India outlook: SWMAI FEATURE

The Steel Wire Manufacturers Association of India (SWMAI), www.swmai.org, represents 71 member companies across India, helping them better prepare for various issues of national and international importance relating not only to the steel wire industry but also to other economic and trade related matters. Below, Secretary General Tirthankar Banerjee shares his thoughts with WJI. WJI: What are the most common concerns SWMAI members have?

Banerjee: 1) lack of availability of quality raw material, i.e., wire rod, at internationally competitive prices; 2) imports of finished products, such as steel Tirthankar Banerjee wire, at lower prices; 3) absence of suitable export promotion policy for steel wire; and 4) lower consumption of steel wire as a percentage of consumption of steel.

WJI: How big a factor are imports in terms of competition for your member companies?

Banerjee: Government policies like Free Trade Policy with ASEAN countries, Japan, etc., are a definite obstacle to the growth of domestic steel wire industry. In particular, low-priced import of some wires from China is a matter of grave concern to us. The MFN treaty of the government of India with Nepal is supplying a great impetus to the Chinese trend. Prices offered by those imported wire items are seriously shocking to the domestic manufacturers.

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

WJI: How big is Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s steel wire market and how much of that demand can domestic companies meet?

Banerjee: It is estimated that the steel wire market in India is 3.0 million tonnes per annum valued at US$2.4 billion). Almost 88% of the demand is for plain carbon steel grades, 5% is for stainless steel grades and the balance is for alloy steel grades. This market is serviced by the combined production of both the organized and the unorganized sectors. About 70% of total production comes from organized producers and the rest from the unorganized ones. India contributes only 1% to the global wire exports and about 3% of Indian production caters to a portion of the global markets.

There are five major domestic producers (JSPL, JSW, RINL, TISCO, UMIL) of high-carbon wire rod, but a substantial portion of that capacity is used for rebar, and the industry is forced to import wire rod to meet demand. Other new wire rod mills (SAIL, Visa Steel, Electrosteel Casting) are at various stages of commissioning, and we expect that soon all grades of wire rod will be abundantly available.

JANUARY 2013 | 49

FEATURE

It has been observed that the Indian steel wire industry has grown at about 5-6% over the last two years. Steel wire consumption is only 5% of steel. However, it is expected that with the pace of development picking up, this is likely to increase to 6% to 7% of consumption of steel in the domestic market.

WJI: What is most important for steel wire manufacturers in India to do well to have long-term success?

Banerjee: The steel wire industry in India is at a juncture where very soon wire rods, the principal raw material, of internationally acceptable quality will be available at very competitive rates, consumption is poised to jump, new export markets are waiting to be tapped, and skilled manpower is readily available.

It is important for manufacturers to be ready for this everchanging market, and SWMAI helps member companies by regularly disseminating an assortment of information, including numerous data, statistics and research works, so they will be better prepared to formulate their business decisions.

WJI: How challenging is it for companies to maintain a stable and productive workforce?

Banerjee: Very challenging, basically on the backdrop of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s political structure.

WJI: Are you optimistic about the outlook for the wire and cable industry in India, and if so, why?

Banerjee: Based on the assessment of the current ongoing projects, crude steel capacity in India has been predicted to be 140 million tonnes by 2016-17, and that figure could exceed 200 million tonnes by 2020.

Raw material, mainly rod, is a major wire cost of wires.

With more mid-sized companies starting to produce mild steel wire rod, this has increased the availability and resulted in better commercial terms for the wire industry.

The steel wire industry in India is quite competitive in its production costs compared to other developed and developing countries. This must be maintained by adoption new and clean technologies that result in lower specific energy consumption and generate substantially lesser pollutants. We need to automate processes and focus on product quality and packaging to produce wires internationally acceptable.

In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environmentally conscious world, adoption of such technologies would make products much more acceptable and lower costs by reducing waste. This will open many new markets, accelerating the pace of industry growth.

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India outlook: Gary Schilling FEATURE

In a five-part series published recently by Bloomberg, reknowned U.S. economist A. Gary Shilling made the case for why he sees India, for all its challenges, displacing China as the global growth engine. Shilling, principal of A. Gary Shilling & Co., has been recognized over the years for making predictions that go against common perceptions.

“Most of us still look at China, the world’s secondlargest economy, as the undisputed leader among major developing countries. In the long run, however, I’m betting on India to emerge as the more significant global economy,” Shilling wrote. “Those who are dazzled by China often forget that much of the rapid growth before 2008 was caused by the shift of global A. Gary Shilling manufacturing from Europe and the U.S., not by domesticoriented activity. China’s economy remains export-driven, with consumers accounting for only 38% of gross domestic product, far below the levels of many developing and developed countries.”

For all India’s challenges, it has some elements that China does not: a vigorous democracy; a government form adapted to running a large, religiously diverse country; a free press; an English speaking populace; and a more youthful population. It also has a decent railway system; sophisticated companies; and a natural technology bent. State-controlled Indian enterprises account for 14% of GDP compared to almost 50% for China.

India’s economy shifted to capitalism in 1991. Change occurs slowly as India’s culture has evolved over millennia, heavily influenced by a Hindu philosophy that does not emphasize urgency. It favors a spirit of independence that can be seen in the chaos on many busy Indian roads. The contrast with the disciplined Chinese society, where family planning is reinforced throughout the structure, is marked.

Compared to other BRIC nations, in 2011, India had the highest inflation and unemployment rates. Corruption, a weak stock market, high start-up costs and lack of reliable power are negatives, but India’s economy (56% service based) is far less reliant on selling goods than China.

For many different reasons, Indians have yet to acquire a sense of responsibility for their environment, national treasures and public spaces. It simply may be part of the early stages of economic development.

It will be fascinating to see if India’s problems can be overcome and whether rapid and sustainable economic growth can be established in a robust democracy. I believe India will succeed in the long run.

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FEATURE

Wire & Cable India 2012 reflects a sense of optimism The below wrapup is by Huned Contractor, editor, WIRE BULLETIN, and includes comments sent to WJI. A downswing in the global economic scenario; financial worries concerning Spain, Greece and other countries; rising inflation in India; lesser-than-expected gross domestic product (GDP) across many nations; and a fall in the automotive sector of India were some of the factors that could have cast a shadow over Wire & Cable India 2012, held at the Bombay Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) in Mumbai from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, 2012. Fortunately, even if the first few hours on the opening day showed signs of sluggishness, the pace did pick up later with the afternoons of the three days registering a huge increase in the number of visitors and inquiries.

According to Messe Düsseldorf India—which had organized the show with the support of ACIMAF, IWCEA, IWMA, WCISA and SWMAI—there were 291 exhibitors from 25 countries spread over 59,800 sq feet of net exhibit space. “A total of 10,500 visitors came to view the latest technologies for this sector and that included attendees at the concurrently held Tube India, Metallurgy India and India Essen Welding & Cutting trade fairs.

Attendees enter Wire & Cable India 2012.

For exhibitors and visitors alike, the big question was about whether India continues to move in the right direction.

“There is a still a lot of potential in India and even if it is not comparable to China, the development in India is positive,” said Heinz Rockenhauser, president, IWCEA. “Most of our talks were meaningful. We have active projects and hope to close one or two contracts quickly. India is an emerging market and the climate is more hopeful,” said Rahul Sachdev, president, WCISA. This indeed was the general opinion with the exhibitors pinning their expectations on the impact that the recently introduced financial reforms will have on the Indian economy.

POSCO in 2006 for its proposed 53,000-crore multi-product special economic zone in Odisha. As much of the land needed to build the SEZ is in and around a forest area, the comIn 2005, Odisha, then known as Orissa, was poised to be a pany has been unable to secure the necessary clearances. jumping forward point for India, with proposals for multiMeanwhile, the government’s campaign to end illegal minbillion major steel projects announced by South Korea’s ing has cost the states of Goa and Karnataka around US$9 POSCO and India’s Tata Steel: they have yet to be built. billion in lost revenue in the last decade. As such, the In 2005, Tata Steel Ltd reported plans to invest US$23 world’s biggest producers have taken some of India’s marbillion over 12-15 years to set up three greenfield steel ket share in China, Japan and South Korea, and now are plants with a combined capacity of 23 million metric tons in even eyeing exports to their erstwhile competitor.

India. The first stage, to include a huge plant in Orissa, Notwithstanding the prime minister’s assurances about underwent incredible delays, and at last report has seen the moving forward, the tussle between the local populace of project scaled down, now scheduled for completion in 2014. any region and industrialists has been a constant denominaAnother major project announced for Odisha in 2005, a tor in dragging down several projects. With the environmenUS$12 billion steel plant to be built by South Korea’s tal lobby getting stronger and corruption being an ever-presPOSCO, has remained stalled for years, as have other ent menace, it now remains to be seen whether the projects announced projects, including one prowill really come up or whether the posed by Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. potential investors will back out.

Media reports attribute the delays to land The one fact that cannot be acquisition issues, accusations of corrupignored is that it is only industry tion, environmental violations and “a which can help put a state like popular backlash against industry” that Odisha on the path to faster has made it difficult for such projects to progress. But not at the cost of go forward. serious damage to its eco-system.

In a most recent development, the A case of locked horns indeed.

Indian government has refused to extend Huned Contractor the in-principle approval given to Protestors out in force in India.

Proposed major steel projects continue to find the going very slow in India

52 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

FEATURE

One move that is slated to provide a boost to the wire and cable industry is the Indian governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thrust on improving infrastructure. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have been keeping an eye on the growth of the Indian economy and feel that a lot of additional potential will emerge once the infrastructure projects get underway. There has also been a lot of upward movement in the aviation, defense and healthcare sectors,â&#x20AC;? opined R. Kothari, CEO, Kalpena Industries Ltd. Rex Farver, president, Woodburn Diamond Die, Inc., agreed, adding, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The participation in this show is a reflection of what lies ahead.â&#x20AC;?

One of the interesting insights into the global wire and cable market came from Leandro Mazzoccato, Corporate Sales & Marketing Director, Madem, who said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Middle East is now another region that has been attracting the wire and cable manufacturers in large numbers. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primarily because of the

From l-r at Wire & Cable India: Leena Dugh, Messe DĂźsseldorf India (MDI); JĂśrg DĂźbelt, Messe DĂźsseldorf; Heinz Rockenhäuser, IWCEA; Dr. Gerhard Bartz, VDKM; Rahul Sachdev, WCISA; Dr. Kurt Eder, VĂ&#x2013;DKM/AWCMA; Erhard Wienkamp, Messe DĂźsseldorf; Dr. Gunther Voswinckel, ITA; Peggy Deutscht, IWCEA France; Udo SchĂźrtzmann, MDI; Lata Subramanian, MDI; Winfried Resch, VDMA; Steven Rika, IWMA; and Ferruccio Bellina, ACIMAF.

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of its new Integrated Water Tempering unit (IWT) for improved CV line control.

Visitors also showed keen interest in Maillefer’s service offerings and line upgrade options showcased at the fair.

• “The wire and cable industry in India is thriving and is one of Beta LaserMike’s target markets for growth, and, this year’s show reflected this energy,” said V. Kumar, India country manager for Beta LaserMike. “The Beta LaserMike was one of 291 exhibitors from 25 countries spread over show floor around us bustled with activity 59,800 sq ft of net exhibit space. with a large number of the leading manufacturers stopping by our booth to learn more huge projects that are being lined up in the oil-producing about Beta LaserMike’s latest measurement and control states.” This is something that even Huzefa Husain, the solutions.”

India representative for Enkotec, has experienced. “There • “Being part of the trade fair has been a good experience definitely are more orders for Enkotec’s nail manufacturing for us. As a long time exhibitor, we were able to get and machines from the Middle East countries as compared to maintain contacts with customers. A big “thank you” to the rest of Asia,” he said.

Wire & Cable India!” said R.P. Tyagi, director, Associated Here are some of the other reactions to the show: Machinery Corp.

Ltd. • “The rapid growth of the telecommunication and con“We participated ... for the first time and had a very good struction sectors will continue to increase the demand for response.

The organizers were very cooperative and supportwire and cables,” said V.K. Bajaj, COO, Uniflex Cables Ltd. ive.

We have decided to exhibit again at this trade fair.

• “The slowdown in Europe has not yet affected India and We wish the Wire & Cable India team all the best for the that’s a good sign for the industry,” said Huzefa Husain, future,” said Pankaj Jain, Managing director, Saru Concast director, Univenture Metals.

Alloys Pvt. Ltd. • “The economic setback in Asia is only temporary.

• Rosendahl & Nextrom look back on what it described as There’s plenty of opportunity ahead,” said Peter Jiang, presia very successful and fruitful trade show in Mumbai. dent, Zhongshan Santa Machinery Co Ltd. “Customers and prospects were very enthusiastic about the • “We have received positive inquiries,” said Premjeet mini-seminars which were given by our technical experts Saggu, director, Sikora India (P) Ltd. during the three exhibition days. The team of Rosendahl • “The increasing awareness for good quality lubricants in Austria and Rosendahl India was pleased to discuss our the wire and cable sector will help our growth in India,” said technical advancements with partners and industry colKeith Glossop, technical director, Batoyle Freedom Group. leagues.”

Other exhibitor comments that were either provided by • Metalube reported Messe Düsseldorf or sent include: good response to its • At Wire & Cable India 2012, Maillefer presented its latlaunching at the event est advancements and technology highlights for the producof semi-synthetic oil, tion of energy cables, building wires, communication cables Inoxol™ 5108.

This and fiber optic applications, which included the introduction latest addition designed for wet drawing of stainless steel wire and signifiAt Wire & Cable India, Metalube cantly outperforms rival products, and can introduced Inoxol™ 5108. reduce wear by more than 20%. Inoxol™ 5108 contains the very latest synthetic additives, improving film strength and providing outstanding extreme-pressure and anti-wear properties. Said Technical Director Chris Nettleship, “We are witnessing excellent drawing performance that will considerably extend the life of dies, and as the cost of dies is noticeably higher than that of a lubricant, the results speak for themselves. Inoxol™ 5108 will radically reduce customer overheads.”

The next Wire & Cable India will be Oct. 28-30, 2014.

Staffers at the Maillefer booth at Wire & Cable India, For more details, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America, where the company intrduced a new Integrated Water tel. 312- 781-5180; info@mdna.com, www.mdna.com.

Tempering unit (IWT) for improved CV line control.

54 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

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TECHNICAL PAPERS

TECHNICAL PAPER Research on the manufacturing technology and processing of continuously cast aluminum rods New advances in technology have led to a practical concept to produce aluminum rods in a continuous process that is presented here with test results.

By Tadeusz Knych, Piotr Uliasz and Marzena Piwowarska

Producers of cables and wires are challenged to develop produce and process it, but not the final product buyers. Thus, new products made of aluminum and aluminum alloys as using aluminum and aluminum alloys for wire and cable economical replacements for some products that used copper gives buyers alternatives and cost stability, as well as for and copper alloys. These changes do not naturally lead to the companies that can produce them. elimination of copper from the market of electronics, elecWhen analyzing the electrical properties of copper and alutrotechnology and electrical power engineering, as they are minum2, one can determine the value of the coefficient which seeking materials that have similar or better properties than compensates the differences in the properties of the crosscopper. This approach is justified by reducing production section of the electrically equivalent aluminum rod. With the costs as materials and processing costs are a major factor in assumption of the resistivity of copper of 1,7241 µΩcm for product price, especially for products that have little insulathe annealed state and 1,7930 µΩcm for the hard state, and tion content, such as overhead wires, coil wires (enamelled for aluminum (AA 1350) 2,7899 µΩcm for the annealed state wires) and rods for use in the motor industry. and 2,8264 µΩcm for the hard state, the coefficient compenThe characteristics of aluminum and copper can be presentsating the differences in the electrical properties equals from ed by means of the basic criteria, such as: the price differ1.62 to 1.58. Thus, the surface area of the electrically equivence, the difference in the electrical properties and the differalent aluminum rod must be increased by the value of the ence in the processing technologies. In the recent years, we compensating coefficient. The difference in density of both have been observing large fluctuations of the prices of the primary metal1. For example, between January 2010 and January 2011, the price of copper increased from the level of about $6,100 m/t to the $9,900 m/t, about 60%. For that same time period, aluminum prices changed by about 25% (from $2000 m/t to $2500 m/t), representing a nearlyfour-fold higher price for using copper versus aluminum.

Considering the application of the given metal in electrotechnology and electronics, (copper at 42% Fig. 1. Structure of aluminum after: (a) hot rolling, and (b) thermal treatment. and aluminum at 8%), one can understand how metal price fluctuations, especially copper, influence the development and trends in the cable industry, as well as price changes.The use of copper is very advantageous for companies that Table 1. Chemical composition of examined materials in laboratory AGH.

56 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

JANUARY 2013 | 57

TECHNICAL PAPERS

materials2,3 that the mass of the equivalent section (e.g. 1 km) of an aluminum rod will be a bit more than two times lighter (2.03 to 2.08 times) than that of a copper rod.

Thus, aluminum wire can be justified both by its lower potential product price as well as the decrease in its mass, which is important for transport, where it is good to lower the net mass of the Fig. 2. Laboratory work station: a) general view, b) view of the drawing means of transport (e.g. car, wagon system during the casting process. or plane).

Analyzing the use of copper and aluminum for the electrical purpose wires, one can separate the techand conductors7, as well as a cooperation in this field by the nologies into two process stages: the production of the wire University of Mining and Metallurgy AGH and the Upcast and the production of the wire rod. Copper wire production Oy company. This article presents the results of the laboratois well suited for diameters from 4.5 mm to 0.015 mm, but ry and industrial tests on processing 0.5 mm wire from alualuminum wire production usually is limited to diameters up minum rod made by a continuous casting line, in laboratory to 1.5 mm (typically for cables and overhead conductors) as conditions (UST-AGH), as well as in industrial conditions well as 0.5 mm for thin wires used in flexible conductors.

(Tele-Fonika Kable Sp. z o.o. S.K.A), obtained from an aluThese limitations results from the aluminum rod having an minum pilot continuous casting line (Upcast Oy). insufficient purity (99.5% Al), as well as the tendency of aluminum to recovery, instead of recrystallization, as with copTest materials per. This can be seen in Fig. 1, which shows the microstrucMaterials and laboratory test station. For the laboratory ture of the aluminum wire rod after hot rolling (temper H) tests, the samples were a continuously cast aluminum rod and after recrystallizing annealing (temper O). The aluwith the diameter of 14 mm and a wire rod from the continminumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s microstructure after heat treatment is non-uniform, uous casting and rolling line CCR, with the diameter of 9.5 which is one reason why its use is limited for wires drawn to mm, annealed at 560oC for 36 hs. The examined materials diameters below 1.5 mm. possessed the same chemical composition, seen in Table 1.

Regarding stock production for drawing, one can distinThe test material in the form of a cast was produced at the guish between the high productivity offered by continuous casting and rolling (CCR) lines and continuous casting lines4,5 designed for lower productivity, such as special product types. High-productivity technologies for copper include lines offered by Contirod, Continuus Properz and Southwire, while some of the main lines for aluminum wire are offered by Continuus Properzi and Southwire. The technologies of continuous casting include, almost exclusively, the processing of special types of copper (oxygenFig. 3. Microstructure of a continuously cast aluminum rod free copper) and its alloys. These lines are offered by such firms as Upcast and Rautomead. There is, however, the lack of technologies of continuous casting in the field of aluminum and aluminum alloys assigned for electrical purposes.

The first test results for the continuous casting of aluminum, publicized at a conference held in Istanbul in 20096, became the basis for tests on continuous casting of aluminum rods and their further processing into wires used in cables Fig. 4. Microstructure of an aluminum rod cast with the Upcast method.

TECHNICAL PAPERS

Table 2. Properties of the materials examined in the laboratory conditions AGH.

Table 3. Chemical composition of an aluminum rod cast with the Upcast method.

Table 4. Properties of an aluminum rod cast with the Upcast method.

Table 5. Diameters of the applied drawing dice during laboratory tests.

crystallizer is assembled. The graphite crystallizer in the form of a pipe of the appropriate diameter, is placed inside a steel sleeve, located in the primary cooling system. Behind the crystallizer, a system of direct cooling by a water spray is located, constituting the secondary cooling system. The drawing system is a mechanism consisting of two drawing rollers, enabling the conduction of the casting process and the reception of the obtained rod. The work control of the drawing system consists in selecting three states of work, that is the forward feed, the rest, and the backward feed. The whole cycle of work can be thus divided into the following casting stages: the period of drawing the metal by rollers, the period of rest of the drawing roller, aimed at providing a new dose of liquid, and the period of withdrawing the rod, which is to prevent the cast from sticking to the crystallizer’s walls.

By selecting the condition for the casting of aluminum wires, we could obtain a metal of a diversified structure and set of mechanical properties. The structure of the metal assigned for the further tests is presented in Fig. 3. A compilation of the physical and mechanical properties examined in the laboratory conditions is included in Table 2. As can be noticed, the material cast in the continuous mode possesses slightly lower strength properties and a higher plasticity, compared to the wire rod from the CCR line, subjected to the process of recrystallizing annealing.

Industrial test material The material for the industrial tests with the chemical composition given in Table 6. Electrical and mechanical properties of the wires obtained in the Table 3, was produced in the pilotage laboratory conditions. line of continuous casting by the method of Upcast, located at the institute of Upcast in Pori (Finland). The laboratory station assigned for the process of continuous horworking principle of the device for continuous casting of izontal casting of nonferrous metals (Fig. 2a)8. copper with the Upcast method is broadly described in the The station consists of an induction furnace, equipped with publications [5, 9] and is analogous to the case of aluminum; a crystallizer combined with the system of primary and sechowever, the crystallizer’s system underwent some modificaondary cooling, as well as a drawing system (Fig. 2b). The tions, as a result of the physical properties of aluminum6. induction furnace’s power is 20 kW and the working frequenThe microstructure of the examined material (cast) cy is 20÷43 kHz. The furnace is equipped with a chamber obtained with the Upcast method is presented in Fig. 4, and with a protective atmosphere, in which a specially prepared the physical and strength properties of such cast material are graphite crucible is placed. The crucible is constructed in given in Table 4. As can be seen, the microstructure of the such a way as to possess a terminal at its bottom, to which the examined material is very uniform and possesses an axial

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TECHNICAL PAPERS Fig. 5. Technological curves of the reinforcement of the examined materials cast CC and rod CCR.

Fig. 6. Softening curves for the materials examined in the laboratory conditions.

symmetry in the meeting area of the crystallization points.

The set of the electrical (resistivity) and mechanical properties is at a high level, which is connected with the relatively large amount of impurities caused by the Cr and Si content (Table 3). It should, however, be taken into account that the examined material has the status of a technological trial, during which the main evaluation is directed towards the formability of the material in the process of drawing into wires with the diameter of 0.5 mm.

the selected diameters corresponding to the true strain 2.76 (2.4 and 3,5 mm), the softening curves were made in the test of a 1h annealing, in the temperature range 50 to 400oC, whose aim was the determination of the recrystallization temperature of the material.

For the comparison purposes, a similar technique was also applied in the case of the laboratory tests on the material cast with the Upcast method, which was next drawn in the industrial conditions (industrial tests) into a wire with the diameter of 0.5 mm. The drawing in the industrial conditions was performed with the use of a thick drawing die in the diameter range from 9.5 to 1.5 mm, and next in the diameter range from 1.5 to 0.5 mm, on a medium drawing die with the unitary elongation of 26 %. During the technological trials, samples were drawn from each drawing wheel, which were next submitted to the uniaxial stretching test and the electrical property measurements. For the material with the diameter of 3,5 mm, the softening curves were made, whose aim was the assessment of the materialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recrystallization temperature.

Test methodology The laboratory tests on the process of material drawing were performed with the use of a chain draw bench, according to the following conditions: the drawing rate: 0.4 m/s, the draw scheme is that shown in Table 5, the opening angle of the working cone of the drawing die is 18o, the lubricant is Alumol 145. The drawing was conducted in such a way as to obtain the same degree of strain in both cases, equalling 93.7 and 99.7 %. That is why the traditional wire rod from the CCR line was drawn from the diameter of 9.5 mm to a wire with the diameter of 2.4 and 0.5 mm, and the material cast in the continuous mode (cast AGH) was drawn from the diameter of 14 mm to the diameter of 3.5 and 0.7 mm. For each examined material, after each draw, samples were taken and then next submitted to the test of uniaxial stretching in order to determine the technological reinforcement curves as well as to the electrical property measurements. For the wires with

Test results The tests on the wire sections after the particular draws made it possible to construct the Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) dependence, in the function of the true strain. Fig. 5 presents the technological curves of the reinforcement of the aluminum rod cast at the AGH laboratory station, as well as of the wire rod from the line of continuous casting and rolling

Fig. 7. Microstructure of an Upcast rodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s joint obtained with the cold upsetting method.

Table 7. Tests on the joints of a wire rod and a rod obtained with the Upcast method.

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for the material from the annealed wire rod the level is at 330 to 340 oC. The softening curves of the materials examined in the laboratory conditions are presented in Fig. 6.

Due to the necessity of joining the material in the process of drawing (welding the coils of the wire rod), additional examinations were performed during the industrial tests to determine the possibility of joining the material with cast structure by means of the method of cold upsetting. According to the requirements10, the properties of thus obtained joints should equal 59 MPa for the material in the temper O and 76 MPa for the material in the reinforced state.

The test results of the joints for different variants of the joined materials are presented in Table 7. As can be seen, the tensile strength Fig. 8. Technological curves of an Upcast cast (a) laboratory properties of the joints obtained with the results, (b) industrial results. method of cold upsetting are at the appropriate high level. At the same time, no problems connected with the breaking of the welds during drawing were encountered. An example of the microstructure from the area of a joint of two Upcast rods, produced with the method of cold upsetting is presented in Fig. 7.

Fig. 8 presents the technological curves of the reinforcements of the wires of the obtained rods, cast with the Upcast method. Fig. 8a presents the reinforcement curve of the material, Table 8. Properties of the wires obtained from an Upcast cast, in the obtained during the laboratory tests, and Fig. laboratory and industrial conditions.

8b shows the curve from the industrial trials.

The obtained curves have a similar reinforcement character. Table 8 shows the detailed values of the electrical and mechanical properties for the selected wires. Table 3 shows the results from the tests for the material with the chemical composition obtained with the Upcast technology, with a strain rate of 5,92 (99.7%),that reaches the tensile strength level up to about 300 MPa and elongation of A250 , in the test at the level above 3%. The very high plasticity values of the material are probably the result of the increased content of iron (about 0.56 % mass). The electrical resistivity of the examined material is very high; yet, this results from the effect of such impurities as Cr and Si. Fig. 9. Softening curves for the wires with the diameter Due to the relatively high content of chromiof 3,5 mm, obtained form the material cast with the um, which should increase the recrystallization Upcast method. temperature level, for the examined material, cast with the Upcast method, the softening in the annealed state. The properties of the obtained wires are curves were made, with the diameter of 3.5 mm. As shown in given in Table 6. Attempts were made to assess the recrystalFig. 9, the temperature level of the elimination of the results lization temperature of the wires obtained from different base of the strain reinforcement in a 1 hour test equals 370 to materials (cast, wire rod after recrystallization), in a 1h 380oC; however, despite such a high temperature level of annealing test. The recrystallization temperature of the wires annealing, slight changes still occur with respect to the tendeformed by the strain value (93.7%, true strain 2.76) is highsile strength. er for the cast mode, and equals about 360 to 370oC, while

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Laboratory tests were done that included trials of casting and processing of aluminum with the purity of over 99.7%, with a cast’s structure, and the processing of the traditional material from the CCR line in temper O, from which one can draw the following conclusions: • The material with a cast’s structure characterizes a uniform microstructure from the casting process conditions; • The mechanical and electrical properties of both materials are at the same level; however, the plasticity properties in the case of the cast are higher; • The technological curves of the reinforcement in the process of drawing have the same reinforcement character, which makes the wires with the same strain level characterize in a similar set of strength and electrical properties; and • The softening curves of the wires strained by 93.7% show the same character of the changes during annealing; however, wires drawn from the material with a cast’s structure have a slightly higher recrystallization temperature.

The laboratory and industrial tests that included the trials of drawing the material, cast with the Upcast method, with the purity of 99.1%, demonstrated the possibility of obtaining wires with the diameter up to 0.5 mm. The positive results allow for drawing the following conclusions: • Material cast with the Upcast method has a very uniform microstructure due to the recrystallization conditions; • Drawing this material type does not cause problems and allows one to obtain wires with a 0.5 mm diameter without the application of the inter-operational thermal treatment; • The strength properties of the examined material are at a very high level (300 MPa); however, attention should be paid to the high level of plasticity properties of the wires with the diameter of 0.5 mm, which equals 3.5 %; • The electrical resistivity of the examined material is at a relatively high level, which results from the effect of the addition of chromium and silicon.

Summing up the performed tests, aimed at the evaluation of

the formability of the material obtained in the process of continuous casting, it should be stated that these materials and the technology of their production can constitute a very attractive solution for the producers of aluminum wires.

Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the Upcast OY company for making the test material available and the Tele-Fonika Kable Sp. z o.o. S.K.A company for enabling the performance of the industrial drawing trials.

References 1. London Metal Exchange, www.lme.com.

2. Aluminum specification for aluminum 1350 round wire, annealed and intermediate tempers, for electrical purposes, ASTM B 609/B 609M – 99, 2004.

3. Standard specification for hard-drawn copper wire, ASTM B 1 – 01, 2007.

4. T. Knych, A. Mamala, B. Smyrak and P. Uliasz, Production technologies of materials charge for drawing process of wires on electrical purposes, Rudy i Metale Nieżelazne, vol. 54, no. 9, 2009.

5. J.G. Dunleavy and O.J. Tassi, Nonferrous Wire Handbook, Vol. 2, Bare Wire Processing, WAI, 1981 6. J.C. Bodington and M. Nordman, “Aluminum wire rod produced with Upcast® technology,” Wire Journal International, May 2010.

7. T. Knych, P. Kwaśniewski, G. Kiesiewicz, M. Piwowarska and P. Uliasz, Study about drawing aluminium rod made by continuous casting.

8. Patent No. P-393 457, Method of continuous casting of metals and equipment for horizontal continuous casting of metals, Rudy i Metale Nieżelazne, vol. 55, no. 7, 2010.

9. Upcast, www.upcast.com.

10. Standard specification for aluminum 1350 drawing stock for electrical purposes, ASTM B 233 – 97, 2003.

Tadeusz Knych is a research-didactic fellow in the Nonferrous Metals Department at AGH University of Science and Technology (AGH-UST), Krakow, Poland. He holds many patents in the area of materials and technologies for overhead electricity and rail. Piotr Uliasz is an assistant professor in the Nonferrous Metals faculty of AGH-UST. His research interests include work on new materials and technology for the electrical Uliasz Knych Piwowarska power industry, particularly aluminium alloys and overhead conductors. He holds a Metals. She received an M.Sc. degree in metallurgy Ph.D. degree in metallurgy, with a specialty in metalwith a specialty in metal-working from AGH. This working from AGH. Marzena Piwowarska is a Ph.D. paper was presented at WAI’s 81st Annual Convention, student at AGH-UST in the Department of MetalAtlanta, Georgia, USA, May 2011.

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Conclusions

TECHNICAL PAPERS

TECHNICAL PAPER System for online analysis of wiredrawing conditions The continual updating of data by an online system makes it possible for operators to know when changes were needed to keep a wiredrawing line working at optimal conditions.

By Chanchal Saxena, Rajesh Raul, Prashant Koli, Rajesh Mohite and Ashish Pingle

A wiredrawing operation must be able to produce wire to the desired size and properties while maintaining maximum possible die life to reduce costs and delays due to wire breakages and die changes. Thus, one should draw wire to the recommended draft at each pass. Usually, the operator feeds the measured actual size at each pass, once a day, in the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) through an operating panel (OP), and the power is set to draw the wire at desired speed. As wire size changes in each pass, the dancer arm helps correct the wire speed and block speed. But after a certain limit, the dancer fails to make proper corrections till fresh size measurement for each pass (i.e., dieset) is fed to the PLC. The operator does not know about the die wear rate in each pass. Such information would help for checks of die condition, lubrication, raw material and motor and machinery. An online system that could provide such details would allow proactive measures to be taken.

The paper discusses a system developed for a wiredrawing machine that gives online indications to the operator for real-time actual draft versus ideal draft in each pass, where draft is defined as percentage reduction in area of the wire in each pass. The online system can monitor die wear rate in each pass, giving online alarms for rechecking the die set before die wear rate increases, or check for other conditions in suspected pass. Similar systems do exist but these are level 1 automation systems that do not use the online finish size measurements, so their predictions are not as accurate. The system described here, a level 2 automation system, is much more informative and accurate than the earlier systems developed in the similar area.

Drawing machines without the online system described here can only auto-correct the line speed for a wire size in a given pass up to a certain limit. At that point, the operator needs to check the size in each pass and feed the data to

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the PLC. If this is not done in a timely fashion, die wear rate may increase, so online monitoring of actual draft in each pass is critical. Moreover, the earlier system does not provide any visibility of the die wear rate, and there is no indication as to when the operator needs to check the die set and feed the data to the PLC. Level 1 automation systems similar to the one described here do exist, but those work on an operator’s intermittent entry of size. The assumption is that the operator-entered size in each pass remains the same till the next entry of size in each pass. As compared to the existing system, some additional features have been added to the developed system. Based on the measured finish size and online speed in each pass, every minute the size and hence, actual draft at each pass is computed and online alarms are given by the online system if ideal draft limits are crossed. As the system is capable of recording the wire size in each pass every minute, die wear rate may be tracked. As the power and speed is also being captured at each pass every minute, it may be possible to give online indication to the operator to inspect for the possible problems in a pass.

Development of online wiredrawing system The online system has been developed to ensure that the wire size after each pass is within desired tolerance band and consistent properties across the length of the wire. The system captures online power and speed in each pass from the PLC and finish size from online diameter gauge at oneminute intervals. The captured data have been used to compute online the size of the wire after each pass, termed as “virtual size.” The online model can compute the die wear in each pass, looking at the change in virtual size in specified time intervals. Using online power and speed in each pass, “actual pull” in each pass is computed. “Required

draft are within the desired limits or not.

Below, Eq. (1) is shown for the 10th pass: measured_outlet_dia[i] = (finish_dia_zumbach2/ (100(1-wire speed[i+1]* wire_speed[i]))) 1/2 Eq. (1) For any pass other than numbers 1, 10 and 11 it is: measured_outlet_dia[i] = (measured_outlet_dia[i+1]2/ (100(1- wire speed[i+1]* wire_speed[i]))) 1/2 Eq. (2) Similarly, measured_outlet_dia[i] at each block may be calculated using Eq. (2), where the measured_outlet_dia[i] = virtual wire size, i.e. actual wire size after the xth pass, as measured by Zumbach, or back calculated using Zumbach finish size and wire speed in the xth pass, as follows: wire_speed[i]= wire speed in the xth pass, finish_dia_zumbach = finish size, as measured by the online diameter gauge, i.e. Zumbach.

Looking at the actual wire size in the xth pass, as measured by the operator using a micrometer and virtual size in the xth pass, as calculated by Eq. (1), coefficients were

Fig. 1. Online display of actual and ideal draft at each block. The online screen also displays the die wear in last four hours, deltadiepull and actual dieset (last values entered by the operator) and virtual dieset (as calculated by online model) w.r.t. ideal dieset ( i.e. Oprdeltasize (actual dieset – ideal dieset) and Virtualdeltasize = (virtual dieset – ideal dieset) ). Also, status of other attributes, since last five minutes, being displayed on the screen.

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pull” for producing virtual size in each pass is calculated and the difference between the two, the “deltadiepull,” helps to indicate whether the operator needs to recheck the die set or inspect for other possible problems in the pass.

Proactive measures are to be made when the virtual size, die wear and delta die pull cross certain limits.

Every minute, finish wire size data and PLC data have been transferred from online diameter gauge and PLC respectively to the system that has an online model developed for analysis of wiredrawing conditions in every pass.

All the real-time and historical information and alarms can be viewed through system screens by the user.

Fig. 1 shows the main screen, presenting the real-time information and alarms in each pass at the drawing machine through online analysis of the PLC and online diameter gauge data capturing at one-minute intervals. The actual draft or virtual draft (displayed in dark blue line) against the ideal draft (green line) is shown on the screen and an alarm goes off if the actual draft goes beyond the tolerance limits (pink line). The same data and warnings are shown for die wear rate and delta die pull if desired limits are crossed, and the screen also displays whether finish size and ovality, motor speed, motor power and actual

Fig. 2. The differences between the virtual size and actual wire size (as measured by operator) plotted against w.r.t. each pass.

derived for each pass and these coefficients were used for improving the accuracy of calculation of virtual size in the xth pass.

Calculated virtual size has been used for the calculation of die wear rate in each pass. If the die wear rate goes beyond a certain positive limit, operator is alarmed to inspect the suspected pass for any possible problem.

Required die pull in the xth pass is calculated using the virtual size, machine constants and model constants.

Actual die pull in the xth pass is calculated using the motor power and motor speed in the xth pass. Deltadiepull, as calculated by Eq. (3), is an important model computed online parameter that predicts possible problem in a pass.

Deltadiepull[i] = Actual die pull[i] - Required die pull[i] Eq. (3) Where: Deltadiepull[i] = Deltadiepull in the xth pass, required die pull[i] = required die pull in the xth pass; and actual die pull [i] = actual die pull in the xth pass.

Results and discussion The calculated virtual size in each pass was validated over a period of two months. As seen in Fig. 2, at different instants, the difference between the virtual size and actual wire size (as measured by operator), has been plotted w.r.t. each pass. The figure clearly shows that in first five passes, the accuracy of calculation of virtual size is within ± 0.01 64 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

mm whereas in the last six passes the accuracy of the virtual size is within ± 0.00 5mm. As the predicted virtual sizes are accurate enough, the calculated die wear rate is expected to be okay as well. Hence, the pass-wise virtual size and die wear rate alarms are expected to be okay as well.

Ideally, the deltadiepull should be zero. But in real-time conditions, deltadiepull is tolerable up to a certain positive limit. Beyond that limit, problems are expected, and if corrective and preventive action is not taken the die is likely to wear out at a very high rate. A high deltadiepull alarm “tells” the operator to feed a fresh dieset (i.e. measured wire size in each pass) through the OP into the PLC. If the system shows that the dieset in the PLC is okay, then the operator can inspect the pass for other possible problems, such as w.r.t. lubrication, die, motor or machinery.

High deltadiepull alarms were validated over a period of two months. During validation exercise, the high deltadiepull alarm went off once for the third pass when there were bearing problems in the motor and a pulley.

Another time the alarm went off because the process was producing a thicker wire diameter. Also, it was found that the online system had rightly indicated the operators to feed a fresh dieset on time, when at number of instances deltadiepull was very high.

As mentioned above, the good results obtained in the validation exercise does encourage using the developed online system for the in-depth online analysis of the wiredrawing conditions. The online alarms, if responded to in time, will help to meet the expected objectives of the system.

The online system has been successfully implemented at two fixed speed dancer-arm drawing machines at Tata Steel Global Wire’s Tarapur Wire Plant 1 at Boisar in Maharashtra, India.

Chanchal Saxena is senior manager, Wire Technology Group, of Tata Steel Global Wires, Tarapur, Boisar, Thane, India. She holds a degree in metallurgy from B.I.T. Sindri and a degree in physical metallurgy from IIT Roorkee. She was an ad-hoc lecturer at B.I.T. Sindri for one year and joined Tata Steel’s Automation division in 2004, where she focused on the design, development, implementation and maintenance of realtime Level-II Process Control Automation systems.

Rajesh Raul, who has worked for Tata Steel Global

The dependency of the online model on the online diameter gauge’s measurement for its online computations may be seen as a weakness of the developed online system as the online diameter gauge is a costly device and needs frequent cleaning for measuring consistently and accurately.

Moreover, any intermittent failure, may involve costly maintenance. As it is aspired to implement the developed online system across all possible drawing machines, it may be possible to offer a low-cost, maintenance-free solution, if the dependency of the online system on the measurement by diameter gauge is eliminated.

Wires for 19 years, is manager (operations) at the Tarapur 1 wire plant. He has expertise in bead wire production. Ashish Pingle, who has worked for Tata Steel Global Wires for 22 years, is manager (electrical) at the Tarapur 1 Wire plant. He has expertise in furnaces, maintenance and wiredrawing. He holds a degree in electronics. In 2011, Prashant Koli became manager (wire technology) of the Wire Technology Group at Tata Steel Global Wires. He holds a degree in metallurgy from COEP.

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Conclusion and future work

TECHNICAL REPORT

TECHNICAL REPORT Sustainability: good for business, but only if business is part of the process At IWCS 2012, Allen Weidman, executive director of The Step Foundation, warned in his below edited presentation that sustainability regulations being drafted for the building sector with little input from industry could result in future unpleasant surprises for wire and cable manufacturers.

By Allen Weidman

Sustainability is a philosophy that says “do no harm” (my The wire and cable industry’s sustainable future will be personal favorite). determined by forces outside the industry’s influence and A sustainable ICT System is one that is designed, installed, will include standards and code developers, enforcers, influoperated, maintained, rehabilitated and reused/ recycled with encers and administrators. Our organization, The Sustainable an emphasis throughout its life-cycle on efficiently using natTechnology Environments Program (STEP), is involved in ural resources and preserving the global environment. In the process, but we need widespread industry support to supother words, a system created, transported, used and returned port our efforts in making sure that good intentions with bad to its origin (cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-cradle) while using outcomes do not punish industry. But first, some points to set as little energy as possithe stage: ble, producing as little • Green is out, sustainwaste as possible and ability is in. The two are Consider the following to be a call ending its useful life by not the same as they’re returning to its original only marginally related. to arms...to get involved in sustainform.

• Sustainability costs ability. If you don’t, others will (and Unlike most things in money and the payback the business world, the is for the next generation. are) and they don’t understand your goal here is “0.” Zero • The information combusiness or your markets and they energy, zero waste, zeromunications technology care even less about your future. carbon footprint, and (ICT) industry has been zero global warming. late to sustainability, This is a very difficult really late. goal to achieve, or even • Sustainability will be approach, given the regulated in the near materials and energy needed to manufacture, transport and future, including post Certificate of Occupancy (CoO) instaluse wire and cable products. lations.

Although this goal seems difficult to those of you who have • Sustainability will be influenced from the “occupant” side given your careers to the wire and cable industry, there are of a building, not from the owner side. “forces” outside the industry that think these goals are not • Our industry needs to design, install, operate and embrace only realistic but achievable in the short term. sustainable ICT systems.

Consider the following to be a call to arms and a challenge • The STEP Rating System is one tool to help us on our to get involved in sustainability. If you don’t, others will (and journey. are) and they don’t understand your business or your markets In a broad sense, sustainability is the capacity to endure. It and they care even less about your future. is about improving the quality of human life while living Writing and publishing sustainability standards and codes within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems. It’s (incorrectly referred to as “green”) started as a cottage indusmeeting the needs of the present without compromising the try 10 years ago and has grown into a full blown acronym hell ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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TECHNICAL REPORT

of a business sector. Organizations from the American tary until adopted by a jurisdiction, like the Federal Institute of Architects (AIA) to the National Sanitation Government. The bad news? The President has signed four Foundation (NSF) to UL Environment are busy cranking out Executive Orders requiring the Federal Government to purpage after page of qualifications, guidance and instructions chase “environmentally preferable products.” The Executive on how to manufacture, use and dispose sustainable products.

Orders have not been enforced as standards did not exist to Why are these new standards and codes different? For one define an “environmentally preferable product” – until now. thing, traditional standards and codes start with a safety and That brings us to codes (The Law) and the Enforcer (aka, minimum materials baseline. Sustainability standards and authority having jurisdiction). As a reminder, a code is a set codes start with a philosophical goal and use questionable of minimum building criteria adopted and enforced by a govlogic to get there: if 10 is good, then 11 must be better. ernment for the safety of buildings and the building’s occuSustainability—in addipants. When adopted by a tion to, not in lieu of, safejurisdiction, the code is the ty—presents a new market law. Some 22,000 jurisdicopportunity for standards tions adopt codes, from and codes development states, to cities, to towns to organizations. But this time townships. The U.S. does it’s different. The standards not have a national building developers are have entered code; it’s every man, woman uncharted territory: social and jurisdiction for themreengineering. Life safety selves. The jurisdictions also standards and codes are don’t all adopt the same edibased on testing, material tion while some jurisdictions science and decimal points. write and adopt their own Sustainability standards and jurisdiction-specific codes. codes are developed with Into this morass steps the well-intended opinion and International Code Council Weidman makes his presentation at IWCS. speculation. The sustainabil(ICC), which is seeking to ity standards and codes that write and publish the world’s are being written now will fundamentally change the use of first “green” code, a sustainability standard written in code materials for commercial buildings, the “where, why and language ready for adoption by a jurisdiction. The code is how and with what buildings are built and for what use and sponsored by a somewhat unlikely consortium of related, but service life will be much different.” different alphabet soup of SDOs: ICC/ASTM/AIA/IES/ ASTM is one of those standards developing organizations USGBC/ASHRAE. Their intent was to create the first (SDO) that has developed a number of sustainability stan“green” building code “… designed to guide the implemendards, albeit most of them are in draft form (for the moment), tation of key elements of green design and green performance regarding new and existing construction.” Their creDraft or not, the titles alone should keep every wire and cable ation, the International Green Construction Code (IgCC), manufacture awake at night. Consider some of the following was published in February 2012 and is ready for adoption. titles and then consider the impact they may have on your The potential impact of this model code cannot be overstatbusiness – if and when adopted. ed. Consider the IgCC scope from section 101.2 : “This code • WK24444, Environmentally Preferable Products for shall apply to the design, construction, addition, alteration, Buildings and Construction change of occupancy, movement, enlargement, replacement, • WK24855, Extended Producer Responsibility repair, equipment, location, maintenance, removal and dem• WK24856, Chain of Custody olition of every building or structure or any appurtenances • WK27829 New Guide for Minimum Communication of connected or attached to such buildings or structures and to Marketing and Product Claims Related to Sustainable the site on which the building is located…” In short, this code Building Products will apply to every commercial building activity from new • WK3161, Marketing and Product Claims Related to construction to repair. Replace plenum cables with a new Sustainable Buildings generation? The IgCC will apply.

• WK31993 New Practice for Communication of The IgCC is intended to be an “overlay” code to other Sustainable Attributes of Products codes that may apply. That is, the structure meets the miniThis list of draft standards poses some interesting questions mum safety criteria of the building, plumbing, electrical for the industry. Such as the following: Do you know of any codes, etc., and then the IgCC criteria will apply. From ICT component manufacturer whose product is “environSection 101.2: “This code is an overlay document to be used mentally preferable?” How far does the producer’s responsiin conjunction with the other codes and standards adopted by bility extend? How long is the “chain” of custody? Some sugthe jurisdiction. This code is not intended to be used as a gested answers might be: 1) No; 2) To the grave and 3) standalone construction regulation document and permits are Forever. The good news in all this? The standards are volun-

TECHNICAL REPORT

not to be issued under this code. This code is not intended to abridge or supersede safety, health or environmental requirements under other applicable codes or ordinances.”

It is the IgCC intent to 1) Become an outcome-based code; 2) Limit annual building energy use; 3) Limit peak energy demand; 4) Require energy sub-metering and reporting; 5) Limit a building’s annual direct CO2 production; and 6) Require post Certificate of Occupancy (CoO) energy demand and CO2 emissions reporting by end use.

Below are some examples of where we are heading, excerpted follow from Section 603: 603. “Buildings that consume energy shall comply with Section 603. The purpose of this section is to provide requirements that will ensure that buildings are constructed or altered in a way that will provide the capability for their energy use, production and reclamation to be measured, monitored and reported. This includes the design of energy distribution systems so as to isolate load types, the installation of or ability to install in the future meters, devices and a data acquisition system, and the installation of, or the ability to provide, public displays and other appropriate reporting mechanisms in the future.”

603.2. “Energy distribution systems…serving a building shall be designed such that each primary circuit…supplies only one energy use type. The energy distribution system shall be designed to facilitate the collection of data…for each of the end use categories. Energy end use categories include HVAC, lighting, process loads and plug loads.”

603.2.3. “The plug loads energy use category shall include all energy use by devices, appliances and equipment connected to convenience receptacle outlets.”

603.5.1. “The data acquisition and management system shall be capable of providing the data necessary to calculate the annual CO2e emissions associated with the operation of the building and its systems…”

603.6. “A permanent, readily accessible and visible display shall be provided adjacent to the main building entrance or on a publicly available Internet web site. The display shall be capable of providing all of the following: • The current energy demand for the whole building level measurements, updated for each fuel type...

• The average and peak demands for the previous day and the same day the previous year.

• The total energy usage for the previous 18 months.”

604.1. “…A building energy management and control system (EMCS) shall be provided and integrated with building HVAC systems controls and lighting systems controls to receive an open and interoperable automated demand response (Auto-DR) relay or Internet signal. Building HVAC and lighting systems and specific building energy-using components shall incorporate preprogrammed demand response strategies that are automated with a demand response automation Internet software client.”

608.6. Receptacles and electrical outlets in the following spaces shall be controlled by an occupant sensor or time switch as follows: • In Group B office spaces without furniture systems incor-

68 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

porating wired receptacles.

• In Group B office spaces with furniture systems incorporating wired receptacles.

• In classrooms in Group B and Group E occupancies.

• In copy rooms, print shops, and computer labs.

• In spaces with an overhead cabinet above a counter or work surface.

608.6.3. Computer monitors, plug-in space heaters, air purifiers, radios, computer speakers, coffee makers, fans, and task lights located in spaces with controlled receptacles shall be plugged into controlled receptacles.

608.6.4. Displays, projectors, and audio amplifiers in Group B and Group E classrooms, conference and meeting rooms, and multipurpose rooms shall be controlled by an occupant sensor.

611.3.5. The commissioning activities in Section 611.3.3 shall be repeated 18 to 24 months after issuance of the certificate of occupancy. Control devices that are not functioning properly shall be repaired or replaced. Adjustments to calibration settings shall be documented. This documentation shall be provided to the building owner.

The below code proposal was denied, but may arise again during the next code cycle: “Ducts and plenums shall be designed and installed to allow them to be cleaned internally and shall not contain pipes, wires, cables or other foreign objects other than those related to, or necessary for the function or safety of the system.”

The future for adoption of the IgCC seems bright. The U.S. Conference of Mayors passed a resolution endorsing the IgCC. States that have adopted sections of the IgCC or permit its use as an alternative compliance or design guide include Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon and Rhode Island. Cities that have adopted the IgCC include Richland, Washington; Fort Collins, Colorado; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Dallas, Texas.

As a reminder, standards are voluntary, codes are the law.

In the not-too-distant future, sustainability will be regulated: it’s only a matter of time Standards and codes are about architects, designers, builders and contractors. Where is the market draw for sustainability? Potentially the biggest bear in the sustainability woods—capable of influencing consumers and building users/occupants to understand, embrace and seek out sustainability in all its forms—is your neighborhood Walmart store.

Walmart has developed a worldwide sustainable product index and plans to measure the sustainability of every product it sells. Walmart has formed The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) to “drive scientific research and the development of standards and IT tools, through a collaborative process, to enhance the ability to understand and address the environmental, social, and economic implications of products.” To that end, Sustainable Product Index labels will indicate the environmental and social attributes of consumer goods of every product Walmart sells.

So, how does that affect wire and cable manufacturers? A picture of the “Walmart influence” follows: Americans spend $36,000,000 every hour of every day at Walmart. It employs

STEP establishes a position for our industry alongside LEED, Energy Star, GBI, ASHRAE 189.1 and the International Green Construction Code, among others.

Finally, STEP establishes industry’s best practices while eliminating ICT system silos by collaborating and sharing the rewards and risks that come with a sustainable building.

The STEP concept is so important to our industry that the Foundation was formed to ensure its work will continue and grow. The Foundation’s mission is to promote sustainable ICT system practices and the vision is to ensure STEP-rated projects will establish the ICT industry benchmark for sustainability. The STEP Foundation, formed in June 2011, is a stand-alone 501(c)3 organization. Its members consist of the following forward-thinking organizations, and you should be familiar with some of these bodies: • Building Industry Consulting Service International, Inc. (BICSI) • Cable Communications & Connectivity Association (CCCA) • CompTIA • InfoComm International (ICI) • Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) The Foundation’s goals for 2013 include the development of a users’ manual\online education program, a database infrastructure and a marketing/branding program. They have begun ANSI standards accreditation by starting with the TIA standards development process. Additional ICT categories and credits based on pilot project development which will lead to development of a verification program.

An outgrowth of the STEP program is STEP for Manufacturers, whose mission is to establish, implement and recognize sustainable practices in our ICT administrative and manufacturing operations, facilities and products, which includes their suppliers, distributors, system integrators, and VARS. The only criteria required to participate in the program is a commitment to sustainable manufacturing, a commitment to the environment and a commitment to process improvement and be responsible corporate citizens.

The goal of STEP for Manufacturers is to capture existing sustainability practices, recognize and celebrate what these manufacturers do every day, encourage additional initiatives while giving manufacturers, suppliers and distributers an opportunity to participate in the STEP program.

In closing, let me end the way I began: The wire and cable industry’s sustainable future will be determined by others outside the industry’s influence and will include standards, codes, enforcers, influencers and STEP. Our goal is that we will be able to make the inevitable change that will come be devloped so that it takes into account the real-world expertise and knowledge of professionals from industries such as yours.

For additional information on this topic, please go to www.thestepfoundation.org or contact Allen Weidman at aweidman@thestepfoundation.org.

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TECHNICAL REPORT

1.6 million people and is the world’s largest private employer. Walmart is the largest company in the history of the world.

If Walmart was a country, it would be the seventh largest importer of Chinese goods. 90% of all Americans live within 15 miles of a Walmart. And, the single biggest opportunity to influence consumer behavior: this year, 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at every Walmart store (Earth’s population is 6.5 billion). Those future “purchasing experiences” at Walmart will include sustainability ratings.

Walmart has the potential to change the vocabulary of product evaluations and buying decisions to focus on sustainability. The Walmart influence will be felt on the “occupant” side of a sustainable building. The influence will be “bottom up,” not building owner, bank, architect, or contractor down.

Sustainability will fundamentally change the commerce of commercial buildings. The where, why, how and with what buildings are built and for what use and for how long will change dramatically, and it will change for the good.

That’s the future for the wire and cable industry. But first we have to revisit a few sustainability issues: • Sustainability costs money and the payback is for the next generation.

• The information communication technology (ICT) industry has been late to sustainability.

• Sustainability will be regulated in the near future.

• Sustainability will be influenced from the “occupant” side of a building.

• Our industry needs to design, install, operate and embrace sustainable ICT systems.

The Sustainable Technology Environments Program (STEP) is one way to help the wire and cable industry participate in a sustainable future while addressing those issues.

STEP is a framework for collaboration, innovation and partnerships among allied associations in the ICT systems marketplace. It is a flexible, consensus-built system that employs a five-phase approach to planning, implementing and measuring the impact of an ICT project. The rating scale is adaptable to any ICT project within the built environment.

ICT systems are challenged to contribute to the sustainable building movement as the other “green building” rating systems have not addressed audio/visual, communications, information technology, security or building automation systems. However, as we noted, building standards and codes are changing, but we have not been and are not now part of the process. We need to engage all stakeholders to accomplish our sustainability goals and STEP provides that mechanism.

STEP encourages sustainable thinking and product development and serves as a tool for owners and technology providers to implement sustainable practices in their technology projects. STEP establishes technology industry benchmarks for sustainable energy and materials practices while only focusing on the electronic information systems that operate within sustainable buildings. Most importantly,

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

PRODUCTS & MEDIA PRODUCTS 2 new items showcased at IWCS At IWCS Conference 2012 Windak Inc., part of Sweden’s Windak AB, presented information on two new products the company is offering: a spool winder, 6-14, and an automatic reeler, AR24.

A press release said that the spool winder (shown) is a fully automatic system for packaging and palletizing of wire, cable and other flexible products onto spools from 165 mm (6.5 in.) to 360 mm (14 in.) in overall diameter.

The winder, it said, can be used inline or offline. Spools are automatically loaded and unloaded into/from the spooling head with the outer ends secured with stretch wrap. All operational parameters and mechanical settings are recipe controlled in order to reduce time between product and spool changeovers, and the new spooler has an output of three spools per minute.

The Auto Reeler, AR24, is a fully automatic reeler developed for automatic packaging of cable and wire products on spools or reels from 298 mm (11.75 in.) to 609 mm (24 in.) in overall diameter. It can be run both inline (direct connection with extruder) and offline. It loads and unloads the empty reels automatically and includes stretch wrapping of spools to contain the cut end, with output of two reels per minute, Contact: Olga Berlinberg. Windak Inc., tel. 372-655-9411; olga.berlinberg@windakusa.com, www.windakusa.com.

New PVC compounds were formulated for both RoHS and REACH compliance U.S.-based Teknor Apex Company presented information on a range of new products at IWCS 2012, soon to be available, that incorporate new bio-based, non-phthalate plasticizers and other formulation enhancements for PVC compounds that address the “green” concerns of wire and cable users.

A press release said that the company was in the final development stages for nearly 50 PVC compounds that will be commercially available in the first quarter of 2013 under the brand name BioVinyl™. At IWCS, Vinyl Division Industry Manager Mike Patel presented data on some of the new compounds, which are designed to be RoHS- and REACH-compliant. “The use of these bio-based ingredi70 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

ents...enables BioVinyl compounds to possess lower greenhouse gas emission potential than conventional vinyl and a carbon footprint that is even smaller in comparison with non-vinyl plastics used for wire and cable,” he said.

The BioVinyl compounds are designed for uses that include power cord, appliance wire, data cable and tray cable, the release said. In addition to reducing the carbon footprint of PVC, the compounds have been reformulated to replace phthalate plasticizers with bio-based plasticizers derived from naturally occurring vegetable substances, it said. Further, these bio substances are not used for food, so they are unaffected by supply/demand forces impacting other bio-derived plastics feed stocks such as corn starch, it said.

Another advantage, the release said, includes improved flame and smoke performance. “We have eliminated bromine and antimony additives while still achieving a level of flame and smoke performance comparable to or somewhat better than standard PVC,” Patel said. There is also a reduction in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) resulting from formulation changes as well as options for reducing acid gas from the 24 to 25% level typical with standard PVC to the 12 to 13% range, he said.

Contact: Teknor Apex Company, www.teknorapex.com.

Event presentations included gauges and testers as well as a tech paper A total of five new and/or recently acquired products were showcased by U.S.-based Beta LaserMike at IWCS 2012, where a staffer also presented a technical paper.

A press release said that Beta LaserMike’s new AS4012 single-axis diameter gauge (pictured), which performs 1200 scans/second, can measure product diameters from 0.1 to 12 mm (0.004 to 0.47 in) with accuracies to +/-0.0005 mm (+/- 0.000020 in). The unit, it said, also offers highly flexible communications, making it easy to connect to a host PC or PLC using RS-232, DeviceNet, Ethernet IP, Profibus, and Profinet.

Also shown was the company’s new three-axis LN3015 detector, an advanced, compact system that provides more precise detection of short-term faults (lump and neckdowns)

Masterbatch details presented during IWCS at booth and in a tech paper At IWCS 2012, U.S.-based Cable Components Group (CCG) presented the latest details on the company's FluoroFoam® Masterbatch chemically foamable FEP fluoropolymer material in two ways: at its booth, where staff fielded questions; and through a technical paper that was part of the event’s technical program.

A press release said that at IWCS, CCG staff discussed the overall superior processing, performance and value of current offerings of FluoroFoam Masterbatch MBC concentrate. That information was also the focus of a technical paper presented by CCG President Charles Glew: “Chemically Foamable Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) – the beneficial technical and economic aspects of foamed FEP insulation for plenum cable applications.”

Via both venues, CCG advised attendees about the economic advantages of its concentrate compared to other nonfluoropolymer hybrid constructions, the release said. The company said that it can provide two excel spreadsheets of mathematical models for analyzing the cost per 1,000 feet of FluoroFoam insulation versus the so-called non-fluoropolymer hybrid plenum constructions as well as a corresponding comparison of BTU Fuel Load per 1,000 feet of plenum cable with FluoroFoam versus the aforementioned

non-fluoropolymer hybrid constructions (spreadsheet tools can be requested at ccg@cablecomponents.com).

In addition, the website, www.cablecomponents.com, has a link to a new company video on YouTube that provides a full summary of CCG’s history and capabilities as a producer of high-performance extruded cable crosswebs and fillers, as well as its patented FluoroFoam compound.

Contact: Cable Components Group, tel. 860-5995877, customerservice@cablecomponents.com, www.cablecomponents.com.

3 measuring and control systems were showcased at industry event At IWCS 2012, Sikora International Corp., the U.S. business of Germany’s Sikora AG, showcased three of the company’s latest measuring and control systems.

A press release said that the new X-RAY 6000 PRO (pictured) can measure up to three insulation layers. The system includes, as standard, the display and control device ECOCONTROL 6000 with a vertical arranged 22 in. TFT monitor, it said, noting that it can either be mounted directly at the X-RAY gauge head, a separate stand, or be remotely integrated in the control cabinet of the line control. The X-ray measuring system, it said, assures a continuous quality control to fulfill the required specifications regarding wall thickness, eccentricity, diameter and ovality.

Also showcased was the diameter gauges of the LASER Series 6000, which include technological highlights, one being a measuring rate of 2.5 kHz for highest accuracy, the release said. The high measuring rate allows simultaneous detection of lumps and neckdowns while the gauge heads are equipped with an integrated LCD display with control panel, which enables the operator to read the diameter value directly from the device and to control the line, it said.

The CENTERVIEW 8000 for non-contact online measurement of eccentricity, wall thickness, diameter and ovality of communication, automotive and installation cables was also highlighted. The device, the release said, now has an integrated 7-in. touch-screen monitor that displays the measuring values. A special edition of the CENTERVIEW 8010, it added, is suitable for the measurement of microcoax-cables from 0.05 to 10 mm.

Contact: Jeff Swinchatt, Sikora International Corp., tel. 770-486-1233, sales@sikora-usa.com, www.sikora-usa.com.

JANUARY 2013 | 71

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

in the product diameter than two-axis systems, the release said. The detector, which measures product diameters up to 15 mm (.59 in), can detects flaws with a height as small as 0.02 mm (0.0008 in.) at line speeds up to 3000 m/min (9842 ft/min), it said.

Beta LaserMike also presented three models from its recently acquired DCM cable testing solutions for LAN/datacom, telecom and coaxial cables: the 3S-XLD, which can test four-pair to 28-pair LAN/Datacom cables up to 1 GHz; the new Model 3S-PCX for testing broadband telecom twisted-pair cables up to 100 MHz; and the new CATS3000 for automatic measurement of coupling attenuation, screening attenuation, and transfer impedance.

The company can also provide more details about staffer Ken Cornelison’s technical paper, “Shielding performance tests for twisted-pair communication cables,” about results related to the latest in coupling attenuation technology where the company’s tri-axial and absorbing clamp methods were used on various cable types.

Contact: Beta LaserMike, tel. 937-233-9935, www.betalasermike.com.

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

TPU offers toughness and durability while being easy to manufacture At IWCS 2012, Lubrizol Engineered Polymers highlighted Estane® 58248 TPU, a halogen-free flame-retardant (HFFR) TPU that combines high-flame retardance with high-mechanical properties in a low-smoke product.

A press release said that products made with Estane 58248 TPU experience extended life and also provide increased consumer safety with low smoke and low toxicity. A key is the product’s excellent low temperature flexibility and very good thermal and oil-aging performance, it said. As a result, Estane 58248 TPU is ideal for a variety of applications, including those in the military, mass transit and marine markets, it said.

Like all TPUs, Estane 58248 TPU helps bridge the gap between flexible rubber and rigid plastics, the release. It noted that it offers unmatched toughness and durability in a flexible thermoplastic elastomer system that is easy to process in a wide range of equipment. It added that Lubrizol pioneered thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs)

more than 50 years ago, and that “today it remains the world’s largest TPU manufacturer, bringing our customers the right mix of innovation, expertise and service for demanding applications.”

Contact: Lubrizol Engineered Polymers, www.lubrizol.com/engineeredpolymers.

Product range expanded with the addition of line of resin concentrates At IWCS 2012, U.S.-based S&E Specialty Polymers LLC, showcased the company’s expanded range of specialty plastic compounds that has been made possible through high-tech upgrades to the company’s plant, including the installation of new downstream feeders.

A press release said that S&E can now produce active masterbatches with up to 85% active ingredients. The company, it noted, is producing approximately 15 different flame retardant (FR), ultraviolet (UV), blown agent and other concentrates. By expanding its product line from custom compounds to include

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72 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Manual cold welders provide end-users with consistent, reliable performance At IWCS 2012, Pressure Welding Machines (PWM), represented in the U.S. by Joe Snee Associates, highlighted the company’s wide range of high-performance manual cold welders. A press release said that PWM’s M10, M25 and M30 hand-held cold welders are ideal for repairing wire breaks quickly in confined spaces. Comfortable to hold and easy to operate, using a simple scissors action, they will produce strong, reliable welds on nonferrous wire and strip 0.10 mm to 1.80 mm (.0039 in. to .071 in.), it said.

The release noted that the company’s larger BM10 and BM30 models are robust, durable machines that can be used either mounted on a workbench or a trolley. Both manually operated, they have welding capacities of 0.10 mm to 1.80 mm (.0039 in. to .071 in.). Light pressure on the operating lever completes the weld in seconds, it said.

Precision engineered in PWM’s own U.K. workshops to stringent quality standards, PWM cold welders produce reliable permanent welds stronger than the parent materials, the release said. Dies, it noted, are individually hand-made by PWM’s engineers to tight tolerances and can be manufactured to suit round or profile wire.

Contact: Joe Snee Associates, tel. 774-991-0504, joe@jsnee.com, www.pwmltd.co.uk.

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concentrates, S&E can now provide injection molding and extrusion customers with the ability to significantly improve their purchasing costs, reduce numbers of SKU and improve their production flexibility, it said.

“Molders and extruders now have the option to buy straight resins in volume from their resin suppliers and meter in custom concentrates purchased from us to meet their desired requirement,” said S&E National Sales Director Jay Munsey. “S&E is ready to assist their customers in dealing with potential UL and other guidelines. ...

By using the active masterbatch approach, customers can find a significant overall savings in their production costs.”

An additional customer benefit, the release said, is that by purchasing these concentrates S&E customers can better plan what levels of virgin materials they need (typically PE and PP), thus reducing their raw material inventory.

Contact: S&E Specialty Polymers, tel. 978- 537-8261, info@sespoly.com, www.sespoly.com.

PRODUCTS & MEDIA

ATH line a TPU retardant filler solution A line of new surface-coated, fine precipitated aluminum hydrates (ATH) was introduced at IWCS 2012 by Nabaltec AG, a German-based manufacturer of aluminum, magnesium and other specialty chemistries for the elastomer, plastics and technical ceramics industries.

A press release said that the company introduced two ATH grades that can be used as flame retardant fillers for Thermoplastic Polyurethanes (TPU). The materials allow for stand-alone flame retardant solutions for TPU as the non-functional, hydrophobic-treated ATH grades provide very high elongation at break, while functional reactivetreated ATH grades result in high tensile strengths. For further enhancement in flame retardancy for more demanding applications, it said, blends of Bisphenol-A bis-diphenyl phosphate (BDP) in combination with the prior mentioned ATH grades allow for compound formulations of excellent overall performance which release very little smoke because of the low BDP levels, it said.

The TPUs, the release said, are commonly used for applications such as e-car charging, offshore, photovoltaic, robotic and wind energy cables. The combination of abrasion resistance and flexibility over a wide temperature range and good tear strength makes the TPUs a prime candidate for certain demanding applications, it said. Current flame-retardant solutions for TPU, it noted, are brominated systems or combinations of organic phosphoric esters and melaminecyanurates that generate a large amount of partially toxic smoke.

Contact: Andreas Schlotter, Nabaltec AG, tel. 49-943153-464, aschlotter@nabaltec.de, www.nabaltec.de.

MEDIA Company 2003 catalog now available U.S.-based Northwire, Inc., is now offering customers its 2003 product and service catalog—available in print and

web-ready downloadable formats—which it notes clearly presents complex technical information so customers can quickly source standard wire and cable products and custom build-to-order solutions.

A press release said that customers were the key driving force to the design of the new catalog, which presents technical specifications in an easy-to-use format. “The technical resource catalog aids users in their highly-customized preference to source product by end-application, extreme engineering specification or agency approval, to name a few.”

The catalog, the release said, presents engineering solutions for wire and cable products such as hazardous area, oil resistant, flame resistant, cut resistant, extreme temps and more as well as flex capabilities including torsional, rolling, variable, bending and continuous.

The catalog, the release said, also includes details about Northwire-NWI Lab360, which the company offers for the design, manufacture and contract engineering services of custom technical products for diverse markets. NWI Lab360, it noted, leverages professional certifications in Six Sigma, Lean, Project Management and the American Society for Quality, “to optimize design, manufacturing and quality to achieve the highest quality and the shortest lead times for any volume of custom wire and cable, retractiles, assemblies, connectors, harnesses, injection and over-molded products.”

The company notes that it offers quotes in 24 hours or less, custom cable in five days or fewer, rapid prototyping, complementary samples upon request.

Contact: Northwire, Inc., www.northwire.com.

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

FOR SALE

1 - CEECO 37-Wire 30” Rigid Strander Line 2 - WARDWELL 24-C Braiders 2 - NEB 48-C #2 Harness Braiders, Long Legs, Motor 1 - NEB 12-C #2 Braider, Long Legs, Motor 2 - NEB 24-Carrier, 36-Carrier CB1 Cable Braiders, 6” Horn Gears 3 - TMW 24-Carrier Cable Braiders, 6” Horn Gears 1 - EDMANDS 18-Wire, 6+12, 16” Planetary Cabler Line 2 - NEB Model C62-2 12-Wire 8” Vertical Planetary Cablers, 1987 1 - SICTRA Rod Breakdown Line 1 - DAVIS STANDARD 2.5” 24:1 L/D Hi-Temp Extruder 1 - DAVIS STANDARD 1.5” 24:1 L/D Extruder 1 - HALL 40” Motorized Payoff w/Dancer 1 - CLIPPER DF6 Dual Cone Flyer Payoff (24” Reels) w/Reel Jacks 1 - BARTELL 12-Bay B64 Tubular Strander 1 - ROSENDAHL 630mm Parallel Axis Dual Reel Take-up, never used 1 - NOKIA Model EKP50 Parallel Axis Dual Reel Take-up, 1997

1 - SPHEREX 18” Dual Reel Take-up, refurbished 1 - CLIPPER Model SP16 Dual Spooler 2 - AL-BE Model MS12 Respoolers, 12” Reels 1 - WEMCO 84” Take-up, Model 8284B, w/Mobility Package 1 - TEC Model DTC630 D.T. Twister 2 - ENTWISTLE 4-Wire 24” D.T. Twisters, Model 4WDT24 1 - KENRAKE Model TWD101 Twister 1 - FORMULABS ‘Codemaster 5’ Spiral Striper, w/5’ Oven 1 - REEL-O-MATIC Model SP-HJ/K5 Take-up 1 - REEL-O-MATIC Model ILB12X Dual Respooler 1 - DYNAMEX Tape Payoff, Model TPB30-2-D 1 - EUBANKS Model 4000-04 Cut and Strip Machine 1 - SCHLEUNIGER Model US2015 Stripper 1 - SCHLEUNIGER Model CC1000 Cable Coiler, 2007 1 - SCHLEUNIGER Model MP8015 Coax Stripper 1 - SCHLEUNIGER Model EC320O EcoCut, 2007 1 - SCHLEUNIGER Model PF2000 PreFeed 1 - IDEAL Model STP Stripper, Part #45-930

Contact: Martin Kenner

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

JANUARY 2013 | 75

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

BLIND BOX? YES____ NO ____

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

Contact Paulette, Owner/Sales Tel. # 1 (508) 226-1508 or 1 (508) 226-0946 E-mail: apollodie@comcast.net

ANCILLARYâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;EQUIPMENT TRAVERSES, GUIDES AND STRAIGHTENERS. Lowest prices -

Longest Warranties on High Quality Products! Call YR Products at 708-2051194.

MACHINERY

Ferrous; Marldon Rolling Ring Traverses) & Used Wire & Cable Equipment (buttwelders, coldwelders, color-o-meters and pointers). Tel: 727863-4700 or by e-mail, please send to urbassoc@verizon.net.

WWW.URBANOASSOCIATES. COM. For New (Hakusan Heat Pressure Welders, Ferrous & Non-

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76 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

Please e-mail the requested information to: WAIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cindy Kirmss at ckirmss@wirenet.org.

For more details, you can call her at 203-453-2777, ext. 116.

ELECTRICAL WIRE HANDBOOK SET. Focusing on the special needs of the insulated wire and cable industry, these books examine materials, equipment, and products. They include sections on electrical conductors, insulating materials, extrusion equipment, power transmission, building wire, flexible cords and cables, control and signal cables, communication cables, magnet wire, heater wire, and other applications. The set is divided into three separate handbooks. Part 1 is Wire and Cable Production Materials; Part 2 is Wire and Cable Production Processes, and Part 3 is Types of Cables. While the updated handbook includes the latest information available, the new format allows for more frequent future updates. Parts 1 and 2 are now available. The price is $99, $59 for WAI members, plus shipping. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on the WAI Bookstore.

WASHINGTON ROEBLING'S FATHER: A MEMOIR OF JOHN A. ROEBLING. This 271-page, softcover, indexed book edited by WAI Historian Donald Sayenga and published in 2009 focuses on the legacy of the legendary engineers. Even among

STEEL WIRE TECHNOLOGY, 4TH EDITION. This 348-page indexed book by Per Enghag, published in 2009, represents a bridge between theory and practice, providing useful information as well as new material for both veteran wire industry people as well as mechanical engineering students. The newest edition includes two new chapters: Roller Dies, and Modeling and Simulation. Other topics include: wire rod preparation and scale removal; drafting; tribology, lubricant carriers and lubricants; wiredrawing machines and other wiredrawing machinery; drawing dies and die preparation; wire cleaning; material behavior in a die; heat treatment; drawing force and power; surface coating; work hardening; and wire testing. Some chapters have been updated to present new production and testing methods. The Steel chapter, now Steel and Steel Standards,

includes a review of global steel standards. The price is $110, $95 for WAI members, plus shipping. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Store.

THE SMALL SHOP. This book, 327 pages, was written by Gary Conner, the author of Lean Manufacturing for the Small Shop, describes six sigma and how it is used in smaller companies.

Published by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, it shows the relationship between continuous improvement, lean, and quality, and focuses on implementation for operators, managers, and owners. It explains how continuous improvement tools support each other and how they can accomplish what just one or two tools by themselves cannot. It includes a supplementary CD-ROM. Price, $95, $75 for WAI members, plus shipping. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Store.

PROCEEDINGS OF WAI'S 81ST ANNUAL CONVENTION, INTERWIRE 2011. These proceedings of WAI's 81st Annual Conv., Interwire 2011 Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.. Available only on CD-ROM, this is the Conference Proceedings of technical papers presented during the event. The price is $90, $75 for WAI members. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Store.

STEEL WIRE TECHNOLOGY, 4TH EDITION. This 348-page indexed book by Per Enghag, published in 2009, represents a bridge between theory and practice, providing useful information as well as new material for both veteran wire industry people as well as mechanical engineering students. The newest edition includes two new chapters: Roller Dies, and Modeling and Simulation. Other topics include: wire rod preparation and scale removal; drafting; tribology, lubricant carriers and lubricants; wiredrawing machines and other wiredrawing machinery; drawing dies and die preparation; wire cleaning; material behavior

in a die; heat treatment; drawing force and power; surface coating; work hardening; and wire testing. Some chapters have been updated to present new production and testing methods. The Steel chapter, now Steel and Steel Standards, includes a review of global steel standards. The Heat Treatment chapter now includes oxygen potential data (Ellingham diagrams) as well as thermodynamic principles. Diffusion processes have been introduced and utilized for decarburization calculations.

The book is useful as a practical resource for technicians, supplementary reading for students in mechanical engineering, or as course literature within a company. Author Per Enghag has more than 30 years of experience in metals.

After starting his career as director of The Swedish School of Mining and Metallurgy in the 1960s, he moved to steel wire products producer Garphyttan in the 1970s. He has operated his own company, Materialteknik HB, in Örebro, Sweden, since 1980. The price is $110, $95 for WAI members, plus shipping. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Store.

THE ROEBLING LEGACY. This 288-page indexed book by Clifford W. Zink presents a different perspective of the Roebling legacy. “But it’s all wire,” proclaimed a 1950s Roebling Company brochure about its product line, which included wire rope, copper magnet and electrical wire, screens and hardware cloth, aircord and aircraft strand, flat and braided wire, PC wire and strand, galvanized bridge wire, among others.

To maximize quality, the Roeblings started drawing their own wire in the 1850s, rolling bars into rods in the 1870s, and making their own steel in the 1900s. Wire is the binding thread through 125 years of Roebling and American industrial history chronicled in The Roebling Legacy. The price is $75, $50 for WAI members, plus shipping. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Store.

JANUARY 2013 | 77

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legendary engineers, the Roebling family stands out. The brilliant and irascible patriarch John A. Roebling achieved renown as a canal engineer, bridge designer, and innovator of wire rope— a technology that makes possible modern suspension bridges, high-rise elevators, construction cranes, and cable cars. All four of John’s sons inherited the family business, but only the eldest—the reserved, thoughtful Washington—staked an independent claim to fame, most notably for his work on the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.

Between 1893 and 1907, Washington Roebling wrote about his father’s life, character, career, and achievements with candor and intimate family details.

Part biography, part memoir, Washington Roebling’s Father makes available for the first time the text of this remarkable manuscript. Donald Sayenga, an internationally recognized authority on the history of wire rope, has painstakingly transcribed the original manuscript and tracked down annotations for hundreds of people, places, events, and technologies. The price is $55, $45 for WAI members, plus shipping. To purchase, go to wirenet.org and click on The WAI Store.

ADVERTISERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; INDEX

ADVERTISERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; INDEX ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE

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

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

George Evans Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Anbao Wire & Mesh Co Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Flymca & Flyro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

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

GCR Eurodraw SpA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Cable Consultants Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

T Fukase & Co Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

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

GMP Slovakia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Commission Brokers Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Howar Equipment Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Esteves Group USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Howar Equipment Inc/ Boxy SpA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

MANUFACTURING RANGE NEW ARRIVALS - PRE-OWNED â&#x20AC;˘ Troester - Portal traversing take-up for reels 25 tons, flange ø max. 4500 mm (177 ) Tubular stranders â&#x20AC;˘ Rosendahl - Portal traversing take-up for reels 25 tons, flange ø max. 4000 mm (157 ) Rigid stranders â&#x20AC;˘ Lesmo - Automatic single spooler for bobbins 630 mm (24,8 ), incl. accumulator Planetary stranders Power cable drumtwisters Armouring lines Bow twister machines For contacts in USA: Skip stranders QMS INC. Pay-offs and take-ups, all designs Miami, Florida Belt-type caterpillar capstans Single- and double disc capstans Tel.: +1 (305) 665-2523 Rotating caterpillar capstans Fax: +1 (305) 740-9460 Taping heads for plastic- and steel tapes info@qmsmachinery.com Transposed wire machines &* ')! #** +) .

'&* " , . $ . - . #& ' (, #&* '% 78 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

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

Huestis Industrial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17, 24

Paramount Die Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

W.H. Kay Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Parkway-Kew Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Keir Manufacturing Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Pave Automation Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Lamnea Bruk AB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

Pressure Welding Machines Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Lesmo Machinery America Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Power Sonics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Locton Limited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Queins Machines GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Magnus Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Sheaves Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Niehoff GmbH & Co KG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cover 2

SIKORA AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

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

JANUARY 2013 | 79

ADVERTISERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; INDEX

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

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

ADVERTISER . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE Sjogren Industries Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

March 2013 WJI

August Strecker GmbH & Co KG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

• Preview: Interwire 2013

TMS Specialties Mftg Co Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Advertising Deadline: Feb. 1, 2013

True Forge Global Machinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76

Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Woodburn Diamond Die Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Wyrepak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36, 53

WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL ADS WAI Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 WAI Webinar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Interwire 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42-45

WIRE JOURNAL

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

NORTH AMERICA

EUROPE

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

U.K., France, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Denmark & Scandinavia Jennie Franks David Franks & Co. 63 St. Andrew’s Road Cambridge CB4 1DH, England Tel/fax: 44-1223-360472 franksco@btopenworld.com

80 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL

SALES OFFICES ASIA/WAI INDIA OFFICE Germany, Austria, & Switzerland Dagmar Melcher Media Service International Spitzwegstraße 4 82402 Seeshaupt Germany Tel: 49-8801-914682 Fax: 49-8801-914683 dmelcher@t-online.de

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

Wind up with an Amacoil/Uhing assembly for perfect pitch every time Pitch is adjustable (10:1) without requiring gear changes or adjusting motor speed. A single Amacoil/Uhing assembly may be used for winding many different diameter materials. Automatic reversal of the traverse is mechanically controlled – without clutches, cams or gears. No electronics or programming needed.

FEATURES • Zero backlash.

• Automatically synchronizes pitch with take-up reel rotational speed.

• Traverse drives with up to 800 lbs. axial thrust.

• Smooth, unthreaded shaft won't clog or jam – no bellows assembly needed.

• One inexpensive, unidirectional motor drives both the traverse and take-up reel.

• Free movement lever – no need to "jog" system on and off to position linear drive.

• Options and accessories for every winding situation.

• Light, medium and heavy-duty systems.

For Brochure or CD-ROM Call toll free 800-252-2645

email: amacoil@amacoil.com

www.amacoil.com AMACOIL, INC. PO Box 2228 • Aston, PA 19014 • Phone: 610-485-8300 • Fax: 610-485-2357