Ducab Metals Business has signed an agreement that will see the company more than double the size of its existing plant in the UAE’s Khalifa Economic Zone.

A press release said that the 50-year lease agreement, signed by Khaled Lootah, chairman of Ducab Group, will result in Ducab Metals Business adding 51,015 sqm to its existing 50,000 sqm facility in KEZAD. The expansion will enable the company to increase its production capacity of copper and aluminum industrial products. This expansion brings Ducab Metals Business’s presence in KEZAD to over 100,000 sqm.

The project will provide new jobs, further the company’s R&D work and enhance Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a hub for the new varieties of advanced metal products.

As a stand-alone company within Ducab Group, DMB is the largest such company in the region. The company has annual capacity of 180,000 metric tons of copper rod and 50,000 metric tons of aluminum rod and overhead conductor capacity. DMB also designs solutions that will be manufactured in Ducab’s existing copper rod and aluminum factories, both of which are based in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Taihan Cable & Solution (Taihan Cable) announced that it has signed an agreement with KG Steel at Hoban Park in Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea, that will provide Taihan Cable with the land it need to build a second submarine cable factory.

Per an on-line report in Korea IT Times, a signing ceremony was held that included Vice Chairman Song Jong-min and President Park Sung-hee of Taihan Cable. They were with management from the parent companies, including Kim Dae-heon, planning president of Hoban Group, and Kwak Jeong-hyun, strategy president of KG Group. The event emphasized both groups’ commitment to strengthening business cooperation and establishing a forward-looking collaboration model. “Through the purchase of convertible bonds, KG Steel will receive 110 billion won (approximately $78.5 million) for the land, reflecting its high valuation of Taihan Cable’s potential growth in the submarine cable sector and the belief that their collaboration will generate future value.”

The acquired site, approximately 215,000 sq m, is located in the Godeok District, Asan National Industrial Complex in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province. It is adjacent to Taihan Cable’s existing first submarine cable factory. This area forms Korea’s largest cable production cluster, close to Taihan Cable’s major production facilities—the Dangjin Cable and Solution Factories. Taihan Cable plans to produce submarine cables, underground cables, and power and communication-related products in this integrated location, maximizing synergy effects.

The new factory will include a VCV tower for producing 620kV class HVDC submarine cables and external network submarine cables. “Furthermore, both companies intend to bolster their collaboration in the North American market, leveraging their years of experience and expertise to explore opportunities for increased exports to the U.S. and joint business ventures.”

Hellenic Cables, the cables segment of Cenergy Holdings, will supply and install approximately 38 km of 150kV submarine and land cables for a Greek project.

A press release said that the turnkey contract is from IPTO (Independent Power Transmission Operator), which is responsible for the operation, monitoring, maintenance, and development of the Hellenic Electricity Transmission System. It calls for 50 kV XLPE underground and submarine cables to enhance the electrical interconnections between Kefalonia-Zakynthos and Lefkada-Kefalonia, the Ionian islands in Greece.

The project is scheduled for completion in 2026. The submarine cables will be manufactured at the Hellenic Cables plant in Corinth, Greece. The capacity of that facility has recently been expanded, and it can manufacture continuous lengths for some of the longest submarine cables. The land cables will be manufactured at the company’s plant in Thiva, Greece, that has also seen a capacity expansion investment program.

U.K.-based KnitMesh Technologies (KnitMesh) reports that it has created a wire knitting machine that is able to manufacture wire mesh six feet across, a width that the company reports is an industry record.

A press release said that the model was specifically designed to produce mesh as wide as four meters to exacting tolerances to produce “green” hydrogen from water. The process “splits” water into separate hydrogen and oxygen molecules using an electrolysis process, and having access to larger size wire mesh provides economies of scale. The KnitMesh model can process wire from 0.10 mm to 0.50 mm in special metals and alloys, including stainless steels, nickel and coated wires. The company notes that it designed and produced the new system, as well as other bespoke equipment.

Asked by WJI whether the record width related just to the new demand, and if it could have been made at an earlier time, and possibly even wider, the company responded, “Theoretically, it could have been done before, but practical experience gained on recent large knitting machines has enabled this step.” As for the width, it observed, “Any width is possible, but any larger and the machines would require significant development of new components, such as bearings. The size of the new machine (we made) meets customer requirements for the foreseeable future.”

 KnitMesh Managing Director Peter Evans said that he is enthusiastic about the company’s role in shaping a carbon-free future through hydrogen fuel technologies. “We see hydrogen fuel as a key component of a sustainable future, and KnitMesh Technologies is proud to be a major supplier to this industry. We are actively expanding our business through recruitment and new equipment, and we foresee a bright future for our hydrogen division.”

In October, the company exhibited at Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe, held in Hamburg Messe in Hamburg, Germany. There they showcased their range of knitted wire mesh products, such as gas diffusion layers, porous transport layers, and mist eliminators. “The products garnered significant interest from attendees, reinforcing KnitMesh Technologies’ position as a leader in manufacturing advanced knitted wire mesh solutions.”

Founded in 1957, KnitMesh also has a plant in India, and activity there is expected to increase. “We are working with several Indian customers who will require meshes for green hydrogen electrolysers, and when they reach the series production stage we will install equipment at our Indian plant so we can ensure local supply.”

KnitMesh notes that wire mesh for creating “green” hyrdogen is a world-wide product. “Our main markets are currently Europe and North America, and we already supply similar electrolyzer meshes to customers in North America. As demand grows, we are likely to open a plant in North America.”