Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo) has been awarded a contract from the Prysmian Group to supply 150 km of HVDC submarine cable for the NeuConnect Interconnector, a 1.4 GW power interconnection project between the U.K. and Germany.

A press release said that Sumitomo will supply a section of HVDC mass-impregnated cable to Prysmian PowerLink Services, Ltd., which secured the main contract with NeuConnect. The overall project—that will directly link the German and U.K. electricity grids for the first time— calls for some 725 km of land and subsea cables. They will enable up to 1.4 GW of electricity to move in either direction, enough to power up to 1.5 million homes over the life of the project.

The submarine cable, which forms part of the offshore cable route between the two countries, will be manufactured at Sumitomo’s Osaka Works in Japan. The order represents Sumitomo’s sixth European HVDC power link project after MON. ITA (Montenegro-Italy), NEMO (UK-Belgium), A-Nord HVDC project (Germany), Kontek (Germany-Denmark) and Greenlink (Ireland-GB).

“We are honored to be the supplier for this project, which will form part of critical infrastructures to achieve net-zero emissions,” said Sumitomo Managing Executive Officer Yasuyuki Shibata.

The NeuConnect Interconnector is a private project by international investors, including Meridiam, Allianz Capital Partners and Kansai Electric Power.

South Korea’s LS Cable & System (LS C&S) has won an order valued at $167 million to supply high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) cables for the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm in the U.K.

A press release said the LS C&S order is from Sweden’s Vattenfall AB, which is one of Europe’s largest producers and retailers of electricity and heat. The order calls for 320 kV cables that will lie under the sea. The underground cables will use cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) as an insulating material, which it described as a first.

Per multiple media reports, the Norfolk Boreas offshore cable corridor, using about 96 km, will include export cables to deliver the electricity supplied to the offshore substations to landfall that will be in the Happisburgh village in Norfolk county. The onshore part of the offshore wind farm development will include the installation of underground cables between an onshore substation related to the project and an existing substation of the national grid. The onshore cable corridor is expected to be 63 km.

Located 47 km off the Norfolk coast, Norfolk Boreas is the first of two stages of Vattenfall’s Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone. Per DEME Offshore, which is part of the project consortium with LS C&S, they have also been named a preferred supplier for the second part: the Norfolk Vanguard. Each wind farm will have a capacity of 1.8 GW.

“Only a handful of firms have succeeded in developing XLPE cables defined by easy installation, connection, maintenance and repair,” an LS Cable & System official said. “The cables are increasingly emerging as a mainstream product in the renewable industries of Europe and North America.”

Autac, a manufacturer of coiled cords founded by Robert N. Burkle in 1947, celebrated the company’s 75th anniversary with an event at Bill Miller’s Castle in Branford, Connecticut.

The event was hosted by company President Marie Burkle. “It is with a great sense of pride that we have come this far,” she told the audience of some 85 people, which included employees and their families/guests, suppliers, industry colleagues and state Senator Christine Cohen. “No business can make 75 years without relationships,” she said. For a business, that means employees, vendors and local community leaders. “All have helped us in different ways,” and that support enabled the company to survive and thrive.”

Burkle called up a number of employees to single them out for their contributions. Speaking later, she said, “It is a source of great pride for me, the last Burkle, to keep my father’s legacy going and certainly a reason to celebrate. The day was also an opportunity to give our staff the recognition they so deeply deserve.”

At the same time, Burkle shared different thoughts in her speech. She singled out some industry vendors, saying they could also be a company’s biggest liability. She cited the “80-20” rule, referring to the axiom that 80 percent of business often comes from 20 percent of customers.

In hard times, such as the last few Covid years, that has resulted in a much harder business atmosphere, Burkle said. “Our minimums increase, our prices go up, the lead times go out and payment terms become so unreasonable that it bankrupts many small businesses. How can one eat their young and hope to survive for more generations? I’ve never understood that.”

That assessment does not apply to all vendors, and Burkle thanked Mexichem for being a reliable business partner, presenting the company a plaque for their consistently good work.

Burkle said it was important for her to hold the event at Bill Miller’s Castle as the founder, the late Bill Miller, and her late father, were together in Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce back in the 60’s and 70’s. “Also, Bill Miller was a huge help and supporter of me when I served as president of the North Branford Chamber. He and that fabulous building have a special place in my heart!”

A report from Markets and Markets projects that global fire-resistant cable market size is projected to grow from $1.8 billion in 2021 to $2.1 billion by 2026, at a relatively slow yet steady CAGR of 3.3% during the forecast year.

A press release said that the fire-resistant cable market has thousands of companies which thrive in their domestic market. A few of the major players are Prysmian Group (Italy), Nexans S.A. (France), NKT Group (Denmark), Leoni AG (Germany), LS Cable & System Limited (South Korea) and Elsewedy Electric Company (Egypt), among others. These players have adopted various growth strategies, such as acquisitions, investments, expansions, agreements, collaborations, and new product developments, to increase their market shares and enhance their product portfolios.

Acquisition accounted for the largest share of all the strategic developments that took place in the fire-resistant cable market between 2016 and 2021. Key players such as Prysmian Group (Italy), Nexans S.A. (France), NKT Group (Denmark), and LS Cable & System Limited (South Korea), adopted these strategies to enhance their business, market presence, to develop new products and meet consumer demand. The report looks at market dynamics, volatility in raw material prices, demand for fire-resistant cables, challenges posed by cheap and inferior cables, which sectors are showing more demand, and more.

Building and construction is projected to be the fastest-growing segment in the fire-resistant cable market. In terms of value and volume, the APAC region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025.

Emerging economies in APAC are expected to experience significant demand for fire-resistant cable as a result of the expansion of the end-use industries due to rapid economic development and urbanization.

A PDF brochure of Fire-Resistant Cable Market (Report Code CH 6374) is available from the company. For more details, in the U.S. contact Aashish Mehra, tel. 888-600-6441; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

U.S.-based Orion Engineered Carbons (NYSE: OEC), a specialty chemicals company, reports that it has reached a major sustainability milestone, becoming the first to achieve International Sustainability and Carbon Certifications (ISCC Plus) for multiple carbon black grades made from different feedstocks at plants in two regions of the world.

A press release said that the ISCC PLUS certification involved rigorous audits of Orion’s plants and processes that confirmed the company’s compliance with high sustainability requirements. It also verified the transparency and traceability of sustainable raw materials in the company’s value chain at three plants producing the concerned grades of carbon black.

“No other company is making multiple grades of sustainable carbon black with different feedstocks at multiple plants across the world,” said Corning Painter, Orion’s CEO. A decade ago, Orion was the first major producer to develop and commercialize carbon black made from renewable feedstocks, such as industrial-grade vegetable oils or other oils derived from waste and residues of biological origin from agriculture or forestry.

Orion notes that the company is also the only carbon black producer in the BlackCycle initiative, an EU-funded project focused on developing the production of circular carbon black.

Autac, a manufacturer of coiled cords founded by Robert N. Burkle in 1947, celebrated the company’s 75th anniversary with an event at Bill Miller’s Castle in Branford, Connecticut.

The event was hosted by company President Marie Burkle. “It is with a great sense of pride that we have come this far,” she told the audience of some 85 people, which included employees and their families/guests, suppliers, industry colleagues and state Senator Christine Cohen. “No business can make 75 years without relationships,” she said. For a business, that means employees, vendors and local community leaders. “All have helped us in different ways,” and that support enabled the company to survive and thrive.”

Burkle called up a number of employees to single them out for their contributions. Speaking later, she said, “It is a source of great pride for me, the last Burkle, to keep my father’s legacy going and certainly a reason to celebrate. The day was also an opportunity to give our staff the recognition they so deeply deserve.”

At the same time, Burkle shared different thoughts in her speech. She singled out some industry vendors, saying they could also be a company’s biggest liability. She cited the “80-20” rule, referring to the axiom that 80 percent of business often comes from 20 percent of customers.

In hard times, such as the last few Covid years, that has resulted in a much harder business atmosphere, Burkle said. “Our minimums increase, our prices go up, the lead times go out and payment terms become so unreasonable that it bankrupts many small businesses. How can one eat their young and hope to survive for more generations? I’ve never understood that.”

That assessment does not apply to all vendors, and Burkle thanked Mexichem for being a reliable business partner, presenting the company a plaque for their consistently good work.

Burkle said it was important for her to hold the event at Bill Miller’s Castle as the founder, the late Bill Miller, and her late father, were together in Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce back in the 60’s and 70’s. “Also, Bill Miller was a huge help and supporter of me when I served as president of the North Branford Chamber. He and that fabulous building have a special place in my heart!”

WAI President James York and Executive Director Steve Fetteroll recently attended a meeting of ACIMAF, where the Italian wire machinery manufacturers association celebrated its 35th anniversary, heard a presentation by York (see p. 62) and discussed plans for a return to Italy for a technical conference in 2023.

The meeting included a presentation by Gabriele Campo, commercial and business development manager at BCUBE. She specializes in advanced logistics services, and her report was on “International logistics and shipments - State of the art - Possible scenarios and new solutions.” She focused on the transition from product centricity to customer centricity. She talked about how the evolution requires a supplier of logistics services to serve as a partner.

Also speaking was Alessia Bianchi of ITA/ICE, who shifted the focus to the Agency’s initiatives to support promotion abroad, and the internationalization of Italian companies. In her speech, she disclosed that Italian SMEs are leaders in international markets, and that those who export (over 123,000 throughout Italy) are larger in size and perform better in terms of turnover per employee and productivity, since competing internationally requires a company to be well structured and efficient.

Promos Italia, a national agency that supports Italian companies, was represented by Silvia Lambertini, who presented the services that are offered, such as training, business matching, digital export solutions and projects to attract foreign investment and territorial development. Promis Italia had been a partner of ACIMAF previously when it held Wire & Cable in Verona in 2019. That event attracted 250 delegates from 27 countries. He gave a taste of what the 2023 staging of the conference would be like.

ACIMAF President Ferruccio Bellina, Fetteroll and York spoke about plans for the return to Italy, this time in Milano. Observed Fetteroll, “There is a collaboration by WAI with ACIMAF that has lasted for 20 years, and we are pleased to contribute to this event because it is so well in line with the technical focus of our association.”
The date of Oct. 16, 2023, has been set for the technical conference, and more details will follow in future issues

The WAI’s Clockwinding tradition traces back to 1948, when John Rigby first wound the stately Grandfather’s Clock that the British wire drawing industry presented to the Association for help during World War II.

Over the years, many individuals have served as the Clockwinder, but the 2022 Clockwinder, Martin Thacker, has set himself apart from all others: he is the first-ever Clockwinder to serve three years in a row, and he is the first one to have ever performed the duties virtually. On Nov. 3, he came to WAI’s office in Madison, Connecticut, having performed the duties of the ceremony two times before ... yet never having actually touched the clock, as he was home in the U.K., and the clock was wound by a WAI representative in his stead.

Welcomed and introduced by WAI President Jim York, Thacker—who twice was a polished and congenial speaker remotely—was even better in person. “This is my third clockwinding ceremony. In 2020, I was privileged to be asked to wind the clock. However, Covid got in the way and travel became impossible. I was able to complete the ceremony by virtual means. I am the first in the history of our tradition to wind such a prestigious clock through MS Teams.”

Thacker spoke about the Clockwinding tradition, noting that it was important that it was able to continue in some form during an onerous Covid period. “Challenges remain, but 2022 has largely seen a thriving wire and cable industry. Major telecoms continue to expand their networks, and more organizations are adopting industry 4.0 technologies, and demand is strong for fiber optic cables and hybrid cables. More wire and cable trade shows have taken place this year, and they remain “a great place to network, see the latest technology in action and find new partners,” he said.

Thacker observed later that when he was presented a Clockwinder’s tie at an event in the U.K. honoring past Clockwinders by WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll—who was there with WAI President Jim York after going to wire Düsseldorf 2022 in Germany—it had been an awkward moment. “I felt a fraud since I had fast become king of the virtual clockwinding ceremony. Now, having been here in Madison, I can now wear my tie with pride.”

Of note, only one past Clockwinder has wound the clock more than Thacker, and that is the late Terrence Cahill, Somerset Wire, who performed the tradition in 1979, 1989, 1991 and 1997.

Poland’s WAI Chapter held a seminar on Oct. 19 that included a technical presentation and an update on the chapter, but the main focus was a series of laudations of the late Dr. Bogdan Golis, a beloved chapter member who died June 29 at age 85.

The program traced the career of Golis, who was Częstochowa University of Technology (CUT)’s dean of faculty for metallurgy, and head of the Department of Metal Forming in this faculty, from 1988-96. He became a WAI member in 1995 and was vice president of the Poland Chapter from 1999 to 2010. In 2000 he won WAI’s Mordica Memorial Award. He was named a full CUT professor in 2001, and won several key awards. He was also the driving force behind the 2006 creation of the Schneider Memorial Award, the highest such award for Poland, based on WAI’s Mordica Award.

The honorary guests of the seminar were Professor Bogdan’s wife, Leokadia Golis, and daughters Małgorzata Zaczkowska and Beata Pająk, granddaughter Agnieszka Pająk and grandson Wojciech Pająk.

Many people came to honor Golis, one being Tadeusz Knych, also a Mordica Memorial Award winner, who said that the professor was always a deep-thinking man who firmly believed that there was a need to further knowledge. “He was always a deeply thinking man with a great knowledge of drawing, he evoked respect. He was often uncompromising, in a positive sense, of course. ... He always showed concern for science and the fear that (there was an) increasing lack of interest in science in our area of professional interest, and therefore he tried to put on paper all the knowledge he had in the theory and technology of the drawing process. He has always required exceptional respect for professors, he taught it and demanded it from young students of science. He left a huge baggage of knowledge and memories. ... It’s good that he lived to see the 20th anniversary of WAI in Poland. He was a man of character and great charisma, and his contributions should never be forgotten.”

The leaders of the WAI Poland Chapter were also announced. Jan Pilarczyk, retired CUT Professor, will continue to serve as president. There are three vice presidents: Maciej Górak, owner of the Gama Metal Company; Prof. Tadeusz Knych, dean of the Faculty of Non-Ferrous Metals at AGH; and Piotr Milewski, commodity manager for Drumet Wire Co World Group, who is also the 2022 president of the European Wire Drawing Committee. Prof. Jarosław Jasiński, professor at NCBJ, will be treasurer; Agnieszka Gwiazdowicz will be board secretary; and Prof. AGH Beata Smyrak, a professor at AGH, will also be a member of the board.

Attendees of the tour of the Radio Frequency Systems (RFS) plant in Meriden, Connecticut got very positive reviews from the New England Chapter.

The Oct. 25 tour saw some 50 chapter members and guests see the operations up close of RFS, which is a global designer and manufacturer of total-package solutions for wireless and broadcast infrastructure. The tour started with a half hour presentation on the markets that the company serves, followed by the tour.

The opening main presentation was delivered by RFS product line managers. They provided a brief overview of RFS’ history, key markets, and telecom growth. The tour stopped at four stations that collectively covered manufacturing of coaxial cables, fiber optic assemblies, fiber/power hybrid cables, broadcast antennas, and microwave antennas. At each station, a subject matter expert explained what their department did. RFS had samples on hand for show and tell in each area. Attendees were randomly split up into groups of 10-15 and rotated through the stations, spending about 15 minutes in each area of the factory.

After the tour concluded, everyone regrouped down the road at River: A Waterfront Restaurant & Bar for what proved to be enjoyable dinner experience just steps away from the Connecticut River.

One attendee who especially enjoyed the event was LeeAnn Chen, strategic marketing director for AlphaGary. “As a newcomer to the wire and cable field, this is a great way to get firsthand and live experience, with great networking opportunity,” she said, adding that RFS did a superb job preparing the tour. “I was touched by everyone’s passion and expertise on their subjects!” Finally, she said that the dinner-reception that followed was also memorable. “The mist over the Connecticut river was an added touch to the evening!”