Bremen based SIKORA AG ranks once again among Germany’s 100 fastest growing medium-sized companies and even improved from place 61 to 18. This is the result of the study “TOP 100 ranking of the medium-sized companies 2020”, which was carried out by the management consultancy Munich Strategy Group. This year again, SIKORA is the only company from Bremen that has made it into the “TOP 100“.

Dr. Christian Frank, CEO of SIKORA, says: “I am delighted that we are among the “TOP 100” again this year. The award once again shows that we belong to the elite of the German medium-sized companies. We set significant trends and play a leading role in the field of innovative measuring, control, inspection and sorting technologies. I am particularly proud that we worked our way up from rank 61 to rank 18. My special thanks goes to our colleagues in Bremen as well as in our subsidiaries around the world. Their achievement made this result possible. By focusing on technical innovations as well as expanding our global sales and service network and the simultaneous concentration of research, development and production at our location in Bremen, we create the conditions for future, constant growth.”

More than 4,000 companies from all industries with an annual turnover between 10 million and 1 billion Euro have been evaluated by the Munich Strategy Group. The “TOP 100” companies were determined on the basis of their long-term growth and profitability. The basis for the selection is the performance of the companies during the last five years.

SIKORA was founded in 1973 by Harald Sikora and is today a leading manufacturer and supplier of measuring and control technology for the wire and cable, hose and tube, sheets as well as optical fiber, metals and plastics industries. With around 300 employees worldwide, 14 international offices and more than 30 regional representatives, the medium-sized company provides customers with innovative product solutions and expert service. The measuring and control systems are exclusively made at the headquarters in Bremen/Germany. Innovation, product quality and customer satisfaction define the daily activities at SIKORA AG.

Converting the WAI’s Fundamentals of Wire & Cable Manufacturing Program (Fundamentals) to a virtual form that presented over seven consecutive Wednesdays in September and October was not without occasional technical challenges, but overall, it got a hearty “well done,” based on comments from the participants.

The final count for attendance was 119, with participants from 28 countries. The traditional Fundamentals program has drawn more, but one of the advantages of the virtual format was that it allowed attendees to take part that may not have been able to travel for the two-day format. The WAI plans to continue staging the live Fundamentals course at Interwire and Wire Expo, but future virtual presentations are also possible.

One participant, ArgusIoT founder and CEO Parag Panse, who attended all 13 sessions (three live and the rest by watching the video recording later), said that he liked the format. “I would certainly recommend this Fundamentals training to my own employees as well as to other companies. I was happy with the way the program was organized and run. Well done WAI!”

In Covid-19 times, reality often becomes virtual, which is exactly how WAI presented the annual Clockwinding tradition, its annual meeting and the Mordica Lecture on Nov. 11. See p. 6 for related comments by WAI President Jan Sørige.

Former WAI President Ron Reed, Lloyd & Bouvier, was physically at the Association’s headquarters in Madison, Connecticut, accompanied by his wife, Mary. Also present was WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll and Director of Technology Chuck Szymaszek.

Reed explained the history of the Clockwinding tradition, wherein a U.K. representative annually comes to WAI’s headquarters to wind the grandfather clock that was presented to the Association on behalf of the U.K., wire industry for help during World War II. Reed then introduced Clockwinder Martin Thacker, who spoke for the occasion from his home in Britain. Below is his speech, which was followed by Reed performing the actual winding of the clock.

“With the benefit of modern technology, our tradition of clock winding is able to continue in spite of a worldwide pandemic. As a result, we are creating a new first today. It is a real privilege for me to be invited as the very first clock winder to participate in this prestigious ceremony without even leaving my home! Although it saddens me that I cannot be with you in person today, we should be glad that the clock winding is going ahead and the annual tradition remains unbroken.

“On this day 80 years ago, the British Royal Navy launched its first ever aircraft carrier strike in history on the Italian fleet. Particularly poignant, is that on this day in 1918 an Armistice was signed which marked the end of World War I.

“During that war, my grandfather became an apprentice at Johnson and Playfair Wire Manufacturers in Sheffield. His wages were eight shillings a week with a war bonus of a further two shillings. The company produced patent and plough steel rope wires, as well as high strain steel wire. The advent of the Second World War saw my grandfather move to Brealey and Company as a wire drawer for the princely sum of 80 shillings a week. The company was well known for production of bright wire for all purposes. My grandfather was proud of the work he did and how the wire produced made a difference to the world he lived in. He was equally proud to be an official in the Amalgamated Union of Wiredrawers, founded in 1840, the oldest trade union operating in the wire industry. My grandfather was a union official when there were 13,000 members and he attended the Trades Union Congress in 1968.

“His love of the industry inspired me to become a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Tinplate Workers Alias Wireworkers in the City of London. My proposer for membership was Peter Rigby, a past Master of the Livery Company and clock winder. His father, John Rigby, presented the clock in 1948 on behalf of the British Wire Association. Just like the hands of this clock, the many links ensure we come full circle.

“A clock’s primary purpose is to display the time. We know that this clock is so much more than that. It is a symbol of the friendship between our countries, a practical connection of our wire industries and the continuation of a bond linked by a metaphor of time-honored tradition. Thank you for allowing me to participate in the ceremony today and ensuring that this wonderful tradition is maintained and has meaningful relevance in our 21st century world.”

Following Thacker, Dr. Gil Baker presented his Mordica Lecture, which was published in the July issue of WJI. His presentation, which included commentary on some aspects beyond the printed paper, can be accessed—along with the Clockwinding ceremony and annual meeting—at https://bit.ly/2020Clock.

BSRIA projects that the global structured cabling market will decline 12% in 2020, from US$6.6 billion to $5.8 billion, and that consumption is not likely to return to 2019 levels until 2022.

A press release said that the first half of the year saw the largest fall, with severe disruption caused by national lockdowns. In some instances, the worst effects were felt in the second half. The report, which covers 10 countries and four regions, was updated to account for the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There were significant variations between countries, typically related to the general economic impact of the pandemic,” the release said. “There have also been various government support policies for the country economies in general or for specific sectors, such as buildings.” Additionally, vertical markets have fared significantly differently from one another. “Sectors such as travel, hospitality and retail (have been) especially badly hit, while healthcare, data centers and in some countries, education, remain more buoyant.”

Copper cable and connectivity suffered more than fiber did, reports BSRIA. Copper sales declined by 15% globally, with a range of 14% and 16% holding consistently across main regions of the globe. BSRIA attributes this decline to “a severe disruption in non-residential construction with the delay or cancellation of many projects.”

Fiber, on the other hand, declined 7% but with significant variations from region to region, “from a stable market in Asia-Pacific to a drop of 14% in America,” BSRIA stated. “In countries where fiber sales held up, this was often supported by increased investment in data centers partly driven by the effects of the pandemic in driving demand for web services.”

For more details, contact BSRIA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.bsria.co.uk.

NKT announced that it is part of a group effort to develop the prototype for what will be the world’s longest superconducting power cable. The project, first announced in 2019, seeks to develop and supply a record-length superconducting cable for use in Munich, Germany.

A press release from NKT said that Stadtwerke München Infrastrukur has now started the first stage development of the project. Called the “SuperLink,” the proposed 12-km-long underground power link would be the longest superconducting power cable solution in the world. It said that the ambitious project, which has seven partners, is an important indication about the future potential of superconducting power cables. The other partners are Linde plc, THEVA, the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

“We are proud to take part in the early stages of the development,” said NKT Chief Technology Officer Anders Jensen. He noted that SWM and Link where Stadtwerke München and Stadtwerke München Infrastruktur are taking a significant step to leverage superconducting power cables. “It is important to continue to develop solutions to support the transition to renewable energy and the ambitions of the German Energiewende. In NKT, we see superconducting power cables as a part of the future to ensure optimized access to clean energy in larger cities such as Munich.”

The design of the superconducting power cables is extremely compact compared to conventional cable technology and can become a key enabler of the transition to renewable energy in urban areas due to the high power-to-size ratio. The SuperLink is expected to have a power rating of 500 MW and will be installed between two substations in Munich using existing ducts to keep the construction work at a minimum.

A fact sheet also noted that SuperLink will have a power rating of 500 MW and a voltage level of 110 kV; that the plan is to install it in existing ducts; the superconducting cable will be cooled to minus 200ºC in a closed circuit with the environmental harmless refrigerant nitrogen; and it will have a cooling system with redundant back-up coolers.

“With 1.5 million residents, Munich is a great city to develop and live-test the possibilities of superconducting power cables to expand the power grids in urban areas that will be an integral part of the system,” the release said.