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Industry News

ZTT Submarine Cable & System (ZTTSC) has been awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for China’s Yangjiang Fanshi II offshore wind project.

Per an article posted at www.offshorewind.biz, ZTTSC will deploy a 500 kV three-core AC submarine cable system, stretching 92 km to transmit 1,000 MW of renewable power from the offshore wind farm to onshore grids. The project represents one of the most advanced and large-scale offshore wind cable installations in the industry.

The 1 GW Yangjiang Fanshi II offshore wind farm is being developed and owned by China’s CGN Wind Energy Limited. The project is planned for the South China Sea, Guangdong, China, with construction expected to commence in 2025 and commercial operation anticipated in 2029.

LS Cable & System (LS C&S), South Korea’s largest cable manufacturer, reports that it has won a $137 million contract for it to supply high-voltage cables for a project in Singapore.

 A press release said that the deal, signed with Singapore’s power supply authority, is part of a major energy infrastructure project aimed at transmitting solar-generated electricity from Indonesia to Singapore.

LS C&S will provide 230-kV cables for an underground transmission section, with responsibilities covering manufacturing, construction and installation.

 Per a report in The Korea Herald, the company said it is negotiating an additional contract potentially worth $105 million for more underground cable sections. It is exploring a partnership with Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, Vietnam’s state-run energy supplier, to transmit wind-generated electricity from a Vietnamese wind farm to Singapore via undersea cables. LS C&S expects the recent deals to pave the way for expansion into Southeast Asia’s cable submarine cable sector.

Norwegian aluminum producer Nork Hydro ASA (Hydro) announced that it plans to invest approximately $156 million in a new facility at its aluminum smelter in Karmoy, Norway, to supply aluminum wire for power cables in Europe.

A wire story said that the new wire rod casthouse in Karmoy will have capacity of 110,000 tons per year. “By expanding the capacity to deliver low-carbon aluminum from Norway to the EU, we help ensure that the infrastructure, the very backbone of the future energy system, supports both Europe’s security and climate policy goals,” said Hydro CEO Eivind Kallevik.

The project, scheduled for the first quarter of 2028 , is Hydro’s largest investment in Norway in 10 years. Per the company’s website, Hydro has 32,000 employees operations in some 50 countries and accounts for 40% of the aluminum produced in Europe.

ABB Installation Products has opened a new manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to serve what it called the surging demand for grid reliability solutions across the United States, only this one is not making wire and cable. It’s for related elements.

A press release said that the $40 million greenfield

facility that spans 90,000 sq f will produce ABB’s Elastimold cable accessories and Fisher Pierce circuit indicators. Those core components are used in undergrounding, fire mitigation and grid hardening projects.

“This expansion allows us to respond faster to the needs of utilities working to modernize infrastructure and meet surging demand,” said Khalid Mandri, President of ABB Installation Products. “It reflects our continued investment in U.S. manufacturing and our longstanding commitment to supporting electric providers nationwide.”

Located on ABB’s 40-acre Albuquerque campus, the new South Building doubles on-site production capacity and incorporates advanced robotics, automated systems, and digital testing technologies. It is expected to create more than 150 new full-time jobs, increasing total campus employment to over 565 — with further hiring underway.

Yangtze Optics Africa Cable (Pty) Ltd (YOA Cable) reports that it has solidified its position as the largest optical fiber manufacturer in Africa by a significant expansion investment of its manufacturing facility at the Dube Trade Port in KwaZulu-Natal, a coastal South African province.

A press release said that, working with other strategic partners, YOA Cable can now supply locally produced polyethylene product used in the manufacturing of optical fiber cable in South Africa, the first such local delivery in more than 20 years. The growth initiative will enable YOA Cable to tap into new opportunities beyond South Africa, including neighboring countries where it has previously seen success, and further enhance efforts to contribute towards the country’s skills development efforts in this highly specialized sector. 

Southwire held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 9 to celebrate the opening at the company’s new facility in Youngsville, North Carolina.

A press release said that members of the Southwire and Youngsville communities, including county leaders, Southwire customers and Southwire team members and executives, attended the ceremony held at the new facility. “We are thrilled to open this new, expanded facility, and it was an honor to celebrate with the Youngsville team as we officially cut the ribbon,” said Rich Stinson, Southwire’s president and CEO. “As North America continues to electrify, the work that is happening in Youngsville directly connects to our ability to provide world class solutions and service to our markets and customers. This plant is a strong reflection of our dedication to innovation, to modernization and to our people.”

The state-of-the-art facility will serve as the updated and expanded home for the work previously conducted at Southwire’s former Youngsville location. The footprint of the new building covers three times the square footage of the former plant, opening the door for continued operational growth.

“We are so excited about the opportunities and resources this facility will provide for our team here in Youngsville,” said Louie Shar, site leader for Southwire’s Youngsville plant. “The enhancements our team members will see in their workspace will allow us to improve our efficiency and further excel in the service we provide to our customers as we continue to grow.”

The International Wire & Machinery Association (IWMA) reports that Jonas Borgolte of FUHR GmbH & Co. KG, is its 2025 Young Employee of the Year.

A press release said that Borgolte, who joined FUHR as a mechanical engineer in 2019, rose to head of design in just three years, driving significant improvements across the company. He spearheaded the standardization of machinery design that resulted in improved efficiency, cost reductions and enhanced quality throughout the organization. He introduced CIP management and fostered a culture of innovation and operational excellence.

The award, for employees of IWMA member companies under age 30, highlights the importance of nurturing young talent and recognizing those who excel in their roles. “With rising stars like Jonas and the other finalists leading the way, the future of wire and cable looks brighter than ever,” the release said.

Barnes, a manufacturer whose product range includes fasteners, was sold to Apollo Global Management for $3.6 billion in a deal that closed in January. Now, it will see its corporate headquarters in Connecticut closed by the end of this year.

Per a press release and media reports, Barnes, long known as the Barnes Group, will close its corporate headquarters in Bristol, cutting about 28 jobs, the company said in a filing with the state Department of Labor. Layoffs will be made periodically, including June 30 and Sept. 30.

The news comes several months after Apollo Global Management acquired the Barnes Group and took the company private. Barnes Group makes precision components for aerospace and a range of other industries. Barnes Group and its predecessor, Associated Spring, have been located in Bristol since 1857.

Per its 2024 annual report, Barnes Group, as of  Dec. 31, 2023, the company had approximately 6,500 employees worldwide. Approximately 25% were in the Asia-Pacific region, approximately 45% in the European, Middle East and African regions and approximately 30% in the Americas region. 

Southwire, which this year marks its founding 75 years ago in Carrollton, Georgia, was awarded 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies® recognition by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.

A press release said that in 2025, Ethisphere recognized 136 companies spanning 19 countries and 44 industries. This marks the second consecutive year that Southwire—one of only four honorees in the electronics and components industry—has been recognized by Ethisphere.

“It is an honor to be recognized once again by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies,” said Southwire President and CEO Rich Stinson. He termed the award as “a testament to the fact that doing right is not only one of our core tenets of sustainability but a true pillar of Southwire’s culture.”

The assessment by Ethisphere requires companies to provide 240+ different proof points on practices that support robust ethics and compliance, governance, a culture of ethics, environmental and social impact and initiatives that support a strong value chain. The data are analyzed by Ethisphere’s panel of experts who spend thousands of hours vetting and evaluating applicants. 

The SPS Technologies factory in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, suffered catastrophic damage from a fire that broke out on Feb. 17 blaze.

Per multiple media reports, the fire lasted multiple days, destroying much of the 600,000-sq-ft facility. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The company has laid off 250 of its approximately 500 employees. At its peak during World War II, the plant employed over 3,000 workers but had reduced its workforce to 475 employees in recent years. The fire resulted in half of thee employees being out of work..

The plant produced nuts, bolts, washers and fasteners used in critical applications for aircraft engines, wings, fuselages, and landing gear. It also supplied fasteners for industries such as medical technology, automobile racing, marine applications and power generation.

HEXPOL, a global supplier of polymers, reports that it has signed an agreement to acquire 80% of the shares of Turkey’s Kabkom Kimya Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi (Kabkom).

A press release said that agreement was signed by Kabkom founders Erdem Eker, Özgür İpek and Bekir Güler. Kabkom, founded in 2011, was described as the largest independent cable compounder in Turkey. The company specializes in high-performance thermoplastic and thermoset cable compounds for the fast-growing cable market. Kabkom operates a new manufacturing facility outside Izmir, with 70 employees.

The addition of Kabkom, will strengthen HEXPOL’s capabilities for HFFR and cross-linked materials, allowing them to serve even better a wide selection of international and domestic customers. “With this acquisition we broaden the capabilities of the HEXPOL Group in the fast-growing wire and cable market. We look forward to continuing the successful journey of Kabkom together with the founders and we welcome them to the HEXPOL family,” said HEXPOL Group President and CEO Klas Dahlberg.

Hellenic Cables, the cables segment of Cenergy Holdings, in consortium with Asso.subsea, was awarded a turnkey contract from Réseau de Transport d’ Électricité (RTE) —the sole operator of France’s public electricity transmission network—to supply the cable for the Dunkirk Offshore Wind Farm.

A press release said that Hellenic Cables will design, manufacture and supply 32 km of submarine cables for the double submarine cable link, as well as 38 km of underground cables for the tri-phased double underground cable link, supply submarine and underground cable accessories.  The submarine cables will be manufactured at the company’s plant in Corinth and the land cables at its plant in Thiva, which is currently undergoing a capacity expansion project. The company will also perform on site jointing, testing and termination works and be responsible for the commissioning of the cable links wind farm.

The wind farm, which has a planned capacity between 500 MW and 600 MW, will feature two 225 kV HVAC export cable links which will enable the seamless transfer of clean energy to the French grid. The wind turbines will be spaced around 1 km apart to ensure that the offshore wind farm operates at optimum efficiency.  The project involves complex laying and burial operations in shallow waters.

“This project is an important step forward in supporting France’s renewable energy goals and Hellenic Cables is honored to continue its collaboration with RTE,” said Hellenic Cables General Manager Kostas Savvakis, General Manager. “Our role in the Dunkerque Offshore Wind Farm highlights Hellenic Cables’ commitment to delivering reliable and sustainable energy solutions, while fostering strong collaborations with industry leaders like RTE and Asso.subsea.”

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