Ilva, a one-time giant Italian steel manufacturer, now called Acciaierie d’Italia (ADI), was formerly known as Ilva, with product lines that included wire rod. Below is an update on its recent status based on multiple media reports, including past WJI stories, but it starts with a brief look at its early days,

Ilva, founded on Feb.1, 1905, as Società Industria Laminati Piani e Affini (ILVA) in Genoa, Italy, had a long and successful run as a steel maker before encountering significant problems. Its heyday spanned several decades, particularly from the 1960s through the 1980s. In 1965, ILVA inaugurated its crown jewel: the Taranto steelworks, which became Europe’s largest steel plant. At its peak in the 1970s, the Taranto plant alone annually produced more than 17 million metric tons of steel and employed around 40,000 people, representing about 16% of Taranto’s population.

The company’s prosperous period lasted for about three decades, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s. In 1995, the Riva Group purchased ILVA from the Italian government, marking the end of its state-owned era and the beginning of a troubled period that would eventually lead to environmental and financial crises.

In 2012, the Italian court ordered Ilva to upgrade its production line to meet regulatory standards due to concerns about pollution harming people’s health. This decision came after prosecutors sought to close the steel mill following an inquiry into abnormal rates of cancer and respiratory diseases in the Taranto area.

Despite attempts to keep the plant running while improvements were made, Ilva continued to struggle. By 2024, the company was grappling with rising energy costs and weak demand, leading to reduced production and financial difficulties. This situation ultimately resulted in ADI being placed under state-led administration.

As of February 2024, Acciaierie d’Italia has been placed under the control of commissioners appointed by the Italian state. On Feb. 29, 2024, the Milan Bankruptcy Court declared a state of insolvency for the business, citing a debt of about US$3.37 billion as of Nov. 30, 2023. Prior to this, ADI was 62% owned by ArcelorMittal and 38% by Invitalia, a state-owned investment agency.

The company has faced ongoing financial difficulties due to increases in energy prices and a drop in rolled-steel coil prices. In early January 2024, ArcelorMittal initiated bankruptcy procedures, seeking special administration to allow ADI to reorganize its debts and obligations. The Italian government has taken steps to address the situation, including creating a guarantee fund for small- and medium-sized enterprises affected by ADI’s financial troubles. This recent development is part of a long history of financial struggles and environmental controversies surrounding the company, particularly its Taranto steelworks.

ADI has been in the middle of a bidding process for its acquisition. The company received 10 offers by the Jan. 10, 2025 deadline, with three bids for the entire business and seven for individual assets. The front runners for acquiring the whole company are Baku Steel Company (in consortium with Azerbaijan Investment Company), Jindal Steel International, and Bedrock Industries Management Co., Inc.

Today, ADI’s Taranto plant, Europe’s largest steel facility, continues to operate at reduced capacity. Some 10,000 people are still considered employed by the company, commissioners have requested a 12-month extension of temporary layoffs starting in March 2025, affecting 3,420 employees, with 2,955 specifically from the Taranto steel mill.

Tele-Fonika Kable (TFK) and the Industrial Development Agency (ARP) of Poland signed a letter of intent on Jan. 28, 2025, to collaborate on projects aimed at advancing the development of Offshore Wind Energy (OWE) in Poland, with the focus that will include not just cable but building a cable laying vessel.

A press release said that the agreement sets out plans for the construction of specialized Cable Laying Vessels (CLVs) designed for the installation and maintenance of subsea cables, which are critical to the operation of offshore wind farms (OWFs). The plans also include the development of support vessels to facilitate servicing and operational activities in the Baltic Sea, as well as in other regions such as the North Sea. The investment will prioritize the use of local resources and expertise (local content), enhancing the role of Polish shipyards and domestic businesses in the global supply chain.

The project will be carried out through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) that will oversee the construction of installation and service vessels, ensuring they meet the highest technological standards and align with sustainable development principles. The collaboration will also involve the exchange of knowledge, data, and analyses to support effective planning and implementation.

The signing of the letter of intent represents a significant step towards building a robust foundation for Poland’s Offshore Wind Energy sector, while strengthening the position of Polish businesses in the global market for specialized maritime services. This partnership is expected to deliver substantial economic and technological benefits, supporting the energy transition and solidifying Poland’s leadership in renewable offshore energy.

In a bold move that will grab headlines for years to come, Meta Platforms Inc. has announced plans to construct the world’s longest subsea cable system, called “Project Waterworth,” that would connect five continents with over 50,000 km of fiber optic cable.

Per Meta statements and multiple media reports, Meta is going far beyond its social media roots to invest heavily in global connectivity. As the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Meta’s services already account for a substantial portion of global internet traffic—10% of fixed and 22% of mobile usage.

Project Waterworth is designed to link key regions including the U.S., India, Brazil and South Africa. Meta describes it as a “multibillion-dollar, multi-year investment” aimed at bolstering global connectivity and supporting technological advancements, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence.

The cable will use the 24 fiber-pair technology that Meta states will provide “industry-leading connectivity” that supports the growing demands of AI and other data-intensive applications. If the project goes forward as envisioned, it will be a long time before the cable suppliers are named, and expectations are that multiple suppliers would be needed. Meta, which is part owner of 16 existing networks, has had prior projects supplied by Alcatel Submarine Networks and SubCom, LLC.

Google and Microsoft have also been involved in similar, albeit smaller-scale, subsea cable projects in recent years through dozens of consortium projects. What has drawn much interest is Meta’s decision to solely own and operate this cable. A timetable suggested that it could happen as early as 2030, which is amazing given the inherent delays many much smaller projects encounter.

The project faces significant challenges, such as the shortage of specialized vessels that are required for cable laying. Environmental concerns and regulatory hurdles across multiple jurisdictions also present potential obstacles.

Meta has stated the case for the project’s potential impact. “Project Waterworth will foster enhanced economic collaboration, promote digital inclusivity, and create pathways for technological advancement in these areas,” the company stated in its announcement.

Southern Cable Group Bhd announced that it recently secured a significant contract from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), Malaysia’s largest electricity utility company, for underground cables and conductors.

A press release said that on Feb. 19, 2025, the company announced that it had been awarded contracts worth approximately $90.8 million. The contract spans one year and includes an option to extend for an additional year at the same contract price.

Southern Cable Managing Director Tung Eng Hai said that the cable will be provided to support TNB’s development initiatives, including grid expansion, renewable energy integration, and modernization efforts. The growing demand for cables and wires across various sectors, including data centers, manufacturing, construction, and infrastructure, presents significant growth opportunities for the company. Founded in 1993, the company has some 600 employees.

This new agreement builds upon Southern Cable’s previous successes with TNB. In July 2024, the company had secured a $22.4 million contract from TNB, which at that time increased their total ongoing supply agreement with TNB to $193 million.

Southern Cable has been a supplier to TNB for more than 20 years. It is a significant player in Malaysia, with annual production capacity of nearly 47,000 km of wire and cable. It focuses on power distribution, telecommunications, and construction, and while it primarily serves the domestic market, the company has been expanding its international presence, including sales to the United States.

American Wire Works announced that it has acquired Ace Metal, Inc., a family-owned manufacturer of metal spools and tubular wire carriers based in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania.

A press release said that Ace Metal, established in 1946, has nearly 80 years of domestic manufacturing expertise, and will fit well with the direction of AWW, which supplies essential wire solutions to industries such as aerospace, defense, energy and infrastructure. The strategic acquisition strengthens AWW’s capabilities in domestic production and enhances its ability to provide high-quality, timely, and personalized service to customers, it said.

“By bringing Ace Metal into the AWW group, we are strengthening U.S.-based manufacturing and enhancing our ability to innovate within the wire industry,” said AWW President/Owner Phil Fusacchia. “This acquisition builds on our investments in modernizing operations and improving service, allowing us to better support our clients and industry partners.”

The acquisition will enable AWW to expand its product offerings and optimize manufacturing processes by leveraging Ace Metal’s expertise in metal spools and wire carriers. With decades of experience using these products in daily operations, AWW is uniquely positioned to innovate and develop even more tailored solutions for its customers.

Ace Metal Inc., which will again exhibit at Interwire this year, will now be called Ace Metal Works, and continue operations at its current location in Clifton Heights. AWW has retained Ace Metal’s skilled workforce. Fusacchia said that he plans to be at Interwire.

Established in 1940, American Wire Works manufactures and distributes industrial wire products, serving industries such as agriculture, aerospace, mining, energy, marine, insulation, and defense sectors. 

The ADC Consortium recently celebrated the inauguration of the Asia Direct Cable (ADC), an ambitious project that saw NEC both manufacture and install the cable that is approximately 10,000 km long.

Per press releases and multiple industry reports, the ADC connects several key locations across East and Southeast Asia, including China (Hong Kong SAR and Guangdong Province), Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. ADC has multiple pairs of high-capacity optical fibers and is designed to carry more than 160 Tbps of traffic, enabling high-capacity transmission of data across the East and Southeast Asian regions.

“This new cable marks a significant milestone, providing a vital foundation to support the ever-growing communications needs of Asia and the world,” said Koji Ishii, MC Co-Chairperson of the ADC Consortium. “The milestone represents the culmination of our efforts to overcome numerous challenges, made possible through steadfast collaboration and partnerships with esteemed stakeholders from various countries, including NEC. We are confident that this cable system will significantly contribute to the development of the AI industry in the Asia region.”

“NEC has earned the trust of its clients, and the consortium is extremely satisfied with the successful completion of this cable,” said Billy Li, MC Co-Chairperson of the ADC Consortium. “It offers the greatest cable capacity and essential diversity required for Asia’s major information hubs, enabling telecom carriers and service providers to optimize their network and service planning for sustainable growth.”

“NEC is honored to have taken part in this prestigious project, which will support increasingly bandwidth-intensive applications driven by technological advancements in 5G, the cloud, the Internet-of-Things and Artificial Intelligence,” NEC Corporation Senior Vice President Tomonori Uematsu said in a press release. “We thank the consortium for their partnership and for helping us to push the boundaries of numerous challenges to bring this project to fruition.”

NEC has been a leading supplier of submarine cable systems for more than 60 years, and has built more than 400,000 km of cable, spanning the earth nearly 10 times. NEC’s subsidiary OCC Corporation manufactures optical submarine cables capable of withstanding water pressures at ocean depths beyond 8,000 meters.

The ADC Consortium includes leading communications and technology companies NT (Thailand), China Telecom, China Unicom, PLDT Inc., Singtel, SoftBank Corp., Tata Communications and Viettel.

Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) has won an order for submarine cable from the Ooredoo Group to build what was described as “one of the largest international submarine cables” in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region that includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.

A press release said that the project, called the Fibre in Gulf, will connect the GCC countries and Iraq. The length of the cable was not specified, but several estimates put it at about 2,000 km. The project, scheduled for completion in 2027, will provide GCC countries with a low latency, shorter and secure route to a new corridor, connecting Europe with up to 24 fiber pairs and a capacity of up to 720 Tbps. The project will “significantly enhance regional connectivity and solidify Ooredoo’s leadership in digital infrastructure.”

ASN CEO Alain Biston said his company was honored to be chosen for the project. He said that it is a “game-changing initiative that will mark a turning point in regional connectivity across the GCC.”

Ooredoo noted that it has been cementing its position as a leading digital infrastructure provider in the region through its work in AI, data centers, submarine cable systems, fintech and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.

Ooredoo Group CEO Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo said that the project aligns with his company’s ambitious strategy to position itself as a key player in addressing the rapidly growing data demand between Asia and Europe.

Last year Ooredoo Oman signed an agreement to land the 2 Africa Cable System in Barka and Salalah in Oman. Of note, the initiative also comes at a time when several regional telecom companies are launching projects to connect Africa, Europe and Asia, partly due to rising security concerns following attacks in recent years.

A press release said that the addition will bolster Marmon’s operation. “With our recent opening of the Hooksett, New Hampshire, marine power cable facility and this strategic acquisition of Marine Tech, we will be able to provide our customers with increased capacity, shorter lead times, and a full offering of cables to support our military and the U.S. Navy ship builders,” said Marmon A&D President Charles Clement.

Based in York, Pennsylvania, Marine Tech is a manufacturer of electrical wire and cable that specializes in the production of circuit integrity cable for use in U.S. Navy ships. Its product lines include offering power, specialty, lightweight, low smoke, silicone, and watertight circuit integrity cabling for mission-critical shipboard applications. Its multiconductor cables are used in ships, oil drilling platforms and other industrial applications that require high performance in challenging environments. The company was co-founded in 2000 by Mark Lindsay and Kosta Kontanis, and began operations with four employees in a 30,000-sq-ft facility in York, Pennsylvania. In 2004, it moved to a larger location in York where it leases 50,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space and has more than two dozen employees.

“We are excited to welcome Marine Tech to the Marmon family. Their expertise in the design and manufacturing of circuit integrity cable will align perfectly with our current shipboard product line and will allow us to support all major Navy ship contracts.” said Robert Canny, senior vice president of Marmon A&D Group.

“This acquisition is an exciting new chapter for Marine Tech, and we are eager to join Marmon. With our combined capabilities, we will bring a new level of value to our customer base,” said owners Mark Lindsay and Kosta Kontanis. Both men will be staying with the business and working to support continued growth.