Brazil’s Aço Cearense Group’s Siderúrgica Norte Brasil (Sinobras) has officially produced the first steel coil at its rolling mill #2 in Marabá, Pará state, Brazil.

A press release said that Sinobras invested in the new mill from Italy’s Danieli to increase its annual production capacity from 380,000 tons to 850,000 tons per year of wire rod and spooled rebar in coils. The mill features an innovative, full cantilever stand configuration with a total of 26 passes. It has 10 cantilever stands arranged in H/V configuration, followed by a series of Delta-type, fast-finishing blocks, with a 45° design, for the remaining 16 passes of the reduction sequence.

The new mill will produce wire rod from 5.5 to 16 mm, and rebar from 6.3 to 16 mm, at a maximum finishing speed of 110 m/s. The project includes a new substation and 230kV transmission line to meet the new electrical load needs of the steel producer and facilitate the use of energy from the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant, of which it is a partner as a self-producer.

Sinobras Industrial Director Milton Lima described the expansion as a transformative moment for the Group. “This achievement represents a significant milestone ... taking us to an even higher level. By doubling the size of Sinobras, we are not only expanding our operations, but we are also transforming our company into a powerhouse, generating new opportunities.

A press release said that it was scheduled to close the Chinse plant on Dec. 29, 2023, in Langfang, China, that became part of Southwire in 2016 following the company’s acquisition of Sumner. The location produced various lifts, jack stands, welding tools and more allowing Southwire to expand its tools and equipment business. That production will be relocated to third-party manufacturers.

The second plant, in Crestview, Florida, will close this year on Feb. 2. The business, previously known as American Elite Molding and acquired in 2020, produces nylon cable ties. That production will be relocated to Southwire’s facility in San Pedro Sula, Honduras to enable the organization to simplify and streamline similar manufacturing.

Prysmian Group reports that its sustainability leadership was confirmed once again in the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) after the annual evaluation of companies’ sustainability practices performed by S&P Global through its prestigious Corporate Sustainability Assessment.

A press release said that in the 2023 edition, Prysmian ranked with top score in the ELQ Electrical Components & Equipment (ELC) sector, reaching excellence (100 points) in the environmental areas of Emissions, Resource Efficiency and Circularity, Waste, and Water, reaffirming its focus and attention on these topics.

Prysmian Group Chief Sustainability Officer and Group IR Vice President Maria Cristina Bifulco said that the results confirm the company’s commitment to sustainability as well as its role as a technological enabler of the energy transition and the digital transformation. “As a leader in our industry, we also feel responsible to promote impactful ESG initiatives across the value chain and beyond, adopting policies, taking actions and setting targets that are designed to create shared value for all our stakeholders.

Prysmian notes that sustainability is a key driver, fully integrated in the Group’s long-term vision and defined strategy underpinned by measurable KPIs that constitute its climate and social ambitions for 2030. Prysmian upgraded its intermediate sustainability KPIs for 2025-2027 and confirmed its Scope 1 and 2 Net Zero target for 2035 and its Scope 3 Net Zero target for 2050.

Dominik Endler, who recently retired as global vice president customer & commercial excellence for Bekaert, has started an advisory firm— EndlerPartners—with a focus on manufacturing business-to-business companies.

Endler said that his focus is to help wire and cable manufacturers—especially mid-size companies—that often miss out on significant opportunities due to lack of “commercial performance.” He will share the expertise he gained over his nearly 18 years with Bekaert, where he was responsible for its wire business in North America, including U.S. plants in Arkansas, Kentucky and Ohio.

A German native who works out of Roswell, Georgia, Endler will advise industrial/manufacturing companies in the North American region on commercial strategy and performance. He holds a master’s degree and a PhD in business and administration. He can be contacted at tel. 770-364-2149, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and www.linkedin.com/in/dominik-endler-255a74112/.