Wirenet Image Band
wirenet.org mobile image band

Wire Journal News

Industry News

Germany’s SIKORA AG, a manufacturer of innovative measuring, control and sorting technologies for industries that include wire and cable, was acquired by Swiss MAAG

Group, a leading international group of companies for integrated solutions in polymer processing and part of the Dover Corporation.

A press release said that, with the news, “SIKORA gains a strong strategic partner for the future.” Founded in 1973 by Harald Sikora, SIKORA continuously developed, opened up new markets and has grown steadily. The company now has some 450 employees in Bremen and its 13 international subsidiaries, from which it offers innovative solutions and customized customer service.

“With the MAAG Group, we have found our ideal partner for the future,” said Harald Sikora, who added that he is confident that the company is in capable hands: “SIKORA and MAAG are connected by more than just a strategic goal: we share core values - innovative strength, entrepreneurial spirit, sustainable thinking and the clear pursuit of long-term success. We are therefore convinced that in the MAAG Group we have found the right partner for further growth and to continue our success story together.”

MAAG Group President Ueli Thuerig said that SIKORA’s products “address similar customer needs in resin-related markets to ours, and its offerings provide MAAG with increased exposure to highly attractive market adjacencies where we have existing industry knowledge and customer relationships.” He predicted that synergies “will generate material cross-selling benefit with a highly complementary portfolio of products and technologies, deepening our joint value proposition and integration with our OEM partners and end customers.”

The release said that SIKORA’s expertise in measuring and control technology ideally complements the MAAG Group’s portfolio in the areas of pump, filtration and pelletizing systems. The regional proximity also offers advantages: Both companies are represented with strong locations in the DACH region and are broadly positioned internationally. This results in valuable, shared strengths and the opportunity to provide customers with even more comprehensive support and offer new solutions.

Harald Sikora will remain in an advisory capacity and the partners will rely on continuity with regard to the operational management at SIKORA. The long-standing Management Board of SIKORA AG will continue to be responsible for the company’s growth story in the future.

Dr. Christian Frank, CEO of SIKORA, adds, “The partnership with the MAAG Group is a strong sign for our future: for SIKORA, for the Bremen location, and for our global team. “We have achieved great things over the past decades,” said SIKORA CEO Dr. Christian Frank. “Now a new chapter is beginning in which we can contribute our strengths and

continue to grow with MAAG. For our employees, this transaction means security, new perspectives, and the opportunity to continue our success story together.”

Space Norway and SubCom have a deal to build and deploy the Arctic Way Cable System, a high-capacity subsea network that will connect mainland Norway to two of its territories—Jan Mayen and Svalbard—that are located quite far apart.

A press release said that the 2,350 km trunk-and-branch system will be the world’s northernmost repeatered subsea cable, running entirely within the Arctic Circle between 67°N and 78°N. The system is scheduled to be ready for service by Q2 2028 and will provide critical route diversity for the region’s growing data demands, while ensuring continued connectivity for remote Arctic communities.

SubCom will manufacture the cable and supporting infrastructure at its facility in Newington, New Hampshire, and will handle installation via one of its polar-certified Reliance Class vessels. The system will feature direct landings in Bodø (mainland Norway), Jan Mayen, and Longyearbyen (Svalbard), supplementing and eventually succeeding the existing Svalbard cable system, which is expected to remain in service beyond its original 25-year design life. The Arctic Way project underscores the strategic importance of high-latitude digital infrastructure as data traffic in the Arctic continues to grow.

Space Norway’s goal is to deliver uninterrupted Arctic connectivity as existing cables near end-of-life by 2028+.The system addresses growing regional data demands from commercial, government, and scientific stakeholders.

Arctic Way builds on SubCom’s previous work deploying the original Svalbard cable system, which remains the sole telecommunications link between Svalbard and mainland Norway. That system consists of two separate optical fiber cables, each with eight fiber pairs, running from Harstad to Breivika in Andøy Municipality, and from Breivika to Hotellneset near Longyearbyen, Svalbard. The main undersea segments from Breivika to Hotellneset are 1,375 and 1,339 km long, respectively. Each cable includes 20 optical repeaters and is capable of a speed of 10 Gbit/s, with a future upgrade potential of up to 2,500 Gbit/s.

“Establishing the new Arctic Way cable system is imperative to ensure that data connectivity for the Arctic community is effective and uninterrupted for decades to come,” said Morten Tengs, CEO of Space Norway.

LS GreenLink USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of South Korea’s LS Cable & System Ltd. (LS C&S), on April 28 held the official groundbreaking ceremony at its new submarine power cable manufacturing facility on a 97-acre site in Chesapeake, Virginia.

A press release said that the company plans to invest more than $680 million in the new facility as part of its long-term global expansion strategy. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2027, with full operations beginning in early 2028. The project is anticipated to create more than 330 new jobs in its first phase, with future expansion possible.

LS C&S anticipates the U.S. subsea cable market will grow more than 30% annually over the next decade. The company said the new plant will provide end-to-end capabilities in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable manufacturing, transportation and supply.

“The construction of the LS GreenLink plant is a turning point for LS Cable & System to become a global energy infrastructure company,” said LS C&S XEO Koo Bon-kyu.

In March 2024, the project was awarded $99 million in investment tax credits under Section 48C of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, also known as the “Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit Program.” Other cable manufacturers have also qualified, including Hellenic Cables Americas, which was awarded a tax credit allocation in 2024 of up to $58 million for its planned cable manufacturing facility in Baltimore, Maryland.

In 2022, Prysmian announced similar plans to build a cable plant in Somerset, Massachusetts but canceled that in January 2025. While multiple reports cited the Trump administration’s executive orders halting new offshore wind permits as a key factor, Prysmian publicly stated that its decision was unrelated to political changes.

TS Conductor (TS), a U.S.-based manufacturer of advanced power transmission technology, will invest $134 million to build a new production facility in Hardeeville, South Carolina, that will create more than 450 jobs.

Per multiple press releases, the plant will manufacture TS’s Aluminum Encapsulated Carbon Core (AECC) conductors, which are designed as direct substitutes for traditional ACSR (aluminum conductor steel-reinforced) cables and are compatible with existing installation and maintenance practices. The new facility, located in the Clarius Park Hardeeville industrial park near the Port of Savannah, is TS’s second U.S. manufacturing site, its first being in Huntington Beach, California.

The project will be carried out in three phases. Phase one involves TS moving into a 301,275-sq-ft building within Clarius Park Hardeeville. This phase is scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2025 and is supported in part by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through its Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains. The DOE funding is part of a broader initiative to bolster domestic manufacturing capacity for critical energy supply chain needs, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines.

Future phases of the project could add up to 1 million sq ft of additional manufacturing space as demand grows. TS projects the three-phase expansion will create 462 manufacturing jobs. The AECC conductors incorporate a pre-tensioned carbon core, a seamless aluminum encapsulation layer and trapezoidal strands made from annealed aluminum. The design is intended to maximize strength, reduce thermal expansion and improve conductivity compared to conventional steel-reinforced cables. The advanced conductors are often used for reconductoring existing power cable lines, especially in applications where excessive sag is a concern, allowing utilities to upgrade capacity without replacing towers or structures.

The TS technology has been recognized with the 2024 Bloomberg NEF Pioneers Award, the S&P Global Platts Rising Star Company award and honors from Public Utilities Fortnightly and DOE. The 2023 June issue of WJI included a writeup on the DOE’s choosing TS as one of the seven companies chosen from 50 teams that entered its Stage 2 Conductivity-enhanced materials for Affordable, Breakthrough Leapfrog Electric applications (CABLE) contest. The winners got $200,000 and $100,000 in vouchers for laboratory support.

TS’s expansion comes at a time when the U.S. electric grid is facing increased demand due to the growth of data centers, manufacturing, and new energy projects. TS says its

conductors are intended to help utilities increase transmission capacity and improve grid reliability without requiring major changes to existing infrastructure.

The announcement in March was attended by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, who welcomed TS Conductor to Jasper County, and by state and local officials who highlighted the potential economic impact of the investment. “TS Conductor’s announcement showcases that cutting-edge energy companies recognize the many advantages of doing business in South Carolina,” said Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III.

In July 2024, TS Conductor raised $60 million in a growth funding round to support the expansion. 

M-TEC, the South African subsidiary of Taihan Cable & Solution (TC&S), has secured a significant power grid supply project valued at approximately $38 million.

A press release said that the project, commissioned by South Africa’s state-owned power company Eskom, calls for both medium- and low-voltage cables and overhead lines. This project is part of a larger effort to stabilize and modernize South Africa’s power infrastructure.

M-TEC, established as a joint venture by TC&S in 2000, has been expanding its footprint in the South African market by securing various projects. Last year, the company achieved record sales of approximately $85.1 million), an increase of over 33% compared to the previous year, and its operating profit also doubled. Those achievements underscore M-TEC’s growing influence and capability in the region.

Eskom’s long-term plan to replace outdated power facilities and improve transmission efficiency aligns with M-TEC’s strategic goals. The utility company plays a critical role in South Africa’s energy sector but faces challenges such as aging infrastructure and frequent power outages known as load shedding. These issues have prompted significant investments in infrastructure projects like the one secured by M-TEC.

The recent contract with Eskom positions M-TEC to participate in future bids for medium and long-term projects, potentially increasing its order volume. TC&S views M-TEC as a strategic base for entering the broader African market. The company’s investment in expanding medium and low voltage cable production facilities began in the second half of 2023 and is expected to be completed in the first half of this year, aiming for sustained growth.

The release noted that South Africa is the largest economy in Africa, with a well-established financial and industrial infrastructure. Investments in power and infrastructure have been increasing, and M-TEC will seek to leverage its local production base, contract achievements and local network to become a supply hub for power infrastructure across Africa.

Custom Wire Products (CWP) has acquired Little Falls Alloys (LFA), a wire manufacturer based in Paterson, New Jersey, that specializes in nonferrous copper-based alloys.

A press release said that LFA’s 30,000-sq-ft facility in Paterson will continue to operate under its established name. The company provides custom redraw and electroplating of wire. “The strategic acquisition enhances CWP’s production capacity, broadens its collective product offerings, and reinforces its commitment to delivering superior service to customers.”

Per the LFA website, the company stocks raw material to be drawn and its plating department can process most precious metals as well as copper and nickel. The company pioneered the production of beryllium wire in the 1940s. Many customers use its wire to make springs of all sizes and designs. Other sectors it serves include the automotive, aviation, telecom and medical device industries. CWP makes custom wire and cable.

“Over the past 80 years, Little Falls Alloys built a strong reputation for excellence and reliability,” said CWP President Jeff Lawrence. “We are excited to bring that legacy into the CWP family and leverage our strengths to provide even greater value to our customers. With Paterson as our core manufacturing hub, we are primed to scale faster, improve production efficiencies, and raise the bar on what we deliver to our customers.”

Lawrence said that the multi-million-dollar acquisition will be complemented by a significant investment aimed at driving long-term growth and impacting improvements across the business

LS Eco Energy is relocating its headquarters from Seoul to Donghae City, Gangwon State, to further its foothold in the global renewable energy market, and that focus could also lead the business—part of LS Cable & System—to establishing a manufacturing presence in Vietnam.

Per a report in BusinessKorea, the decision was approved at an April 3 board meeting to accelerate the company’s expansion into the submarine cable business, a critical component of offshore wind power infrastructure. The new headquarters will be situated at the Donghae facility of LS Cable & System, which specializes in producing submarine and industrial cables.

The relocation to the base for LS Cable & System will make it easier for the two companies to collaborate in cable design, joint project bidding and related production activities. High-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables are particularly crucial for long-distance transmission due to their efficiency. The global submarine cable market is poised for substantial growth, projected to increase from $4.9 billion in 2022 to $21.7 billion by 2029, according to market research firm CRU.

In February, LS Eco Energy officials engaged in discussions with Nguyen Hong Dien, Vietnam’s minister of industry and trade, and state-owned enterprises like PetroVietnam during their visit to Korea. These talks focused on potential cooperation in transmitting power from Vietnam’s offshore wind farms to Singapore. The company is considering joint participation with LS Marine Solutions in this ambitious project. LS Cable & System is also discussing possible options with PTS—a subsidiary of the PetroVietnam Group—for establishing submarine cable production facilities in Vietnam.

On March 26, LS Eco Energy amended its articles of association during a shareholders’ meeting to include offshore wind and energy-related businesses. This could help the company expand its portfolio in response to policy trends such as the Special Act on Offshore Wind Power and initiatives like the West Coast Energy Highway.

CEO Lee Sang-ho described Southeast Asia as a strategically important renewable energy hub. “As Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, emerges as a renewable energy hub, submarine cables are gaining attention as key infrastructure. We will accelerate our entry into the global market with the relocation of our headquarters.”

China’s Orient Cable (NBO) has reported two offshore power cable contracts, including one that it says sets an industry record for an extra-high-voltage offshore route.

NBO, which was part of a consortium with partner China Southern Power Grid, said that the project developed by Energy China calls for a 500 kV 2500 mm subsea cable system that can provide 2 GW transmission capacity. The route length is approximately 118 km, which the company notes sets a record for longest offshore distance.

“This achievement further builds on our legacy and long-lasted R&D investment ... (and can) be considered as another base to standardize 500 kV HVDC OWF technology,” the release said. The project marks “a critical step in China’s renewable energy revolution and highlights the NBO’s unmatched engineering expertise in extra high-voltage, long-length and high-performance cable systems.”

The contract follows a prior related order for a 500 kV extra high-voltage AC (EHVAC) offshore wind subsea cable for a 92-km-long cable route. The project will have a transmission capacity of 1 GW for a project in Guangdong Province, China, developed by Energy China. That project was valued at over €240M, including the two circuits 60 km 500 kV three-core export cables.

“This innovative 500 kV subsea cable is the first (such)commercial application for the offshore wind farm in the world,” the release said. This is another key milestone for Orient Cable in the high-end EHVAC power transmission technology following the successful delivery of 500 kV 1 x 1800 mm subsea cable project 500 kV HVAC interconnection project for China state grid in 2019.

In January, Orient Cable (NBO) was named as one of the suppliers to Ørsted and PGE’s 1.5 GW Baltica 2 offshore wind farm in Poland. Orient Cable will deliver 170 km of 66 kV inter-array cables for the Polish offshore wind project.

Tri Star Metals, LLC, a U.S.-based stainless and nickel alloy mill and distributor, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Siri Wire, which is based in Danielson, Connecticut.

A press release said that Siri Wire, a well-established regional stainless and nickel alloy re-draw mill with strong distribution capabilities, will continue to operate as an independent mill and distributor, led by Bryan and David Hitchcock. Bryan Hitchcock will remain president of Siri Wire and will join the Tri Star Metals Executive Committee.

The addition of Siri Wire will expand the capabilities of Tri Star Metals’ metallurgical, engineering, production, and IT teams, both for operational efficiencies and innovation. Both Siri Wire and Tri Star Metals will benefit from an expanded portfolio of products and sizes, leveraging each company’s manufacturing strengths. Further, significant capital expenditures will be allocated to implement advanced efficiencies and technologies developed at Tri Star Metals, improving product quality and performance. “This acquisition continues the tradition of integrating family-run businesses into the Bender Wire Group.”

“We are very pleased to welcome the Siri Wire team into our family,” said Jay Mandel, President and CEO of Tri Star Metals. “This strategic combination of manufacturing and distribution within the U.S. will enable us to better serve both TSM and Siri Wire’s customers. We have known the Hitchcock family for over 20 years and have always been impressed with their leadership and stewardship of Siri Wire.”

“Both my father and I are excited to join Tri Star Metals and the Bender Wire Group,” said Bryan Hitchcock, President of Siri Wire. “This partnership allows us to offer greater engineering and metallurgical support to our customers while expanding our product offerings throughout the region. Additionally, we look forward to growing our manufacturing operations and providing more opportunities for our dedicated workforce.”

“We are excited to welcome the team from Siri Wire into the Bender Wire Group,” said Ingo Bender, CEO of Bender Wire Group. “The American market has been an important part of our long-term global strategy to establish superior manufacturing and distribution capabilities near the core markets they serve.”

LS Eco Energy, a Vietnam-based cable manufacturer under Korea’s LS Cable & System, announced that it will supply power cables for a $150 million wind farm project in the Philippines.

Per a report in The Korea Herald and other publications, the company’s Vietnamese subsidiary, LS-VINA, will supply medium- and low-voltage cables for the Kalayaan 2 wind farm, a 100-megawatt project located in Laguna province, about 100 m southeast of Manila. Scheduled for completion in 2026, the wind farm is expected to provide clean energy to up to 85,000 households.

“As the Philippine government aims to raise its renewable energy share to 50 percent by 2040, large-scale solar and wind projects are actively underway, with increasing involvement from private businesses,” said an LS official.

As the largest power cable manufacturer in Vietnam, LS Eco Energy is accelerating its expansion beyond national borders. In early March, the company secured a contract to supply power cables for the Philippines’ largest internet data center, the STT Fairview Campus.

It is also in negotiations for a cross-border renewable energy project that will supply Singapore with energy generated in other Southeast Asian nations, the company said. Citing growing regional demand for power infrastructure fueled by renewable energy development, LS Eco Energy plans to actively expand its involvement in major clean energy projects across Southeast Asia.

Nexans, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of cable systems and services, has secured a major framework agreement with RTE (Réseau de Transport d’Electricité), France’s Transmission System Operator, that calls for the supply, installation, and commissioning of some 730 km of HVDC cable.

A press release said that the project will require 450 km of subsea cables and 280 km of onshore cables to support the connection of three offshore wind farms: the Center Manche 1 & 2 and Oléron, to the French transmission network. The value of the agreement was said to top

€1 billion, depending on the final quantities to be agreed upon and the subcontractors to be appointed during the next phase leading to the signature of each EPCI contract.

This landmark agreement with RTE reinforces Nexans’ role in the energy transition in Europe, said Nexans CEO Christopher Guérin. “By delivering state-of-the-art transmission solutions, we are not only supporting France’s ambitious offshore wind targets but also strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the power grid.”

In other news, Nexans reported that the company will participate as a partner in the Shift2DC project, a winner of the Horizon Europe program for research and innovation.

The Shift2Dc project aims to accelerate the adoption of Direct Current (DC) technology in both medium- and low-voltage electrical systems. By enhancing efficiency and sustainability, the initiative seeks to modernize energy distribution while ensuring the reliability of key components, such as cables, converters, micro-converters, measurement devices, and switching equipment.

Nexans’ participation in the Shift2DC project represents a major opportunity to develop cables suited for DC installations, particularly for future buildings. These solutions will incorporate advanced functionalities to ensure safety and optimal interaction with the grid.

Through R&D and pilot project experiments, Nexans is committed to designing high-performance, sustainable DC cables. This development relies on a strategic selection of polymers and formulations, optimized transit capacity management, and an eco-design approach considering conductor selection, product size, and recyclability. The objective is to optimize cable lifecycle while integrating innovations that facilitate installation and rapid on-site connections.

The first prototypes, intended for qualification phases, will be produced at the Grimsås pilot plant in Sweden. Nexans will assess the performance of the new DC cables, followed by real-world testing in pilot projects.

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 a capacity of 110,000 metric tons per year, Hydro said in a statement. “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,” Hydro CEO Eivind Kallevik said.

Per the company’s website, Hydro has operations in some 50 countries and accounts for 40% of the aluminum produced in Europe.

Contact us

The Wire Association Int.

71 Bradley Road, Suite 9

Madison, CT 06443-2662

P: (203) 453-2777