In what it describes as “a historic first,” Nexans reports that it has been awarded a turnkey contract valued at €1.43 billion for the section of the EuroAsia Interconnector that connects Greece and Cyprus.

A press release said that the interconnector is a critical part of a broader project to connect the grids of Greece, Israel, and Cyprus. The 525 kV high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable, which will be the longest and deepest interconnector in the world with a bi-pole length of 2 x 900 km, will run across the Mediterranean Sea floor at depths of more than 3,000 m. The subsea HVDC mass impregnated cables will be manufactured in Nexans’ facilities in Halden (Norway) and Futtsu (Japan). Installation will be done with the Nexans Aurora and Nexans Skagerrak cable-laying vessels.

The EuroAsia Interconnector will exchange up to 1,000 MW among the three nations with the capability of increasing to 2,000 MW, the equivalent to 3 million households’ average electricity consumption, and will end the energy isolation of Cyprus by creating an energy highway between Europe and Asia, it will be the largest interconnector project in history, supplying over three million homes with electricity. Pole One is expected to be completed in 2028 and Pole Two in 2029.

“This record-breaking project demonstrates our capacity to innovate and push the limits of electrical transmission and distribution to meet an ever-growing global need,” said Nexans CEO Christopher Guérin. “This is a crucial step on the path to a carbon-free economy. Nexans’ global electrification strategy is playing a key role in the world’s journey to a net zero future and we are excited that we have been selected to bring the development of the EuroAsia Interconnector to life.”

The interconnector was designated as a Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the EU, a status designed to allow the project to benefit from accelerated planning and permitting, lower administrative costs, and public participation. To qualify as a PCI, a project must also contribute to the European Union’s energy and climate goals, so that much of the electricity being shared will be from renewable and decarbonized sources. IPTO, the Transmission System Operator of Greece, was cited as having provided essential technical and operational capacity to the project.

The Prysmian Group has been awarded a new contract by Ørsted Wind Power A/S to supply inter-array submarine cables for the Hornsea 3 offshore wind farm, located 160 km off the Yorkshire coast, U.K.

A press release said that the project—subject to a final procedural confirmation from Ørsted—calls for approximately 280 km of 66 kV inter-array cables with XLPE insulation. The order from Ørsted, a repeat customer, will cover about half of the overall wind farm’s requirements.

The Prysmian Group will be responsible for the design, manufacture, supply, termination and testing of the inter–array submarine cable system that will connect the wind turbines and the offshore converter station. All the submarine cable cores will be produced at the Group’s centers of excellence located in Montereau and Gron, France, while the armoring and assembling processes will be performed at the plant in Nordenham, Germany. The cables are due to be delivered in 2026. Once constructed, the site will be able to supply green, renewable electricity to more than three million homes.

“This award reflects Ørsted’s trust in Prysmian’s capabilities to meet the increasing need of submarine cable systems to support the energy transition to smarter and greener power grids,” said Juliano De Mello, sales team manager offshore wind, Prysmian Group. “We are very pleased and proud for having been chosen again to undertake such a challenging project supporting Ørsted to meet the U.K. Government’s ambition to deliver 50 GW of offshore wind power by 2030 as part of the British Energy Security Strategy.”

In 2018, Ørsted awarded Prysmian Group the contract for the 66 kV inter–array submarine cable system for the Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm. That project connected 110 of the 165 wind turbines and the offshore substation platform.

“After working successfully with Prysmian on the Hornsea 2 project, we are delighted to work together again on Hornsea 3,” said Luke Bridgman, senior project director for Hornsea 3. “The project represents another leap forward in terms of the size and scale of offshore wind farms, and collaborations with world-class manufacturers such as Prysmian are crucial to executing the project successfully.

Kris-Tech Wire, a supplier of wire and cable to the building, commercial and utility industries, recently broke ground at its location in Rome, New York, where the company plans to expand its operations, doubling the facility’s production, warehouse and office space.

Per published reports, the Kris-Tech Wire expansion is part of a multi-year campaign to expand operations and product lines into emerging markets. “We’re excited to

continue investing in our people, customers, and community,” President and CEO Graham Brodock said in a press release announcing the project. “This expansion is a statement of our belief in our business and team, and we look forward to yet another one soon.”

When construction ends in early 2024, the Otis Street building will house several added production lines, including Kris-Tech’s recently expanded tray cable division, stocking and storage areas, training rooms and more. The expansion project will also bring a nearby production facility back to Rome. Last year, the company opened a stocking facility in Houston, Texas. A third-generation, family-owned business, Kris-Tech Wire was founded in 1984 by twin brothers Gerry and Glenn Brodock.

Hellenic Cables has been awarded a contract from TenneT for the turnkey delivery of approximately 36 km of HVAC offshore grid connection cables for offshore wind farms to be developed in zones (N-3.7 and N-3.8) in Germany.

A press release said that the project, being done in partnership with the Jan De Nul Group, is for the cabling that will connect the wind farms to the DolWin kappa converter station, from where HVDC cables transfer the produced energy to shore. Hellenic Cables will be responsible for designing, manufacturing, supplying, terminating, and testing of three 155kV HVAC grid connection cables and associated accessories.

Manufacturing is planned for 2025 in Hellenic Cables’ submarine cable plant in Corinth, Greece, and delivery is expected in Q3 2025. The Jan De Nul Group will handle the cable transportation, laying and protection works. A single cable will be installed between zone N-3.7 and the DolWin kappa converter, covering a length of 16.5 km. The N-3.8 zone will connect to the converter station by two cables, each about 10 km long.

Hellenic Cables is part of Cenergy Holdings, which itself is a subsidiary of Viohalco SA, a Belgian-based holding company that specializes in manufacturing aluminum, copper, cables, steel and steel pipes.

MW Components has acquired Western Wire Products Company (Western Wire), a wire forming manufacturer with a storied history.

A press release said that the acquisition bolsters the scope of MW Components, which is active in the spring and wire forming industry. Its holdings include Century Spring, Fox Valley Spring, Maryland Precision Spring and over a dozen other locations that produce precision metal components. 

The addition of Western Wire will result in an increased selection of stock, standard, and custom wire forms including cotter pins, hitch pins, spring pins and an array of highly engineered precision metal components. “We are thrilled that Western Wire is joining the MW Components portfolio and hope to strengthen Western Wire’s service and 100+ year history of entrepreneurship.”

The Western Wire website spells out the company’s rich history of the business that was owned by members of the Young family for more than a century before being bought out in 2016 by its CFO, Michael Basler. Below are just two innovations it cites.

Western Wire Products Company was a “family business” even before its 1914 incorporation in St. Louis, Missouri. The company’s origins date back to 1907 when the uncle of its founders invented a machine that made woven wire fabric. The patent on this machine is considered by some historians to be the original precursor to today’s chain link fence.

In 1912, family inventor Ira J. Young, under a different company name (Wire Manufacturing Products) applied for a patent on a machine for forming split pins, later to be known as Cotter Pins. That business later became part of Western Wire, which serves customers in all parts of the U.S., and exports to Europe, South America, Mexico, Asia, Australia, and Canada.

Taihan Electric Wire (TEW)N announced that it has won a significant power grid project to boost electricity service to Kuwait City, the capital of Kuwait.

 A press release said that the order from the Kuwait Ministry of Electricity and Water & Renewable Energy (MEW) is for an extra-high voltage power grid turnkey project valued at in excess of $65 million. The order calls for building an underground power grid between existing substations to help meet electricity demand in Kuwait City. TEW will supply materials such as 300 kV extra-high voltage cables and connectors, and perform power grid design, installation, connection and testing all at once.

The release noted that the bidding conditions were very stringent, and for the 300-400 kV EHV power grids, “only a handful of European and Japanese companies are qualified to bid.” It noted that TEW, which has successfully completed a number of ultra-high voltage turnkey projects ordered by the Kuwait Water and Electricity Authority, “won the project through fierce competition with leading global companies based on its project execution capabilities and technological prowess.”

In other news, the company notes that it has started construction of a factory that will be the first optical cable production corporation in Kuwait. The goal is to complete the construction by the end of the year.

Keir International, a Saudi Arabia-based business that serves multiple sectors, reported several orders for its wire and cable business.

A press release said that Keir International has secured two contracts from Saudi Electricity Transmission Company worth approximately $44.2 million for extension of high-voltage underground cables. The projects are scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2025.

The first contract is for the extension of 110 kV underground cables to connect Al Haram station within the program to strengthen the major cities in Madinah. The second contract calls for extending high-voltage underground cables to connect the West Taiba station within the Haram station as part of the Greater Cities Enhancement Program in Madinah.

In other news, KEIR International reported that it had also signed a contract worth approximately $8 million to provide a fiber optic network. The project, which is expected to take two years, is aimed at expanding the infrastructure of the fiber optic network of the Ministry of Interior by connecting sites belonging to the ministry in the regions of Riyadh and Makkah Al-Mukarramah to the network.

Elsewedy Electric KSA will be a supplier to a very ambitious project, providing low-voltage and medium-voltage cables for two 28 km tunnels that will make up part of “The Line,” part of Saudi Vision 2030.

A press release said that the setting will be Neom Mega City (NEOM), a 170-km belt will become a massive green space, offering unique hyper-connected communities that are free from cars and roads, which contributes to the reduction in carbon emissions. Located in the temperate northwest of Saudi Arabia, NEOM’s diverse climate offers both sun-soaked beaches and snow-capped mountains. Its unique location—a footprint of nearly the size of Belgium—will provide residents with enhanced livability while protecting 95% of the surrounding natural landscape.

NEOM is to be a revolutionary city, designed to inspire an alternative way of living and respond to some of the most critical global challenges urban areas face. It is committed to providing 100% renewable energy, with solar, wind, and hydrogen-based power generation ensuring that the city will be completely carbon-positive, with zero emissions.

The Line will be the world’s first zero-gravity vertical city. There will be a hyper rail line running through the city to boost travel, and these tunnels will be powered through a renewable-powered electric system making transportation far more efficient and reliable. With no roads, cars or emissions, it will run on 100% renewable energy and 95% of land will be preserved for nature. People’s health and wellbeing will be prioritized over transportation and infrastructure, unlike traditional cities.

Only 200 meters wide, but 170 km long and 500 m above sea level, The Line will eventually accommodate nine million people on a yet-to-be built footprint of just 34 sq km. Of note, that population in that space would equal an average population density of 260,000 people per sq km, whereas Manila, the world’s most densely populated city in 2020, had a density of 44,000/sq km.

“This will mean a reduced infrastructure footprint, creating never-before-seen efficiencies in city functions. The ideal (year-round climate) will ensure that residents can enjoy the surrounding nature. Residents will have access to all facilities within a five-minute walk, in addition to high-speed rail, with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes.”

The concept is fueled by $500 billion from the Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and local and international investors. NEOM will become a community powered by talent and diversity across 14 sectors.

Leoni, a global provider of energy and data management solutions in the automotive sector, plans to extend its production capacities in Morocco.

A press release said that the German company will build an additional plant for wiring systems, in Agadir, that will focus on the commercial vehicles segment. The plant should provide 3,000 new jobs. The company recently signed agreements for several investment projects with Moroccan representatives.

In Agadir, Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch presided over the signing ceremony of two memoranda of understanding and a framework agreement for the implementation of six investment projects. Leoni will enlarge its existing nine plants in the Casablanca-Settat region as well as establish a new facility in Agadir, thus creating more than 7,000 new jobs by 2027. The additional wiring systems plant in the Agadir industrial acceleration zone will provide 3,000 jobs in administration, engineering and production.

“I am very pleased about the agreement between our company and the Moroccan government,” said Ingo Spengler, Leoni’s COO and a member of the Executive Board. “Leoni will seize the opportunity to expand its footprint in the county, which provides favorable conditions in terms of availability of skilled workers, competitiveness and logistics. The state of Morocco, in return, is developing the industrial sector being the main pillar of the national economy.”

The new plant will specialize in producing wiring systems for the Commercial Vehicles segment, one of the growth fields of the company’s Wiring Systems Division. Leoni is supplying a growing number of truck and engine manufacturers with harnesses and associated components as well as off-road sector including agricultural, construction and industrial vehicles.

Germany’s Kocks Group reports that Yantai Walsin Stainless Steel Co., Ltd., has begun manufacturing with its new RSB® 370++/4 mill whose capacity will be used for multiple products and applications and as a feeder for a wire rod line.

A press release said that the new sizing block represents the latest advancement in long product production technology and is designed to deliver superior surface quality and dimensional accuracy while reducing operating costs over the entire mill line.

Production has begun at Yantai Walsin, which is a subsidiary of Walsin Lihwa, a Taiwanese manufacturer of specialty steel. The corporation has a long customer history, having installed the very first Kocks Reducing & Sizing Block in 1991, as well as a RSB 500 Intermediate Block and a recently installed RB 500++/4 at the company’s rolling mill in Tainan, Taiwan.

The new Kocks RSB 370++/4 sizing block for Yantai Walsin has four 3-roll stand positions for optimal deformation behavior and yield strength and is part of a newly built rolling mill for SBQ products in Yantai, Shandong province. It is positioned after 20 stands in H/V arrangement. The sizing block from Kocks finishes round dimensions from 18 to 100 mm, hexagonal dimensions from 18 to 80 mm and feeders for the wire rod line.

In addition to the machine, Kocks supplied the roll-shop equipment and its proprietary software solutions. The advanced block enables a new level of efficient production at Walsin Yantai. The RSB is equipped with the measuring gauge 4D Eagle® and connected to Kocks’ Size Control System (SCS®) which allows real-time adjustments of the operating parameters of the rolling block. This ensures transparent process monitoring and the quickest possible adjustments whenever necessary.