India’s HFCL Limited (HFCL) announced that it plans to make a strategic expansion into Europe by setting up an optical fiber cable (OFC) manufacturing plant in Poland that will serve the increasing demand for OFC in European markets such as the U.K., Germany, Belgium, France, Poland, etc.

A press release said that HFCL aims to ramp up its share of exports in its OFC vertical revenue from the current 30% to 70% within the next four to five years. It noted that Europe has promising growth prospects as its OFC market is projected to experience a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 4.5% over the next five years with expected demand of 90 million fiber (mf) km by 2028. The FTTH Council estimates that some 308 million homes in the EU region will have FTTH connectivity by 2028, speeding up deployment by three to five years. “This signals a rapid expansion of FTTH networks in these areas which will lead to increased demand of OFC.”

Poland has become a favored European nation, primarily due to its attractive market access to other European nations for incentive programs and cost competitiveness. The country’s strong connectivity is further enhanced through its well-developed ports. The availability of specialized skills at relatively lower labor cost than other European nations further enhances its attractiveness of being a premier manufacturing destination.

HFCL’s plant in Poland will begin with a capacity of 3.25 mf km and be scalable up to 7 mf km, with an initial capital outlay up to about $22 million. This strategic move will enhance HFCL’s agility and reduce transit times by approximately six weeks, thereby enabling an increase in order fulfillment capacity. The operation will be incorporated via a new stepdown subsidiary in Poland under HFCL B.V.

Including its subsidiary, the company will have three modern manufacturing plants in India with annual capacity of 25 mf km. “With this strategic expansion, we are poised to align with Europe’s vision, which anticipates gigabit connectivity as a cornerstone of its future,” said HFLC Managing Director Mahendra Nahata. He noted that the venture “marks a significant milestone in the company’s journey toward global leadership in telecommunication solutions.”

NKT announced that it has won an order worth some €2.2 billion for two power cable projects and that it plans to invest in additional high-voltage capacity in Germany.

A press release said that NKT has been awarded two onshore power cable projects by Amprion, a German transmission system operator (TSO). The order calls for NKT to provide high-voltage AC and DC onshore power cable systems for the ongoing expansion of the German power grid. With the award of these two specific turnkey projects, NKT will design, manufacture and install the high-voltage power cable systems with voltage levels of 110 kV, 380 kV AC and 525 kV DC. With a combined value of approximately €1.2bn, NKT continues the positive development from 2023 and increases the high-voltage order backlog to approximately €12 billion.

The projects include Korridor-B V48, an onshore corridor project with a route length of approximately 430 km of 525 kV HVDC power cables; and Rheinquerung, which will require approximately 20 km of 380 kV AC and 50 km of 110 kV AC power cables for extension of the onshore power grid in Germany. The two projects, expected to be commissioned from 2029 to 2031, were described as “a key element in the acceleration of the Energiewende, Germany’s long-term strategy for the transition to renewable energy by 2045.”

“Contracts like the one with NKT are fundamental to driving forward the energy transition,” said Amprion CTO Dr. Hendrik Neumann. “Only if we can procure the necessary resources on the market in time, we stay on schedule and on course for project success. Korridor B in particular plays an important role in achieving our climate targets.”

Based on demand, NKT has decided to invest approximately €100 million for additional capacity at its existing factory in Cologne. The added capacity is planned to be gradually operational from 2027 and is expected to support NKT’s medium-term financial ambition of delivering RoCE above 20%.

The majority of the power cables for the two projects will be manufactured in Cologne, which is operating on renewable electricity and is located close to the installation sites in Germany. The local footprint will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the power cable systems, help create and maintain highly qualified German jobs supporting the transition to renewable energy in general and Germany’s leading position within this transition.

The Supervisory Board of LEONI announced changes to its executive board to further continuity of leadership. The company will extend the contract of CEO Klaus Rinnerberger through the end of 2027. He was lauded for helping LEONI return to operational success again following the financial restructuring in summer 2023. The Supervisory Board also extends the Executive Board mandate of Ingo Spengler as COO. His contract will now also run until the end of 2027. Dr. Harald Nippel will continue his role as a member of the Executive Board and CFO until April 2026. He will oversee and be responsible for the preparation of the financial results for fiscal 2025. The Supervisory Board reduced the Executive Board from four to three members as part of the company streamlining. Accordingly, the contract with Dr. Ursula Biernert as CHRO and labor director will not be extended by mutual agreement. She will be leaving the company over the summer to take on new professional challenges. The responsibilities previously summarized in the CHRO area will be transferred to the remaining members of the Executive Board. In the future, Rinnerberger will be responsible for HR, while the other two corporate functions, namely RCS (Risk, Compliance & Sustainability) and Real Estate, will report to CFO Dr. Harald Nippel. Based in Nuremberg, Germany, Leoni AG, is a global provider of energy and data management solutions in the automotive sector with branches throughout the world.

Amjad Abu-Ali has joined LLFlex as product manager for its wire and cable product portfolio, supporting the management, innovation and development of shielding and armoring tapes. He has more than 25 years of industry experience in the wire & cable industry, Amjad brings considerable experience and expertise to LLFlex. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, LLFlex is a leader in packaging materials and industrial laminate solutions for sectors that include wire and cable with manufacturing operations in Kentucky and North Carolina. 

WAGO has named Sy Stevens as the company’s new vice president of marketing and digitalization for the Americas. He will be leading and implementing strategic marketing initiatives across North and South America. He has a wealth of experience, having held marketing management positions at companies such as Rockwell Automation and Case IH. With operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America, WAGO, based in Germantown, Wisconsin, supplies spring pressure connection technology. 

Stherrim “Sterrin” Raymond has joined Wire & Cable Technology International (WCTI) as an editorial and production specialist. She will handle WCTI, Wire Forming Technology International and Fastener Technology International. She takes over for Jim Masar, who has retired from those magazines but will continue to edit WCTI’s Overview and FTI’s Fastener News Report newsletters. She holds a degree from the University of Akron. Based in Akron, Ohio, Initial Publications produces industry trade publications.

It’s never too early to make time to hit a bucket or two of golf balls to get in the mindset for WAI Chapter golf tournaments. As of this time, only the New England Chapter has a firm date (Sept. 9), but this section will have more details in future issues.

The collective chapter golf tournaments bring together professionals from the wire and cable industry for a day of camaraderie and sportsmanship. Beyond the obvious attraction of golfing, the events serve as an excellent platform to build new connections, exchange knowledge, and strengthen existing relationships within the industry.

Beyond that, the tournaments serve another purpose, and it’s an important one: they support the chapters that have college scholarship programs, so get out there and hit a few buckets. Until then, below are some photos from 2023.

John Markowski has returned to the Wire Association International in the newly created position of project manager of education that will play a crucial role in meeting the organization’s commitment to advancing industry knowledge and professional development.

“We’re thrilled to have John back with us,” said WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll, who noted that Markowski, the former manager of membership and social media, has a distinguished track record. He now will oversee the development of a robust training and development program geared towards empowering members with essential skills and knowledge.

“I’m on the lookout for experts to help us craft engaging and informative training modules,” Markowski said. “If you’re knowledgeable about wire and cable manufacturing, machinery operation, quality control, or any other relevant area, and are willing to share your knowledge with the industry, I want to hear from you!”

Markowski will help implement a comprehensive Learning Management System (LMS), a strategic initiative to revolutionize how educational content is delivered within the wire and cable manufacturing industry. He will focus on enhancing WAI’s educational offerings so they provide learning programs—mostly video—that directly apply to the shop floor. They will present the “how’s” and “why’s” of production processes.

Markowski will be involved in other ongoing initiatives, including the upcoming Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course at Wire Expo 2024. An Eagle Scout, he joined WAI as an intern in 2018 while attending Albertus Magnus College. He soon became a marketing associate, then two years later became manager of membership and social media. He left WAI in July 2023 and recently returned.