Superior Essex Inc. has signed an agreement to purchase Lacroix + Kress GmbH, a leading oxygen-free copper (OFC) drawing manufacturer in Europe, from Mutares SE & Co. KG.

A press release said that the strategic acquisition further solidifies a commitment by Superior Essex to the growing EV market. OFC, it noted, is a key component in electric vehicles (EVs). The deal will allow Superior Essex to create vertically integrated operations in Europe between its magnet wire businesses and a joint manufacturing site in Bramsche, Germany. A second plant in Neunburg vorm Wald, Germany, will also expand the specialty wires offerings. The two plants have approximately 250 employees.

“This is an exciting investment into not only the future but also the present,” said Klaus Borstner, president of Essex Furukawa Magnet Wire Europe, Essex Energy Italy and Global IVA Enamels in Europe and China. He believes the acquisition will create synergy between the plants and more rapidly advancing innovation for the automotive, energy, and industrial industries. “Having the two plants share a location in Bramsche can immediately improve efficiencies, and increase innovation, while the new location in Neunburg vorm Wald allows us to expand our product portfolio. ... We believe that this acquisition will help add value to our existing customers as well as create new opportunities as we honour the existing relationships that originated with Lacroix + Kress.”

The sale of Lacroix + Kress to Superior Essex follows Mutares’ exit strategy to find the best new owner. “We believe that Superior Essex can leverage significant synergies not only due to the already strong business relationship between the two companies but also due to their shared local presence in Central Europe,” said Johannes Laumann, CIO of Mutares SE & Co. KGaA.

Both Superior Essex and Lacroix + Kress were previously affiliated through a European Joint Venture with Nexans in 2005. This acquisition brings the two companies once again under the same ownership. The transaction is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2023.

The executive committee of the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI) announced that it has canceled its Metal Engineering eXpo event, which had been scheduled for Sept. 12-14, 2023, at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A press release said that SMI has entered into an agreement with the Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers, Inc. (CASMI) to combine their trade shows in 2024. The combined CASMI SpringWorld and the SMI Metal Engineering eXpo will now take place Oct. 2-4, 2024, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. The 2024 event will combine the strengths of the two associations into one trade show for the good of the industry where SMI provides technical education and CASMI provides the venue.

“In light of the recent decision to combine the shows, we made the decision for the good of the industry to cancel our show so we can put all our energy and resources toward the event in 2024,” said SMI President Gene Huber, Jr., of Winamac Coil Spring.

SMI had been scheduled to host the next ISO/TC227 meetings on Sept. 14-15, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada, in conjunction with the 2023 Metal Engineering eXpo. SMI will continue to host the meetings with a date and location to be announced soon.

SMI serves as the technical advisory group to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for ISO/TC227. The role of the U.S. delegation is essential to ensure that the interests of American spring manufacturers, designers, and consumers are represented in international standards development.

Exhibitors who reserved space for the eXpo will receive a refund for any payments made.

América Móvil and Telxius announced that they will deploy a new subsea cable linking Guatemala and the United States that will be supplied by ASN.

An announcement said that the cable, named “AMX3” by América Móvil and “Tikal” by Telxius, will be a high-capacity undersea cable that connects Puerto Barrios in Guatemala with Boca Raton in the U.S., with an additional possible landing in Cancun, Mexico. The line will feature an initial estimated capacity of 190Tbps and will serve a key route in the Caribbean with reliability and security, the companies said in a release. It should be operational in 2025.

The supply contract is already in force with ASN and will offer options to increase capacity and to incorporate additional branching units to serve other destinations.

For América Móvil, the project is a new step to build a substantial subsea network in the Americas, delivering a capacity through more than 197,000 km, including the AMX-1 submarine cable that extends 18,300 km and connects the U.S. to Central and South America with 13 landing points.

South Korea’s Taihan recently announced that it has completed the development of a 500kV LCC (Line Commutated Converter) XLPE HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) land cable system and obtained internationally accredited certification.

A press release said that 500 kV is the highest voltage for deployed LCC XLPE HVDC cable systems. Taihan is the first South Korean company to accomplish KEMA international certification and the second in the world after Japan to complete KEMA internationally accredited certification for 500 kV LCC XLPE HVDC cable.

By obtaining the certification, Taihan is officially recognized for its technology and stability while at the same time securing an opportunity to participate in large-scale projects. This certification has high significance in that the test was conducted by applying technical specifications higher than international standards, so the cable can be immediately used in large-scale HVDC projects scheduled to be conducted in Korea.

Further, Taihan also succeeded in the KEMA international certification test for the VSC (Voltage Source Converter) 500 kV HVDC cable. As a result, Taihan is equipped with technical capabilities for all conversion methods, such as XLPE LCC and VSC, including the 500 kV MI-PPLP HVDC developed in 2017, which allows Taihan to be able to respond to the market actively.

“It is very encouraging that Taihan has been recognised for its HVDC technology through international certification at a time when the global demand for long-distance transmission and the spread of new and renewable energy sources are becoming active,” said Taihan President
Na Hyeong-gyun. “We will actively seek business
opportunities in projects that are in full swing in Europe and the United States, etc., as well as participating in large-scale HVDC projects scheduled to be carried out
in Korea.”