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Rea Magnet Wire has announced that it will lay off the 75 staff employed at its Las Cruces plant located in the West Mesa Industrial Park and suspend production. This is expected to take place by February 2009, however, it depends on the work commitments of the plant. The company produces copper, aluminium and brass insulated magnet wire and bare wire, supplying motor, transformer and coil manufacturers. Rea's workforce in North America exceeds 1,000 staff. The decision to close the plant is attributed to weakening demand for magnet wire in the US. As a result of poor market conditions, the company cannot continue to operate at limited capacity. Rea Magnet reported that the decision is not permanent and it hopes to reopen the plant as long as the market circumstances permit so.

Furukawa Electric has reported a recent improvement in its magnet wire production, and plans a monthly production in fiscal 2009 (ending March 2010) of 1,500 tonnes of enamelled wire and 85,000 km of triple insulated magnet wire; this is 70-75% (for enamelled wire) and 80-85% (for triple insulated magnet wire) of the peak levels produced in April-September 2008. Enamelled wire production could reach 1,700-1,800 tonnes per month in October 2009-March 2010. Furukawa Electric's domestic magnet wire production is being consolidated into its Mie Works in order to cut costs; production at its Hiratsuka Works will transfer to Mie within 2009.

Recently I came across a May 2009 presentation published by the US Department of Energy's [DoE] Ames Lab, on a new mixed rare earth-based [MRE-Fe-B] permanent magnet [PM] alloy, for high temperature applications. The work forms part of the DoE's multi-year FreedomCAR project, with a number of specific goals: * Production of magnet materials for PM motors, capable of operating at 150-200 °C [300-390 °F] and for up to 15 years;

Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. announced that its magnet wire producing subsidiary Furukawa Magnet Wire has co-developed a rectangular magnet wire with a voltage resistance of up to 1,400-1,500V. The higher voltage rating and shape factor is believed to make the cable suitable for motors within small hybrid energy vehicles (HEVs) or electric vehicles (EVs). The company is supplying Toyota with this magnet wire for use in its 'AQUA' HEV. Furukawa will expand monthly production at its plant in Mie, Japan by 50% to 300t in this fiscal year to meet demand from rising production of AQUA and to supply other HEV/EV manufacturers.

"If successful, Northeastern's meteorite-inspired magnets would contains no rare earth minerals and could help power a renewable power generator or an EV motor better than today's best commercial magnets. "

Nexans won a contract to supply most of the power, control and data cables in a project of Bombardier Transportation involving the construction of 27 passenger locomotives for the New Jersey Transit Corporation. The cables will be used in the production of the ALP-46A locomotives, developing a technology that Bombardier has been applying since 2002. Nexans cables meet the required technical specifications for fire resistance and efficiency, and they will be produced in the company's plants in Nuremberg and Monchengladbach, Germany. Delivery will start in April 2009. As Global Segment Manager for Rolling Stock Dietmar Steinbach reported, ''the main factors that persuaded Bombardier Transportation to place this major contract with Nexans are our proven capability to design, develop and deliver on-time and throughout the world a complete range of special cables to meet virtually any rolling stock requirement.''

Essex Group Inc., a subsidiary of Superior-Essex Inc., announced the acquisition of the magnet wire sale and distribution assets of Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. (FEC) and American Furukawa Inc. Magnet wire is produced out of copper or aluminium and is used largely by the motor and electronics industries. The product is becoming increasingly popular due to its applications in the manufacture of electric motors for the hybrid vehicle market.

"Superconducting magnets, particularly those used in science, research, and technology development and healthcare applications, dominate the market. The healthcare segment is presently the largest market for superconducting applications, accounting for 63% of the global market in 2013 led by the superconducting magnets used in MRI scanners. However, superconducting electrical equipment segment (e.g., transformers, generators, motors, fault current limiters (FCLs), power storage, current leads, and cable) is expected to capture over 36% of the market by 2019. Superconducting electronics are also anticipated to gain significant market share over the next five years"