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""We have developed several new solutions, which can provide clear weight and cost saving opportunities to manufacturers of such commercial vehicles as trucks, buses as well as agricultural, industrial and construction equipment", stated Dr Andreas Brand, member of Leoni AG's Management Board with responsibility for the Wiring Systems Division. "We are confident that we will grow our business with the CV industry by more than five per cent per year until 2025." Alternative conductors save weight and cost In terms of weight optimisation, Leoni can reduce the harnesses' weight by replacing conventional wires. Alongside copper wires with smaller cross-sections, the Company provides the CV market with a range of wires made of aluminium for the power segment, i.e. with a cross-section between 10 mm2 and 110 mm2 and even larger. Although the aluminium conductors have a larger cross-section in order to deliver the same electrical conductivity, aluminium technology results in a noticeable weight reduction. On its booth, Leoni will show its busbar, a solid aluminium conductor, which can be bent in three dimensions and weighs only about half as much as the conventional copper component. Leoni will also show various conductor solutions based on copper. These can be used where mechanical strength as well as electrical conductivity is required. For example, a copper wire with a cross-section of 0.75 mm² could potentially be replaced by a smaller wire cross section, such as a 0.50 mm² or a 0.35 mm². Thanks to the use of less conductor material, Leoni's customers can not just reduce the weight of their vehicles, but also benefit in terms of cost savings."

"Developed by Prysmian's R&D Headquarters in Italy, P-Laser technology is eco-sustainable. The HPTE insulating system of P-Laser cables uses thermoplastic materials unlike traditional XLPE cables with cross-linked polyethylene insulation. The metal used for the conductor and the outer cable screens under the protective sheath is also recyclable, making the cable 100% eco-friendly. From the efficiency point of view, P-Laser technology allows grid operators to work at temperatures above the typical 90°C as usual with XLPE traditional technology. This higher thermal performance allows them to increase the power transmission for the same conductor section, or a longer cable life at the same temperature, but above all it allows higher capability. This is particularly important in the event of emergencies, grid congestion and "N-1" conditions (disconnection because of malfunction or maintenance of an adjacent line)."

It was reported that the construction of North Hua'an Industry Group's copper semis production line has been completed. The production line is currently undergoing pre-production testing. The operation is expected to be commissioned in March 2012 and will produce 6,000t/y of copper and copper alloy wires, tubes, bars and sections.

Compared to other solar energy applications, solar cooling is a relatively new, but growing, technology. Many projects using the technology are still for the purposes of demonstration only, but a growing number of systems are being implemented all over the world for conventional use. In order to give an insight into this innovative technology, detailed information about the possible technical applications of solar cooling systems is provided in this section.\n\nPassive solar cooling, based on bioclimatic strategies such as sun protection using natural screening devices or increased cooling by using ponds or water basins o the roof or close to the external walls, is widely applied and should be the first step to take in cooling a building. Such measures are easier and less costly to implement, they decrease the need for additional cooling and, therefore, for additional energy demand (and also for investment). Sufficient insulation of the building also decreases the need for cooling, as well as for heating.\n\nIf the outcome of these measures is not sufficient in itself, a solar assisted cooling system may be an intelligent solution. In solar assisted cooling systems solar heat is used to drive the cooling process for air conditioning in buildings. Instead of using electricity, free solar thermal energy is used for cooling through a thermal-chemical sorption process.\n\n

The Copper and Brass Fabricators Council said that US imports of brass mill products in May declined by 34.9% y-o-y to 35,348,294 lbs whilst exports plummeted by 43.9% y-o-y to 16,120,361 lbs. The leading exports destination in May was Canada and most imports came from China. Imports of flat rolled products reached 6,855,548 lbs, while exports amounted to 5,671,217 lbs. Imports of tube products were 20,966,908 lbs and exports 5,259,454 lbs. Rods, bars and sections imports were 5,810,096 lbs whilst exports 3,628,657 lbs. Finally, imported alloy wire added up to 1,715,743 lbs and exports totalled 1,561,033 lbs.

It was reported that Hefei Risheng Science and Technology Co. signed a contract with Guang'an Economic and Technology Development Zone to construct a 30ktpy copper profile project in Guang'an, Sichuan province. The project, which also consists of a 100ktpy aluminium profile business, will cost 470 million yuan and is expected to generate revenues of 3.2 billion yuan and profits of 500 million yuan. In addition, the company will collaborate with Sichuan Dongyang Housing Development Co. to build 20 production lines of single crystal copper bond wire and 20 production lines of micro electromagnetic wire in Guang'an. Total investment will amount to 500 million yuan.

Mueller Industries Inc., the largest copper alloy rod, bar and section and copper tube producer in the US, expressed interest in expanding their production facilities as well as diversifying their product range. Mueller has placed a preliminary non-binding bid letter for the 100% purchase of unnamed copper producing assets based in Reading, Pennsylvania, owned by Industrias Unidas SA de CV and its subsidiary, United Copper Industries Inc. (UCI). Mueller has allocated US$35-50M in cash for the purchase. The company has also expressed interest in buying an electrical building wire manufacturing facility in Denton, Texas.

HL Technology, a listed Chinese producer of wire and cables, announced on 20th November that it plans to sell its 55% stake in Tianjin Rituo Automotive Electronics to Wang Xiang, for RMB58.6M (US$9.3M), stating that the venture had not been as profitable as expected. The company also announced it is acquiring the entire equity in a separate company, Rituo High Technology, from Rituo Automotive Electronics for RMB15M (US$2.4M). Rituo High Technology researches, designs and manufactures wiring harness components such as the wires used for signal transmission. By purchasing Rituo High Technology, HL Technology said it hopes to develop its own wholly owned subsidiary in the wiring harness sector.

Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. said that it had recently started mass production of aluminium wire harnesses, which it promised can reduce weight by 40-50% from traditional copper harnesses aiding weight reduction in automobiles. It will supply wire rods from a factory in Indonesia to manufacture and assemble the electric wires in a subsidiary in Vietnam and it will manufacture harnesses used in the door section. The news follows Furukawa's early December announcement of an agreement to acquire the automotive connector business of Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd. Furukawa said that it expected the acquisition to aid the development of new aluminium wire harness technologies and high voltage cables for electric and hybrid vehicles.

The TenneT TSO says it has started work on the large-scale expansion of the 110 kV transmission grid in the Noordoostpolder region in the Netherlands. The company added that it has started preparing land for construction at the site of a planned new substation at Ens, and on Westermeerweg near the site of the new Noordoostpolder Wind Farm. In early August, work will start at Westermeerweg on the construction of a 16-km-long underground cable to Emeloord, which will be followed by the construction of the cable section from Emeloord to Ens. Cables will be delivered later this summer. TenneT expects the first turbine of the Noordoostpolder Wind Farm to be connected to the HV grid in Q1 2014. By then, a total of 27 km of cable will have been installed.

"In addition to the improvement of the workability, the defects in the surface are removed and a defined roughness adapted to the following processing can be reached. This enables a production considerably more efficient while increasing the product quality significantly at the same time."