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"The new Hainan interconnection comprises four HVAC (High Voltage Alternating Current) 500 kV single core SCFF (self-contained fluid filled) cables to be laid under the Qiongzhou Strait in southern China, along a 32-kilometer route."

It has been announced that Nexans will be the first major tenant in a business park near Goose Creek, outside Charleston, S.C. The new $85 million plant will employ 200 and construction is expected to start this year with hiring beginning in late 2013. Dirk Steinbrink, vice president in charge of Nexans' High Voltage and Submarine Business Group said "establishing our Berkeley plant is a key strategic development that will enable Nexans to capitalize on the ever growing demand for high-quality high-voltage cables designed and manufactured to meet the specific needs of the major power transmission infrastructure projects in North America and worldwide in the coming years."

Nexans, a leading global cablemaking company, has been awarded a contract to design, manufacture and supply Chevron U.S.A with 42km of power umbilicals and terminations for the Jack and St. Malo oil fields in the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico. In addition to the conductor which delivers a high voltage power supply, the power umbilical, which was pioneered by Nexans, includes a number of steel tubes, fibre optic elements and signal cables for control and monitoring purposes. By eliminating the need to transport and install separate power and control lines, the power umbilical significantly reduces transportation and installation costs.

Nexans reported that it saw strong improvement in performance in H1 2011. The cable maker said that sales at current metal prices amounted to €2.3B in H1 2011, up by 8.9% y-o-y. Despite this, the company announced a pre-tax loss of €133M compared with a €5M profit in H1 2010. This was mainly attributed to the inclusion of a €200M reserve relating to an ongoing E.U. proceeding for alleged anticompetitive behaviour in the submarine and underground power cable sector. The company realised an organic growth over the period of 8.2% y-o-y and said that all business units exhibited growth, especially the Industry and Building unit. Nexans is targeting sales growth of between 5 and 7% for full year 2011.

Hellenic Cables S.A. announced the acquisition of Fulgor S.A. through a 100% share purchase. Fulgor S.A. is a producer of cables, conductors and bare copper and aluminium wire rod, with significant experience in producing value added products such as high voltage and submarine cables. Fulgor S.A.'s Soussaki Corinth plant has a production capacity of 50,000t/y of cables and conductors and 45,000t/y of copper and aluminium wire rod. Hellenic Cables believes that the acquisition will strengthen its export orientation and enrich its product portfolio.

Hitachi Cable Ltd., has set out its new medium-term management plan known as the Renewed Plan "BRIDGE" with additional management measures. The company said under the new plan, key measures for business structure reforms included; the consolidation of its domestic sales companies, regional offices and branch offices, with the consolidated company taking operational control of all its existing manufacturing companies; the withdrawal from the optical submarines cable business, restructuring of its telecommunications cable business, review of packaging materials operations and a review of its copper tubes business; consolidations and eliminations of group companies in southeast Asia and consolidation of group companies in Europe and North America by country. This is in addition to a reduction in staff at domestic companies which is expected to involve some 1200 staff. The company will also implement measures to reduce fixed expenses. This includes a review of the company's pension system, an operational review of employee facilities including company dormitories, company housing, etc., and the sale of some of these facilities. The Hitachi Group aims to boost sales in priority target areas as a percentage of net sales from 55% in fiscal 2011 to 65% in fiscal 2016.

General Cable announced that sales in terms of the volume of metals sold increased 6% y-o-y and 2% q-o-q, principally attributed to aluminium-based product shipments for use in aerial transmission projects in Brazil. Discounting the sales for Brazil's aerial transmission projects, growth in shipments to the country still increased by 9% q-o-q and 5% y-o-y. The company benefitted from Brazil and Venezuela's increased spending on electrical infrastructure, Chile's spending on construction and mining activities and also the release of industrial projects in Thailand. Volatility of metals prices contributed to some distributors and copper rod customers deferring purchases, particularly in Zambia and Chile. The company also reported stable demand from North America for electrical infrastructural projects, networking and OEM applications while Europe experienced a sequential rise in shipments of 4%, which was lower than expected due to difficult trading conditions in Southern Europe. However, European sales were buoyed by submarine and land based turnkey cable projects, which accounted for $600M.