Italy’s Prysmian announced an expansion to the company’s optical cable manufacturing plant in Australia to help meet the needs of Telstra InfraCo, a key, long-time customer.

A press release said that Prysmian will expand the plant that is in Dee Why in New South Wales (NSW). Prysmian will enhance and increase the production of locally made state-of-the-art cable for Telstra’s intercity fiber network.

Telstra InfraCo is building an intercity fiber network in response to the ever-growing demands for fast and capable digital networks. Prysmian has been Telstra’s strategic cable partner since 1998 and over that time Prysmian has invested more than A$20 million in the NSW Australian production facility. “We are continually evolving our products and capabilities to maintain our leadership in telecom cables in the region. With comprehensive local manufacturing, product development, services and logistics backed by global strength, Prysmian is uniquely placed as Telstra’s sole strategic supplier of cable. Telstra is one of only a small number of Prysmian’s globally strategic customers.”

“The intercity fiber network project will future-proof Australia’s connectivity needs for the next 20+ years,” said Brendon Riley, Telstra InfraCo CEO. “We have already laid hundreds of kilometers of cables across the country and have commenced planning on several new fiber routes that will see all mainland capital cities connected.”

“This significant investment into Australian-based skills, R&D, and manufacturing is the result of two years of collaborative research and development,” said Frederick Persson, executive vice president digital solutions at Prysmian. “Together with Telstra, we have designed a world leading fiber optic cable that will support the current and future demand for high capacity, low-latency fiber networks in Australia.

The new fiber optic cable is 59% smaller and 54% lighter than the previous design employed across Telstra’s existing fiber network. The reduced size and weight avoid CO2 during cable production and transportation which is estimated to be approximately 35,000 metric tons over the length of the project. To support the rollout of this large project, Prysmian has invested in three key areas of production to significantly increase the capacity of the Dee Why based facility.

Belden recently marked a significant milestone in its operations in India with the groundbreaking ceremony of expansion of the company’s manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune.

A press release said that the expansion, which will add 19,000 sq m to the existing footprint, represents an investment of approximately $40 million. The expansion will result in a substantial increase in Belden’s production capabilities, allowing the company to meet the rising demands for network and data solutions. With this investment, Belden aims to strengthen its foothold in both domestic and foreign markets. Phase II of the Chakan plant will serve as a hub for delivering high-quality products for network infrastructure solutions worldwide.

Belden’s expanded facility will be equipped to manufacture state-of-the-art specialized Ethernet switches and firewalls designed for industrial and building automation, connectivity solutions and assemblies of patch cords and connectors tailored for diverse industrial applications, reinforcing Belden’s global impact.

“In India, where industrial, broadcast and enterprise markets are experiencing remarkable growth, our expansion is strategically positioned to cater to this unique opportunity,” said Nexans President and CEO Ashish Chand. “With the expansion of our facility, we are emphasizing our dedication to sourcing raw materials locally. This underscores our unwavering commitment to ‘Made in India for the World.’ With the strategic establishment of this facility, we not only strengthen our domestic roots but also envision it as a pivotal export hub.”

Dr. Chand, who joined Belden in 2002 and was named president and CEO in 2023, played a pivotal role in developing and executing Belden’s long-term growth agenda, solutions and product strategy, and go-to-market efforts. He made key contributions towards establishing and growing Belden throughout the Asia Pacific region, including setting up manufacturing in China and India.

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., has established Judd Wire Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (JMEX), a subsidiary focused on the manufacturing of tab leads for automotive lithium-ion batteries, as well as high-functionality and high heat-resistant electric wires.

A press release said that an investment project announcement ceremony was held last September by the Economic Development Bureau of the state government of Aguascalientes, Mexico, at the building of the state government, where Sumitomo Electric announced the establishment of JMEX and its business plans. At the ceremony, the governor of the state, María Teresa Jiménez Esquivel, said “I am very pleased that 300 jobs will be created. Our state was selected for its good public safety, and we will continue to make further improvements in the future.”

The establishment of JMEX, which is scheduled to be operational in 2025, is attributed to “the significant demand for high-functionality electric wires and wiring materials expected in North America due to the advancement of CASE (Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electric) in the automotive and mobility fields. We aim to contribute to the advancement of CASE and increase our presence in the North American market.”

Belgium’s Herbosch-Kiere and the U.K.’s Enshore Subsea have teamed up to buy a shallow-draft cable layer called the Topaz Installer.

Per multiple reports, the 88-m long vessel, built in 1999, is owned by the two companies in a newly created partnership entity called the Combined Marine Offshore Services (CMOS). The vessel will be renamed the CMOS Installer.

Previously owned by P&O Maritime Logistics, the vessel is currently in Singapore and after a scheduled dry dock and upgrade will make its way to South Korea to collect a cable consignment, before heading to Senegal for its first contract under new ownership. The vessel had most recently been used for development support of three offshore wind farms.

Italy’s EK Group, through its subsidiary MB Technology, announced that it has acquired ATB Srl, also based in Italy, as part of its expansion plans.

A press release said that ATB, located in Pieve Vergonte, in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, is involved in manufacturing and assembling electrical and electronic wiring, as well as creating control panels for industrial automation. It specializes in manufacturing spiral cables and molding high- and low-pressure connections.

Roberto Gallingani, president & CEO of Elettrotek Kabel SpA), believes that the acquisition of ATB will allow EK Group to expand the activities of the wiring harness division. He noted that this has become an increasingly important part of the EK Group, which has some 320 employees divided into three divisions (production of electrical cables, distribution of electrical cables and wiring).