Japan High-voltage XLPE Cable Supply to Tighten for Indoor Power Lines

Supply-demand balance of high-voltage power cable for indoor power lines is expected to become even tighter in Japan in the first half of 2008. Domestic cable makers are under full production of ultra-high-voltage power cables for power companies with no excess capacity to increase high-voltage power cables for domestic construction market. High-voltage power cables are used as indoor power lines mainly in large plants. In 2008 many electric works are expected to be ordered for domestic large plants. Japanese major electric cable makers aim to concrete the order acceptance volume and order cables to their group factories as early as possible.Supply is expected to become tighter for 6.6-kilovolt XLPE cables for indoor power lines. Sumiden Hitachi Cable, Japanese largest sales company of building power cables invested by Hitachi Cable, Sumitomo Electric Industries and Tatsuta Electric Wire & Cable, estimates their 6.6kV XLPE cable stocks would tighten in the first half of 2008 or in January earliest. Customized products take 6-12 months to start the production at a cable factory even at present. The condition is almost same at Fujikura Dia Cable, Japanese secondly largest sales company of building power cables jointly invested by Fujikura and Mitsubishi Cable Industries.High-voltage and ultra-high voltage XLPE cables are manufactured by J-Power Cable Corporation, VISCAS Corporation and EXSYM Corporation in Japan. The 3 makers continue full production since 2005 with very strong demand for ultra-high-voltage power cables from domestic and overseas power companies. Their full operation is expected to continue for next 2 years. However, the 3 makers perceive the current demand is extended by temporary factors such as equipment updating by domestic power companies and strong infrastructure investment with oil money in the Middle East. Consequently the 3 makers have no plan to expand their output capacity largely despite of rather supply tightness.