Sumiden Hitachi Cable Raises Electric Wire Shipment

Sumiden Hitachi Cable’s electric wire shipment is around 20% higher level since end of March compared with same period of 2010 when electric wire production and logistics resumed since end of March. The construction application wire sales fables maker, which is joint venture of Hitachi Cable, Sumitomo Electric Industries and Tatsuta Electric Wire & Cable, reported the delivery from the makers is only around 90% of planned delivery while the shipment is around 20% more than the delivery.

The firm said the sheathing materials’ availability is limited due to damage at petrochemical complexes by the major earthquake. The firm expects the supply could meet the demand in and after May.

The firm orders the electric wire making to 9 makers. However, the earthquake stopped the operations of Tonichi Kyosan Cable’s Ishioka plant in Ibaraki, J-Power Systems’ Hitaka plant in Ibaraki and Sumitomo Electric Industrial Wire & Cable’s Utsunomiya plant in Tochigi. Sumiden Hitachi Cable’s production capacity decreased to 50% of normal level for 600 volt cross linked polyethylene insulated power cable, to 30% level for 6 kilovolt XLPE cable and to around 60% for 600 volt vinyl insulated vinyl sheathed flat type cable temporarily.

The 3 plants resumed the operations in March. The 600 volt XLPE cable operation resumed the normal operation and the VVF cable operation resumed 80% of normal level. However, Sumiden Hitachi Cable said 6 kilovolt cable supply is around 50-60% and the supply will recover normal operation in early May.

Domestic electric wire demand surges for Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, thermal power plant, emergency power generators and temporary houses. Sumiden Hitachi Cable expects the supply would meet the demand by end of May depending on the materials supply and recover at the wire making plants.