Hitachi Cable Triples Capacity of Continuously Transported Cable

Hitachi Cable announced on Monday the firm tripled the production capacity of continuously transported cable at Hitachi Magnet Wire Corp., the subsidiary to produce magnet wire headed in Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Continuously transported cable is one of paper-insulated magnet wires mainly applied to coils inside large-size transformers. Hitachi Cable decided the capacity expansion when the demand increase is expected in Japan. The firm newly introduced stranding equipment to assembly conductors side by side and enamel coating equipment for rectangular conductors. These facilities will start commercial operations within March.

Continuously transported cable is consisted of several or several ten rectangular enamel wires transported side by side per certain pitch and overwrapped by insulating paper. The product enables easier coil winding and less current loss, which is suitable for coils in high-voltage and large-size transformers.

Large-size transformers are usually installed in substations or large plants. Many of the transformers were installed during 1960s-1980s in Japan. These transformers need to be renewed after the used of 30-50 years. Domestic demand for continuously transported cable is expected to increase along the renewals.

The consolidated revenue of Hitachi Cable’s magnet wire business is forecasted at 50.2 billion yen in fiscal 2009 ending in March 2010, minus by 36% year-to-year. Hitachi Cable and Unimac are major suppliers of fiber or paper covered enamel wires in Japan.