Bringing energy all around at WIRE 2018

Borealis and Borouge, leading providers of innovative, value-creating polyolefin solutions for the global wire and cable industry, will be on hand at WIRE Düsseldorf 2018 (16-20 April) to promote the launch of an enhanced solution offer for subsea and undergrounding projects. The companies will also use the event to launch new grades for flame retardant cables; showcase leading-edge Borlink™ grades for high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable technology; and highlight their innovative replacement solutions for foamed communication cables.

Borealis and Borouge also announce the successful completion of a two-year, EUR 4 million investment project in the expansion of the high voltage (HV) testing centre in Stenungsund, Sweden, and the 2018 production start for low voltage Visico™ grades at the Borouge Ruwais plant in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

New comprehensive service offer, product innovations

As leading global innovators, Borealis and Borouge anticipate the changing needs of the energy industry by discovering and developing novel material solutions – and also by introducing service innovations. A new and enhanced service offer for subsea and undergrounding infrastructure projects has been created to help customers better manage the increasing complexity of major energy infrastructure projects. The comprehensive segmentation solution across the entire voltage range offers a higher level of service and tighter focus on specific customer needs.

Below are some of the outstanding product launches and innovations on show at WIRE 2018.

• Extension of specialty flame retardant (FR) cable grade portfolio with FR4850 and FR4852: two new, halogen-free thermoplastic polypropylene (PP) solutions for wires capable of withstanding high temperatures. In vehicles, extremely robust FR cables are essential to facilitate an increasing number of functions in a safe manner (on-board entertainment, alternative powertrains, safety functions, etc.). The new FR grades offer benefits such as improved insulation for temperatures over 125°C as well as protection from wear and tear, temperature, and chemicals over the vehicle’s lifespan.
• The first material solution free of azodicarbonamide (ADCA) for use as a blowing agent in foamed communication cables: launched in 2017, the ADCA-free grade HE4883 is an innovative replacement solution developed in partnership with leading cabling solution provider Brand-Rex, Ltd. HE4883 is not only more environmentally sustainable; it also boasts even better performance and processing characteristics for data cables up to category 8 (Cat 8).
• Material evolution of Borlink™ extruded HVDC cable technology: a new record of 640 kilovolt (kV) was set in 2017 by a cable system based on Borlink™ LS4258DCE and Borlink™ LE0550DC. One pair of such HVDC extruded cables can supply enough green energy to power nearly three million households. By transmitting power from remote sources to grids more efficiently and reliably, such innovations accelerate the transformation of the energy industry.

Global investment in expertise and production

Borealis and Borouge are reinforcing their global leadership by way of ongoing investment in technological expertise and production capacity.

The March 2018 inauguration of the newly expanded, HV electrical testing centre at the Borealis Innovation Centre in Stenungsund, Sweden, marked the successful end of a two-year investment project. In total, around EUR four million have been invested to expand and equip the facility with cutting-edge testing equipment which is unique among polymer producers. The upgraded facilities offer alternate current (AC) and direct current (DC) simulation testing for the performance of commercial cable materials produced by Borealis and Borouge in the medium voltage (MV), HV, and extra high voltage (EHV) ranges.

“Borealis takes extremely seriously its commitment to long-term investment in our proprietary innovation and expertise, and we intend to build on our long and stellar track record in wire and cable,” promises Bart Verheule, Borealis Head of Marketing, Energy. “We were able to announce our Stenungsund investment at WIRE 2016, and have now come full circle in 2018. Our customers know that they can rely on us to maintain our innovation leadership in the most demanding segments of the industry.”

Borealis and Borouge are proactive in strengthening their position as reliable partners to the global wire and cable industry. The completion and commissioning in 2016 of the Borouge 3 expansion in Ruwais enables the production of Borlink XLPE compounds for the first time in the UAE. This, in conjunction with the upcoming production of Borlink high voltage (HV) and Visico low voltage (LV) grades in Ruwais, serves to increase material supply consistency into the Middle East and Asian markets.

The companies have intensified their efforts to engage and collaborate with diverse segments of the value chain in the areas of research and education.

“As a reliable global partner to the energy industry, we continue to push the boundaries to unlock value and advantage across the whole value chain,” says Roland Janssen, Vice President Marketing Centre Energy, Borouge. “By enhancing our assets through ongoing investment, expanding our offerings, and engaging with our partners and customers, we can offer a portfolio of all-round and sustainable solutions on a truly global scale.”
 
To learn more, visit Borealis and Borouge at WIRE Düsseldorf 2018, Hall 10, Stand D72, from 16-20 April 2018.