Russian cable manufacturer expands in Siberia

Tomsk, Siberia- Russian cable manufacturer Sibkabel has raised production of its recently launched rubber compounding plant in Tomsk, Siberia to around 400 tonnes a month.

The company, which uses the compound for insulating and sheaths for cable and wire products, reported it has developed 30 formulations and achieved plant output in the first year of 3.500 tonnes.

Late last year, Sibkabel turned out a pilot batch of granulated compound based on ethylene-propylene rubber (EPM) with improved fire resistance. This is being used to produce insulated power cables, including halogen free products, according to the firm.

Sibkabel, part of the Russian Cable Alliance Holding Corporation of Yekaterinburg, invested almost €9 million to add the 6,000 square-metre rubber compounding unit at its Tomsk site. It is capable of producing up to 6,000 tpa allowing the firm to supply third-party customers.

The new plant will allow the company to turn out quality cable, internationally competitive and capable of meeting the demands of fire resistance, extremely low temperatures and the   other aggressive environmental conditions.

Sibkabel is investing in quality control at the compounding plant with the addition of a €50,000 Taiwan-supplied rheometer to determine the characteristics of vulcanisation. The new equipment will help it accelerate development of fresh compound formulations while improving material already developed, said the company.

Sibkabel now aims to use its new insulating compounds to grow potential new markets for its cable products.