Bottlenecks Remain in Wide Use of Aluminum Alloy in Wire & Cable Production

SHANGHAI, Sept. 26 (SMM) – The State Grid Corporation of China has included aluminum alloy wire and cable in its plan for promoting new technologies, according to a list it released lately.

However, some industry insiders interviewed by SMM at the 6th All China International Wire & Cable Industry Trade Fair held September 24 said bottlenecks remain in wide use of aluminum alloy in wire and cable production.

The absence of national standards for aluminum alloy wire and cable may still be the biggest obstacle.

Although detailed requirements for aluminum ally conductors and alloy rods have been issued, market player have waited long for release of national standards for aluminum alloy wire and cable which are still nowhere in sight.

“There are hundreds of companies capable of producing aluminum alloy wire and cable in China, but less than 10% of them are able to produce wire and cable meeting international standards or higher requirements in China,” a source familiar with the development of the national standards told SMM, “This has posed difficulties for compiling of common standards.”

Furthermore, industry insiders revealed that aluminum alloy wire and cable can be applied in only high-voltage or ultra-high-voltage grids (≥ 10-35KV), and may not replace copper wire and cable in low-voltage AC system.

In this context, consumption of aluminum alloy wire and cable has been limited in recent years and producers mainly supplied goods to regular clients, curbing the growth in aluminum wire and cable capacity.
 
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