Nexans and Niehoff partner to develop, install and operate the first next-generation rod breakdown line

• The next-generation rod breakdown line is the first in operation in Nexans factory of Lens in France
• The new state-of-the-art line allows an optimized production speed resulting in reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions
• Capitalizing on 50 years of long-lasting collaboration and partnership, Nexans renews its trust in Niehoff for the supply of ground-breaking machines

Paris / Schwabach, September 24, 2024 – Niehoff, one of the world’s leading supplier of wire processing equipment, partners with Nexans, a leader in the design and manufacturing of cable systems and services, to develop and install the first next-generation of rod breakdown line in operation in the Group’s factory of Lens in the North of France.

After 50 years of long-lasting collaboration and partnership, Nexans renews its trust in Niehoff for the supply of ground-breaking machines.

The state-of-the-art line allows an optimized production speed that enables to achieve significant savings of 35 kW/h/t produced [1], resulting in reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The machine's new generation motors and the new annealing technology [2] will allow Nexans to reduce the energy consumption of this production process by 25%, equivalent to 840 tons of CO2 emissions per year. With this energy saving, more than 100 households could be supplied for one year [3] or equivalent of 220 flights from Brussels to New York and back could be avoided in term of CO2 emission.

Economic, Environmental and Engagement benefits

This breaking-through industrial partnership perfectly fits Nexans E3 performance approach:

• Economic performance: one new machine replaces two existing ones, and the next-generation line can work continuously at higher production speeds, thus improving the production output, plus the costs savings from reduced energy consumption
• Environment benefits: reduced energy consumption and related CO2 emissions
• Engagement of employees: by providing the teams a safer and more comfortable work environment.

This model is fully aligned with Niehoff’s strategy and commitment to building machines that are characterized by reliability and process stability, high productivity and energy efficiency, for greater sustainability.

In September 2024, Niehoff has received the “E3 partnership award” from Nexans, rewarding this breaking-through industrial cooperation that perfectly illustrates the alignment of both compagnies on a common E3 performance approach.

To know more about the new machine’s output, read Niehoff’s magazine (pages 4 and 5).

[1] Example based on a 2.6 mm diameter copper cable manufactured at a 32 m/s production speed.
[2] Annealer: Component of Drawing line for softening the wire after drawing, heating it by Joule effect.
[3] At an electricity price of 0.20 €/kWh: average industrial electricity price in France in 2023 according to the French Commission de Régulation de l’Energie (CRE)