COMPOUNDS | WIRE AND CABLE
value across the entire cable system.” This sentiment was echoed by Dani Calveras, Benvic R&D, W&C Director Europe, during his company’s
appearance at the Wire 2026 exhibition in Düsseldorf, Germany where, he said, “the bulk of our enquiries saw us discussing customised solutions involving easy processing, high flame retardancy, and use of recycled content compounds.” In addition to the effects of regulation, Benvic sees the cable market being subject to a number of dynamic issues in the coming years and says transportation,
Above: Teknor Apex says it is increasingly producing compounds engineered to balance complex demands
electrification, AI, and computing, will all drive the market in different ways with some of these developments being extremely disruptive. “AI on its own will dramatically change the cabling landscape,” said Eric Grange, Benvic Marketing Director. “HFFR compounds are the solution for new fibre optic cable designs and these need to be tailored to ensure that in case of fire ignition, the electronic configurations are made safe from damage. The other key challenge is providing material that can meet thin-layer require- ments to minimise ‘crosstalk’ between fibres in the data networks.” Efficient HFFR cable compounds are central to
facilitating the AI revolution. But while the AI boom offers exciting new possibilities, it also presents challenges. The increased computing power demands vast amounts of data for efficient model learning, and hyperscale data centres are expand- ing to support this requirement. While energy consumption and cooling are well-known concerns, data transmission limitations are becoming a critical challenge. In fact, according to Benvic, current fibre- optic cables and connectors cannot keep pace with the exponential growth in data transmission and by the end of the decade, connections per switch rack must double to over 30,000 while remaining compatible with existing conduits.
Right: Nexans has developed a prototype cable made from recycled PE and PVC materials
Recycled innovation Nexans recently reached a major milestone in the sustainability journey by developing a prototype cable made from recycled materials. The prototype, which uses recycled polyethylene (PE) and PVC from Nexans’ European suppliers, was compared to a standard cable of the same category made with virgin materials. The analysis, covering the entire life cycle from raw material extraction to cable use, found a 76% reduction in greenhouse gas emis- sions during the manufacturing phase as well as
28 COMPOUNDING WORLD | May 2026
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improvements across other sustainability indicators such as resource depletion and freshwater use. “This prototype shows that industrial innovation and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand,” said Jerome Fournier, Corporate Vice President of Innovation, Nexans. “It’s a major step toward a more sustainable electrification.” As further evidence of the large-scale progress being made in the sector, Nexans has set a world record by successfully installing a 525kV mass- impregnated (MI) high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable at a depth of 3,000 m. Follow- ing recovery, comprehensive electrical testing and visual inspection confirmed the integrity of the cable system and its ability to perform under extreme deep-water conditions. The trial was conducted as part of Nexans’ work on the Great Sea Interconnector, a project connecting the electricity systems of Greece and Cyprus. “Reaching 3,000 m sets a new benchmark for
deep-water subsea power transmission,” said Pascal Radue, Executive Vice President, PWR-Trans- mission at Nexans. “It reflects decades of engineer- ing expertise and the exceptional capabilities of our teams, who continue to push the boundaries of what is technically possible.” This March,Dow announced the latest addition to its Endurance Compounds for Cable Systems portfolio, a fully qualified 525kV HVDC insulation system engineered for power infrastructure. The portfolio combines insulation and semiconductive cross-linked PE into a HVDC insulation system purpose-built for the demands of the expanding offshore wind infrastructure and long-distance interconnector projects. The system combines
Endurance HFDB-4401 UDC, a fully cross-linked PE insulation compound, with Endurance HFDB-0840 BK UDC, which reduces charge injection and
space-charge accumulation. Developed to operate at 90°C (compared with the conventional 70°C)
and supporting applications up to 525kV, the system enables higher power transmission capac- ity, greater operating margins, and simplified
IMAGE: NEXANS
IMAGE: TEKNOR APEX
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