Nexans announced the sale of two companies that were planned prior to Covid-19, as well as steps that have been taken in response to the effects of the virus that has uprooted much of the world.

In its mid-year financial report, Nexans announced that it has agreed to sell Berk-Tek, a U.S.-based manufacturer of local area network cables, for $202 million, to Leviton Network Solutions. Berk-Tek is a leading manufacturer of local area network copper and fiber cables. Berk-Tek’s 350 employees, as well as its facilities located in Pennsylvania and North Carolina, are expected to move under Leviton ownership before the end of Q3-2020 subject to customary closing conditions.

“This transaction is a natural step in reinforcing the Berk-Tek and Leviton marketing alliance signed in 2013. The combination of both innovative, reliable and service-oriented brands will enable Leviton Network Solutions to offer fully integrated solutions,” the release said. The transaction has an enterprise value of US$202 million. Berk-Tek reported sales for US$163 million in 2019.

 “Berk-Tek is a highly respected North American cabling company with exceptional manufacturing and product development capabilities,” said Leviton President Daryoush Larizadeh. “By adding Berk-Tek to the Leviton family, we will be able to provide truly end-to-end solutions to our customers.” “Our Berk-Tek colleagues will join a long-term partner with the best strategic fit to answer customers’ demand around connectivity,” said Nexans CEO Christopher Guérin.

The second sale was for Nexans Metallurgie Deutschland GmbH (NMD), which specializes in oxygen-free copper drawing, to Mutares SE & Co. KGaA. The plant has annual capacity of 60,000 metric tons. NMD has 250 employees at two German sites in Bramsche and Neunburg. It serves first and second tier customers for automotive, white goods and industrial applications.

Mutares acquires and develops medium-sized industrial companies and operations of large corporations.

U.K.-based JDR Cable Systems, Inc. (JDR) has begun construction on a new 65,000-sf-ft U.S. headquarters on a 10-acre site in Tomball, Texas, that will combine three sites that were leased.

Per an article in the Houston Business Chronical that had information provided by JDR, a business of Poland’s TFKable, the site will be used to design and manufacture products for the oil and gas industry. The project, scheduled for completion in the first half of 2021, will allow JDR to expand its intervention workover control systems (IWOCS) rental business to support current demand.

The three leased locations collectively accounted for about 30,000 sq ft of space in northwest Houston. The new facility will include 45,000 sq ft of assembly and testing space, including a 60-ton overhead crane, and 20,000 sq ft of two-story office space. The site will see engineering and management for global projects, assembly of various oil field equipment and support for JDR’s offshore service business. Once the facility is complete, JDR plans to hire additional engineers and service technicians to expand its local presence. It will move 45 existing employees into the new facility and then hire five to 10 employees per year over the next five years.

“Beginning construction of our new Houston headquarters marks a significant milestone for our U.S. business,” said JDR General Manager Brian Davis.

The PolyOne Corporation, a leading global provider of specialized polymer materials, services and sustainable solutions, has completed its purchase of the color masterbatch businesses of Clariant and Clariant Chemicals India Ltd. PolyOne also announced that it has changed its name and will now be called Avient.

“We proudly welcome our newest associates and valued customers from Clariant Masterbatch,” said Avient President and CEO Robert M. Patterson. “They are joining us on Day 1 of this new era for our company, which as of today will be named Avient. Under this new brand, we bring two global leaders together to create a specialty company focused on sustainable solutions for our customers, being a great place to work for our associates, and creating value for all stakeholders.”

The Clariant Masterbatch business includes 46 manufacturing operations and technology centers in 29 countries and approximately 3,500 employees, who will join Avient’s Color, Additives and Inks segment.

“With this acquisition, Avient now expects over 85% of adjusted EBITDA to be generated from specialty applications,” said Patterson. “This is up from less than 10% when our specialty journey began over a decade ago. While we honor the legacies of our past organizations, under our new name Avient, we come together and look to the future as a world-class sustainable organization.”

The Prysmian Group has won a contract worth approximately €80 million to provide the submarine inter-array cable systems for the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm in France.

A press release said that Prysmian will provide some 90 km of three-core 66 kV HVAC XLPE-insulated inter-array cables. The cable cores will be manufactured at the Group’s sites in its French plants in Montereau-Fault-Yonne and Gron, and then be assembled and finished in its German plant in Nordenham, providing the French market with Prysmian’s state-of-the-art cable systems manufactured locally. Delivery and commissioning are scheduled for the end of 2022.

“This award confirms once again our technological leadership enabling the energy transition also in France, while also underlining our ability to provide our customers with locally manufactured solutions that ensure high performance,” said Hakan Ozmen, EVP, Projects Business Unit, Prysmian Group.

“This award represents an important milestone for Prysmian as it shows that our ambition to become a one-stop solution provider covering the entire supply chain is credible and sustainable,” said Olivier Angoulevant, BU Director Offshore Wind, Prysmian Group. “Our 66 kV cables system for inter-array networks allows twice as much power to be transported in comparison to 33 kV.”

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. (SEI) has completed the construction of the largest wind farm in Japan, “Wind Farm Tsugaru,” which was ordered by Kajima Corporation.

A press release said that the project required a 34-km-long power cable described as “unparalleled for an ultra-high voltage (154 kV) transmission line.” The completed wind farm is designed to have a total output of 121,600 kW, which would make it the largest onshore wind farm in Japan.

The wind farm, located in Tsugaru City, in the Aomori Prefecture, was established by Green Power Tsugaru GK, a group company of Green Power Investment Corporation. Construction took about two and a half years. Sumitomo Electric was in charge of the design, manufacturing and installation of electrical equipment, such as underground power transmission and distribution lines and substation equipment, jointly with its group companies, Nissin Electric Co., Ltd. and Sumitomo Densetsu Co., Ltd.