Chinese producers are cautious about using aluminium alloys for wires and cables

Attracted by the lower costs, many Chinese companies are carrying out extensive Research and Development (R&D) to try and implement aluminium alloy instead of copper in wires and cables. The SMM’s latest survey however shows that most of the cable producers and taking the ‘wait and watch’ stance for now since the government has not issued any standards for the aluminium alloys for power cables.

Zhejiang Wanma Co. was the first company to report producing aluminium power cables. Even Jiangsu Tongguang Electronic Wire & Cable and Hunan Goldcup Electric Apparatus Technology are going full throttle to develop an aluminium alloy power cable. However the pioneer who was supposedly the first to introduce aluminium alloys to cable production has declined to comment on any development from their end.

The low raw material costs are being closely challenged by the high R&D costs for producing the aluminium alloy cables as revealed by the SMM survey of Chinese wire and cable producers. The lack of nationalized standards is a deterrent for many for the time being.

The national standards for aluminum alloy wire applied in power cable are expected to be released in late October.