Key Industry Issues Facing Wire and Cable Manufacturers

Cable and wire manufacturers are facing unprecedented global challenges. In particular, intense competition is growing from countries with access to lower raw material and labor costs and greater Government subsidies. Protecting market share against such aggressive pricing is on every factory owner’s mind. UL Solutions has shaped its software over some 20-plus years to help address the four key issues keeping cable manufacturers awake at night:

1. How can we react to growing costs?
   A staggering 70%-80% of cable costs can be attributed to raw materials alone. Any cost reduction in this area can immediately impact the bottom line. The creation of a “digital twin” is fully supported by CableBuilder software. Put simply: we can help design engineers to more quickly and accurately cost various models before committing to the production line. The result? Time, cost and raw material saved.
2. How can we minimize product failure?
   Understanding quality issues when they arise reduces the likelihood of wasted material. CableMES’s automated quality recordings help you to more quickly respond to non-conformance issues at earlier stages of the production process.
3. How can we better react to machinery breakdown?
   Machine failure is inevitable in a busy factory. However, every minute lost in production is a profit loss. CableMES’s supervisory system provides real-time visibility of the shopfloor, with the ability to manage production from a single screen. Real-time alarms help keep you notified about whether or not machines are up and running, limiting the impact on production schedules.
4. How can we minimize losing our best people?
   Design engineers must live and breathe innovation to stay ahead of the competition and quickly bring new products to market. Yet all too often, they find their time spent on tedious tasks. UL Solutions’ software effortlessly automates day-to-day tasks, helping to free design engineers to accelerate product development and reclaim job satisfaction.