Matelec 2008 will take place between 28th October and 1st November 2008 at Feria de Madrid
Matelec 2008: The International Exhibition of Electrical and Electronic Equipment, MATELEC '08, will feature the participation of a large number of companies from the cables market. This sector is closely linked to the fair, represented through the auspices of the Spanish Federation of Insulated Electrical Conductors and Fibre Optics Manufacturers, FACEL. This federation was set up in 1978 and has almost 40 member companies.
Facel recently staged its General Assembly, where it presented a series of financial and economic figures relating to the year 2007. The general results were positive, although they did not apply equally to all of the different segments that make up the cables and conductors sector. Thus, last year, according to figures furnished by the Federation, this market witnessed something of a slump, both due to the decline in residential building and due to the constant increases and fluctuations regarding raw material prices.
As confirmed by spokesmen from Facel, the sector considered the year 2007 to be a favourable year, although some reservations exist with regard to the year 2008. The prospects for 2008 are more uncertain, although the favourable performance and progress of cable manufacturers are not in doubt, a fact that will be quite evident in the products and services on show at Matelec '08.
Thus, vis-à-vis the year 2008 and subsequent years, the member companies of Facel plan to boost various strategies, such as a renewed focus on the renovation sector, within the context of PRIE (The Platform for the Revision of Electrical Installations), which seeks to achieve a law that prescribes a regular updating of electrical facilities in order to promote safety and energy saving, thus facilitating the lives of members of the public and avoiding negative environmental emissions.
Other measures proposed by Facel and designed to promote a good business and market climate include the following: promoting the employment of high-security cables (AS and AS+); participation at all forums that discuss aspects relating to the cable and conductors industry, whether this involve creating regulations or standards or simply concern issues of interest; promoting a review of the telecommunications regulations (ICT); adapting payment periods to the Recommendations / Regulations of the EU; and promoting exports as a future structural channel in order to mitigate the fluctuations that result from being present in just one sector.
. A Positive Performance in 2007
According to the different market segments, the energy cables sector witnessed a general and sharp decrease in sales within the Spanish market, based on the slump within the residential building market. This trend became especially evident during the second half of the year 2007. However, exports continued to rise in line with the trend witnessed in recent years, which testifies to the highly competitive performance of the companies that manufacture cables and conductors. This development occurred in spite of the strength of the euro at an international level. 750 V halogen-free cables also witnessed a certain slump in sales, whilst the 0.6/1KV halogen-free cable family continued to gain ground.
The turnover figures corresponding to 750 V and 0.6/1KV cables were only slightly lower than the figures recorded in 2006, which means that, in spite of the decrease in the volume of cables sold, the sector managed to partially pass on the increase in the price of raw materials to the market. Furthermore, as a result of the favourable climate within the operators market, a significant increase in the sale of special cables was recorded last year.
. Aluminium Cables
According to figures furnished by Facel, the volume of low-voltage cables in 2007 was similar to that of the year 2006, whilst medium-voltage cables witnessed a fall in volume, which testifies to the fact that the renewal of the Spanish medium-voltage network failed to keep pace with the increase in electricity demand throughout the country.
In the same way as with copper cables, aluminium cable turnover reflects the fact that cost increases were passed on to the end consumer, during a year in which aluminium prices, especially during the first half of the year, were higher than the prices recorded for the same period the previous year. Exports demonstrated the strength of other markets, increasing significantly, which partly compensated for the decreases in volume witnessed by the home market.
. The Telecommunications Sector Consolidates Its Growth
In spite of the high level of parity between the euro and the dollar, exports in general continued to grow in the telecommunications sector, which reflects the sector's highly competitive performance abroad. Telecommunications cables continued to consolidate the growth trend that began at the end of the year 2005, following the slump witnessed in years prior to that date. With regard to fibre optics cables, clear signs of a recovery in production were recorded in the year 2007, partly as a result of the implementation of fibre-to-the-home (FTTx) projects and the development of broadband.
With regard to metal copper and coaxial cables, the activity levels in the year 2007 improved, partly due to the demand for cables of this kind on the part of telecommunications operator companies. These products are also contemplated in the current ICT regulations. What is more, the growing export rates are satisfactory for the manufacturing companies in this segment as a whole.
For their part, instrument and data cables witnessed an increase in production activity in the year 2007, with the specialised market demanding cables from higher quality categories (high-security cables, halogen-free cables, etc.), which, in turn, combine safety and reliability features.
Finally, output in the enamelled wire segment maintained the levels of growth of the previous year in terms of demand, although featuring a certain increase in exports. However, the raw material factor (copper in this case) is inherent and highly influential with regard to the progress of this product.
In short, the cables, conductors and fibre optics sector represented by Facel will present a strong presence at Matelec '08, both in terms of the extensive range of innovative products that companies will be exhibiting, and with regard to the Specialised Conferences and other events that the Federation will be organising within the framework of the International Exhibition of Electrical and Electronic Equipment.
