Meeting global demand for optical fiber cables

Because optical fiber cables can transmit signals at high speed, even over long distances, without any effect from electromagnetic induction noise, they are used in many communications applications such as digital transmission. In recent years, global demand for optical fiber cables has risen along with the increase in communications traffic. Particularly in future, demand is expected to grow in developing nations in the Middle East, Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and South America, along with developed countries in North America, Europe, and elsewhere. To meet this rising demand, Furukawa Electric is strengthening its global development. As well as setting up new bases all over the world, we are also reinforcing the manufacturing capacity of our existing plants in an effort to be able to respond faster to customer demand.

In August 2014, we established a optical fiber cable manufacturing plant in Palmira, a city in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. In this rapidly economically growing country, government led plans to improve the communications infrastructure market mean that steady demand is anticipated. The city of Palmira where the plant was established is at a strategic point within one of Colombia’s leading distribution networks, which faces both the Atlantic and the Pacific. Delivering high quality optical fiber cables from this location has enabled us to strengthen our business activities in the Andes region and Central America.

Furukawa Electric is also currently proceeding rapidly with preparations for the opening of a optical fiber cable manufacturing plant in Morocco, North Africa. The installation of a high-speed communications network in Africa is expected to go ahead at a rapid pace from now, and our policy for the future is to utilize the Morocco plant as a base for exporting to Europe too.

In May 2015, we doubled the production capacity of our plant in Goa, India by adding new production lines. The installation of India’s communications infrastructure is moving forward at a fast rate, and demand for fiber optics is forecast to grow by more than 10% by 2018. Enhancing our ability to supply products to the booming Indian market will raise our presence in the Asian region.