Amid the roar of various mechanical equipment, over 80 production lines at Guizhou Tianhong Zhiyuan Wire and Cable Co., Ltd. are operating at full capacity. Workers are working tirelessly through wire drawing, twisting, insulation, and cable formation, striving to meet orders.

Currently, Guizhou Tianhong Cable produces nearly 180 kilometers of product daily. In the warehouse, the massive I-spool spools of wire stand out against the cardboard boxes of household electrical wiring. These cables will soon be shipped to customers in Guizhou, as well as Yunnan, Gansu, Hunan, Chongqing, and other regions.

In 2023, Guizhou Tianhong Cable's revenue reached 345 million yuan, having produced a total of 54,000 kilometers of various types of wire and cable—a length more than enough to circle the Earth.

The company's products

To address the flammability and heat-resistance of ordinary cables, Guizhou Tianhong Cable has leveraged traditional cable production processes to coat conductors with specialized materials, actively developing safer and more durable products.

"This is a mineral fire-resistant cable with a long-term operating temperature of 90°C and a short-term operating temperature below 250°C. Under flames of 950°C-1000°C, it can sustain power for over three hours, and can reach a short or very short operating temperature of 1083°C," technician Wu Zhengsen proudly stated while introducing the product to reporters.

Reels of copper coils, each containing over 99% copper, are stretched and tapered by automated wire drawing equipment, from an initial diameter of 8 mm to 1.17 mm. The thinnest diameter can even reach 0.12 mm, comparable to a human hair.

The conductor, formed by twisting and intertwining multiple fine copper wires, is encased in mica tape and ceramic silicone rubber tape. During the cabling process, the gaps between the conductors are evenly filled with fiberglass rope or low-smoke, halogen-free tape. Finally, mechanical equipment coats the cables, now covered in layers of protective armor, with aluminum alloy or copper armor.

After undergoing these multiple steps, the cables transform from thin filaments into a substantial structure with excellent flame retardancy. "In the event of a fire, the cables will neither produce toxic gases nor immediately shut off the power. They will continue to conduct electricity until the copper conductor melts, buying valuable time for escape," said Technical Director Xiao Eryong.

Production workshop

In recent years, Guizhou Tianhong Cable has achieved industrial application of its independently developed low-smoke, halogen-free, fire-resistant, irradiated wire and cable, and other specialty cables and derivatives. These three fire-resistant cables have secured numerous orders, becoming a key growth driver. In the first quarter of 2024, orders for fire-resistant cables alone exceeded 12 million yuan.

Since settling in the Huishui Economic Development Zone in 2012, Guizhou Tianhong Cable has diligently refined its capabilities, focusing on market demand. It primarily produces 19 types of environmentally friendly wire and cable, including specialty cables, rated 35 kilovolts and below. The full current delivered by these cables illuminates countless homes. With each cable, the company has grown into a national-level "Little Giant" enterprise designated for specialized, innovative, and innovative technologies (designated in 2023).

In 2017, based on the distribution of Guizhou's mineral resources, Guizhou Tianhong Cable decided to replace copper with aluminum, introducing production lines and focusing on the development of aluminum alloy cables, becoming the first company in the province to produce aluminum alloy cables.

Guizhou Tianhong Cable has two national-level R&D teams and over ten top domestic cable R&D experts. It has established two internationally standardized R&D centers, an international high-tech laboratory, and a wire and cable testing center. It has been granted 17 utility model patents and three invention patents.

Currently, Guizhou Tianhong Cable has established stable partnerships with companies such as China Railway Construction, China Huadian, China Railway Group, and China Huaneng, and has become a first-tier supplier of materials to State Grid and China Southern Power Grid. Guizhou Tianhong Cable's products are used in projects such as the Three Gorges Dam, Guiyang North Station, the Guiyang-Huangshan Expressway, Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport, and the Guizhou Financial City.

Source: Tianyan News