Afumex Green, the first Building Wire eco cable
Brazil - By replacing part of the insulating lining with green polyethylene, the Afumex line becomes the most ecological one in the market
Prysmian Group Brazil launches Afumex Green, the first ecological Building Wire cable worldwide. Brazil has a long tradition of using ethanol from sugar cane as cars fuel; now the Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem developed a bio polyethylene made from ethanol, and with Prysmian Brazil has developed a new sheathing using this bio polymer, applied to Afumex cables as first step.
The new Afumex Green cable, presented in voltage class 450/750V and produced in Sorocaba plant, replaces part of the petroleum-derived polymer with green polyethylene, a 100% renewable material obtained from sugar cane. This move is in line with the Group's efforts to offer customers environmentally sustainable products, that reduce CO2 emissions. It is estimated that for each tonne of green resin produced, up to 2.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide gas are captured and removed from the atmosphere.
"This launch is the first step. Our plan is to expand the Green line to other cables, such as those for power grid operators, wind farms, industrial applications and civil construction", states Armando Comparato Jr., Prysmian Group’s CEO in South America.
The choice of the Afumex 450/750V line for the new product launch was based on its popularity and sustainable features, being free of lead and other heavy metals. " These cables are popular with the public and allow good market penetration", explains Comparato.
The line's market penetration is explained by its superiority over competitor products. Afumex cables do not propagate flames in the event of fire and have low smoke and toxic gas emissions, which make them the safest in the market. In addition to this, they are extra smooth, have a double insulation layer and 20% more thermally resistant than traditional cables, which makes them resist twice the time in overcharge situations, limiting the occurrence of short circuits, the main cause of fires.
The Afumex ecological line will gradually supersede the traditional line. Prior to launching new Afumex Green, the Prysmian Brazil Research and Development centre, in partnership with Braskem, the manufacturer of green polyethylene, worked for 12 months on research and modifications that have resulted in the launch of the world's most ecological cable.
The Afumex Green cables produced in Brazil will supply both Brazil's internal market and the South American market.