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RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Prysmian Group has always given key strategic importance
to Research & Development to maintain its market leader-
ship, with the aim of differentiating itself and of providing
its customers with technologically innovative solutions at
increasingly competitive costs. The Group currently has
17 Centres of Excellence, with headquarters in Milan, and
over 500 skilled professionals. With around 5,800 patents
granted or filed and partnerships with major universities and
research centres in many countries where it is present, the
Prysmian Group intends to be industry leader in R&D. The
Group's spending on Research, Development and Innovation
amounted to approximately Euro 70 million in 2014, broadly
in line with the previous year and confirming its steadfast
commitment to and focus on long-term sustainable growth.
With 17 Centres of Excellence, over 500 professionals, about 5,800 patents and partnerships
with universities and research centres in many countries, the Prysmian Group intends to be
an innovation leader in the cable industry.
R&D Headquarters
R&D Centres
17
R&D Centres
Over
500
professionals
Over
5,000
patents
R&D Headquarters
PRYSMIAN GROUP R&D CENTRES
In the Energy Projects and Energy Products operating
segments, the main achievements of the year included:
• In the submarine cables area, work continued to
optimise 220 kV AC three-core cables; in particular, a
prototype with 1600 mm² aluminium conductors was
made, to achieve IEC prequalification for the Arco Felice
and Pikkala plants, and a prototype with 1200 mm²
copper conductors, for qualification testing as part of
the "50 Hertz" project, one of the largest ever performed
in terms of volume and value. Internal qualification
testing was completed for the flexible 400 kV AC joint.
Still in the submarine cables area, particular resources
were devoted to the recovery plan for the Western Link
project and its 600 kV DC cables insulated with PPL
(Paper Polypropylene Laminate).
• In the field of EHV underground cables, development
was completed of the prototype 400 kV cable with a
Milliken 3500 mm² copper conductor, the largest copper
conductor ever developed by the Group. In addition,
the Gron plant in France produced prototype Milliken
aluminium conductors measuring 4000 mm², while the
Delft plant in the Netherlands produced similar proto-
types measuring 3500 mm², which will be used for the
TenneT contract for the 380 kV Randstaadt connection.
Additional work was performed to develop the prototype
500 kV XLPE cable with a Milliken 2500 mm² copper