The building and upgrading of social infrastructure is a huge challenge around the world. The southern part of the US, where the population is on the rapid increase, saw a boom with a rush of infrastructure development and improvement, such as the construction of expressways and housing, thereby generating a growing demand for building materials.

In this region, where the ground is soft, the slab*¹ construction method, in which prestressed concrete (PC) strands*² are laid and then set in concrete, is often employed for the foundation of a residential house.

In this context, Sumiden Wire Products Corporation*³ constructed a plant in the city of Dayton, Texas, to respond to a growing demand for PC strands in the southern part of the US. The plant enhanced productivity and quality by increasing production capacity and introducing a welding quality judgement system*⁴.

The plant, located in an area characterized by frequent rains and high humidity, has secured stable production by raising the ground level and effectively utilizing an air conditioning control system.

We will continue to serve as the backbone of social infrastructure development in the US by further expanding our PC strand production capability and reinforcing our stable supply system.

*1 Slab: a foundation for supporting the load of the ground floor of a reinforced concrete building

*2 Prestressed concrete (PC) strand: steel utilized for the development of infrastructure, including buildings and bridges

*3 Sumiden Wire Products Corporation: Established in 1979 as Sumitomo Electric’s first subsidiary in the US. Engages in the production and sales of PC strands and stainless steel wire. Already has two production sites in the states of California and Tennessee. The Texas plant is its third production site.

*4 Welding quality judgement system: a system to detect welding defects at the time of connecting wires