• Industrial research: research into innovative materials involving the use of nanotechnology, control and management systems for terrestrial and submarine networks, optimization of cable design to reduce energy losses and increase transmission capacity, new cables and materials to create more sustainable solutions, and hybrid energy and telecommunications cables.
• Innovation and experimentation: use of alternative materials to optimize cable design and product projects.
• New product development: terrestrial and submarine cables and systems for power transmission, high-voltage P-Laser cables, cables for the renewable energy sector, high-performance optical fibers, cables for FTTH and FTTA applications, connectivity and development of smart cables, and detection, control, and management systems.
“Our Group’s growth strategy revolves around our commitment to R&D, an area in which we intend to further expand our investments, thanks in part to EIB financing,” explained Valerio Battista, Chairman of the Prysmian Group. “Specifically, cable technology is proving that it can make a decisive contribution to overcoming the challenge of digitalization and developing more efficient and environmentally sustainable power grids. Innovative optical fibers, cables with a reduced environmental impact and higher capacity and voltage ratings, as well as technologies for monitoring grid conditions, are just some of the areas in which we are working.”.
“Developing electricity and digital networks is one of the pillars of the EIB’s financing plan, as more efficient and faster interconnections promote economic recovery and help improve competitiveness and reduce social inequalities. At the EIB, we are very pleased to support Prysmian’s investment plans because they affect R&D laboratories established in six European countries,” commented Dario Scannapieco, EIB Vice-President.
The financing represents approximately 50% of the planned investments in Europe during the specified period. Overall, the Prysmian Group plans to dedicate approximately €300 million to research and development worldwide over the four-year duration of the plan. This financing follows the EIB's contribution to the Group in 2013, also to support R&D in Europe, demonstrating the confidence and excellent credit profile the company enjoys with this bank.
The EIB financing is specifically earmarked to support projects to be developed at R&D centers in six European countries: France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and Italy. A significant portion of these resources will be allocated to Italy, home to the Prysmian Group's headquarters, R&D offices, and several factories that are centers of excellence in the production of optical fiber, cables, and submarine power transmission systems. Worldwide, the Prysmian Group has 17 R&D centers located in Europe, North and South America, and Asia, with a team of over 700 researchers, technicians, and professional operators, and a broad portfolio of more than 4,600 patents.
Among the most recent innovations developed by the Prysmian Group are: the new Flextube fiber optic cable, which has set a world record for fiber density; the 600 kV P-Laser cable, the world's first 100% recyclable high-voltage cable; and the 700 kV mineral-insulated submarine cable, which has set a world record for voltage.
