Finolex Cables has signed an agreement with the Maharashtra Industries Department to invest Rs 5.8 billion to more than double its optic fibre cables (OFC) capacity to 10 million fibre km per year as 5G rollout is leading to higher demand for last mile connectivity.
Finolex Cables has an existing capacity of 4 million fibre km per year which will touch 10 million fibre km per year after the commissioning of the new plant. According to the company, the new plant will be solely catering to fibre optic cables.
This expansion initiative encompasses the installation of the fibre draw towers and the implementation of backward integration for producing glass pre-forms, crucial in the fibre drawing process. The proposed upgrade will see the draw tower capacity doubling to 8 million fibre km per year, pushing the OFC annual capacity to 10 million fibre km from the current 4 million fibre km.
With this, Finolex Cables will be the second company in the country to manufacture glass preforms, a vital component for optical fibre production. Further, as per the company, this expansion will generate over 400 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
