Prysmian Group, a world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry, has rolled out two enhancements to its line of FlexRibbon products. This new line of products, which feature MassLink with FlexRibbon technology, will support large-scale data centres operated by major companies worldwide.

“We are pleased to roll out these new enhancements to our FlexRibbon line in anticipation of Prysmian expanding into new markets,” says Philippe Vanhille, senior vice-president telecom business of Prysmian Group.

“As the demand for more powerful, higher-density cables continues to increase, this latest offering will be a key asset for large companies to navigate underground duct networks,” Vanhille adds.

Designed to maximise fibre density and duct space utilisation, Prysmian’s MassLink with FlexRibbon technology products compact the maximum fibre count into the smallest cable possible by using extremely flexible fibre ribbons that can be rolled up for high packing densities or laid flat for ribbon splicing. The new 1728 and 3456 fibre count FlexRibbon products feature an ultra-compact outside plant cable design that contains bend insensitive fibres, small enough to fit into a 31.75-mm and 38.1-mm duct, respectively.

“We began development of our FlexRibbon Technology product line to meet the needs of our main customers in North America requiring high fibre counts and fibre density, where ultra-compact design and efficient installation are necessities,” says Toni Bosch, vice president of telecom solutions for Prysmian Group.

“We have continued to heavily invest in the R&D (research and development) of FlexRibbon technology, employing the most advanced equipment, which has led to the development of these new FlexRibbon product offerings to be now offered to our customers worldwide.”

The significantly smaller diameter and lighter weight cables have superior kink resistance and increased flexibility, which allows for easier installation and the use of smaller ducts. In the case of the 1728 fibre design, there is a 21 per cent smaller diameter (38 per cent volume reduction) over traditional flat ribbon designs. And while the new FlexRibbon products provide high packing density, they also feature 200 and 250-micron fibre ribbons that still provide the advantages of mass fusion splicing.

Prysmian constantly invests in its optical fibre and cable capacities to respond to the needs of the market.

With almost 140 years of experience, and sales exceeding €11 billion ($12.84 billion), Prysmian says it is strongly positioned in high-tech markets with the widest possible range of products, services, technologies and know-how on offer. It operates in the businesses of underground and submarine cables and systems for power transmission and distribution, of special cables for applications in many different industries and of medium- and low-voltage cables for the construction and infrastructure sectors.