Manufacture of power cables and accessories up to the highest voltage levels, including planning, laying and installation
Südkabel GmbH
MannheimNew on Amplifa
About Südkabel
Südkabel GmbH, headquartered in Mannheim, specializes in the manufacture of power cables and cable accessories as well as their laying and installation. Its range of services includes the planning and construction of high-voltage cable systems up to the highest voltage levels, as well as consulting, project planning, installation, maintenance and troubleshooting. As an insulation material, the company relies primarily on cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), which is superior to thermoplastic polyethylene (PE) in terms of dimensional stability at high short-circuit temperatures and thermal aging; with the introduction of XLPE, Südkabel sustainably shaped cable technology in the medium- and high-voltage sector. Its customers come from power transmission and distribution, including transmission system operators such as Amprion. Since 2024, Sumitomo Electric has held 90 % of the shares in order to secure production capacity for major orders in the field of high-voltage direct current transmission. The Mannheim plant looks back on a history of more than 125 years at this site.
- Site
- Mannheim
- Processes
- Manufacture of power cables and cable accessories, Laying and installation of cables and cable accessories, Planning and construction of high-voltage cable systems up to the highest voltage levels, Installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of energy systems, Project planning and expert consulting for energy infrastructure, Consulting and project planning, Laying and installation, Installation, maintenance and troubleshooting
- Materials
- Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), Thermoplastic polyethylene (PE)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001
- Founded
- 1898
- Industries
- Power transmission and distribution, Energy industry / transmission system operators
- 01
Consulting and project planning
- 02
Manufacture of power cables and cable accessories
- 03
Laying and installation
- 04
Installation, maintenance and troubleshooting
Materials and Processes
Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE)
First-choice insulation material for medium- and high-voltage cables with high dimensional stability even at short-circuit temperatures.
Thermoplastic polyethylene (PE)
Thermoplastic insulation and sheathing material for cable applications.
Locations
Mannheim
DEHeadquarters, cable and accessories plant
- Materials
- VPE, PE
Components and Systems
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacture of power cables and cable accessoriesCable/conductor manufacturing | – | – | – | – | XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) |
| Laying and installation of cables and cable accessoriesAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Planning and construction of high-voltage cable systems up to the highest voltage levelsEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of energy systemsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Project planning and expert consulting for energy infrastructureEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Certifications
The quality and reliability of the cable systems are safeguarded by the company's own training center and standardized processes; certifications according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 50001 can be evidenced.
| Evidence | Mannheim |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| ISO 14001 | |
| ISO 45001 | |
| ISO 50001 |
History
- 1898
Founded as Süddeutsche Kabelwerke (Südkabel) in Mannheim
- 1936
Low-pressure oil-filled cable for 110 kV
- 1961
Low-pressure oil-filled cable for 220 kV
- 1970
Merger of several companies to form Kabel- und Lackdrahtfabriken GmbH (Kabel + Draht)
- 1971
Low-pressure oil-filled cable for 275 kV
- 1973
First 110 kV XLPE cable system in Germany
- 1988
Renamed ABB Kabel und Draht GmbH; first XLPE-insulated 220 kV cable system in Germany
- 1996
First 400 kV XLPE cable system in Europe
- 1997
Continuation of the power cable business as ABB Energiekabel GmbH
- 2001
First 550 kV XLPE cable system
- 2004
Acquisition by the Wilms Group; renamed back to Südkabel GmbH
- 2024
Sumitomo Electric agrees to acquire 90 % of the shares from the Wilms Group to secure production capacity for major Amprion orders (Corridor B, Rhein-Main-Link)