During this year’s CWIEME Berlin, APC Media stopped by the DuPont™ Nomex® Energy Solutions booth to talk about insulation trends, market challenges and the road ahead. APC Media’s Ante Prlić spoke with Alberto Ferreras, Regional Market Leader for Europe, and RadosÅ‚aw Szewczyk, Technical Service & Development Engineer.

Meet the Experts

Ante (APC Media): Could you start by telling our readers who you are and what you do at DuPont?

Alberto Ferreras: I’m based in Spain and have spent the last three years with DuPont as the Europe Regional Market Leader. My job is to grow existing markets and open new ones for our Nomex® business.

RadosÅ‚aw Szewczyk: I’m located in Łódź, Poland, working as a Technical Service and Development Engineer for the Nomex® Energy Solutions team.

The Nomex® Portfolio in a Nutshell

APC Media: For those less familiar, give us a quick overview of Nomex® Energy Solutions.

Alberto: We work with DuPont’s patented Nomex® polymer. We convert it into aramid paper and pressboard widely used as electrical insulation in transformers, generators and electric motors, with transformers as the primary market.

RadosÅ‚aw: And we’re expanding. As e-mobility grows we’re looking closely at EV motors, batteries and the surrounding charging infrastructure—anywhere reliable electrical insulation is critical.

Nomex® has been on the market for more than 60 years. It started as state-of-the-art insulation for dry-type transformers and is now found even in 400 kV liquid-filled units. In dry-type designs it remains the global reference.

Success Stories & New Frontiers

APC Media: Any milestone projects or innovations you’d highlight?

RadosÅ‚aw: Nomex® has been on the market for more than 60 years. It started as state-of-the-art insulation for dry-type transformers and is now found even in 400 kV liquid-filled units. In dry-type designs it remains the global reference. Sectors like rail traction transformers and wind turbine transformers, which adopted Nomex® later, still benefit from its high-temperature capability.

Alberto: Traditionally, Nomex® goes wherever space is tight and temperatures run high, such as wind-farm, traction and compact power transformers. Today we also see interest from large power transformers that face higher ambient temperatures and need an extra insulation margin.

Regulation, Sustainability and Total Lifecycle Thinking

APC Media: What industry challenges stand out to you right now?

RadosÅ‚aw: In Europe, discussion continues around stricter Tier 3 efficiency rules. Pushing losses ever lower can make transformers bigger and less sustainable. We believe lifecycle analysis—materials, recyclability, service life—matters more than headline losses alone. Nomex® helps here: it allows more compact windings, less liquid volume and excellent overload capability, so you can design for actual loading patterns rather than worst-case 24 h operation.

Alberto: Supply security is another challenge. Demand for insulation is booming – for EVs, grid upgrades, renewables. Anticipating this, we opened a third Nomex® paper plant in Japan two years ago. That extra capacity means our customers aren’t facing the shortages seen today in cellulose insulation.

CWIEME Berlin Observations

APC Media: How has CWIEME been for you this year?

RadosÅ‚aw: The show is a bit smaller, and competition among energy-sector events is rising, but CWIEME remains the key venue for liquid-filled transformer technology. It’s still where we meet the right partners and customers.

Technologically, high-temperature designs will gain ground because they cut copper, steel and oil while boosting lifetime. Asset owners—utilities, wind-farm developers, data-center operators—are shifting from purchase price to total cost of ownership.

Looking Three to Five Years Ahead

APC Media: Where is the transformer market heading, and how is DuPont preparing?

Alberto: On the supply side, our new plant positions us well for growth. Technologically, high-temperature designs will gain ground because they cut copper, steel and oil while boosting lifetime. Asset owners—utilities, wind-farm developers, data-center operators—are shifting from purchase price to total cost of ownership. A lighter, longer-lasting transformer can save them far more than its upfront premium.

RadosÅ‚aw: Data-center demand alone is huge. A hyperscale site might need hundreds of medium-voltage transformers plus dry-type PDUs that handle severe harmonic distortion. Nomex® provides the thermal headroom those designs need. Looking further, medium-voltage DC grids and 20 kHz power-electronic transformers pose fresh dielectric challenges—areas where our material science teams are deeply engaged.

Personal Drivers & Final Thoughts

APC Media: What excites you most about working in this sector?

Alberto: The energy transition. Electricity demand is outpacing GDP growth—data centers, EVs, heat pumps. Nomex® sits at the heart of solutions that make grids cleaner, smarter and more reliable.

Radosław: After six decades, the industry still asks for deeper material characterization. Our labs are constantly generating new thermal, mechanical and dielectric data so designers can tighten margins without sacrificing safety. New fire performance certifications are also developed. That ongoing quest for better knowledge keeps the job fascinating.

APC Media: Thank you both for the insights.

This interview was conducted at CWIEME Berlin, June 2025.