May 10 2021. Cerrowire^® has named David Hawker as plant manager for its facility in Hartselle, Alabama. He has 34 years of management experience in the electrical products manufacturing sector, with leadership roles in the U.S. and Canada. He most recently was vice president and general manager of Nexans Energy Division (North America). His understanding of market drivers, technology capabilities and cost/financial implications in his previous role drove him to focus on factors that resulted in world-leading profit. A Canadian native, he holds a degree in applied science, with a specialty in mechanical engineering, from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario. He also served as the 2017 president of the Wire Association International. Based in Hartselle, Alabama, with plants also in Georgia, Indiana, and Utah, Cerrowire manufactures copper wire for commercial, industrial and residential sectors.

RichardsApex, Inc., reported two promotions. Howard Luckey has been promoted to plant manager of its Philadelphia operation. He started with the company in 1984 and worked his way up through various positions. He most recently was shipping manager, where he ensured the efficient movement of materials throughout the manufacturing facility. Of note, he has been promoted to the same position that his brother, Robert “Bob” Luckey, had held before retiring several years ago. Several other Luckey family members have been and continue to be employed at RichardsApex, and Howard continues the family’s legacy of hard-working, dedicated employees. The company also promoted Janelle Gerardi to senior chemist within its R&D team. She was cited for critical contributions to development of next generation products. She joined the company in 2018. She previously worked for Johnson Matthey in the company’s precious metals division. She holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from Villanova University. Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, RichardsApex, Inc., supplies lubricants, cleaners and coatings for the wire drawing and metal working industries.

David Ohmann is the new president of Wytech Industries. Prior to joining the company, he held sales and marketing leadership positions at Heraeus and MicroGroup (a TE Connectivity Company). He was cited for his extensive medical device background, engineering perspective and deep understanding of the complexities of the development of specialty wire. He holds an M.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management. Based in Rahway, New Jersey, Wytech designs and manufactures complex components for medical devices that includes precision wire components and specialty core wires.

5/10/2021:  The next staging of wire Southeast Asia—and its sister show, Tube Southeast Asia—will now be held Feb. 9-11, 2022 at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) in Bangkok, Thailand.

A press release from organizers Messe Düsseldorf said that the event, which was to be held Sept. 22-24, is being moved to the new dates to “allow for optimum international participation.” It noted that in the past, over 90% of the exhibitors came from overseas countries such as Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Japan and Korea.

“It is anticipated that by next year with further easing of travel restrictions and ongoing successful vaccine deployments worldwide, there will be a more optimistic environment for companies to do business safely and effectively at these trade fairs,” the release said.
The two trade fairs were first held in 1997. At the last staging in 2019, international exhibitors from 29 countries participated at the trade fairs, while 45 % of trade visitors came from outside Thailand.

5/10/2021: Summer is approaching, and for many people that means that it is will be peak time to fire up the grill. There have been many stories about the danger of cleaning your grill with a wire brush, as sharp particles and splinters can break off of stainless steel- and brass-wire brushes. If that happens, those particles can become imbedded in future cooking, and result in significant risks if ingested.

However, wire brushes are efficient at cleaning a grill, and can be safely used, but they do require some common sense. There are two ways to approach this, and either can be right if you do it properly.

When the cooking is complete, wait for the grill surface to cool down to where it is still warm but not cool. Then, using a good quality wire brush, sweep off any food particles. Doing this when the grill is still warm makes it easier to scrap away food particles that, once cooled, are baked on, potentially containing wire slivers. Conversely, if you don’t want to bother cleaning at that point, you can wait till next use. At that point, though, you should pre-heat the grill at a high temperature for an extended period (at least 20 minutes). Then, place a wire brush into a bucket of warm, soapy water, and scrub off the surface of the grates.

Whether you reach for a wire brush before or after cooking, give it a close look. See if it has any broken bristles, or if it is worn or warped. If anything looks iffy, discard it.

As an alternative to wire brushes, Consumer Reports recommends cleaning with a coil brush, pumice stone or abrasive pads. Good Housekeeping suggests crumpled aluminum foil and a strong degreaser. And, for those who like a natural approach, consider the following: pre-heat the grill as described above, then slice an onion in half. Pierce the onion with a fork, and run the cut-side down along the grill grates. The onion's juices will release and produce steam to remove the bits and charred-on debris.

5/7/2021:  Kinderhook Industries, LLC (Kinderhook) announced that it has acquired Cameron Wire & Cable, Inc., a leading distributor of commercial and industrial wire, cable and related accessories.

A press release said that Robert Cameron, who founded the company and served as president, will continue his involvement and be on the board of directors. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Cameron Wire & Cable supplies Cameron-branded copper, aluminum and specialty wire and cable products that are sold to the renewable energy, building wire, industrial and utility end markets. It also provides value-added services that include paralleling, cutting, kitting, harness assembly and development of custom engineered products for unique applications. It serves its customers out of a strategic footprint of distribution centers spanning the continental U.S.

The release did not cite the sales price, but Kinderhook Managing Director Paul Cifelli said that Cameron is “retaining a significant minority stake.” Kinderhook will add two of its operating partners—Ed Flynn, former CEO of International Wire Group, and Craig York, CEO of Kinderhook portfolio company, Copperweld—to Cameron Wire & Cable’s management and board of directors. The two men, who have more than 40 years of collective experience in the wire and cable industry, will provide operational and strategic expertise in support of Kinderhook and management.

Partnering with Kinderhook will allow us to accelerate our growth plan in Cameron’s core and adjacent industry verticals, said Robert Cameron. “In particular, I’m very excited to pursue complementary add-on acquisitions that will help continue to grow our franchise and value-added capabilities.”

“Robert Cameron has successfully led the company to a position of industry leadership in just over a decade, and we look forward to working with him on expanding the Company’s products, services and end markets,” Cifelli said. “Cameron Wire & Cable is a valuable addition to Kinderhook’s rapidly growing wire and cable franchise, and we are excited to help facilitate the acceleration of the company’s already impressive growth.”

Founded in 2003, Kinderhook Industries, LLC, is a private investment firm that manages over $3.3 billion of committed capital. In 2019 it acquired the Copperweld Group, Inc., which last November acquired Copperhead Industries, a Minnesota-based provider of specialty tracer wire products and related equipment.

5/7/2021:  NKT reports that it has been awarded a long-term frame agreement with French Transmission System Operator, Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE) to supply it high-voltage power cables.

A press release said that the agreement builds upon a decade of successful collaboration between NKT and RTE. “This new frame contract is a testament to NKT’s presence in France and a confirmation of the mutually rewarding business relationship between NKT and RTE.”
NKT will supply 25 kV high-voltage AC XLPE underground power cable systems, and install accessories such as joints and terminations. The contract covers from 2021 through 2023, with an option for one additional year, as RTE furthers its goal to renew and modernize the transmission power grid in France to support energy transition.

“We are fully committed to accelerate the sustainability journey as we are the first major power cable manufacturer to commit to the Science Based Target initiative and to become a net-zero emissions company supporting RTE in their ambition of making ‘the Greener Choice,’” said NKT President and CEO Alexander Kara.

NKT is currently supporting RTE by executing a 225 kV high-voltage retrofitting power cable project in Marseille, where old cables installed in steel pipes are being replaced with new armored extruded XLPE type cables. The power cables for both the retrofitting project and the new frame agreement are to be made at NKT’s factory in Cologne, Germany, which runs on 100% green electricity.