3/4/2022 
The WAI Poland Chapter has changed the dates for its 9th International Drawing Conference—which had been set for April 20-22—to May 18-20.
The event will still be held at the Hotel GALAXY in Cracow, Poland. Updating the story in the February issue, the theme for the conference is “Modern technological solutions and actual problems of drawing and other metal forming processes.”

Chapter President Jan Pilarczyk said the later date will make it easier for attendees to take part. He noted that it also comes closer to a very important date that will take place in May: the 20th anniversary of the day when the WAI’s Board of Directors approved the creation of the WAI Chapter.

Pilarczyk said that he was pleased with the support the event has had so far from industry. The main sponsors are Drumet, a member of WireCo World Group; Schlatter; WiTechs; the MFL Group; Vassena; and Lubrimetal. Other sponsors include MET-PRIM Sp.
z o.o.; Telefonika Kable S.A.; CMC Poland Sp. z o.o., operating in Poland, a member of the CMC Commercial Metals Group; Witels Albert; and Wilhelm Tatje KG.

The focus for the conference is “Modern methods of metal forming and drawing processes and production of wire rod and wire.” Topics include: selected issues from the theory and technology of the drawing process and other plastic forming processes; directions of drawing technology development in the field of devices, tools, accessories, lubricants and cooling agents; quality problems for ​​production of charge materials, wires and final products; new materials and new application areas for drawn products; and operational issues – ropes, cables, wires, welding wires, springs, etc.

The plenary session will be moderated by Pilarczyk and Prof. Tadeusz Knych, the dean of the Department of Nonferrous Metals at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow. Kynch is also chairman of the scientific committee.

Pilarczyk said that a book will be presented at the event that covers the creation of the chapter, looking at how professionals from the private sector and academia teamed up to carry out a shared mission to improve the steel wire industry. Four individuals will be honored at the event with the Schneider Memorial Award—the highest such award for Poland at the conference. They include Tom Moran, Brookfield Wire, U.S.; Prof. Beata Smyrak, AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow; Prof. Zbigniew Gronostajski, Wrocław University of Technology; and Andrzej Karwat, R&D, Drumet/WireCo Corp.

The co-organizers of the conference include Pilarczyk; Knych, the 2015 winner of the WAI’s Mordica Memorial Award; and Prof. Adam Zieliński, of the Institute for Ferrous Metallurgy. It will also include a plant tour of TELE-FONIKA Kable S.A. The Conference Honorary Patronage is by Prof. Norbert Sczygiol, rector of the Czestochowa University of Technology. More details will be in the April issue, and go to the Chapter website: www.msc.wip.pcz.pl.

1/31/2022 – The New England Chapter is ready for the Feb. 24 return to the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, where more than a hundred people are expected to attend its annual meeting.

The annual dinner will be held for the first time at the casino’s Cabaret Theater. The event format will be the same, starting with a reception at 5:30 pm, where chapter members and others can mingle, an opportunity that has been all too rare the last two years. The new officers for 2022 will be introduced, as well as an update on the chapter’s college scholarship program."

“It will be great seeing everyone again at Mohegan Sun,” said 2021 WAI Chapter President John Accorsi, M. Holland, whose term will have ended. “It is always a fun venue for the meeting.” He said that it was unfortunate it could not be held in 2021, but the chapter was still able to remain active, holding its annual golf tournament as well as a successful webinar.

The chapter meeting will also include the traditional raffle, which along with the annual golf tournament are the key sources for funding the scholarship program. The chapter hopes to see the same level of prior year company donations for the raffle as well as sponsorships, of which there are three levels: gold, $500; silver, $250; and bronze, $150.

The cost for the event is $120 for New England Chapter members, $130 for WAI members and $140 for non-WAI members. There also is a new WAI member package of $145 for dues and the dinner, and for $15, an existing WAI member can become a New England Chapter member.

For more details on this, contact WAI’s John Markowski at 203-453-2777, ext. 121, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Markowski, who began working as an intern for WAI in 2018 and became a full-employee last May, is the main contact for all of the Association’s chapters.

1/31/2022 – On January 14, the WAI Board of Directors held the last in a series of planning meetings for the Operations Summit and Wire Expo 2022, which will be held at the Hyatt Regency Dallas in Texas on June 6-8. The goal was to finalize the focus for the event, and it did just that when the board voted that the theme for the event would be “Rising to the Challenges.”

“The Board, which is comprised of experienced industry professionals, has been managing through this prolonged period of challenges” said WAI President Jim York, Sr. VP of Insteel Industries. “They considered a number of ‘current world’ elements well suited for the conference and, as the program came together, a common theme was apparent. ‘Rising to The Challenges’ was unanimously adopted as the Wire Expo theme for 2022.”

The Board planned the event to be full of topical content recognizing that the operational demands on the wire and cable industry are both significant and prolonged. The program will address four key areas: workforce, supply chain, production solutions and technical development. More details can found at www.wireexpo22.com and in subsequent WJI issues.

Other highlights will be a tour of Encore Wire Corp., the Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course, the keynote speech and the Awards Ceremony.
WAI is optimistic that this in-person event will be held, given the projected return to more traditional meetings as the year progresses. This sentiment is shared by the more than 100 suppliers that are supporting the exhibit portion of the program. Wire and cable professionals can renew relationships, learn, rejuvenate and once again share in the industry experience. It is long overdue.

1/7/2022 – Below are the individuals who will lead the Wire Association in 2022, and details about them.

James R. York will serve as the Association’s president in 2022, succeeding Thomas Heberling, Southwire Co. The other officers are 1st Vice President Daniel Blais, Prysmian; 2nd Vice President Kurt Breischaft, SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS; WAI Executive Director/Secretary Steve Fetteroll; and WAI Treasurer Sheila Kuever. The WAI officers are key to the direction and planning for events, products and services to serve the WAI’s 2,000 members.

President: James R. York
James R. York is senior vice president of Insteel Industries Inc., where his focus is sourcing, logistics and business development. He joined the company in 2018, and prior to that had worked for Leggett & Platt for 15 years in key management positions, the last one being vice president, president rod & wire products. Prior to that, he had worked for Bekaert for nearly 20 years. He joined the Board of Directors in 2017 and the Executive Committee in 2018. He is the co-chair of the 2022 Conference Programming Committee, and he previously was a member of the Interwire Industry 4.0 Task Force and the Finance Committee. He has been a WAI member since 2012. He is active in the American Wire Producers Association. He holds a B.S. degree in marketing from the University of Missouri-Columbia’s College of Business.

1st Vice President: Daniel Blais
Daniel Blais is the North American manufacturing area utilities vice president for Prysmian, where he has worked since 1987. He is based at the company’s in Highland Heights, Kentucky. A WAI member since 2011, he is responsible for nine manufacturing facilities serving the utility and rod and strip customer base. He has held several operational leadership positions of growing responsibilities across the Prysmian North American footprint. He joined the Board of Directors in 2018 and the Executive Committee in 2019. He is the co-chair of the 2022 Conference Programming Committee, and he previously was a member of the Interwire Industry 4.0 Task Force and the Finance Committee. He holds a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Sherbrooke University.

2nd Vice President: Kurt Breischaft
Kurt Breischaft is the president of SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS, a position he has held since 2013. He has held progressively responsible positions within the industry during his 30-year career, working for companies that include Cerrowire, Belden and Superior Essex. He serves on the WAI Board of Directors and is a member of the Executive Committee. He was the chairman of the Membership Committee from 2018 to 2021. He holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and an MBA from Indiana Western University. Of note, he also was the recipient of the 2006 Wire Link Traveling Scholarship Award.