Lori Parent has been named business development manager for both Cable Components Group (CCG) and Gendon Polymer Services (Gendon). She has some 30 years of experience in colorants and masterbatches, most recently serving as director of sales USA/Canada for Spain’s Delta Tecnic, which she joined as a sales specialist in 2020. Prior past employers include Breen Color Concentrates and Chroma Color Corporation. Well known in the industry and a past president of the WAI’s New England Chapter, she was recognized by Plastics News (Women Breaking the Mold). She joins a sales team that includes Lynne Russell, who was promoted in June to vice president, sales and marketing; Sales Manager, Strategic Accounts Shawn Staveley, Gendon, who has been with the company for 15 years; and Technical Sales Manager Kevin DeLauriers, CCG/Gendon, who previously had 10 years of experience working at Hueson Wire and General Cable. Based in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, Cable Components Group supplies components and compounds for the wire, cable and optical fiber industries, as well as yarn and nonwovens. Based in Ontario, Canada, sister company Gendon Polymer Services supplies compounds for challenging wire and cable uses.

Magnetic Analysis Corp. (MAC) has named Daniel Lawrence as president/CEO. He most recently was general manager of the optical components business of MKS Instruments, and before that was a vice president and general manager of the Stellite, Conforma Clad and Advanced Materials Systems units of Kennametal. He was a division vice president and business unit manager for two units within AMETEK. He holds BS and MS degrees in chemical engineering from Clarkson University, and an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University. He succeeds Dudley Boden, who remains a company director and will retire in June 2024. Based in Elmsford, New York, Magnetic Analysis Corporation supplies non-destructive testing equipment.

Bessie Williams has been named chief procurement officer for Prysmian Group North America. She has 17 years of experience in the global supply chain and procurement sectors, with experience both in raw and non-raw procurement with an extensive background in metals. She most recently worked for Moog Inc., where she served as director of strategic sourcing for its Moog Aircraft Group, and prior to that was Global Director of Procurement at Howmet, where she oversaw the procurement function for two business segments. She also served as the global director of procurement for Arconic Engineered Structure. She holds a B.S. degree in business administration and an MBA from the University of Arkansas. The Prysmian Group is a global leader in the energy, telecom cables, and systems industry.

Jim Grimley was promoted to president of OTEC Compounds. He became part of the company in 2008 and prior to being appointed to his current position, he had been serving as vice president of sales and marketing. He has more than 30 years of experience in the thermoplastic compound and manufacturing industry and is well versed on the technical side as well as sales. He holds a degree in biology from McDaniel College. Based in Rolling Prairie, Indiana, OTEC Compounds develops, designs and custom manufactures specialty PVC compounds, thermoplastic elastomers for the electrical wire and cable industry.

Marc Richling was named extrusion director at Rosendahl Nextrom. He studied polymer science and technology at the Montanuniversität Leoben, and collaborated with Rosendahl Nextrom for his studies. He played a key role in developing the RX25 liquid-temperature crosshead for foaming. After graduating in 2009, he joined the company, working in process engineering and R&D. He assumed his new role in August. Rosendahl Nextrom is a global supplier of extrusion technology.

Mike Pascino was named director of operations engineering North America for the Prysmian Group. He joined the company in 2007 as facility maintenance manager, was engineering manager from 2011, added engineering team leader ICS in 2017, and in August assumed his new position. Prior to Prysmian, he worked for three years at General Cable as a process engineer and as a project engineer. A Six Sigma Black Belt, he holds a B.S. degree in mechanical/electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The Prysmian Group is a global leader in the energy, telecom cables, and systems industry.

Obituaries

David Edward Shockley, an executive at Marmon Utility LLC, 66, died at home in McKinney, Texas, on Nov. 14 after a long battle with cancer, with his wife by his side. He joined the company in 2014 as Southwest regional sales manager and was promoted to director of sales aerial cable systems in 2017, then was promoted in December 2022 to his latest position, regional vice president of Western, Southern and Latin America Sales Marmon Utility LLC. Before joining the company, he was a business consultant for GLG for five years, and prior to that worked 11 years for PPC Insulators Group, where he was national sales manager for two of its divisions. He held a business degree from The Ohio State University.

Jerry M. Taylor, a retired veteran metallurgist and WAI Life Member, died at his home in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 2, at age 90. A graduate of Carnegie Institute of Technology, he was employed as a metallurgist for Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation, from which he retired in 1988. He then worked for Bethlehem Steel Corporation as a metallurgical service engineer for seven years, and for Johnstown Wire Technologies for 10 years before finally retiring in 2003. He then worked as a metallurgical consultant up until the time of his death. A U.S. Navy veteran, he served in the U.S. Navy from 1955 through 1957. He was also a lifetime member of the American Society for Metals. He is survived by stepsons Carl and Dominic Parise; six grandchildren; and many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

The Wire Association International produced the 2023 International Technical Conference on Nov. 13-14 at the Crowne Plaza in Monterrey, Mexico.

The event attracted 208 participants that represented 70 different organizations. The two-day conference, which included 17 sessions, received strong reviews from all involved, especially for those representing the nonferrous and electrical sectors. The educational content extended into the Suppliers Market that included 33 companies and ran concurrently with sessions.

“It was a good show. The presentations were first class and understandable for all levels, also the table tops with technical people were good,” said Conference Committee Chairman Antonio Ayala. “The dinner on Monday night was perfect. The food was good, the music was good, and all there enjoyed it. The visit to the plant the next day was also very good. In general, the conference was a success for everybody who took part.”

This is the sixth time that the Association has held this event in Mexico and the fourth in Monterrey (2008, 2010, 2016). All of the Monterrey events have been held at the Crowne Plaza, which is convenient for the local attendees and well suited to accommodate the networking and program elements.

The opening session was a panel session that was moderated by WAI president Kurt Breischaft of SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS and included Felipe Martinez of Kobrex, Wesley Rios of Viakable and Andres Guerra Siller of DeAcero. The attendees heard a range of perspectives on critical factors effecting the industry including nearshoring, geopolitics, AI, environmental responsibility and market conditions. These themes identified by the panel were reinforced in the sessions that followed.

Presentations were made by representatives from Borealis, Condumex, CTC Global, Enkotec, innovAction Srl, Niehoff Endex North America, Química Iberoamericana, Rosendahl Nextrom, Paramount Die Company, Schneider Electric, SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS, SKET, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Troester and Viakable.
Nearly all of the attendees participated in the reception and dinner on Monday night. It was well placed in the Suppliers’ Market room that was open Monday and Tuesday, giving everyone a chance to visit and learn more about the new and developing manufacturing solutions that are available. The reception featured a five-piece Mexican band that received great reviews and had many attendees singing along, while the last part of the conference—sold-out tours of a Viakable plant on Wednesday—was hailed for being informative and very well run.

WAI’s Steve Fetteroll recognized the key role that Viakable’s Raúl Garcia played in producing the event with the support of his small yet capable committee that included WAI Past President Antonio Ayala and Eurgenio Urbina of Troester. “Garcia’s understanding of the key issues and his extensive contacts were key factors in the success of the event.”
Tabletop companies include: Balloffet Die Corporation; Calmec Precision Limited; Cemanco LC; Esteves Group; Fine International Corporation; Fort Wayne Wire Die; Interequip SA de CV; Kobrex; LaserLinc; Lubrimetal; Madem Carretes de Mexico, S de RL de CV; Marex; Mathiasen Machinery, Inc.; Metalube Ltd.; Mikrotek Machines Limited; and Niehoff Endex North America Inc.

Also, Nordson BETA LaserMike; Paramount Die Mexico; Pan Chemicals Americas; Proton Products LATAM; Quaker Houghton; Química Iberoamericana (Blachford distributor); Rainbow Rubber and Plastic; RichardsApex Inc.; SKET; Rosendahl Nextrom GmbH; Roteq Machinery; Taymer International Inc.; Thermoplastics Engineering Corp.; WAI/Wire Journal International; Troester GmbH & Co. KG.; WiTechs B.V.; and Zumbach Electronics Corp.

Wire Expo 2024: why attend?
As of press time, some two months after the Points Meeting for Wire Expo, nearly 70% of the floor space has been reserved. Of note, 10% of the exhibitors are new to Wire Expo. Below, WAI Sales Director Shannon Timme shares thoughts on why attending Wire Expo makes sense.

A lack of resources is a harsh reality for some manufacturers in the industry that want to send staff to industry events but have to evaluate which ones to pick from the oversaturated tradeshow landscape. I believe that Wire Expo should remain on top of the list because it is too important to miss.

The history of Wire Expo spans more than three decades and the event attracts overseas interest, draws new exhibitors, and hosts face-to-face deal making with company leaders and decision makers. Wire Expo offers a tradeshow floor packed with suppliers who represent nearly every sector that services the wire and cable industry. But just as importantly, WAI’s history of delivering exceptional educational programs to attendees continues to confirm the value of the event.

I saw that firsthand at the recent staging of WAI & ACIMAF conference in Italy. I sat in on presentations by many exceptional industry executives and researchers. I was impressed by how solid those programs were. I heard attendees talking about topics in breaks, at lunch and at dinner. That part of the experience has always existed at Wire Expo and Interwire.

Sending key employees to Wire Expo to hear about concepts and trends which educate, inspire, and motivate while providing them the opportunity to walk the show floor and network and interact directly is valuable and makes Wire Expo 2024 a superb two-fold investment.

The deadline is getting closer for sending in a nomination for WAI’s 2024 Wire Link Traveling Scholarship, a program that sends a wire professional to Europe where he or she can see how different companies operate as well as attend the wire Düsseldorf show in Germany in April 15-19, 2024. Applications need to be received by Jan. 1.

The Association is looking for ambitious wire professionals who have been employed for at least two years in the wire and cable (or related) industries, including manufacturers and suppliers. The program alternates between a U.S. representative going to Europe, and a U.K. representative going to the U.S. through the program’s co-sponsor, the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers alias Wire Workers of England.

The scholarship will be awarded to the candidate who best demonstrates to the judges how the award will help him or her grow professionally, gain a broadened knowledge of the industry and share those benefits with his or her company. All expenses will be met by the sponsors during the trip to the U.K. and Germany. The only employer cost is the employee’s time, and travel to and from the departure airport.

There is a list of requirements to be a candidate, the key ones being that the applicant must have been employed full-time in the wire and cable industry for at least two years at the time of travel; be a WAI member in good standing at the time of application and travel; be available for an interview; be able to travel to England and wire Düsseldorf for two weeks that same spring; be employed by his/her nominating company at the time of travel; and have a signed letter of recommendation from an appropriate company official.

Submissions/questions can be sent to the WAI’s Wire Foundation via wirenet.org. Questions can also be sent by applicants and employers to WAI Member Services Manager Corey Flynn at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..