Essex Furukawa reports that three of its North American facilities in Indiana have successfully completed The Copper Mark Assurance Process and meet its relevant standards.

A press release said the operations include plants in Fort Wayne and Franklin as well as the Metals Processing Center in Columbia City. The assurance process involved a comprehensive evaluation of each plant’s operations, including its social practices and governance with criteria that included environmental standards, community health and safety requirements, equality practices, and employee work conditions.

“I share in the excitement across our North American teams, at each of these locations, for achieving The Copper Mark,” said Essex Furukawa North America President Jared Rowntree. “It is a significant step for our entire organization as well as the industry.”

The Copper Mark is a globally recognized standard for responsible copper production. It demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainable practices and responsible sourcing of copper. “By meeting the stringent requirements and successfully passing a third-party assessment at three of its facilities, Essex Furukawa reaffirms its dedication to environmental stewardship and social responsibility that was set in place by its Vision 2030 initiative.”

“Having worked closely with these teams for the better part of the last two years to meet The Copper Mark criteria—and now completing the Assurance Process—is very rewarding for everyone involved,” said Austin Robinson, global corporate sustainability manager at Superior Essex, who was singled out for his efforts with the teams.

Essex Furukawa notes that it started the process in June 2022 and was the first magnet wire manufacturer to participate and achieve the Assurance Process.

On Saturday, March 23rd, 2024, Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc., celebrated the company’s centennial anniversary with a grand gala at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, Connecticut. The event marked 100 years of the Ulbrich family legacy and was attended by over 600 employees, retirees and notable government officials.

Per the company report, the gala kicked off with an executive and family photoshoot before employees and their guests poured into the Aqua Turf’s Kay’s Pier banquet hall for cocktail hour. Upon seating at their tables, captivated attendees watched with reverence as the Governor’s Foot Guard presented the colors. Chris Ulbrich, company chairman and CEO, had the honor of introducing the Foot Guard, explaining that the historic military regiment had been active since the earliest days of the American Revolution. As the ceremonies came to a close, Chris Ulbrich gave a heartfelt speech, thanking all the Ulbrich team members, both past and present, for their contributions to the company. He also expressed gratitude to the entire Ulbrich community, from vendors to suppliers and organizations that serve the community.

The event was graced by the presence of Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Connecticut Chief Manufacturing Officer Paul Lavoie, State Representative Dave Yaccarino, former Wallingford Mayor William Dickenson. In addition to Mayor Scarpati of Meriden, Mayor Vincent Cervoni of Wallingford and First Selectman Micheal J. Freda of North Haven also attended the event.

Bysiewicz, Lavoie and the mayors each spoke to Ulbrich’s longevity and the importance of manufacturing jobs to the state’s economic prosperity. Mayor Scarpati and Mayor Cervoni proclaimed that March 23rd is now officially dedicated to celebrating Ulbrich’s contributions to our communities. The governor’s office presented a 100th birthday card to the Ulbrich family.

The gala celebrated Ulbrich’s journey since 1924, acknowledging the countless hardworking men and women who have been the driving force behind the company’s achievements. Chris Ulbrich highlighted the company’s adaptability, from making mess kits during World War II to contributing to lunar landings, Mars missions, and life-saving medical devices.

An announcement said that a special gift, a book titled “More than Metal,” chronicling the company’s history, would be mailed to the homes of all attendees. The book was originally written by longtime company Chairman and CEO Fred Ulbrich, Jr., and finished as part of the company’s centennial celebration.

Last October, the Prysmian Group presented the launch of the Group’s new business strategy, Connect to Lead. Now, the world’s largest cable business is furthering that mission with a rebranding—a manifesto—that reflects its vision and goals for the next five years.

A press release said that the initiative “aims at capitalizing on the company’s market position to seize the opportunities offered by the new market trends that are currently shaping the cable industry.” It will allow Prysmian “to transform the Group from a cable player into a cabling solution provider and to lead the energy transition and the digital transformation.”

Per the company, its new brand “represents the energy and technology that moves us towards a more sustainable way of living, in every corner of the planet.” Prysmian’s strong new logo captures the name, mission and legacy of the company, ensuring its recognition and amplifying its distinctive identity. The new logo, in fact, represents all the essential aspects and elements of Prysmian’s identity: the pathways, the shift, the gradient and the circularity.

The logo, primarily developed digitally, reflects the brand’s determination to embrace new strategies and a new corporate purpose. The symbol shape reveals a hidden ‘p,’ in addition to recalling the circular economy concept, while the blue-to-green gradient color reflects the Group’s commitment to the development of renewable energy. The iconic logo, interpreted with a contemporary and dynamic design, connects the concepts of tradition and evolution. The entire visual system and the new payoff “The Planet’s Pathways” embody the role that Prysmian aims to play in shaping a better future and in paving paths for an increasingly sustainable and digital future for our planet.

“Through this rebranding, we are aligning Prysmian’s image to the changes the Group is undergoing and to the rapid evolution of our industrial sector, an evolution we intend to lead,” said Maria Cristina Bifulco, chief investor relations, sustainability and communication officer, Prysmian. “The global challenges and opportunities we are facing require us to put our organization’s strength and expertise at the service of our customers, partners and all our stakeholders to drive new forms of energy and information to every corner of the Earth.

“Together, we can navigate the way forward. And that’s exactly what Prysmian wants to convey with its new payoff, The Planet’s Pathways. This is what inspires our future moves and what guides us in reaching our purpose.”

Southwire was recently recognized for two separate activities, one for diversity and the other for its commitment to responsible business practices.

A press release said that Southwire was recognized as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2024 by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group. The recognition was based on a survey conducted of more than 220,000 individuals. In 2023, Southwire’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy featured a focus on People Leaders, Inclusive Workforce, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), Reputation and Community, Equity and Governance and Value and Supply Chain.

“At Southwire, we believe that the people are the power behind everything we do,” said Southwire Chief DEI Officer Cara Herzog. “We want to be the Employer of Choice for a workforce whose perspectives, backgrounds, talents and experiences are not only accepted but embraced.”

“We are honored to be recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity,” said Southwire President and CEO Rich Stinson. “We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce not only enhances our team members’ experiences but also drives collaboration and innovation. Southwire strives for every team member to feel valued, respected and empowered.”

Southwire also had three facilities certified by The Copper Mark, an entity that assesses responsible production, sourcing and recycling of metals. On Dec. 12, 2023, it announced the certification of three Southwire facilities: those in Denton, Texas; Bremen, and Lafayette, Indiana.

“Receiving The Copper Mark at our manufacturing plants in Denton, Bremen and Lafayette is an incredible accomplishment and speaks to Southwire’s commitment to sustainability now and in the future,” said Burt Fealing, executive vice president, general counsel and chief sustainability officer at Southwire. “It also speaks to the dedication our team members have to our five core tenets of Growing Green, Living Well, Giving Back, Doing Right and Building Worth, which these facilities demonstrated throughout the assurance process. “This recognition reflects Southwire’s dedication to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace that welcomes and celebrates the unique skills and experiences of its team members.