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Wire Journal News

December 2020

Madison, Connecticut, USA – December 14, 2020 – The Wire Association International (WAI), Inc. announces that its flagship trade exposition, Interwire, and its concurrent annual meeting have been postponed from the original May 11-13, 2021 timeframe and rescheduled to October 26-27, 2021 at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

WAI’s Board of Directors voted unanimously on December 10, 2020, to change the dates after discussion on the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, the expected availability of vaccines and therapeutics, as well as the subsequent and anticipated lift of travel restrictions.

Commenting on the change, WAI’s First Vice President Thomas Heberling said, “We know that Interwire is important to the industry, and we are committed to producing a safe event. Southwire has been a strong supporter of Interwire and WAI, and I’d like to encourage decision makers at all the manufacturers and suppliers to keep an open mind. I’m expecting the months to come to show more promise, and I’m hoping that they will be accompanied by more renewed support for the industry to again meet in Atlanta.”

The new format will entail a shift from two-and-a-half days to two days, likely with longer exhibition hours.

WAI’s Executive Director Steven Fetteroll said, “Our staff has been working with the GWCC and area hotels to accommodate the shift and secure desirable dates. Details that will affect both exhibitors and attendees will be released as available through the event website: www.interwire21.com and in Wire Journal International.”

The 2021 staging of Interwire will mark 40 years since its inception. Hosted biennially, Interwire is an international trade event that includes exhibiting companies, speakers, and visitors from more than 50 countries.

The Wire Association International is a not-for-profit association with nearly 1,800 individual members in 50 countries. The association serves the educational needs of the wire and cable manufacturing industry through a variety of products and services. WAI manages the Interwire Trade Exhibition and the WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo and publishes the Wire Journal International and the Wire Journal International Reference Guide.

Media Contacts: Janice E. Swindells, Director Marketing & Corporate Communications, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Tel.: 001-203-453-2777 x. 117; Steven J. Fetteroll, Executive Director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Tel.: 001-203-453-1777.

Published in WAI News

Madison, Connecticut, USA – December 14, 2020 – The Wire Association International (WAI), Inc. announces that its flagship trade exposition, Interwire, and its concurrent annual meeting have been postponed from the original May 11-13, 2021 timeframe and rescheduled to October 26-27, 2021 at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

WAI’s Board of Directors voted unanimously on December 10, 2020, to change the dates after discussion on the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, the expected availability of vaccines and therapeutics, as well as the subsequent and anticipated lift of travel restrictions.

Commenting on the change, WAI’s First Vice President Thomas Heberling said, “We know that Interwire is important to the industry, and we are committed to producing a safe event. Southwire has been a strong supporter of Interwire and WAI, and I’d like to encourage decision makers at all the manufacturers and suppliers to keep an open mind. I’m expecting the months to come to show more promise, and I’m hoping that they will be accompanied by more renewed support for the industry to again meet in Atlanta.”

The new format will entail a shift from two-and-a-half days to two days, likely with longer exhibition hours.

WAI’s Executive Director Steven Fetteroll said, “Our staff has been working with the GWCC and area hotels to accommodate the shift and secure desirable dates. Details that will affect both exhibitors and attendees will be released as available through the event website: www.interwire21.com and in Wire Journal International.”

The 2021 staging of Interwire will mark 40 years since its inception. Hosted biennially, Interwire is an international trade event that includes exhibiting companies, speakers, and visitors from more than 50 countries.

The Wire Association International is a not-for-profit association with nearly 1,800 individual members in 50 countries. The association serves the educational needs of the wire and cable manufacturing industry through a variety of products and services. WAI manages the Interwire Trade Exhibition and the WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo and publishes the Wire Journal International and the Wire Journal International Reference Guide.

Media Contacts: Janice E. Swindells, Director Marketing & Corporate Communications, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Tel.: 001-203-453-2777 x. 117; Steven J. Fetteroll, Executive Director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Tel.: 001-203-453-1777.

Published in Industry News

7/7/21 

Anand Bhagwat was promoted to senior manager - quality and technology at Minova USA. In his new position, he will continue to support daily operations of quality functions, and manage the overall technology group in the Americas region. He will also support the global R&D team on product development. He joined the company in 2011 as manager of the Steel Technology Center. Prior to that, he worked at the Seneca Wire Group from 2000 to 2006 as vice president of quality and technology. Following a three-year stint as managing director of WAI Wire and Cable Services, Ltd., in India, the past WAI president (2005) returned to Seneca in 2011 as plant manager of FENIX, LLC. Based in Georgetown, Kentucky, Minova USA supplies ground support products for the mining, construction and energy industries.

Oman Cables Industry announced that Cinzia Farise is the company’s new CEO. She has been a sales and marketing director in the services and industrial products sector. She joined Italy’s Prysmian Group in 2005, holding a number of positions that included vice president and CEO of Prysmian India. She later served as CEO for Trenord, a large Italian rail company. In 2019, she returned to the Prysmian Group, and was named CEO of the group’s Turkish affiliate. She holds a degree in economics. She replaces Ali Said al Habaj, who left for personal reasons. Based in Rusayl, the Sultanate of Oman, Oman Cables Industry manufactures a wide range of electrical wires.

Victor Muñizn is the new regional manager for Latin America for Proton Products, tasked with leading and developing its sales and services business for measuring equipment in Latin America and the Caribbean. He previously worked for more than 20 years for Beta LaserMike, which is a brand of NDC Technologies, in Latin America as well as the U.S. His career began in 1999 as a senior laboratory engineer for Alcatel in the U.K. He holds a degree from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and an MBA from the University of Hull. Based in the U.K., Proton Products offers a wide range of measuring technology for wire and cable.

Remee Wire & Cable has named Marc Stringer as the company’s engineering product manager. He has more than three decades of industry experience in product management, marketing, engineering and related positions throughout his career. Some of his previous employers include General Cable, Belden, Southwire, Coleman, Champlain Cable and TE Wire & Cable. Based in Florida, New York, Remee Wire & Cable manufactures a range of fiber optic and copper cable.

Chroma Color Corporation announced three new employees. Wayne Comeau is the new market development manager. He most recently worked for eight years in the masterbatch industry as a key account manager, focused on custom color concentrates across various strategic markets. Prior to that he worked in numerous molding processes. Bob Mann is a regional account manager for Indiana, Michigan, and key accounts in the Midwestern region. He has 15 years of experience in colorants and additives, and a solid technical background that included roles with increasing responsibilities in color development labs. Tony Tanner is a regional account manager in the Mid-Atlantic region. He most recently was a senior technical account manager with a global pigment and dye manufacturer. He has wide experience in the field. Based in McHenry, Illinois, Chroma Color Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier for markets that include wire and cable. 

Obituary notice
WJI is said to report the passing of Ronald “Ron” W. Reed, a past WAI President (2008) who died from cancer on June 24 at age 65. A friend to many, he was a superb Association advocate and volunteer, for which he was named the 2012 winner of the Donnellan Memorial Award. The August issue will have a full obituary.

Published in People

UPCAST OY has promoted Janne Hosio to sales director, responsible for all the global sales and marketing activities and customer relationships of the company. He joined the company in 2001 as a project engineer, specialized in electrics and programming. Over the years, his role expanded, and he was given more responsibility for the sales of new casting lines. He was named sales manager in 2008. He holds a degree in electrical engineering from the Central Ostrobothnia University of Applied Sciences. Based in Pori, Finland, UPCAST OY is the original developer of upward upcasting technology.

Published in People

On Monday October 12, 2020 Central Wire Industries (CWI) Lancaster received the International Industry of the Year Award from the Lancaster County Department of Economic Development. This award was presented during a very well attended Lancaster County Council meeting. CWI Lancaster is proud to accept the acknowledgement of its continued growth, its investment in modernizing manufacturing facilities, and above all the dedication of its employees, who are the backbone of its continued success. The International Industry of the Year Award is based on several criteria, including:

  1. CWI Lancaster is a division of a business that is based outside of the United States.
  2. Our wire facility has been located in Lancaster County for at least 3 years.
  3. The facility has created at least 10 new jobs or $2 million in investment in the last 5 years.
  4. CWI Lancaster has a history of community giving, impact or engagement.

Scottie Simpson, 1st Shift Annealing Furnace Operator and Greg Spalding, General Manager accepted the award on behalf of all the great employees of CWI Lancaster. “It was an honor to not only receive this award, but to also take it back to the plant and show it to the team,” according to Mr. Spalding. “They’ve earned this with their dedication and hard work. I couldn’t be prouder of all the men and women who contributed to winning this award.”

The beautiful award will be proudly displayed for all to see in the CWI Lancaster lobby trophy case, as a reminder of their commitment to further growth.

Central Wire Industries (CWI) Lancaster is located in Lancaster, SC (USA), and employs 40 people in rod breakdown, drawing, annealing, straightening, finishing, packaging, and labeling operations.  Specializing in the manufacture of welding wire, spring wire, and bar stock, the facility boasts some of the company’s most advanced investments in drawing and processing equipment.

 

 

Published in Press Releases

Bremen based SIKORA AG ranks once again among Germany’s 100 fastest growing medium-sized companies and even improved from place 61 to 18. This is the result of the study “TOP 100 ranking of the medium-sized companies 2020”, which was carried out by the management consultancy Munich Strategy Group. This year again, SIKORA is the only company from Bremen that has made it into the “TOP 100“.

Dr. Christian Frank, CEO of SIKORA, says: “I am delighted that we are among the “TOP 100” again this year. The award once again shows that we belong to the elite of the German medium-sized companies. We set significant trends and play a leading role in the field of innovative measuring, control, inspection and sorting technologies. I am particularly proud that we worked our way up from rank 61 to rank 18. My special thanks goes to our colleagues in Bremen as well as in our subsidiaries around the world. Their achievement made this result possible. By focusing on technical innovations as well as expanding our global sales and service network and the simultaneous concentration of research, development and production at our location in Bremen, we create the conditions for future, constant growth.”

More than 4,000 companies from all industries with an annual turnover between 10 million and 1 billion Euro have been evaluated by the Munich Strategy Group. The “TOP 100” companies were determined on the basis of their long-term growth and profitability. The basis for the selection is the performance of the companies during the last five years.

SIKORA was founded in 1973 by Harald Sikora and is today a leading manufacturer and supplier of measuring and control technology for the wire and cable, hose and tube, sheets as well as optical fiber, metals and plastics industries. With around 300 employees worldwide, 14 international offices and more than 30 regional representatives, the medium-sized company provides customers with innovative product solutions and expert service. The measuring and control systems are exclusively made at the headquarters in Bremen/Germany. Innovation, product quality and customer satisfaction define the daily activities at SIKORA AG.

Published in Press Releases

Converting the WAI’s Fundamentals of Wire & Cable Manufacturing Program (Fundamentals) to a virtual form that presented over seven consecutive Wednesdays in September and October was not without occasional technical challenges, but overall, it got a hearty “well done,” based on comments from the participants.

The final count for attendance was 119, with participants from 28 countries. The traditional Fundamentals program has drawn more, but one of the advantages of the virtual format was that it allowed attendees to take part that may not have been able to travel for the two-day format. The WAI plans to continue staging the live Fundamentals course at Interwire and Wire Expo, but future virtual presentations are also possible.

One participant, ArgusIoT founder and CEO Parag Panse, who attended all 13 sessions (three live and the rest by watching the video recording later), said that he liked the format. “I would certainly recommend this Fundamentals training to my own employees as well as to other companies. I was happy with the way the program was organized and run. Well done WAI!”

Published in WAI News

In Covid-19 times, reality often becomes virtual, which is exactly how WAI presented the annual Clockwinding tradition, its annual meeting and the Mordica Lecture on Nov. 11. See p. 6 for related comments by WAI President Jan Sørige.

Former WAI President Ron Reed, Lloyd & Bouvier, was physically at the Association’s headquarters in Madison, Connecticut, accompanied by his wife, Mary. Also present was WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll and Director of Technology Chuck Szymaszek.

Reed explained the history of the Clockwinding tradition, wherein a U.K. representative annually comes to WAI’s headquarters to wind the grandfather clock that was presented to the Association on behalf of the U.K., wire industry for help during World War II. Reed then introduced Clockwinder Martin Thacker, who spoke for the occasion from his home in Britain. Below is his speech, which was followed by Reed performing the actual winding of the clock.

“With the benefit of modern technology, our tradition of clock winding is able to continue in spite of a worldwide pandemic. As a result, we are creating a new first today. It is a real privilege for me to be invited as the very first clock winder to participate in this prestigious ceremony without even leaving my home! Although it saddens me that I cannot be with you in person today, we should be glad that the clock winding is going ahead and the annual tradition remains unbroken.

“On this day 80 years ago, the British Royal Navy launched its first ever aircraft carrier strike in history on the Italian fleet. Particularly poignant, is that on this day in 1918 an Armistice was signed which marked the end of World War I.

“During that war, my grandfather became an apprentice at Johnson and Playfair Wire Manufacturers in Sheffield. His wages were eight shillings a week with a war bonus of a further two shillings. The company produced patent and plough steel rope wires, as well as high strain steel wire. The advent of the Second World War saw my grandfather move to Brealey and Company as a wire drawer for the princely sum of 80 shillings a week. The company was well known for production of bright wire for all purposes. My grandfather was proud of the work he did and how the wire produced made a difference to the world he lived in. He was equally proud to be an official in the Amalgamated Union of Wiredrawers, founded in 1840, the oldest trade union operating in the wire industry. My grandfather was a union official when there were 13,000 members and he attended the Trades Union Congress in 1968.

“His love of the industry inspired me to become a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Tinplate Workers Alias Wireworkers in the City of London. My proposer for membership was Peter Rigby, a past Master of the Livery Company and clock winder. His father, John Rigby, presented the clock in 1948 on behalf of the British Wire Association. Just like the hands of this clock, the many links ensure we come full circle.

“A clock’s primary purpose is to display the time. We know that this clock is so much more than that. It is a symbol of the friendship between our countries, a practical connection of our wire industries and the continuation of a bond linked by a metaphor of time-honored tradition. Thank you for allowing me to participate in the ceremony today and ensuring that this wonderful tradition is maintained and has meaningful relevance in our 21st century world.”

Following Thacker, Dr. Gil Baker presented his Mordica Lecture, which was published in the July issue of WJI. His presentation, which included commentary on some aspects beyond the printed paper, can be accessed—along with the Clockwinding ceremony and annual meeting—at https://bit.ly/2020Clock.

Published in WAI News

BSRIA projects that the global structured cabling market will decline 12% in 2020, from US$6.6 billion to $5.8 billion, and that consumption is not likely to return to 2019 levels until 2022.

A press release said that the first half of the year saw the largest fall, with severe disruption caused by national lockdowns. In some instances, the worst effects were felt in the second half. The report, which covers 10 countries and four regions, was updated to account for the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“There were significant variations between countries, typically related to the general economic impact of the pandemic,” the release said. “There have also been various government support policies for the country economies in general or for specific sectors, such as buildings.” Additionally, vertical markets have fared significantly differently from one another. “Sectors such as travel, hospitality and retail (have been) especially badly hit, while healthcare, data centers and in some countries, education, remain more buoyant.”

Copper cable and connectivity suffered more than fiber did, reports BSRIA. Copper sales declined by 15% globally, with a range of 14% and 16% holding consistently across main regions of the globe. BSRIA attributes this decline to “a severe disruption in non-residential construction with the delay or cancellation of many projects.”

Fiber, on the other hand, declined 7% but with significant variations from region to region, “from a stable market in Asia-Pacific to a drop of 14% in America,” BSRIA stated. “In countries where fiber sales held up, this was often supported by increased investment in data centers partly driven by the effects of the pandemic in driving demand for web services.”

For more details, contact BSRIA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.bsria.co.uk.

Published in Industry News

NKT announced that it is part of a group effort to develop the prototype for what will be the world’s longest superconducting power cable. The project, first announced in 2019, seeks to develop and supply a record-length superconducting cable for use in Munich, Germany.

A press release from NKT said that Stadtwerke München Infrastrukur has now started the first stage development of the project. Called the “SuperLink,” the proposed 12-km-long underground power link would be the longest superconducting power cable solution in the world. It said that the ambitious project, which has seven partners, is an important indication about the future potential of superconducting power cables. The other partners are Linde plc, THEVA, the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

“We are proud to take part in the early stages of the development,” said NKT Chief Technology Officer Anders Jensen. He noted that SWM and Link where Stadtwerke München and Stadtwerke München Infrastruktur are taking a significant step to leverage superconducting power cables. “It is important to continue to develop solutions to support the transition to renewable energy and the ambitions of the German Energiewende. In NKT, we see superconducting power cables as a part of the future to ensure optimized access to clean energy in larger cities such as Munich.”

The design of the superconducting power cables is extremely compact compared to conventional cable technology and can become a key enabler of the transition to renewable energy in urban areas due to the high power-to-size ratio. The SuperLink is expected to have a power rating of 500 MW and will be installed between two substations in Munich using existing ducts to keep the construction work at a minimum.

A fact sheet also noted that SuperLink will have a power rating of 500 MW and a voltage level of 110 kV; that the plan is to install it in existing ducts; the superconducting cable will be cooled to minus 200ºC in a closed circuit with the environmental harmless refrigerant nitrogen; and it will have a cooling system with redundant back-up coolers.

“With 1.5 million residents, Munich is a great city to develop and live-test the possibilities of superconducting power cables to expand the power grids in urban areas that will be an integral part of the system,” the release said.

Published in Industry News
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