7/7/21 Optical Cable Corporation (OCC) and CommScope have entered into a long-term agreement to cross-license portions of their patent portfolios.

A press release said that the cross-license agreement relates to certain copper data communication connectivity patents of both OCC and CommScope, in addition to OCC’s in-building wireless patents. Both companies can access and implement the other company’s licensed patents and technologies under the agreement.

This agreement follows one in 2004 where CommScope and SMP Data Communications (now part of OCC) cross-licensed copper data communication connectivity technologies that included complementary core technologies related to Cat. 6/Cat. 6A RJ45 connector performance.
“We have had a long and productive relationship with OCC and we are pleased to extend it with this agreement,” said CommScope’s John Schmidt, vice president of building connectivity infrastructure.

4/6/2021: In honor of “Black History Month,” IWCS is proud to recognize a true American Hero and pioneer. We were truly blessed to have “Ace” Godwin as the leader of IWCS for over 30 years!

Elmer “Ace” Godwin was born July 10, 1920 in Smithfield, Virginia. He was educated in a one-room schoolhouse, called the Godwin School, which was built and supported by his family. Looking for a life other than working on the family farm, Godwin moved after high school to Sea Bright, New Jersey. He worked in various jobs, including building many of the jetties along the oceanfront.

World War II marked the beginning of many firsts for Godwin in his breaking of society’s racial barriers. He was a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, the all black 332nd Fighter Squadron who became the country’s first black military airmen during segregation. While battling racism at home, the Tuskegee Airmen distinguished themselves by having the best record of safeguarding bombers flying missions from the U.K. Their achievements were fundamental to integrating the U.S. military. Stationed in Italy from 1943-1945, Godwin was a tower operator in charge of instructing pilots during takeoffs and landings. While there, he received the Good Conduct Medal and the Distinguished Unit Badge.

In September 2007, Godwin was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for his World War II service during a ceremony at the New Jersey Borough of Shrewsbury’s city hall. On Jan. 20, 2009, he was among 150 Tuskegee Airmen who were guests of President Barack Obama at his inauguration. He was also the first African American to join the board of governors at Monmouth Medical Center.

After the military, Godwin attended Monmouth College and Rutgers University, where he received his B.S. degree. Godwin then worked for 35 years as an electronics engineer for the Army’s Electronics Command Research and Development Laboratories at Fort Monmouth in Eatontown, New Jersey. He was considered a leading international lecturer and authority on wire and cable engineering.

After retiring from the Fort in 1979, Godwin became CEO and Director of the IWCS. This group brought together government and industry representatives from around the world to develop wires and cables in military applications. Godwin was also owner of GEF Associates of Shrewsbury, New Jersey, an electronics engineering consulting firm. In 2002, IWCS endowed a scholarship in Godwin’s name at Rutgers University. The Elmer “Ace” Godwin scholarship is for qualified high school seniors and college students in need who want to enter the electronic or engineering field of telecommunication. To make a contribution, go to http://give.rutgers.edu/Godwin. 

Ace died Feb. 19, 2009, but his legacy continues.

2/24/20 --  Madison, Connecticut, USA – The Wire Association International (WAI), Inc. announces recent developments by its Industry 4.0 Task Force, along with the participation of Messe Düsseldorf North America, toward the introduction of an Industry 4.0 Pavilion on the Interwire 2021 exhibit floor at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The new show dates are: October 26-27, 2021.

The goal of the new venture is to establish and showcase relevant machinery, software, and process demonstrations that illustrate smart technology as it relates to the wire and cable making industry.

The space will include 12 companies half of which will represent the smart manufacturing field; the other half will showcase companies, established within the wire and cable industry, that have adopted these or other new technologies in their processes and equipment. Space among these exhibits will be dedicated to brief, scheduled demonstrations within a socially distanced theater configuration.

Following the “Industry 4.0” theme for Interwire 2021, WAI is planning an allied educational program with presentations from both the smart technology field as well as its traditional technical papers.

Commenting on the new venture, 2021 WAI President Thomas Heberling said, “WAI has a proven 90-year history of providing stellar educational experiences to the industry. This new Pavilion at Interwire will serve WAI’s mission and introduce new technology that affects our stakeholders. We are pleased to build a relationship with Messe Düsseldorf North America for a co-created Pavilion that may be repeated at future events.”

"As the U.S. subsidiary of Messe Düsseldorf, the organizer of wire Düsseldorf, we have been active in the North American market for over 30 years in the wire and cable industry and serve as a link for U.S. and international companies to access markets all over the world. This partnership on the Industry 4.0 Pavilion at Interwire 2021 with WAI is a logical continuation to open up new market opportunities, expand on the technological and educational advancements on this continent," said Tom Mitchell, President of Messe Düsseldorf North America.

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. See developing details at www.interwire21.com.

Messe Düsseldorf North America (MDNA) is the U.S. subsidiary of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH in Germany – one of the world’s largest organizers of international trade shows for the machinery, medical, retail, lifestyle and leisure industries. Their trade shows bring together market players from around the world, connecting industry leaders from small businesses to global players. With their expertise and range of services, they help exhibitors and visitors find the customers or the service and merchandise providers they are looking for. Within the Americas, MDNA organizes trade shows for the Plastics, Flow Control and Medical sectors.

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.

2/16/21 -- At the end of 2020, Mayer Braidtech GmbH merged with Mayer & Cie. GmbH & Co. KG, its former parent company.

A press release explained the details as follows. Braiding machine production and sales will be a separate division of the former parent company. With this move, the circular knitting machine manufacturer has formally completed the integration of Mayer Braidtech GmbH at the company’s Albstadt headquarters. It began in January 2019 when the production of braiding machines got under way in Albstadt. Mayer & Cie.’s sister company Mayer Industries had previously manufactured in Orangeburg, South Carolina, the braiding machines that make reinforcements for high-pressure hoses.

“By integrating Mayer Braidtech into Mayer & Cie. GmbH & Co. KG, we have formally completed a process that for us has long been accomplished on a day-to-day work basis,” said Patrick Moser, business unit manager of Mayer Braidtech and future head of Mayer & Cie.’s braiding division. The production of braiding machines in Albstadt has been under way at full capacity since the beginning of 2019; sales of the machines had long been based in Albstadt. “That is why the braiding machines are old friends, as it were, at our main factory,” he said, adding that there had been, as hoped, synergy effects of circular knitting and braiding machine production. “We definitely benefit from one another, be it in manpower, logistics or simply in sharing news and views.”

2/10/21 -- Dr. Horace Pops, the industry guru for fines and wire breaks, destroyed the association record for webinar registration for the first of his three webinars: Annealing, Jan. 27, which had to close on Friday, Jan. 22 because all 500 available slots were filled. Of note, the days that followed brought additional requests.

The two other scheduled Pops’ webinars are Fines, held February 3, and Wire Breaks, to be held today, Feb. 10. The original registration was for all three sessions, so all three are closed.

“Dr. Pops has long been known in the industry for his ability to discuss potential wire problem areas in a way that makes sense, but even we were surprised that we had to shut registration six days before it was to be held,” WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll said. He observed that the three webinars will be available later online to WAI members.

A prolific author of technical papers, including multiple award winners, Pops has presented at numerous WAI events over the years. He is a mainstay at WAI’s Fundamentals of Wire & Cable Manufacturing course. A WAI Past President (1992-93), he is the principal of Horace Pops Consulting, Inc.