MWS, which notes at its website that it offers the world’s largest selection of magnet wire, has completed construction of its new 30,000-sq-ft site in Oxnard, California, which it described as “an agile production facility for drawing, shaping, serving, twisting and insulating of wire for high-technology users worldwide.”

A letter from MWS President Benjamin Konrad said that the company has “invested significantly into a building that mirrors the ambition and commitment that MWS has towards its employees and customers.” The new building houses the latest equipment for fine wire production, and there are plans to expand the building by another 50,000 sq ft. The site has a 40,000-sq-ft warehouse that more than doubles the space available in its former facility in Westlake Village, California. Over the next year, MWS will add significant manufacturing capacity with new machines that will create new wire manufacturing capabilities and value-added services.

“Our goal is to build upon the formula of the last 50 years: customer service, quality, lead times and broad availability of precision fine wire, and meet the evolving and increasing demands of the next 50 years,” Konrad wrote. He noted that MWS Medical Wire has added five new sales organizations serving three continents, achieved certification to ISO 13485:2016 and purchased strategic equipment for precious metal drawing and laser ablation. MWS, which has a new medical website, “has also entered an exciting marketplace targeting early-stage development of medical devices.” It notes that it is also the first wire company to feature products on www.chamfr.com.

“We are excited for the future and look forward to getting down to the wire on new and existing projects,” Konrad wrote.

In 2014, MWS became a part of The Elektrisola Group, an international producer of fine and ultra-fine magnet wire that has eight manufacturing plants in Europe (Germany, two in Italy, Switzerland), North America (U.S. and Mexico) and Asia (Malaysia and China).

The board of the directors for the WAI’s New England Chapter met recently to discuss plans for 2021, which included the possibility of holding a technical program. Appropriately, it was a virtual meeting, as the discussion focused on how a program could best be done. The consensus was that, if it deemed possible to do this in spring, it should be similar to the Association’s Streamcast program in July 15, 2020, a WAI online first.

The Streamcast program featured 12 industry speakers. More than 400 people registered for the virtual event, which ran from 8:30 am to 2 pm on Wednesday, July 15. The final “attendee” numbers for individuals that took part was more than 250, which at the time set a record for any WAI online event.

More news will follow in a future issue as to whether there is traction for the chapter’s plans.

In other news, the chapter welcomed the addition of Jessica Foss, market development manager, Electric Cable Compounds, Inc., who will serve as its treasurer.

The chapter also named two new board members: Sean DeZalia, process engineer, EIS Wire & Cable, and Jason Ponce, product development engineer, Harbour Industries. Of note, more than half the board members are younger than 40, which those on the call agreed was a good sign.
Founded in 1994, the New England Chapter is the oldest and largest of the Association’s nine chapters.

The WAI’s Poland Chapter has rescheduled its 9th International Drawing Conference from Oct. 22, 2021, to a date in April 2022, at a new location in Poland.

The announcement from Poland Chapter President Jan W. Pilarczyk said that the plan is to now hold the event at the Hotel GALAXY in Krakow. The event date was changed due to concerns about the pandemic.

The conference will focus on modern methods of metal forming and drawing processes, and production of wire rods and wires. It is designed to serve as a gathering site for producers of carbon steel wire rod with their customers and create future cooperation for partners.

Beyond the technical program during the event, the conference will honor WAI Past President Tom Moran, a steel industry veteran, who will receive the Schneider Memorial Award, the highest honor in the Polish steel wire industry. For further and future details, go to the event website: www.msc.wip.pcz.pl.

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, February 3, and Wire Breaks, 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.

The WAI is seeking technical papers for the Association’s technical program at Interwire 2021, which earlier this year due to Covid-19 was rescheduled from May 10-13 to Oct. 26-27.

The WAI is focusing on Industry 4.0 at Interwire, (more on that in future issues), and technical papers that focus on this are being sought. Abstracts should be sent by March 1 to WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Interwire will remain at its longtime location at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. More information will be presented about the event in future issues, including a “Prequel” of the Atlanta show in the August issue, then the full preview in the September issue.