In a short time, the WAI has made significant strides in its online learning and professional development platform.

WAI staff is in the process of developing content and building out the platform. It is set for a soft launch later this year, with a full release at the beginning of 2025. One of the first offerings will be an introductory course on Ferrous Metallurgy, which is already nearing completion, alongside 12 general manufacturing safety courses. Each one consists of short videos, none lasting more than five minutes. Each module includes knowledge checks throughout the videos. Upon completing a module, learners receive a certificate of completion.

If you are interested in knowing more about the program and receiving early access to the platform
during the soft launch phase, contact John Markowski, project manager, education, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
or 203-458-4044.

Readers can expect to see more news about the video learning platform in this section in future issues.   

Attendees of Interwire and the Global Continuous Casting Forum will find that extensive educational sessions and forums programs will await them in 2025 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Below is a quick look at the elements that will be offered.

• Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course. Leading off the event, this full-day, essential primer on wire manufacturing processes, will be held Monday, May 12, 2025.

• The Interwire Conference Program.
This will include a series of presentations and panels addressing the latest industry trends and innovations. It also includes the above-cited workshop, which is limited to 50 participants. Future issues will hone in on the specifics for the other elements.

• The Global Continuous Casting Forum.

This dedicated conference, being held for the fourth time, will address advances in continuous casting.

• Production Solutions
To be held in the WAI Theater on the show floor, open to all, the session will include presentations on precoats/lubricants, wire breaks and wire drawing dies. The WAI Theater will also host several bonus technical sessions and the Mordica Lecture.

Details regarding the call for papers and sponsorship opportunities for Interwire 2025 can be found at
interwire25.com.

As part of its commitment to expanding educational offerings, the Wire Association International will debut a new dynamic program—Advanced Extrusion Workshop—at Interwire 2025.

The workshop, to be held from 9 am to noon on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, will build on the extrusion principles introduced by Erik Macs in the Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing course on Monday, May 12. It will be presented by Rick Chamberlain and a co-instructor.

The workshop is designed to take participants to the next level of understanding and application. The capacity will be limited to 50 participants. Participants will engage in breakout sessions to ensure a comprehensive, dynamic learning experience. The workshop will also include visits to exhibitors to witness extrusion machinery in action

Taiwan’s Walsin Lihwa plans to build what will be the first submarine power cable plant in Taiwan.

Per an exclusive report in Nikkei Asia, Walsin Lihwa is teaming up with Denmark’s NKT Group via a joint venture called Walsin Energy Cable System. “We think it’s extremely critical to have a local supply of cables for the offshore wind farms that Taiwan is building for its renewable energy transition,” Walsin Energy COO Justin Wong told Nikkei Asia. “The industry worldwide is seeing a shortage of cable supply as demand picks up so quickly for all the offshore wind farm construction driven by the global green energy push.”

The first plant, in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung, is scheduled to start test production in the second half of 2025, with full production planned for 2027.

Industry report: the global magnet wire market looks to be quite strong to 2030

An industry report from Market Business Insights, The Global Magnet Wire Market, projects to climb from $32.65 billion in 2022 to $48.65 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.11%.

Per the company, demand for magnet wire has been driven by the expanding automotive sector, particularly the rise of electric vehicles (EVs), which require extensive use of electromagnets and transformers. Other factors include the growing emphasis on renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power. The market faces volatility in raw material prices, particularly copper and aluminum, which are critical for magnet wire production. Technological advancements in insulation materials and the development of high-efficiency magnet wires are anticipated to offer new growth opportunities in the market. The magnet wire market has also seen intense rivalry among key players on innovation and strategic partnerships.

South Korea’s Taihan Cable & Solution (TC&S) announced that on July 24, they held a launching ceremony for the 6,200-ton submarine cable laying vessel “Palos” at the Godeok Pier in the Asan National Industrial Complex, Dangjin, Chungcheongnam-do, where their submarine cable factory is located.

Per a report in KoreaITtimes.com, the Palos is the only offshore wind power CLV (Cable Laying Vessel) in the country and can load up to 4,400 tons of submarine cable at once. Attendees at the event included representatives from the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, Korea Electric Power Corporation, Korea Wind Energy Industry Association, as well as various power companies, clients, and partner companies also attended.

Palos is a CLV designed and built specifically for submarine cable laying from the start, offering superior performance compared to CLBs (Cable Laying Barges) that are repurposed cargo barges. Unlike general vessels, Palos has a flat bottom, allowing it to be deployed to various sites regardless of water depth. It is equipped with advanced features such as the Dynamic Positioning System (DP2), which ensures precise vessel positioning. It can travel at a speed of up to 9 knots, enabling it to manage submarine cable laying much more accurately and stably compared to CLBs, which are towed by tugboats and cannot respond as effectively to weather changes and tides.

“Today’s launching ceremony marks South Korea’s rise to one of the few countries globally equipped with a CLV, with only about 30 such vessels existing worldwide,” said CT&S Vice Chairman Song Jong-min. “Palos will ... serve as a critical strategic asset that protects Korea’s offshore wind power market from overseas influences.”

In other news, TC&S said the company has won a new U.S. power grid EHV cable order worth $137 million. The company will supply the cables to an unnamed customer for an underground project in the eastern part of the U.S.

TC&S noted that its net profit for 2023 (71.87 billion won) was triple that of the prior year (21.83 billion won), and that the company’s order backlog is now 1.94 trillion won as of the end of the first quarter.