12/6/21 – Cerrowire, a leading U.S. manufacturer of copper building wire, announced that it is investing more than $100 million to build a 270,000-sq-ft facility in Hartselle, Alabama, to manufacture a new product, metal-clad cable (M-C cable), which is also known as armored cable.
A press release said that the company—which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary—is building the plant at the Morgan Center Business Park in Hartselle. M-C cable, it noted, is a growing sector in the building wire market, used for most types of building construction, primarily in commercial, but also for some residential and industrial applications. The facility will incorporate advanced systems and equipment, allowing the company to further its commitment to high quality and cost control.
“We are looking forward to Hartselle being the strategic location that is a perfect fit for our major new venture and to the creation of over 130 jobs to support this growing community,” said Cerrowire President Stewart Smallwood. “The state of Alabama, Morgan County, the Tennessee Valley Authority and city of Hartselle are excellent partners in creating an environment for our business to flourish.”
Smallwood said that adding M-C cable to the company’s product portfolio allows it to leverage its core business—manufacturing building wire—and to provide a strong building wire solution that fulfills a growing need.”
The new plant will be Cerrowire’s second one in the city. The company’s existing copper cable plant in Hartselle, on Thompson Road, has more than 300 employees. That operation is expected to continue a growth path in 2022.
12/6/21 – Nexans has opened the first North American plant that has the capacity to manufacture high-voltage subsea cables up to 525 kV HVDC and 400 kV HVAC.
A press release said that the site in Charleston, South Carolina, will provide the full range of products for export cables for offshore wind and subsea interconnectors. The first subsea high-voltage export cable will be delivered to an offshore windfarm in the U.K. beginning in 2022.
The Charleston plant is part of the comprehensive supply chain that is being developed to support offshore wind in the U.S. market. Energy companies such as Eversource, Ørsted and Equinor are among those whose projects are expected to accelerate the energy transition in the U.S. Nexans has signed a framework agreement with Eversource and Ørsted to supply the first U.S.-made subsea high voltage export cables for the projects, and preferred supplier agreement with Equinor for the turnkey projects Empire Wind 1 and 2.
Nexans estimates that it will be able to deliver up to 1,000 km of cables for Ørsted’s and Eversource offshore wind farms in North America up until 2027. Also, as the preferred supplier for Equinor’s Empire Wind, early engagement for Mayflower, Nexans is well positioned to support the U.S. with further energy transition projects.
“It’s an exciting time for the wind industry in the U.S. as we unleash the potential that offshore renewable energy offers,” said Nexans CEO Christopher Guérin. “Our purpose is to ‘electrify the future’ and our expanded facility allows us to do that by combining decades of experience in developing and manufacturing high voltage cables with the newly launched and the most technically advanced cable-laying vessel (CLV) Aurora. We are thrilled to contribute to the wind power revolution in the U.S. and beyond.”
Guérin said that the initiative helps efforts to create a more sustainable world and further electrification efforts, while helping the U.S. meet its goals for carbon neutrality. “We believe that offshore wind will be key to create a clean energy economy; helping to add jobs, stimulate the economy, all while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.”
Built in 2014 to serve the U.S. high-voltage transmission market, the Charleston plant expansion supports the rapidly growing U.S. offshore wind market. By the end of 2021, Nexans will have created 210 new jobs to support the industry development in South Carolina.
12/6/21 – Madison, Connecticut, USA. – Robert “Bob” Xeller announced his retirement as a full-time employee as of the end of December, completing a career that traces back to his IBM days when he came to learn about the Association. He plans to continue on a limited basis that will end after the staging of Wire Expo 2022 next June in Dallas, Texas.
Xeller started with “Big Blue” after completing his degree in business administration at Wittenberg University in 1970. His career went in a different direction, but he moonlighted evenings with several prior IBM accounts supporting software changes of new installations. One client was the Association. Prior to this, all member/subscribers were handled through a service bureau and 80 column card maintenance. In 1987, then Executive Director Monk Munger asked him to help service the trade shows organized on the new computer systems.
Xeller became part of the Association’s trade events, helping organize the Interwire and Wire Expo trade shows. He became director of sales in 2001, and was a fixture at the event on the show floor.
Michael Webb, who as an account executive at Shepard Exposition Services worked with Xeller on Interwire events the past 20 years, said that it had been a privilege to do so. “I can honestly say he was one of my closest and most trusted friends. I will miss talking to him several times a week. Sometimes it was strictly work, but other times it was about family, household projects, vacations and whatever else what was going on. I wish him the best.”
Dane Armendariz, the WAI president in 2010, recalled that he first met Xeller attending his first Interwire long, long ago. “After sitting in on a committee meeting, I was wandering the streets of Atlanta and ran into Bob Xeller. He invited me to join him and the staff for dinner and a very long friendship began. He saved me that day from a dinner alone at McDonald’s.”
Armendariz said that he never saw Bob rattled. When a problem or issue came up, his reply was “We will take care of it,” and he would. “While we all know life and business move on, Bob’s knowledge, experience, and people skills will be hard if not impossible to replace. The good thing is he will always just be a phone call away. All the best, my friend.”
Xeller said that he treasures his years with the Association but looks forward to spending more time with family, which includes his wife of 50 years, Kathleen, their seven children and their spouses, and 15 grandchildren.
12/6/21 – Madison, Connecticut, USA. – Sales Manager Shannon Timme will replace departing Sales Director Xeller, who at year’s end will assume a reduced role and retire after Wire Expo 2022 next June.
Timme will be taking on new duties that will see her ensuring that the Association’s Interwire and Wire Expo trade shows continue to be quality events. She joined WAI as sales manager in October 2017, and during her time with the Association has been a very energetic presence, and not just in direct sales of ad space. She has crusaded for greater use of social media, cross-marketing, further improvements to wirenet.org, starting a WAI newsletter, supporting sponsorships, broadening the scope of the rate card, and more. She has also been very active as the WAI liaison to the WAI’s New England Chapter.
Prior to joining WAI, Timme worked for five years for Shore Publishing in Madison, Connecticut, where she was a senior multimedia specialist and a strategic advertising account manager. She has a daughter, Blair, who is in college, and a son, Nolan, who is in high school.
11/8/21 – Madison, Connecticut, USA. – Looking back, John Accorsi—whose term as WAI Chapter president ends this month—believes that the year nearly completed has been successful. Despite the disruption caused by Covid-19 that prevented its annual dinner from being held at the beginning of the year, he observed that much was accomplished.
The chapter continued its educational mission by hosting a webinar on post-pandemic legal liabilities for employers. The scholarship program remained on track, providing a total of five scholarships to deserving students, with the possibility of adding a sixth next year. The 2021 golf tournament, held in early September, had larger attendance and more company sponsors than in 2020. The chapter also updated its bylaws to make governance clearer for future board members.
“It has been an honor to lead the New England Chapter in 2021, following in the footsteps of many other dedicated volunteers before me,” Accorsi said. He added that hopefully the news and conditions will continue to get better. “With the vaccine rollout now well underway, most members appear comfortable and eager to attend events on a regional level. Our Board of Directors continues to work on enhancing its member benefits and programs and is looking forward to the year ahead.”
The focus is now on the 2022 annual meeting, which is scheduled for Feb. 24 at the Mohegan Sun Casino, where the chapter’s new officers will be announced. The January 2022 issue will have more details.
11/4/21 – This iconic WAI program will be offered on Wednesday, Dec. 1 and Dec. 8. Registration for the event is $145 for WAI members, $175 for the new member special offer and $245 for non-members. For a full description of the presenters, and any updates, go to funwiremfg.heysummit.com.
11/4/21 – WAI will stage the booth selection process for Wire Expo 2022 on Dec. 2 at WAI’s headquarters in Madison, Connecticut.
The process, known as the Points Meeting, will see the booths assigned based on the WAI’s established priority point program. Representatives from companies with the highest accumulation of points from past participation will be assigned their exhibit space first.
To take part in the meeting, companies would have had to provide a signed and completed application with 100% payment by Nov. 30. The day after the Points Meeting, space assignments will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We’re expecting a lot of interest,” said WAI Sales Director Bob Xeller. “It’s been a long time since the industry has been able to get together, but we’re moving in that direction now, and I’m sure there are a lot of manufacturers that would like to be able to sit down and talk to suppliers again.”
11/4/21 – Martin Thacker, who was the British representative for WAI’s 2020 Clockwinding ceremony, will repeat that remote service at the WAI’s board of directors meeting on Nov. 17. It will be posted later in the month.
Thacker’s grandfather was a wiredrawer in Sheffield, and his father worked for Markham and Company Limited, as did his uncle. He is a Liveryman of the Court of the Worshipful Company of Tinplate Workers Alias Wireworkers in the city of London.
The tradition stems from the grandfather clock that was presented to the Association on behalf of the U.K. wire industry for help during World War II. Each year, a U.K. representative comes to wind the clock.
12/6/21 - New hires, promotions and obituaries
Southwire announced personnel changes to align its strategic plan. Effective Jan. 1, 2022, Norman Adkins will be president of wire and cable, and company COO. He will lead Southwire’s wire and cable commercial teams and oversee all of Southwire’s wire and cable operations and supply chain management, including metals. Since joining the company in 1998, he has led teams across the organization in both the commercial and manufacturing space including international, energy, OEM, electrical distribution and retail, among others. Brandon Moss will be president of tools, components and assembled solutions. In this role, he will continue to lead commercial and operations teams within TCAS and will focus on how Southwire is developing solutions to support accelerated growth of this business. He joined Southwire in 2007, and was integral in the launch of the company’s tools business and its subsequent growth into components, assembled solutions and other adjacencies. Within Adkins’ team, Kathleen Edge will continue to lead Southwire’s wire and cable operations teams. Charlie Murrah will expand his role within the team to now serve as executive vice president, chief supply chain officer. He will lead supply chain efforts for the entire company, including metals. Based in Carrollton, Georgia, USA, Southwire Company LLC is one of North America’s largest wire and cable producers.
T.J. O’Connell was named director of contractor solutions for Cerrowire. He has nearly 36 years of experience in electrical manufacturing, distribution and as a manufacturer’s representative with a primary focus on the commercial, industrial and utility markets. He most recently was vice president of sales and marketing for the U.S. energy division of Nexans, where he started in 2018. Prior to that he had worked for Graybar, the Yanow Companies and WESCO Distribution. He was cited for his enthusiasm, winning 13 industry awards over the past 26 years. Part of the Marmon Group and based in Hartselle, Alabama, Cerrowire manufactures copper wire in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana and Utah.
Metalube Ltd. reported two hires for its technology center. Samuel Adamson was named development chemist, responsible for production queries, sourcing raw materials and the creation of technical datasheets and product specifications. He previously worked for five years for Lankem, where he specialized in the development of surfactant-based products. He holds a degree in chemistry from Bangor University. Lily Smith is an R&D technician. She worked for more than two years as senior laboratory technician at Hall Analytical. She holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from Manchester Metropolitan University. Based in Irlam, Manchester, U.K., Metalube is a global lubricant specialist.
J. Andrew Gehrisch was named president of Marlin Thermocouple Wire, Inc. He joined the company in 2015 as general manager and has extensive experience with ERP system implementations, MRP and inventory. He previously worked for about four years each as president of Nano Lube Corporation and as operations manager for Pelican Wire. He also was owner of Miniature Cable Systems from 2005 to 2007. Based in Westlake, Ohio, Marlin Thermocouple Wire, Inc. provides thermocouple wire, cable and thermocouple connector products.
Davis-Standard has promoted Gianzo Mastrangelo to aftermarket regional manager for the Northeast U.S. and Canada. He has 33 years of experience, having held multiple leadership roles at Brampton Engineering, which was acquired by Davis-Standard in 2018, as well as at General Motors of Canada, CFM and Fenwick Automotive. He holds an MBA degree from Niagara University, a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Ottawa, and a B.S. degree in biology from Western University. Based in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, Davis-Standard’s product lines include extrusion technology for wire and cable.
Adam Sleboda has been named a senior development engineer at SACO AEI Polymers. He most recently worked for the Prysmian Group for four years as a material lab chemist and an R&D engineer. Prior to that, he was an R&D materials engineer for five years at Champlain Cable Corporation. He holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from King’s College. Based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, SACO AEI Polymers supplies thermoplastic and thermoset compounds, additives and masterbatches.
Andrew Depue is the new sales manager, wire and cable, for Nylene. He started as a regional sales manager for Joe Tools before moving on to Southwire, where he held process engineer/process support management positions prior to his promotion to operations manager. He holds a degree in economics from The University of Georgia. Based in Arnprior Ontario, Canada, Nylene supplies polyamide (nylon) polymers, co-polymers, and polymer compounds.
Automatic Spring Products Corp. (ASPC) has added the duties of company president to its CFO, Scott Zylstra. The change was made to allow long-time president and CEO Steve Moreland to focus exclusively on the strategic future of the company. Zylstra brought more than two decades of leadership in finance and manufacturing to ASPC when he joined in 2019 as CFO. Based in Grand Haven, Michigan, American Spring Products manufactures compression, extension and torsion springs as well as other products
Obituaries
The International Wire Manufacturers Association (IWMA) announced that Paul Graham Warbrick, one of its founding members, died Oct. 21, 2021, from a long-standing illness, at age 81.
Warbrick, who lived in Stockton Heath, was among the first group of British wire and cable company bosses who got together to form the IWMA just over 50 years ago. He had wanted to be a farmer, but when his father died in 1957, at age 41, he became head of Warbrick Engineering Specialties at age 17. Per his LinkedIn profile, at the time of his father’s death, Paul was a student apprentice at BICC Cables, having formerly been a student at Ellesmere College. He then left BICC to join the family business, attending two technical colleges in 1957 to 1959. He learned the field and became a shrewd businessman, bringing in cable industry electronic equipment maker HW Electronics in 1965, then adding Larmuth Engineering, Knutsford, Cheshire, and Dean Bros. reels in Nottingham. In 1988, Larmuth and Dean Brothers were sold to the Pentre Group, and he was a shareholder, and group sales and marketing director through the late 1990s.
Warbrick traveled extensively to find new business, as well as support IWMA, especially in its early years. His love of sports led him to create the IWMA golf tournament and the Warbrick golf trophy. In 2019, his son, Simon, took over the running of the central family wire and cable agency business, which continues as Warbrick International. Other survivors include a daughter, Caroline, four grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.
Douglas J. Milheim, the founder of Accurate Wire in Branford, Connecticut, died after a brief illness on Tuesday Oct. 26, 2021 at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
A resident of Guilford, Connecticut, he was a U. S. Navy veteran of the Korean War. He worked for Bethlehem Steel company in Pennsylvania before becoming the chief engineer at Durable Wire. In 1988, he and Matthew B. Smith opened Accurate Wire, a manufacturer of square and round wire. He ran the business until he retired, and sold the company in 2016. He was predeceased by his wife, Margaret Royka Milheim. He is survived by his daughter, Leslie Consolo; two grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Gilberto “Gilly” C. Jasso, who worked in sales for AW Machinery, a manufacturer and integrator of machinery and control systems, died from a heart attack at age 56. The Texas resident was born in Mexico to Gregorio M. and Beatriz (Chapa) Jasso.
Jasso is survived by his wife of 34 years: Maria C. Jasso; daughters: Anjelica Nicole Martinez, Jennifer Alexandra Jasso and Erika Jeanette Jasso; parents Gregorio and Beatriz Jasso; a brother, Gregorio Jasso; a sister, Aracely Jasso Moreno; and one grandchild, seven nephews and one niece.
11/5/21 – JDR Cable Systems (JDR), a global subsea cable and umbilical supplier and servicer that is part of the TFK Group, plans to open a new state-of-the-art, 69,000-sq-m subsea cable manufacturing facility in Cambois, near Blyth, Northumberland.
A press release said that JDR has confirmed its intention to go ahead with the project, subject to final agreements, with construction expected to begin in 2022 ahead of a 2024 opening, creating 170 local jobs on completion and safe-guarding 270 jobs at JDR’s existing facilities.
The initial project investment is estimated at £130 million, which will be partially funded by a grant from the BEIS Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support (OWMIS) scheme. JDR and TFK plan to raise the remaining funding with support expected from financial institutions and U.K. Export Finance.
The new facility is the first stage of JDR’s plans to expand its product portfolio to support the growing global renewable energy market, adding high voltage export and long length array cables to its existing capacity and product capabilities. Further stages of the development could result in over 400 staff working at the site, with supplied products complementing JDR’s existing capacity provided by the company’s U.K. manufacturing centers in Hartlepool and Littleport. When complete, the facility will include a new catenary continuous vulcanization (CCV) line, making it the only facility in the U.K. capable of full start-to-finish manufacturing of high-voltage subsea cables for offshore wind farms to support the growing global renewable energy market.
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