The Wire & Cable Manufacturers Alliance (WCMA) will hold its Annual Membership luncheon meeting on Thursday, Dec. 4 that will feature industry-recognized Robert Fry, Robert Fry Economics, much networking potential and support a good cause.

The event will take place from 11 am to 3 pm at the Hartford Marriott Downtown, 300 Capitol Blvd., Hartford, Connecticut. The event will also host a dedicated panel session for young professionals and mentors to kick off the morning from 10 am to 11 am, and the Young Professional of the Year will be presented during the main meeting. Attendees are encouraged to participate in WCMA’s annual Toys for Tots donation and to support industry scholarships for organizations such as the Wire Association, IWCS and The Copper Club.

Discounted lodging at the Hartford Marriott Downtown is available once a registration is received with a booking cut-off of November 28. Registration for the luncheon is open. For more details, call WCMA Executive Director

Ed Fenton at tel. 860-841-7720, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.wcmainc.org

Earlier this year, Premix Group, a Finnish-based producer of electrically conductive plastics, opened a new manufacturing facility in Apple Creek, Dallas, North Carolina, supported by a $79 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense and Health and Human Services.

A press release said that while there are American companies capable of producing plastics, the $79 million contract was issued primarily because its specialized electrically conductive plastics meet stringent technical requirements for critical diagnostic applications—something that was found lacking or under-capacity in the U.S. during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many U.S.-based companies do manufacture general-use polymer compounds, but few offer the exact grades, quality, and scale needed for highly sensitive components like pipette tips used in mass medical and laboratory testing.

“By awarding the contract to a European supplier with proven reliability, the U.S. government is ensuring rapid technology transfer, risk mitigation, and supply chain resilience for essential health infrastructure,” the release said. Construction began in 2022 and the new facility now produces advanced PE and PP-based compounds and concentrates.

Netherland’s InnoVites was named the “Wire & Cable Digital Transformation Leader of the Year 2025” at the Global Business Awards.

A press release said that the company further cemented its reputation as the sector’s premier provider of smart manufacturing software and digital solutions with the recognition. The award recognizes InnoVites’ achievements in empowering wire and cable manufacturers to modernize processes, improve operational efficiency, and maximize business agility. With its flagship CableERP platform, now built on Microsoft Dynamics 365, and the rapidly adopted cableCORE MES system, InnoVites notes that it has driven digital transformation at scale, helping customers break down operational silos and respond quickly to shifting market demands.​

Founded in 2007 and led by CEO Albert Groothedde, InnoVites’s dedicated team has deep industry experience and a passion for transforming cable operations. It serves a global client base, providing tailored implementation, customization, and support for its enterprise solutions across supply chain, design, manufacturing, and logistics. “Our goal has always been to simplify complexity and bring clarity to digital transformation for wire and cable businesses,” Groothedde said in response to the win. “We’re proud to partner with our customers to boost efficiency and shape a resilient future for the industry.”

A Feb. 17 fire destroyed more than 80% of SPS Technologies’s 560,000-sq-ft plant in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. Now, its parent company, Precision Castparts Corp (PCC), reports that it will rebuild the fastener manufacturer.

Per the company and media reports, the plan is to build a 350,000-sq-ft LEED-certified facility that would be completed by early 2028. It expects to initially employ approximately 200 people at the new site, and will seek to bring back some of the workers who had previously been laid-off. The new building will integrate advanced fire safety and environmental protection measures, addressing both community concerns and regulatory requirements. Demolition of the old plant concluded in September.

According to authorities, the Feb. 17 fire that originated in the compressed air system area was deemed to be accidental. While the precise mechanical failure could not be isolated, the compressed air system failure produced multiple explosions, and numerous fires quickly spread throughout the building.

Per the company’s website, the business was founded in 1903 as Standard Pressed Steel Company. It was later renamed SPS Technologies and was acquired in 2003 by PCC. The SPS plant specialized in aerospace fasteners for use with engines, wings, fuselages and landing gear, using specialty alloys such as INCONEL, WASPALOY, titanium, MP35N, MP159 and AEREX. The company also supplied sectors that include medical, marine, power generation and auto racing.

Taylor-Winfield Technologies, Inc., a supplier of custom material joining, induction heating, and automation solutions, announced that it has bought substantially all the assets of George A. Mitchell Company (GMC).

A press release said that GMC, founded in 1963, makes push pointers, end forming machines and tooling. Its pointing machines and drawing benches are applicable for wire rod preparation, especially larger diameters that will be subsequently drawn into wire or cable. The custom material handling equipment that Mitchell produces could also be used in large-scale wire and cable plants when handling heavy rod or bar stock as a precursor step to wire drawing.

Both companies are based in Ohio. Taylor-Winfield’s product lines for wire and cable makers range from welding and joining machines to full turnkey automation and process support for a production line.

U.K.-based TE Magnetics, a fusion technology company founded in 2024 that is part of Tokamak Energy, announced that it has acquired Ridgway Machines, in a strategic move taken to further its development in the high temperature superconductor (HTS) sector.

A press release said that Ridgway Machines, based in Leicester and founded in 1920, will continue to operate under its own name as a subsidiary, with its workforce and facility unchanged. Ridgway’s expertise in winding and insulating superconducting magnets and cables was cited as being crucial for ramping up U.K. manufacturing of commercial HTS product, components vital not just in energy, but also in scientific and medical fields, power systems, distribution and propulsion.​

Ridgway Managing Director Andy Tanville said the company’s century-long track record of innovation makes it “well suited to expansion and this new period of growth.” He emphasized the excitement of joining one of the UK’s most dynamic technology businesses and the opportunity to help realize “ambitious and transformative plans.”

HTS materials, which conduct electricity with virtually no power loss, are enabling new advances in compact, powerful magnetics for fusion, zero-emission transport, and analytical science. Ridgway’s engineering skill, combined with TE Magnetics’ advanced design and prototyping, is expected to accelerate manufacturing breakthroughs and deliver scalable, high-quality products for demanding applications.​

Tokamak Energy CEO Warrick Matthews praised Ridgway as a thriving business with a highly skilled workforce, underscoring its essential part in supporting the electric revolution and addressing global challenges. Ridgway’s expanded role marks a new chapter for the firm, ensuring its expertise will help unlock the potential of next-generation superconductors.

Deployment of Nexans XLPE cable for the Celtic Interconnector—a project described as one of Europe’s most ambitious energy infrastructure projects—has finally entered the next key cable stage of an initiative that will not see commissioning until 2028.

A press release and media reports said the €1.6 billion project will link the Irish and French electricity grids with what will be the world’s longest XLPE interconnector. The official length is about 575 km in total, with some 500 km being XLPE subsea cable linking Ireland to France. The remainder of the cable will be used underground between converter stations and transmission grids in Cork and Brittany. The long-planned subsea installation began in the summer of 2025, and that project step is now expected to be completed by year’s end.

The project, recognized as a Project of Common Interest by the European Union, will enable Ireland’s first direct energy connection to continental Europe. Nexans was awarded the contract in 2022 to supply and install the cable. Construction started in 2023, with works progressing on pace on both land and sea. Converter stations in Cork County and Brittany are nearing completion, and significant portions of land cable ducting and transformers have been delivered.

Final commissioning, however, is still a long way off. Originally planned to be completed in 2027, the date has been pushed back to 2028 for multiple reasons, reports EirGrid, Ireland’s state-owned electricity transmission system operator. Substantial progress, however, has been made, and work is now physically underway off Ireland’s southeast coast with key cable-laying and burial activities. The remaining steps include completing system integration, rigorous operational testing, trial runs, and final certification—delays for such complex HVDC subsea projects are common industry-wide.

Co-funded by the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility, the project received more than €530 million in grants in recognition of its strategic impact.

Cavel Srl., an Italian manufacturer of coaxial, LAN/Ethernet, video surveillance, hybrid, and specialty cables, has formally joined the Italian Cable Group (ICC), an Italian producer of wire and cable solutions.

A press release said that the strategic move between two established brands to deliver enhanced innovation, integrated product lines, and greater service reach for demanding cable markets around the world, including the Americas. Cavel produces UL-certified cables, RoHS- and CE-marked products, with specialty constructions tailored to broadband, video, surveillance, and network infrastructure needs. The company markets to Europe, North America and Latin America.

Per the ICC website, its portfolio covers power cables, building wire, utility cables as well as marine and oil/gas cable solutions. ICC has more than 600 employees and manufacturing sites spanning Italy, Romania and Argentina, totaling more than 80,000 sq m of production capacity. “With this acquisition, ICC further strengthens its leadership in specialized cable production and international supply, to serve a growing and increasingly complex market across the Americas and beyond.”

ICC’s main headquarters and largest plant are in Bolgare, northern Italy, with additional facilities through group companies in Europe and South America. It has distribution networks in the U.S. and Canada, including regional offices as well as ICC Cable Corp in New Jersey, which delivers copper and fiber optic connectivity, assemblies, patch panels, premise cables, and structured cabling solutions for commercial, residential, and industrial segments.

Ducab Group has acquired Oman’s National Cable Factory (NCF), an Oman company in Salalah that makes a wide range of electrical cables.

A press release said that the deal was a good strategic fit. Ducab Group CEO Gert Hoefman said the investment reflects a shared vision between the UAE and Oman to foster resilient, diversified economies through industrial innovation and deeper regional integration.

NCF’s plant covers approximately 40,000–45,000 sq m at the Raysut Industrial Area, where it manufactures building wire, flexible wire, power cable and special products including instrumentation and solar cables. It also has ongoing plans to introduce medium and high voltage cabling capabilities. The facility was designed to serve both domestic demand and international markets, with products marketed primarily within Oman but the company also has plans and infrastructure in place to expand exports to foreign regions. NCF’s customer base is expected to grow further under Ducab’s ownership, especially with enhanced regional integration and export capabilities across the Gulf and beyond.

Ducab Group’s investment in Oman is a testament to the shared vision of both nations to build resilient, diversified economies through industrial innovation and seamlessly aligns with the Group’s broader strategy to expand its international roadmap while deepening regional integration.

For Ducab Group, this synergy confirms our evolution into a global industrial leader and strengthens our strategic international footprint. “We believe economic lifelines grow nations, and this collaboration reflects our shared vision for industrial excellence, faster delivery, greater customization, and more resilient supply chains.”

“With bilateral trade between the UAE and Oman poised to reach new heights, our acquisition of National Cable Factory marks a strategic milestone and a proud moment for the industrial sectors of both nations,” said Charles Edouard Mellagui, CEO, Ducab Cables Business. “We are confident this collaboration will not only elevate the Gulf’s global competitiveness but also unlock fresh opportunities for sustainable growth in non-oil sectors.”

Nexans announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the share capital of Electro Cables Inc., a low-voltage cable manufacturer headquartered in Trenton, Ontario, Canada.

A press release said that the transaction, to be financed entirely in cash, marks a significant step in Nexans’ strategy to strengthen its position in the Canadian market and expand its electrification solutions portfolio. Founded in 1985, Electro Cables is a family-owned business known for its strong expertise in high-value low-voltage cable solutions. The company, which has two industrial sites with room for future expansion, serves fast-growing markets tied to infrastructure, data centers, gigafactories, power transportation infrastructure, renewables, and critical sectors such as healthcare.

Electro Cables generated approximately €125 million in sales in the 12 months ending July 2025 and employs around 200 people. It has been ISO-9001 certified since 1994. Its products are certified by the Canadian Standards Association, listed by Underwriters Laboratories, and/or listed by Intertek (ETL) and available in accordance with ANSI, AREMA, ASTM, ICEA, IEEE, IEC, IMSA and NFPA as applicable.

Per Nexans, the acquisition will reinforce its presence in Canada by optimizing local supply chain efficiency and enabling valuable synergies driven by the company’s proprietary SHIFT performance program. The integration of Electro Cables’ technology platform and customer relationships will enhance Nexans’ ability to deliver innovative and sustainable cable solutions across key verticals.

“This marks a key strategic milestone in deepening our commitment to customers across Canada,” said Nexans CEO Julien Hueber. “We are proud to welcome Electro Cables and look forward to working with their talented team to deliver enhanced value, exceptional service, and innovative solutions.”

Electro Cables’ two manufacturing sites will continue to play a key role in Nexans’ Canadian operations, providing a foundation for continued investment, innovation, and growth. The closing of the transaction was expected to take place in the first half of 2026.