The New England Chapter golf tournament on Sept. 9 saw a healthy field of 142 golfers view for top honors at the chapter’s annual event, held at the Tunxis Country Club in Farmington, Connecticut, topping the 135 players that took part in 2023. In addition to the golfers, 15 attendees participated just for the awards program and dinner. The chapter’s scholarship program was also among the winners, with more than $2,000 being added to the cause.

At the end of what proved to be a glorious day for golf, the team from Gem Gravure Co. Inc. prevailed, It included company President Paul Gemelli and National Sales Manager Derek Olson and Schleuniger USA Director of Sales Micah Durham and Director of Technical Service Greg Douglas, who shot 10 under par.

“It was a terrific opportunity to catch up and network with so many friends of ours from this great industry, and to meet some new industry colleagues as well,” said Gemelli, who attributed the win with his longtime customers/teammates to consistent play with zero bogeys. “It felt great to bring home the trophy for the Gem team to see. Looking forward to defending our title next September!”

There was plenty of praise for the event, for the condition of the course, the way play largely moved along crisply and the networking opportunities that abounded both on the course and at the awards program. A key to making that happen was dependable cadre of volunteers. They were led by Web Industries’ Jim Evans, who for years has been a perennial whirlwind behind the scenes, along with numerous others. They were also supported by WAI staff.

“Kudos to everyone!” declared Tom J. Rosen, Wire & Cable Consulting, LLC. “It was a first class outing. Everyone really enjoyed themselves.”

“It is very clear that (it) was a great success!” declared Chapter President Ryan Caraway, Orbia/Alphagary. “Both of my guests stated it was the best one yet! My hat is off to you, Jim, WAI staff, and all Golf Committee volunteers!”

Premium sponsors for the event included: Carris Reels; Commission Brokers, Inc.; Electric Cable Compounds, Inc.; Fluorogistx; James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp.; Joe Snee Associates; Lenze America; Lloyd & Bouvier, Inc.; M. Holland; The MGS Group; Rainbow Rubber; RichardsApex Inc.; Teknikor; W. Gillies Technologies LLC; Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp.; and Woodward Insurance.
Corporate Hole sponsors were: Amaral Automation; Cable Components Group; Fenton Group/WCMA; James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp.; and Lloyd & Bouvier. Of note, James Monroe and Lloyd deserve “angel status” for their very generous donations.

The New England Chapter will present an insightful experience on Nov. 7 when it continues its string of educational/networking events at the ACCEL Wire Drawing Plant in Cheshire, Connecticut.

The tour, which starts at 3:30 p.m., will present a behind-the-scenes look at cutting-edge wire drawing technology. Accel operates three vertically integrated factories in Connecticut and Indiana with nearly 500,000 sq ft of manufacturing space producing silver plated, nickel plated and tin plated copper and copper alloys for the wire and cable market. It also has a fourth plant, in Florida. The company serves fields that include aerospace, medical, telecom and industrial markets.

Following the tour, the chapter event will transition to nearby Viron Rondo Osteria for a networking dinner at 6 pm. There, participants can unwind and connect with industry peers over delicious Italian cuisine. Blending education with networking in a vibrant setting makes for a good combination, and it’s not too late to sign up.

Attendees of the chapter’s 2022 educational event got to tour the Radio Frequency Systems (RFS) plant in Meriden, Connecticut. That visit resulted in very positive reviews from members of the New England Chapter. The Oct. 25 tour saw some 50 chapter members and guests see the operations up close of RFS, which is a global designer and manufacturer of total-package solutions for wireless and broadcast infrastructure. The tour started with a half-hour presentation on the markets that the company serves, followed by the tour. After the tour concluded, everyone regrouped down the road at a restaurant that provided an enjoyable dinner experience just steps away from the Connecticut River.

The WAI, which just completed the first leg of an ambitious video-based education initiative (previous page) has notched a milestone for one of its earliest videos: topping 100,000 views on YouTube.
Posted Oct. 26, 2016, Extruder Screw Cleaning is a seven-minute video that details the process of cleaning an extrusion screw. The video was produced at the Nexans Energy USA plant in Chester, New York. See it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpBqVHq40-0

With eight months left to go, sales reports that the show floor for Interwire 2025 is 96% full, with all the large booth positions taken, and the discussion now turns to whether the exhibit space should be expanded at the Georgia World Congress Center.

At this point, there are 216 contracted companies representing some 300 companies that have accounted for about 92,000 sq ft of exhibit space. Of note, the list of exhibitors includes more than 120 companies that are based outside the U.S., including a strong showing from Turkey, which accounts for 16. There will also be extra interest in Interwire as it will be co-located again with the Global Continuous Casting Forum.

“We continue to get calls from companies that are interested in exhibiting, and we could open the floor plan more, so this is a good time,” said WAI Sales Director Shannon Timme. “Right now, there are no large booths available, but we could add them depending on interest we see.” She can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Wire Association International (WAI) has completed production of its first in-house, video-based training course: Introduction to Ferrous Metallurgy.

This accomplishment marks a significant milestone in WAI’s new online learning initiative and reflects its ongoing commitment to providing world-class educational resources to the wire and cable industry.

“This is the kind of project that the founders of WAI would truly appreciate,” said WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll. “It embodies the goals of the people who originally formed the association to advance industry know-how by using a modern approach, one that is relevant to the electronic age we all live and work in. It will especially appeal to manufacturers that have new employees who are comfortable with this type of learning format.”

Each course has seven short videos, none lasting more than five minutes. Each module includes knowledge checks after each video. Upon completing a course, students receive a certificate of completion.

WAI is collaborating with a motion designer who specializes in manufacturing “explanation” videos. Each one will feature a blend of shop floor footage and animated segments that clarify complex concepts. Narration is done by a professional voiceover artist to ensure that the material is engaging and easy to follow.

Each module was developed under the guidance of primary and secondary subject matter experts to ensure the content is both accurate and relevant. A key person in the creation of the ferrous video course is steel industry veteran Anand Bhagwat, a WAI Past President (2005) who now serves as a metallurgical consultant. He worked closely with WAI Project Manager John Markowski, who leads the production team. “It’s been an amazing experience, and I’m confident that this program is going to be well received.”

With the production of this foundational course now complete, WAI is moving into the soft launch phase of its new Learning Management System (LMS). In addition to Introduction to Ferrous Metallurgy, the soft launch will include 12 general manufacturing safety courses, Markowski said. During this phase, WAI is working closely with key opinion leaders across the industry to gather valuable feedback. This collaboration will ensure the platform is fully optimized before its official release.

Companies interested in participating in the soft launch and gaining early access to these courses are welcome to contact WAI’s Education Department. Industry feedback is an important factor to help deliver comprehensive and effective training content. For inquiries about the soft launch or to find out how to participate, contact WAI’s Education Department at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 203-458-4044.

Looking ahead, the full public launch of WAI’s online platform is scheduled for early 2025. As part of this launch, WAI will offer discounted access during the introductory period, allowing WAI members and non-members alike to experience the breadth of training available.

In addition to the Introduction to Ferrous Metallurgy, WAI has begun production on the first of four planned extrusion training courses. The next course on deck will offer an overview of single-layer extrusion, providing critical insights for both new and seasoned professionals in the field. The first extrusion course is slated to be ready for the hard launch at the beginning of 2025, with the others closely behind.

Of note, while WAI is committed to providing this new video-training course, it will continue to stage the Association’s in-person day-long Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing course. It will next be held at Interwire 2025.

Madison, Connecticut, USA – January 2, 2024 – The Wire Association International (WAI), Inc. announces the appointment of Daniel Blais as the 71st president of the association for a one-year term that commenced on January 1, 2024. Blais will chair the Board of Directors of the 94-year-old association, which is headquartered in Madison, Connecticut, USA.

Blais is North America Engineering and Canada Manufacturing Utilities vice president for Prysmian Group, where he has worked since 1987. He is based at the company’s headquarters in Highland Heights, Kentucky, and is responsible for the engineering across the North America manufacturting sites as well as leading the activities of the four Canadian manufacturing facilities. He has held several operational leadership positions of growing responsibilities across the Prysmian North American footprint.

A WAI member since 2011, Blais joined the Board of Directors in 2018 and the Executive Committee in 2019. He was the co-chair of the 2022 Conference Programming Committee, and previously he was a member of the Interwire Industry 4.0 Task Force and the Finance Committee. He holds a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Sherbrooke University, Quebec, Canada.

Commenting on this new appointment, Blais said, “The WAI continues to be the place where members and industry professionals come to find the latest information and educational material related to wire and cable. I look forward to leading the association on a journey to continuously improve its offerings to better support the needs of our members and industry professionals.”

The Wire Association International, Inc. is governed by a network of volunteers from around the globe. Joining Blais for the 2024 term are members of the association’s 2024 Executive Committee: First Vice President Eric Bieberich, Fort Wayne Wire Die; Second Vice President David Fisher, James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp.; Rebecca Cranford, Southwire Co.; and Immediate Past President Kurt F. Breischaft, SDI La Farga COPPERWORKS.

Prysmian Group is a world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry. With almost 150 years of experience, sales of around €16 billion, about 30,000 employees in over 50 countries and 108 plants,the Group is strongly positioned in high-tech markets and offers the widest possible range of products, services, technologies and know-how..

WAI, founded in 1930, is a not-for-profit association with more than 2000 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 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.

Madison, Connecticut, USA – October 20, 2023 – The Wire Association International (WAI), Inc. reports that 275 wire and cable industry delegates met at Milan’s historic Palazzo Giureconsulti on October 16, 2023, for a one-day wire and cable technical conference of collaboration innovation. The event was jointly organized by WAI and ACIMAF, the Association of Italian Wire Machine Manufacturers.

Industry experts covered ferrous and nonferrous topics during concurrent tracks, with notable speakers from 24 companies providing the best practices in wire drawing technology and timely information on industry 4.0 and market conditions.

Throughgout the day representatives from 27 companies discussed business at their tabletop exhibits in the supplier forum.
Ferruccio Bellina, an organizer and ACIMAF president, said, “A great commitment and a winning collaboration between ACIMAF and WAI led to an unprecedented success of the Wire & Cable conference ... A success that we wish to share with all the participants and sponsors who joined this important event, which saw the presence of delegates coming to Milan from over 30 countries.”

WAI’s 2023 President Kurt Breischaft, who served as a moderator for the nonferrous track, said “I think the nonferrous session fit together extremely well. The first speaker from Prysmian explained how cables need to become more sustainable, with the second and third speakers (La Farga and Continuus-Properzi) explaining how copper and aluminum can be processed to meet these requirements.”"

The Gala Dinner at Milan’s grand Palazzo Serbelloni provided a chance for additional networking at the close of the conference.

Sponsors and support
The organizers wish to thank the following organizations:

• Continuus-Properzi ; SAMP; SAS Engineering and Planning; TKT Group
• The International Wire & Machinery Association (IWMA); Messe Düsseldorf North America; MFL Group; DRT Impianti
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation / gov.it; and The Italian Trade Agency (ITA).
• Official Media partners: Expometals; Wire Journal International, Inc.; and Tecnologie del Filo.

 ORGANIZERS:

ACIMAF was founded in Brescia, Italy, in 1987 for the purpose of promoting the image of Italian technology in the field of machines and products for the wire and cable manufacturing industry. It is a non-profit voluntary association and plays an important International role of cooperation in improving the location and organisation of the major wire and cable trade fairs.

WAI, founded in 1930, is a not-for-profit association with more than 2,200 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 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.

By Steve Fetteroll, executive director
2022 was a step forward for the industry. In early June, WAI held Wire Expo 2022 in Dallas. It was a joyous return to a live event, and later that same month, WAI was in Germany for wire Dusseldorf. In October, the U.K. Clockwinder was finally at the Madison headquarters after two years of a virtual winder. New staff was added, and volunteers and staff pivoted, working on Wire Expo and Interwire 2023. Now, the 2023 mix will include two international technical conferences in Mexico and Italy. All in all, it was a good year.

The return to a live WAI event
Numbers are only part of a story. When the WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo 2022 (Wire Expo) was held in June, the event did not set records attendance-wise, but it was one of the Association’s most memorable trade shows ever. Attendees were thrilled to be in Dallas, Texas, and the memories of the prior two years that saw cancellations of Wire Expo 2020 and Interwire 2021 were finally able to fade.
It was painful to lose both of those events to Covid, but behind the scenes WAI volunteers and staff were busy. Ably led by 2020 WAI President Jan Sørige and 2021 WAI President Thomas Heberling, the focus was on not just creating virtual programming, but targeting themes that would relate to industry challenges and concerns. That mindset continued with 2022 WAI President James York, who took a very active role throughout the year in developing the content.
Even before York welcomed attendees the opening day, there was a positive buzz. More seats had to be added, and the enthusiasm continued during presentations that featured speakers that included Encore Wire Vice President of Sales Kevin Heffernan and Prysmian Group North America Chief Procurement Officer Brian Schulties.
The opening of the trade show that followed was memorable. It was as if there had never been a two-year gap. Attendees mingled with exhibitors, and engaged conversations ensued. It confirmed once again how and why people talking to people face-to-face matters so much.
There was also a lot to hear. The theme for the event—which started off with WAI’s iconic Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing program—was Rising to the Challenge. A series of presentations covered the workforce, the supply chain, production solutions and developments.
Wire Expo saw the traditional awarding of prizes, and this time there were three years’ worth as WAI honored the 2022 Mordica, Donnellan and WAI President’s award winners as well as the recipients of those honors in 2020 and 2021. See below list. Virtual recognition is better than none, but seeing the collective winners who were able to attend was a moment of pride.
Much else could also be said about Wire Expo. The event technically is put on by the WAI, but it would not be possible without industry contribution. Even at Wire Expo, WAI’s smaller annual event, more than a hundred volunteers contributed in some way, many behind the scenes. The company that deserves kudos is Encore Wire, which opened its massive McKinney campus for a tour of its expansive operations. The company had recently completed yet another major expansion, which brings its size to some three million sq ft ... and an interior train system. It made for a Texas-sized experience.

The return to staging international events
WAI’s mission statement is to disseminate technical information, and one way it does that is through holding International Technical Conferences (ITCs), either alone or in cooperation with other industry groups. Covid has upended those efforts the last few years, but in 2023 the Association will have two ITCs, one in Italy and the other in Mexico.
The WAI’s Board of Directors has given the go-ahead on these efforts, which you will be reading about more in future issues. The Italian ITC, to be called Wire & Cable Milan, will be held this fall in Milan. The date was reached at a recent meeting in Italy, where WAI President James York and WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll met with ACIMAF President Ferruccio Bellina at the 35th anniversary of the Italian machinery association. There was agreement that the time was right to once again join forces.
The last WAI collaboration with ACIMAF was for Wire & Cable in Verona in 2017, which attracted 250 delegates from 27 countries. Prior ITCs in Italy had been held in Stresa (2003 and 1997).
The second ITC will see WAI return to Mexico, where it has held four prior ITCs, three in Monterrey (2016, 2010 and 2008) and one in Queretaro (2004). Mexico has consistently proved to be a good location, a key to each of those being the support provided by 2009 WAI President Antonio Ayala. The 2023 ITC will be held Nov. 13-15.
Again, more information on both these events will be presented in future issues and at www.wirenet.org.
WAI Board supports further education
At a recent meeting, WAI’s Board of Directors authorized a fund of $50,000 to go to the creation of more educational products for the wire and cable industry.
The goal of the pilot program is to develop video-based training in different disciplines that would be of value to employees that are either new to the industry or have new responsibility. WAI has already created a number of videos—one of which, on cleaning an extruder screw, has had more than 83,000 viewings online—and will now focus on creating a new training series. This is still in the early stages, and WAI President Kurt Breischaft noted that this will be a long-term project that will serve both the ferrous and nonferrous sectors.

The value of tradition
The saga of Martin Thacker is worth noting. In 2020 and 2021, he served as the virtual Clockwinder, carrying out the annual tradition, from his U.K. home, of winding the Grandfather’s clock presented to the Association by the British wire and cable industry for help provided during World War II.
On Nov. 3, Thacker—who is a Liveryman of the Court of the Worshipful Company of Tinplate Workers Alias Wireworkers (Tinplate Workers) in London—was able to perform the duties, finally, in person. “I felt a fraud since I had fast become king of the virtual clockwinding ceremony. Now, having been here in Madison, I can now wear my tie with pride.”
Of note, only one past Clockwinder has wound the clock more than Thacker, and that is the late Terrence Cahill, Somerset Wire, who performed the tradition in 1979, 1989, 1991 and 1997.

Staffing updates
Change is part of any business, and with the departure of Robert “Bob” Xeller as sales director at the end of 2021, Shannon Timme took over that post, tasked with organizing the Interwire and Wire Expo trade shows. She joined the company in 2017 as sales manager, and has transitioned into her new post. She recently achieved certification for exhibition management.
One of Timme’s key tasks was to replace her former position, and it took several months before she found Gina Guzowski, whose prior experience included working for four years as a representative for RFS, handling cable, wire and antenna deployments for cell tower build ups. Guzowski had quite an industry introduction: in less than two months from her hire date, she had attended both Expo and wire Düsseldorf.
Of note, John Markowski, who became WAI intern in 2018, joined the Association full time in 2021, with responsibility for membership and social media.
It is fair to say that the WAI embodies a lean approach to staffing. As of the end of 2022, WAI had a total of nine full-time employees, and one part-timer, Cindy Kirmms, who is the circulation manager and supports accounting. It also has had different interns, the current one being Corey Flynn, a senior finance student at The University of New Haven.

The industry story includes WJI
Covid and staffing shortages have not been overly kind to wire and cable manufacturers and suppliers, and it seems as if every company has a story to tell. That includes WAI. One story that you did not read about had to do with delays for WJI because of its suppliers.
The magazine itself was able to function throughout the pandemic, as staff can work remotely, but WAI’s printer in New Hampshire depends on employees at their site. The printers have had to deal with Covid disruptions and severe staff shortages. That situation got a lot uglier early in 2022 when a cyber attack brought its systems down. The ensuing chaos added weeks to the dates the completed issues could be mailed. At the same time, truckers contacted to ship WJI preshow issues to Texas for Wire Expo and to Germany for wire Düsseldorf wanted to get those issues even earlier to ensure they arrived on time.
Fortunately, the problems eased some, enough that both preshow issues reached their destinations in time. The memory of that experience has not faded, and WAI staff shares a sincere appreciation for the struggles that so many companies have had to overcome.