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.