Germany’s Kocks Group reports that Yantai Walsin Stainless Steel Co., Ltd., has begun manufacturing with its new RSB® 370++/4 mill whose capacity will be used for multiple products and applications and as a feeder for a wire rod line.

A press release said that the new sizing block represents the latest advancement in long product production technology and is designed to deliver superior surface quality and dimensional accuracy while reducing operating costs over the entire mill line.

Production has begun at Yantai Walsin, which is a subsidiary of Walsin Lihwa, a Taiwanese manufacturer of specialty steel. The corporation has a long customer history, having installed the very first Kocks Reducing & Sizing Block in 1991, as well as a RSB 500 Intermediate Block and a recently installed RB 500++/4 at the company’s rolling mill in Tainan, Taiwan.

The new Kocks RSB 370++/4 sizing block for Yantai Walsin has four 3-roll stand positions for optimal deformation behavior and yield strength and is part of a newly built rolling mill for SBQ products in Yantai, Shandong province. It is positioned after 20 stands in H/V arrangement. The sizing block from Kocks finishes round dimensions from 18 to 100 mm, hexagonal dimensions from 18 to 80 mm and feeders for the wire rod line.

In addition to the machine, Kocks supplied the roll-shop equipment and its proprietary software solutions. The advanced block enables a new level of efficient production at Walsin Yantai. The RSB is equipped with the measuring gauge 4D Eagle® and connected to Kocks’ Size Control System (SCS®) which allows real-time adjustments of the operating parameters of the rolling block. This ensures transparent process monitoring and the quickest possible adjustments whenever necessary.

Nexans announced an expansion of its presence in the offshore wind and interconnection market by adding a third cable laying vessel to its fleet in 2026.

A press release said the new ship will build on the cutting-edge technology of Nexans’ flagship vessel, the Nexans Aurora. The new ship will have an improved design, comfort and capabilities. Equipped with three turntables, it will have 13,500-metric ton loading capacity, and host subsea tooling such as jetting and ploughing tools.

The vessel will be capable of laying up to four cables simultaneously to meet specific customer requirements, especially on large-scale projects. It will have an advanced hybrid power system and be capable of running on a biodiesel mix.

“This new vessel will be the most technologically advanced cable layer ever deployed” said Nexans COO and Senior Vice President Vincent Dessale. “Fitted with a range of high-tech cable installation and burial equipment, it will enhance the capabilities of our subsea cable operations to tackle projects on an unprecedented scale. This new strategic asset will support the Group’s long-term growth, consolidating its leadership in the interconnection and offshore markets. It perfectly embodies Nexans’ strategy to electrify the future, and its innovative features illustrate our ever-increasing commitment to meeting our partners’ needs.”

The IWCS reports that attendees are encouraged to register now for the 72nd annual IWCS Cable & Connectivity Industry Forum (IWCS), to be held Sept. 18–20, 2023, at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Florida.

The exhibits will be larger this year, with an estimated turnout of 100 industry-leading suppliers. Organizers predict that the event will continue the momentum from last year’s successful event in Providence, USA, the first in-person IWCS Forum held since 2019 due to Covid.

For more details and to register or seek hotel accommodations, visit

www.iwcs.org or contact IWCS Director/CEO Dave Kiddoo at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Omar Monajjed was promoted to corporate social responsibility (CSR) manager at Nexans. He joined the company in Lebanon in 2013 as a quality first line manager, then was promoted to quality manager in 2019. He became an industrial performance leader in 2020 in France, where he became group environment manager in 2021. Last year he led sustainability operations for the group while implementing a pilot in Digital Transformation and Industry 4.0 for Sweden and France with Schneider Electric. Prior to Nexans, he had worked for five years for Jeddah Cables Company as a senior projects engineer. He holds degrees from the American University of Beirut where he was an electrical and computer student. Nexans is a global leader in wire and cable production.

Service Wire reported two recent hires. Rich McCathren was named national sales engineer. Previous employers included Irby Co., a distributor of electrical supplies and services, and Prysmian/General Cable, where he was sales director/southwest for eight years. He has more than 30 years of experience in commercial, industrial and utility markets. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial distribution from the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University. Cortney Wesneski was named a regional sales manager. She has more than a decade of industry experience, including sales management at Siemens and Graybar. She will be responsible for accounts in northeast Texas, Kansas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, northern Louisiana, and western Tennessee. She holds a B.S. degree from Sam Houston State University. Based in Culloden, West Virginia, Service Wire is a family-owned wire and cable manufacturer.

Lincoln Electric reported a number of personnel items, two related to a leadership transition. Christopher L. Mapes, chairman, president and CEO, who has served as president and CEO since 2012, will retire from those roles at year’s end. He will continue after that as executive chairman of the board, effective January 1, 2024. Under his leadership, Lincoln Electric has extended its global base, including more than 20 acquisitions, strong financial results and received multiple awards, including as one of the “World’s Best Employers” by Forbes. Steven B. Hedlund, who has been with the company for 15 years and serves as COO, will be president, CEO, and a member of the Board as of Jan. 1, 2024. He joined the company in 2008 as vice president, strategy and business development, and in 2015, he was promoted to senior vice president, president of global automation. In 2020, he was named executive vice president, president of Americas and international welding, and in 2022 was promoted to COO. He holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Dartmouth College. Jan Deruytter has joined Lincoln Electric as director, manufacturing productivity improvement. His 28-year industry career started at Bekaert where he was in operations and engineering for 12 years, followed by two years as plant manager at Fenix, LLC, eight years as general manager of Solon Specialty Wire Co. & ShapedWire; three years as director, tech services for ASW-Pengg LLC; one year at Heico; and most recently, director, global commodities, for WireCo WorldGroup. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln Electric supplies technology and solutions for welding, including wire.

Obituary
John D. Nichols Jr., the former CEO of both Illinois Tool Works and the Marmon Group, died June 14, 2023, at age 92. In 1980, he joined Illinois Tool Works as an executive vice president, was promoted to president and COO in 1981, then CEO and then chairman. During his nearly 14 years as CEO, annual sales grew from $400 million to $4.1 billion. He retired in 1995 and in 2002 he succeeded Marmon co-founder Bob Pritzker as CEO. He played an essential role in Marmon’s development into the company it is today. He formalized Marmon’s operating structure into groups of related businesses, introduced 80/20 business practices that are still applied across Marmon, and prepared Marmon for its acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. in 2008. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.

• Aug. 24, 2023. The Ohio Valley Chapter’s Golf Tournament will take place at the Kennsington Golf Club, Canfield, Ohio.
• Sept. 11, 2023. The New England Chapter Golf Tournament will take place at the Tunxis Country Club, Farmington, Connecticut.
• Sept. 12, 2023. The Southeast Chapter Golf Tournament will take place at the Rock Barn Country Club in Conover, North Carolina.

The collective chapter golf tournaments bring together professionals from the wire and cable industry for a day of camaraderie and sportsmanship. Beyond the obvious attraction of golfing, the events serve as an excellent platform to build new connections, exchange knowledge, and strengthen existing relationships within the industry.

Register online for tournament, sponsorship, and dinner-only participation: wai.configio.com.

Want to become a chapter member?

Add a chapter membership to your existing WAI membership for only $15/year. Unlock additional networking and educational member benefits on the regional level. Contact WAI’s membership department at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.wirenet.org/members/chapter-network to learn more.