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Wire Journal News

Registration is now open online for Wire & Cable Krakow Conference, to be held Oct. 14 at the Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre in Krakow, Poland.

The program for the one-day event is largely complete, with some two dozen abstracts having been submitted on topics such as sustainability, production efficiency, and product development emerging as key themes. Organizers of the event include ACIMAF, the AGH University of Krakow, IWMA and the WAI.

Final details, including attendee registration pricing, tabletop exhibits, and sponsorship options, are still being determined. For more details, visit wirecable25.com or reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

WAI’s education program is advancing on multiple fronts as the Association continues building a robust library of technical training designed for early-career professionals in the wire and cable industry.

WAI’s Education Center’s goal is to deliver the best possible learning experience, and while the Association has done a lot in-house, with the help of industry volunteers, it has contracted with a professional instructional designer to enhance the structure and interactivity of the courses. “We think that members will appreciate the results as they are released over this year and the following ones,” said John Markowski, WAI’s manager of education.

The collaboration, Markowski said, will allow WAI to translate complex technical content into engaging, easy-to-follow lessons that better support learner retention and engagement. From interactive elements to improved pacing and flow, the goal is to make each course more intuitive and impactful.

On the content side, development is continuing to move full speed ahead, Markowski said. The third course in WAI’s extrusion series—focused on extrusion materials—is nearing completion and will be released soon. That course builds on the foundational knowledge introduced in earlier modules and dives deeper into the properties and performance of materials used in the extrusion process.

Markowski said that the WAI has also begun production on a new Fundamentals of Drawing Dies course that is already about halfway complete. This course—led by subject matter expert Eric Bieberich, president of Fort Wayne Wire Die—will serve as a key learning tool for individuals entering the wire industry.

Ian Rand has joined Southwire as Vice President and President of Canada Business. He will provide oversight and guidance to the organization based at Southwire Canada’s new corporate headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario. He served as Senior Vice President Canada for Prysmian and General Cable from 2010-2019, before taking his most recent position as general manager for Omnicable Canada. Based in Carrollton, Georgia, USA, Southwire is the largest manufacturer of copper and aluminum rod, wire and cable in the United States.

 Teknor Apex has named Patricia Mishic O’Brien as chief sustainability officer. She has extensive experience driving transformational, sustainable growth across diverse industries. She most recently was chief commercial officer at UBQ Materials, where she was responsible for sales, marketing, sales operations and technical service and development. Prior to that she held senior leadership roles at various companies in the materials science industry. She holds a B.S. degree in business administration from Youngstown State University and an MBA from the University of Akron. Based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Teknor Apex is a global leader in custom polymer compounding.

 Todd Hesser has joined the high-temperature sales team at Radix. He has more than 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. In his new role, he will focus on supporting regional Energy OEM and MRO customer accounts. Based in Glenwillow, Ohio, Radix Wire specializes in high-performance, extreme-temperature wire and cable.

Fred Carr was named a plant director for Prysmian. He has more than 20 years of plant management experience, most recently serving as the director of operations at Atkore. He previously held similar management roles at Alkegen, Parker Hannifin, and Federal Mogul. He holds multiple degrees from the University of Illinois in mechanical engineering as well as a PhD from the University of Notre Dame. He is in charge of Prysmian’s plant in Marshall, Texas, which manufactures a range of power cables.

M-TEC, the South African subsidiary of Taihan Cable & Solution (TC&S), has secured a significant power grid supply project valued at approximately $38 million.

A press release said that the project, commissioned by South Africa’s state-owned power company Eskom, calls for both medium- and low-voltage cables and overhead lines. This project is part of a larger effort to stabilize and modernize South Africa’s power infrastructure.

M-TEC, established as a joint venture by TC&S in 2000, has been expanding its footprint in the South African market by securing various projects. Last year, the company achieved record sales of approximately $85.1 million), an increase of over 33% compared to the previous year, and its operating profit also doubled. Those achievements underscore M-TEC’s growing influence and capability in the region.

Eskom’s long-term plan to replace outdated power facilities and improve transmission efficiency aligns with M-TEC’s strategic goals. The utility company plays a critical role in South Africa’s energy sector but faces challenges such as aging infrastructure and frequent power outages known as load shedding. These issues have prompted significant investments in infrastructure projects like the one secured by M-TEC.

The recent contract with Eskom positions M-TEC to participate in future bids for medium and long-term projects, potentially increasing its order volume. TC&S views M-TEC as a strategic base for entering the broader African market. The company’s investment in expanding medium and low voltage cable production facilities began in the second half of 2023 and is expected to be completed in the first half of this year, aiming for sustained growth.

The release noted that South Africa is the largest economy in Africa, with a well-established financial and industrial infrastructure. Investments in power and infrastructure have been increasing, and M-TEC will seek to leverage its local production base, contract achievements and local network to become a supply hub for power infrastructure across Africa.

Custom Wire Products (CWP) has acquired Little Falls Alloys (LFA), a wire manufacturer based in Paterson, New Jersey, that specializes in nonferrous copper-based alloys.

A press release said that LFA’s 30,000-sq-ft facility in Paterson will continue to operate under its established name. The company provides custom redraw and electroplating of wire. “The strategic acquisition enhances CWP’s production capacity, broadens its collective product offerings, and reinforces its commitment to delivering superior service to customers.”

Per the LFA website, the company stocks raw material to be drawn and its plating department can process most precious metals as well as copper and nickel. The company pioneered the production of beryllium wire in the 1940s. Many customers use its wire to make springs of all sizes and designs. Other sectors it serves include the automotive, aviation, telecom and medical device industries. CWP makes custom wire and cable.

“Over the past 80 years, Little Falls Alloys built a strong reputation for excellence and reliability,” said CWP President Jeff Lawrence. “We are excited to bring that legacy into the CWP family and leverage our strengths to provide even greater value to our customers. With Paterson as our core manufacturing hub, we are primed to scale faster, improve production efficiencies, and raise the bar on what we deliver to our customers.”

Lawrence said that the multi-million-dollar acquisition will be complemented by a significant investment aimed at driving long-term growth and impacting improvements across the business

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