1/3/2022 – Madison, Connecticut, USA – The Wire Association International (WAI) announces the appointment of James R. York as president of the association for a one-year term that commenced on January 1, 2022. York will serve as chairman of the Board of Directors and as the 69^th president of the 92-year-old association, which is headquartered in Madison, Connecticut, USA.

 York is a senior vice president at Insteel Industries Inc., where he has worked since 2018. Prior to that, he spent 15 years in several leadership roles with Leggett & Platt including corporate vice president, Rod & Wire Products; and president of the Specialty Products Division, among others. His earlier experience included positions with CF&I Steel and Bekaert.

 A WAI member since 2012, York became a WAI Director in 2017. He contributed with service as an Executive Committee Liaison to its Exhibition Planning and Nominating Committees. In addition to his role as WAI president, York will serve as Co-Chairman of its Conference Programming Committee and Chairman of its Oversight Committee.

 Commenting on this new appointment, York said, “The WAI has been and continues to be an important resource for industry members. It is my intention to continue this focus by providing contemporary-based data and programs that assist in the success of our members’ organizations and day-to-day operations.”   

 York holds a BSBA degree from the University of Missouri - Columbia, College of Business, Columbia, Missouri, USA.

The Wire Association International is governed by a network of volunteers from around the globe. Joining York for the 2022 term are members of the association’s 2022 executive committee: First Vice President, Daniel Blais, Prysmian Group; Second Vice President, Kurt Breischaft, SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS; Immediate Past President, Thomas Heberling, Southwire Company LLC.

Insteel Industries is a manufacturer of steel wire reinforcing products for concrete construction applications. The company markets prestressed concrete strand and welded wire reinforcement. Its products are sold primarily to manufacturers of concrete products that are used in nonresidential construction.

WAI, founded in 1930, is a not-for-profit association with nearly 1,800 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 the WAI Operations Summit & 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.      
                                                                                               

Jan. 3, 2022 – MADISON, Connecticut, USA  The Wire Association International reports that 70% of exhibit space has been sold for its biennial Wire Expo 2022, which will be staged concurrently with WAI’s 92^nd annual convention at the Hyatt Regency Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA. Wire- and cable-related exhibits—featuring both supplier companies and manufacturers—will run June 7-8, 2022 in the center’s Marsalis Hall.

“For Wire Expo, 87 stands have been allocated already to 100 exhibiting companies,” said Shannon Timme, WAI’s Director of Sales. “We expect a sold out floorplan by March 2022, which ensures that Wire Expo will deliver a vibrant marketplace for in-person exchanges.”

WAI has issued a call for papers requesting presentations for the convention. Abstracts, which can be submitted online at:  https://bit.ly/WAIAbstracts, are due 2/1/2022.

 
Sponsors to date:

Platinum: Carris Reels Inc. and Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp.; Gold: Lloyd & Bouvier Inc.; Silver: The MGS Group and Sikora International Corp.; Bronze: NDC Technologies and Precision Payoff Systems.

The Wire and Cable Industry Suppliers Association (WCISA) is an industry partner with WAI.

Contact WAI’s Shannon Timme, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details about exhibiting and/or sponsorships.

 About the Organizer:
WAI, founded in 1930, is a not-for-profit association with nearly 1,800 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 the WAI Operations Summit & 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.

12/6/21 –  Essex Furukawa has expanded its relationship with The Copper Mark, the only comprehensive social and environmental assurance program for the copper industry, to join as semis-fabricator partners committed to participate in a pilot program.

A press release said that the partnership aligns with Essex Furukawa and its Vision 2030 to meet the Accountability, Reporting, and Governance (elements) as well as Supply Chain Transparency of its holistic sustainability program.

The Copper Mark is an assurance framework available for the copper industry to demonstrate its responsible production practices and its contribution to the United Nations SDGs. There are two phases where the Copper Mark and Essex Furukawa will work together. The first is self-assessment, to run to March 2022, and the second, the assurance process, is from April 2022 to December 2022.

“Being able to further advance our sourcing, sustainability, and external partnerships like those with The Copper Mark all positively impact Vision 2030 as well as Essex Furukawa and the entire copper industry,” said Austin Robinson, sustainability project manager for Essex Furukawa. “While it is far from the finish line for the task at hand for Essex Furukawa, it is a tremendous step in the direction of Vision 2030 achieving its leadership position in the industry.”

1/3/22 – Leoni will officially close its plant in Chicopee, Massachusetts—the German cable maker’s first wire plant in the U.S., by Feb. 4, resulting in the loss of some 80 jobs.

A press release said that the company tried to but could not find a buyer for the plant, which opened in October 1991. “Unfortunately, despite intensive conversations with several potential investors, it was not possible to find a long-term continuation perspective for LWI, both strategically and financially.” The result is that the plant, which produces cables, ropes and braids for the aerospace, data communications and other industries, will be closed.

A company spokesman said that the operation was not part of the company’s previously announced plans. “As is well known, Leoni AG wants to strategically focus on consolidating its leading position as a supplier of wiring systems for the automotive industry. Against this backdrop, the company has already sold several non-automotive units in 2021.” Last November, WJI reported that Leoni AG had sold the majority of its Wire & Cable Solutions division to strategic investor BizLink Holding Inc. At the time, Leoni AG CEO Aldo Kamper said that the move had to be made. “With this step, we are once again proving that we are consistently continuing to implement our announced and already advanced focus on the Wiring System Division.”

12/6/21 – NKT plans to extend its presence in Poland with a local execution hub that will prepare it for the market opportunities driven by the country’s green transformation in Poland.
A press release said that NKT is now expanding its local presence with an execution center to prepare for a growing demand for both on- and offshore power cables. The center will be located in Gdynia, Poland, close to the Baltic Sea where several offshore wind farms are expected to be located.
The execution center is not a production site but a hub from where a company can execute local projects, both onshore and offshore. “The idea is to first hire cable jointers for installation projects where they are connecting the produced cable lengths. At a later stage, the plan is to hire more project-oriented people to drive offshore wind projects, so the center development is linked to future projects we win in Poland,” a company spokesman said.
NKT expects to hire the first power cable jointers by the end of 2021 and will hire additional people to the execution center as the potential market opportunities emerge with the first offshore wind projects materializing in the coming years. With two existing manufacturing sites in Poland specializing in building wires, low-voltage power cables and PVC compounds, NKT is also well-positioned to meet the growing demand for power cables driven by the expected reinforcement of the Polish power grid.
“We already have a strong footprint in Poland, and it is natural for us to take steps to strengthen our position in the country with the new execution hub,” said NKT CEO Alexander Kara. He noted that NKT is preparing to support Poland’s national ambition to install up to 11 GW of offshore wind capacity in the Baltic Sea by 2040.