Wirenet Image Band
wirenet.org mobile image band

Wire Journal News

5/4/2022 –

Giovanni Spitale, a polymer processing and broader capital equipment industry veteran, has been named CEO of Davis-Standard. He most recently was vice president of commercial parts within Boeing Global Services. Prior to that, he was president of Customer Service and Support at Milacron. He replaces Jim Murphy who has been elected as vice chairman of the board of directors. The company also reported that it has elected to its board of directors Brian Marston, Bill Barker and John McGrath, each of whom has significant experience within Davis-Standard’s markets. Based in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, and a portfolio company of Gamut Capital Management, Davis-Standard is a global supplier of extrusion technology.

Earlier this year, International Wire Group (IWG) announced multiple personnel promotions. Vince Donaldson was named general manager of Owl Wire & Cable. His industry career began in 1985 at Camden Wire. He worked there for nearly 12 years, and was director of sales and marketing when the company was acquired by IWG. He continued as director of North American sales, and in 2004 became vice president of sales before his new assignment. Lenny Argentine was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing. He joined IWG in 1994 and has held various commercial roles across multiple International Wire divisions. He holds a B.A. degree in philosophy from LeMoyne College and an MBA from State University of New York at Oswego. Yulia Leskovets was named director of sales and marketing. She joined the IWG as a senior business development manager. She had previously worked in sales positions for Freeport-McMoRan and 3M. She holds a Master’s degrees in engineering, and in economics and management from Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Jennifer Fox was named director of marketing analytics. She joined IWG in 1994, and during her tenure has held multiple positions in manufacturing, production control, plant operations management and quality assurance. Kerri Grant was named director of customer service. She joined IWG in 1998, and throughout her career she has held various positions in finance, operations, quality, continuous improvement and manufacturing management. Stacey Ingraham was named vice president of human resources. She joined IWG in 2014, and during her tenure with the company, she spent three years in a manufacturing management role. Based in Camden, New York, the International Wire Group is the largest non-vertically integrated copper and alloy wire products manufacturer in the U.S.

UPCAST OY has named Janne Hosio as managing director. He joined the company in 2001 as a project engineer, specialized in electrics and programming, and over the following 21 years served in various roles where he became an expert in UPCAST® products and technology. He most recently had been sales director, responsible for all the global sales and marketing activities and customer relationships of the company. He will continue to be directly involved in sales. He holds an engineering degree from the Central Ostrobothnia University of Applied Sciences. Based in Pori, Finland, UPCAST OY notes that it is the original developer of the upward upcasting technology for making copper rod and tube.

As part of a management reorganization of Hitachi Cable America (HCA), the Performance Cable Systems and Materials Division (PCSMD) of New Hampshire and the High Performance Medical Solutions Division (HPMSD) of Rhode Island/Connecticut, reported the following personnel news. Paula Butkevich is senior vice president of sales and business development of the HPMSD. Robert Overton has been promoted to senior vice president of engineering & operations, a new position for the HPMSD. Jim Stocking has accepted the role of executive director of operations for the PCSMD. He joined HCA in 2010 as purchasing manager. Michelle Ferero has been promoted to vice president of human resources. John DiSalvo is vice president of finance for the (HPMSD) and the (PCSMD). Steve Schaeffer has been promoted to director of logistics. Sherry Moulton has been promoted to purchasing supervisor of PCSMD. Semko Bukvic will assume the interim process engineering manager role for PCSMD. Headquartered in Purchase, New York, Hitachi Cable America Inc. (HCA) is a subsidiary of Hitachi Metals, Ltd., a global manufacturer of cable products for the computer, automotive and aerospace industries.

Alain Lanjard has joined Champlain Cable as European district sales manager, a new direct position. Residing in Spain, he is tri-lingual, and has a B.T.S. degree in international business from the University of Vigo. He has many years of wire and cable experience in sales, marketing and business development roles with various companies. He most recently worked at BizLink. Based in Colchester, Vermont, Champlain Cable Corporation makes electrical wire and cable products.

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has named Southwire President and CEO Rich Stinson to the company’s board of directors. He joined the company in 2015. Founded in 1895, the NAM notes that is the largest industrial trade association in the USA, with over 14,000 members, from small businesses to global leaders, in every industrial sector. n

4/21/2022 – The first SteelOrbis & IREPAS Conference of 2022 is returning to its traditional in-person format after two years. The conference will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel Bosphorus on May 29-31 with the many in-person networking opportunities. With the spring sun of Istanbul and the excellent facilities of the conference hotel, there will be many spaces outside - just next to the beautiful Bosphorus - to help attendees enjoy networking with the other attendees in the open air.

While gathering its members and participants together at the world's number one event for long steel products, SteelOrbis and IREPAS Conference will also offer the opportunity to listen to informative presentations about the latest developments in all the major steel markets!

What to expect at this in-person conference:

  • Acquire a better understanding of the global market situation before planning your strategy and gain an accurate picture of supply and demand and steel price levels.
  • Opportunity to hear the plans of major producers and traders.
  • Listen to the latest global economic issues as discussed by renowned economists.
  • Chance to interact and create new business partnerships with the world's major long steel producers, traders and raw material suppliers.

 Speakers:

  • Alexander Gordienko, Export Director, Celsa Group (in-person presentation)
  • Veysel Yayan, Secretary General,Turkish Iron and Steel Producers' Association (TISPA) (in-person presentation)
  • Olivier Francois, President, European Recycling Industries' Confederation (EuRIC) (in-person presentation)
  • Alessandro Sciamarelli, Director of Economic Studies and Market Analysis, European Steel Association (EUROFER) (in-person presentation)
  • Huseyin Ocakci, Middle East General Manager, CIEC (in-person presentation)
  • Roman Perepelytsia, Head of Strategy and Business Development, Metinvest Holding (online presentation)
  • Dr. Ozgur Demirtas, Chair Professor of Finance, Sabanci University (in-person presentation)

 Who attends:

  • Steel producers
  • Raw material suppliers
  • Traders
  • End-users
  • Plant / equipment companies
  • Logistics companies
  • Finance companies
  • Technology and machinery companies

 How to register:

Online: https://www.steelorbis.com/steel-events/

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Online participation is also available!

If you cannot travel due to travel restrictions, you can still register for the conference by choosing  “online participation” and have the option to follow the conference sessions on May 30-31 on the online  platform. Please visit the website above for detailed information.


Madison, Connecticut, USA  4/14/2022 - The conference and exhibits open at the Hyatt Regency Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA, June 7-8, 2022. WAI’s popular Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course precedes the activities on June 6, which is the first in-person offering of the program in two years.

 The exhibit includes a full complement of products and supplies from 125 participating companies. A tour to Encore Wire plant in McKinney, Texas, is planned on June 8 when the manufacturer of copper and aluminum residential, commercial, and industrial building wire hosts Wire Expo guests.

 Describing the event in the April issue of Wire Journal International, WAI 2022 President James York wrote: "We believe that there is great value in being together “in person.” This is the reason WAI was formed in 1930, and why we continue to take time to gather even with our demanding schedules. …The program elements were assembled by the Board {of Directors} to address today’s evolving challenges. These include the supply chain, workforce and continuous improvement of manufacturing. The theme ‘Rising to the Challenges’ speaks to the intestinal fortitude of the members of our industry.”

 Keynote Speakers:

 Tuesday, June 7 - The new normal in raw material procurement for the wire and cable industry”
Keynote speaker Brian Schulties, the Chief Procurement Officer for Prysmian Group North America, will share his insights into the opportunities and challenges facing supply chain in the wire and cable industry in this era of tight supplies.

 Wednesday, June 8 - “Leadership in a volatile world”
Keynote speaker Ty Garrison, Senior Vice President of Operations, at Commercial Metals Company, will discuss how the last few years have strained businesses across the globe as Covid forced companies to deal with events like virtual work, burn out, unprecedented supply chain disruptions and volatile markets. The need to successfully navigate these situations puts immense pressure on leadership at every level of an organization. When we shift our mindset and view the pressures of leading a team as a privilege rather than a burden, leaders rise to the occasion and companies thrive.  

 Added Highlights:

Overall, 32 subject matter experts address the following and related topics:

“Partner-centered business: Encore’s long-term approach,” by Kevin Heffernan, Encore Wire Co.
“Today’s hourly workforce,” by Chuck McLendon, Southwire Co.                                                         
“Improving hiring practices to stand out in today’s challenging job market,” by Pati Kelly, Egret Consulting Group
“Opportunities for the wire and cable market in a post-pandemic world," by Michael Finch, CRU International

Advance registration savings are in effect through June 1, 2022.  The rates for WAI members and New WAI members are $75, and $140, respectively; the non-WAI member rate is $175. Onsite rates apply after June 1.                                                                                                                                                                            
The full program details, and registration information can be accessed at the event website: www.wireexpo22.com

WAI has the generous support of the following sponsors:

Platinum: Carris Reels Inc.; Encore Wire; Gem Gravure Co. Inc.; James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp., Prysmian Group; SDI LaFarga Inc.; Southwire Co.; and Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp; Gold: Insteel Industries Inc.; and Lloyd & Bouvier Inc.; Silver: Niehoff Endex; and Sikora International Corp.; Bronze: Baum’s Castorine; Fort Wayne Wire Die; NDC Technologies; Precision Payoff Systems; RichardsApex Inc.; and Sonoco Reels & Spools.

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

About the Organizer:
WAI, founded in 1930, is a not-for-profit association with nearly 2,000 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.

-  30 -  

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.: +1-203-453-2777 x. 117; Steven J. Fetteroll, Executive Director, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Tel.: +1-203-453-1777.

4/4/2022 -  Sequel Wire & Cable has named Todd Eagan as sales manager. He most recently had worked for two years for Lake Copper Conductors, and prior to that held key sales and manager roles at SDI LaFarga, Manner Plastics and PVC Compounders. He was lauded for the scope of his industry experience gained over his 30-plus year career, that saw him master the interrelation of purchasing, manufacturing and selling the raw materials necessary to make insulated wire. Based in Argos, Indiana, Sequel Wire & Cable manufacturers copper-fabricated and insulated wire and cable products for use in a variety of markets. 

Mark Gatewood has joined Service Wire as director - business development, a new position. He has 15 years of various business development and operational leadership experience. He holds an MBA from Marshall University and a degree in marketing from West Virginia University. Kerith Richards was named a regional sales manager, responsible for commercial and industrial sales in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York. She will continue to serve in that role for Canadian provinces. She has more than 10 years of experience, including seven years at Service Wire. Emily Wotring has been promoted to inside sales representative. She will serve the Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island markets, as well as customers in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. She joined the company a year ago as a customer service representative. Based in Culloden, West Virginia, Service Wire is a second-generation, family-owned wire and cable manufacturer.


Metalube Ltd. has appointed Steve Hart as finance director, with duties that will also include commercial management responsibilities at the company’s Irlam manufacturing site. He has 14 years of experience in financial control, financial and management reporting along with providing commercial support. Based in Manchester, U.K., Metalube is part of the Bishopdale Group, a private holding company for a group of industrial lubricants brands (Metalube, Molyslip and UOP) that exports 95% of its lubrication production to more than 90 countries.

Daniel Choi has been named CEO of Essex Furukawa Magnet Wire as well as CEO of parent company Superior Essex Inc. and its subsidiaries. He has decades of experience, having been associated with LS Cable and System, the parent company of Superior Essex Inc., since 1999, when he was general manager. He most recently served as regional president, North and South Americas, for LS Cable and System, and prior to that was president, LS Cable and System USA for MV and LV Power Cable Systems. He has long been associated with Superior Essex, including serving as president, Cyprus Investments from 2008–2014, and as the SVP, PMO Europe and China in 2015. He holds a PhD in Material Science Engineering from Seoul National University and MBA from Helsinki Business School. He replaces Brian Kim, who led the Superior Essex and recent Essex Furukawa teams for nearly seven years. His legacy includes launching the strategic Essex Furukawa Magnet Wire joint venture. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Essex Furukawa Magnet Wire LLC is a global provider of magnet wire.

Don Neville has been named chairman of the International Wire and Machinery Association (IWMA). He is the managing director of RichardsApex Europe Ltd., the U.K. subsidiary of RichardsApex Inc., in the USA. The U.S. native has been in the wire and cable industry since 1990. He succeeds Martin van der Zwan, who has extended his term due to the pandemic. Based in the U.K., IWMA is the world’s largest and most influential corporate association for the wire and cable industries.

4/3/2022 - Earlier this year, LS Group’s cable manufacturing unit, LS Cable & System (LSCS), officially opened its new power cable plant in Indonesia, a joint venture.

A press release said that the new plant, called LSAGI, is a joint venture between LSCS and Artha Graha Network, Indonesia’s 10th-largest conglomerate. The Korean firm owns a 75% stake in the entity.

The plant, located on a 64,000-square-meter site in the Artha Industrial Complex near Jakarta, will mainly produce overhead wires for power transmission and distribution and low-voltage cables for buildings and plants.

LSCS said it aims to expand its presence in the Southeast Asian country by taking advantage of its local partnership business experience and sales networks ranging from banks to hotels. “In the cable industry, each country is strengthening policies to protect its own companies,” an LS official said. “We will pursue different strategies for different markets to better meet the local demands.”

The firm also expected a quick recovery of the pandemic-hit cable market, citing Indonesia’s planned relocation of its capital from Jakarta to a jungled area of Kalimantan on Borneo island, which involves a $32 billion mega development project. LSCS now operates a total of 12 production facilities around the world, including in the U.S., Poland, Vietnam and China.

Contact us

The Wire Association Int.

71 Bradley Road, Suite 9

Madison, CT 06443-2662

P: (203) 453-2777