7/3/2022 - 

The below report is about as far downstream as one can get, but a social media-challenged trade editor who came across the torrid story of a social influencer posting her love for a charging cable felt compelled to share it. Below are excerpts and WJI commentary.

Sophie Cachia, an Australian social influencer, recently shared her feeling about her new Cygnett charging cable. Her Instagram story declared her utter love for the cable.

““Found my baby!!!! @cygnett Nobody charges my phone like this cord here. Whenever I lose it, it’s devastating (aka Bobby steals it for his iPad) I will neverrrrrrr go back to any other cord. Not spon, just simply life changing when you need your phone constantly & charged SO fast.”

It is safe to say that such words have never been seen in Wire Journal, but the posting led to a complaint being filed with the Ad Standards, Australia’s advertising complaints adjudicator. Why the accusation? It turns out that Cygnett pays Cachia to be a social influencer on their behalf, as was noted in the complaint: “Sophie is obviously getting paid to be an ongoing ambassador for this product/brand (Cygnett) and should clearly display that it is a paid post.”

A statement from Cygnett said that it had nothing to do with the post. “This promotion by Sophie Cachia was created and published without Cygnett having any prior knowledge, nor was it financially supported by Cygnett in anyway. ... This is the first time to our knowledge that Sophie has ever posted about Cygnett outside her paid agreement.”

No doubt you noted that Sophie’s post said “Not spon,” so one could say that she was sending this on her own, professing her (financially unsupported) love for her cable.

So, was Sophie wrong? Was this in essence a paid Cygnett ad ... even if it was not paid for?

The Ad Standards Community Panel considered whether this advertisement breaches the AANA Code of Ethics 2.7. Per the Distinguishable Advertising Code, “social media advertising which compensates influencers for promoting a product should be clearly distinguishable as an advertisement. Advertising on all platforms should be easily distinguishable as such.”

The Panel found that posting “not spon” was confusing to viewers and made it difficult to tell whether the posting was or was not an ad. While the content was “not spon,” it clearly was about the product, and thus the endorsement made it advertising.

In its unofficial (and unasked for) ruling, WJI finds that the real violation is the lack of any technical details that led to such unconditional cable love.

SAMP reports that it has agreed to sell its 45% stake in SETIC to GAUDER & Co., as part of a deal in which SETIC will transfer some of its POURTIER low- and medium-voltage business to SAMP Srl.

Per the announcement, SAMP will have exclusive rights to produce and sell POURTIER-designed machines for low- and medium-voltage applications under the SAMP POURTIER brand. SETIC will continue to supply POURTIER high-speed, concentric stranders and single-twist machines as well as rigid stranders for overhead cables. C2S, the service division of Setic S.A.S, will also continue to develop a complete and modern services portfolio for existing and future POURTIER and SETIC equipment.

 SETIC will continue to rely on production and commercial support from SAMP for SETIC machines made in China, which will continue to be manufactured in SAMP’s facilities in Changzhou, China, with oversight from SETIC’s French engineers. SAMP will also act as SETIC's agent in selected markets in South America, Africa, Middle East and Asia as well as the Balkans.
 SAMP China will continue to supply and support its Daloo machines. Part of The POURTIER low- and medium-voltage products, Daloo and the existing SAMP rotating machinery businesses will be combined to form a new, integrated SAMP rotating product line. SAMP further retains the rights to utilize the Pourtier product name for five years. 

The transaction clarifies the relationship between the two companies, ensuring continuity of products and services for each firm’s demanding international clients. It was described as a win-win deal.

 “This is a big step for both of our companies,” said SAMP Chairman Jouni Heinonen. “It allows each firm to better serve its customers without losing any of the benefits of our complementary products and services.”

“This acquisition is a wonderful homecoming,” said Setic/Gauder & Co. CEO Thierry Collard. “It allows SETIC to focus on its core business and implement appropriate strategies and developments for each product range. It strengthens our global leadership in the production of equipment for data, industrial Ethernet, communication and automotive cables for the benefit of all stakeholders. The reorganization of the POURTIER portfolio will also allow SETIC to offer POURTIER equipment for overhead, high and very high voltage cables. Ultimately, this is a big step forward for SETIC and its subsidiaries, for SAMP and above all, for our customers and the wire and cable manufacturing industry.”

7/3/2022 -  UL announced that it has opened Mexico UL, its first laboratory in Mexico, in the city of Querétaro, which is 137 miles northwest of Mexico City.

A press release said that the site represents one of the first multinational testing laboratories to open in Mexico. It tests for product safety and performance for the Mexico market, and for export to the U.S., Canada and countries throughout Latin America.

“Today marks an exciting new day in our three-decade relationship with Mexico as we open UL’s newest state-of-the-art lab in Querétaro,” said Jennifer Scanlon, UL President/CEO. “Given our mission of working for a safer world, UL is dedicated to using its testing/certification expertise to help manufacturers in Mexico grow and prosper by helping to bring their innovations to market quickly and safely.”

Located in the Kaizen Industrial Park complex and near the Querétaro International Airport, the lab offers local testing for the UL Mark for the USA and Canada. Upon accreditation approval, it will also offer the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas (NOM) mark in Mexico and Latin American testing services.

UL notes that it operates in over 140 locations in more than 40 countries across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa with more than 14,000 scientists, engineers, problem solvers and innovators who partner with customers to unlock their potential by empowering them to demonstrate safety, enhance sustainability and strengthen security. UL works with 60% of Global 500 and Fortune 500 companies, the largest companies in the world.