Madison, Connecticut, USA – May 19, 2025 – The Wire Association International Inc. (WAI) reports excellent results following the staging of its biennial Interwire Conference & Trade Exposition and its 4th Global Continuous Casting Forum (GCCF), held May 13-15 and May 12-15, respectively, in Hall A of the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
WAI welcomed 3,386 visitors from 46 countries and 42 U.S. states. Attendees from 450 manufacturing facilities were represented. 350 companies exhibited this year.
The collective programs, which featured 85 speakers, offered a vast selection of topics. Both conference programs and the sold-out exhibition provided participants with boundless opportunities for fact-finding, exploring new manufacturing technologies, and networking throughout the week.
WAI’s 2025 President Eric Bieberich said “Interwire 2025 lived up to this year’s theme—Shaping the Future of Wire Making, Uniting People & Technology—with courses and planning sessions focused on the wire and cable industry’s future. Keynote and conference sessions showcased technological advancements and leadership insights, while the show floor buzzed with business opportunities, fostering collaboration and leaving me optimistic about our industry’s future.”
During its Annual Meeting WAI bestowed its highest honors on the following four award winners. Mordica Memorial Award: Emmanuel De Moor, Colorado School of Mines; Donnellan Memorial Award: Thomas M. Heberling, formerly of Southwire Company; President’s Award: Willem Sundblad, Oden Technologies; and the WAI Champion Award: Andrea Pirondini, Prysmian.
Interwire highlights included:
• Pre-show, one-day Fundamentals of wire manufacturing course;
• Keynote speaker Andrea Pirondini, CEO, Prysmian North America, who presented: Linking the future: Driving tomorrow’s wire solutions;
• Keynote speaker Chris Tuff, best-selling author of the Millennial Whisperer, who presented: Creating a culture of connection;
• Featured speaker Willem Sundblad, CEO & Co-Founder, Oden Technologies, who presented: The future of manufacturing; and the
• Welcome Reception at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that hosted more than 1,000 people. New additions this year included:
• The Advanced Extrusion Workshop at Southwire’s Carrollton campus;
• The Fireside Chat with keynote speaker Chris Tuff and Rebecca Cranford, SVP, Southwire Company LLC;
• Introduction of WAI’s new Education Center;
• The Taste of the South Happy Hour and WJI Relaxation Lounge; and
• The Global Roundabout station offering cultural food/beverage samples from various sponsors.
Commenting on the GCCF, Chair, Chris Tucker, said: “I’m extremely proud of what we achieved with this year’s Global Continuous Casting Forum at Interwire. Bringing together experts from across the global industry allowed for meaningful discussion on both current practices and emerging technologies. It’s a strong signal that this community is committed to progress.”
Global Continuous Casting Forum highlights included:
• Networking receptions & awards dinner;
• Aurubis Richmond plant tour;
• Advances in Casting Technology;
• Global Cu/Al/Scrap Markets;
• Copper & Aluminum Technical Sessions;
• Lubrication, Testing, Automation, & Safety Sessions; and a
• Sustainable Operations & Panel Discussion.
Interwire Sponsors
Elite: Gem Gravure Co. Inc.; James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp.; Lloyd & Bouvier Inc.; Prysmian; SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS; Setic & Pourtier; and Southwire Company LLC
Platinum: Carris Reels Inc.; and Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp.
Gold: Niehoff Endex; and RichardsApex Inc.
Silver: Fort Wayne Wire Die; The MGS Group; SIKORA International Corp.; Sonoco Reels & Spools; Strecker; and Troester GmbH & Co. KG
Bronze: Baum’s Castorine Co. Inc.; ENKOTEC; Esteves Group; Cable Components Group; Gendon Polymer Services, Inc.; Precision Reel/Payoffs; and Sjogren Industries Inc. Industry Partner: Wire and Cable Industry Suppliers Association
GCCF Sponsors
Platinum: Freeport McMoRan; Prysmian; RichardsApex Inc.; Rio Tinto; SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS; Southwire Company LLC
Gold: Continuus-Properzi SpA
Silver: Quaker Houghton; Saint-Gobain; SMS Group; TotalEnergies; UPCAST OY
The next staging of Interwire will be May 4-6, 2027, at the Georgia World Congress Center
WAI News
WAI, in collaboration with Hyperion Materials & Technologies (HMT), will present a two-part webinar series in September free to WAI members for wire die tool makers and wire producers that will provide insights into PCD and TC wire dies.
Part 1, Differentiating High-Quality PCD Wire Dies, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 11 am EST, presented by HMT’s Hector Ferrer Ribas, a business development specialist-carbide metal cutting, and Andrew Gledhill, technical manager. They will focus on identifying PCD wire dies. Topics will include fundamental material properties, common defects like EDM cutting issues and cracks, and the impact of quality on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Attendees will also receive a checklist to assess superior products and learn about innovations in PCD materials.
Part 2, Key Differentiators in Carbide Wire Dies, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 11 am EST, will highlight the defining features of high-quality carbide wire dies. Attendees will explore red flags such as casing issues, breakage, and porosity, along with an assessment checklist to evaluate manufacturing quality and material consistency. The webinar will also cover advancements in carbide materials, testing methods, and the importance of traceability and certifications.
Both sessions will be recorded for those unable to attend live, with that access free to WAI members. They will offer a convenient opportunity for industry professionals to deepen their understanding of wire die quality and advancements. For more updates on these events and programs, visit wirenet.org.
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.
September and October are wending their way closer to the front of the calendar, so the goal is to be ready for that time. That means clearing your calendar as two chapter golf dates have been set.
The New England Chapter will return to the Tunxis Country Club on Sept. 8, 2025, and the Southeast Chapter will return to the Rockbarn Country Club on Oct. 16, 2025. The winning Gem Gravure Co. Inc. team of company President Paul Gemelli and National Sales Manager Derek Olson and Schleuniger USA’s Micah Durham shot 10 under par.
The WAI Southeast Chapter will hold its golf tournament on Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Rock Barn Country Club and Spa in Conover, North Carolina. In 2024, the winning team of Harrison Cummings and Mark Finch, IWG-HPC; Darin Nicol, Wayne Wire Die Company; and Kelly Grigg, I.T. Consultant (SRHS), shot an unworldly 16-under-par to claim top honors in a very competitive field.
The events serve as an excellent platform to build new connections, exchange knowledge and strengthen existing relationships within the industry, as well as support the individual chapter’s college scholarship programs.
Registration for both events will be open online in June. For more information on playing or being a sponsor, contact WAI Member Services Manager Corey Flynn at 203-458-1891 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
While the exact date was not finalized by press time, FENN has offered to host the WAI’s New England Chapter for its educational meeting at the company’s site in East Berlin, Connecticut, and the chapter is looking forward to it.
The annual event will include a tour of the plant as well as a networking dinner that will include food and drink trucks coming for the celebration. Registration for the event can be done at the chapter page online at
www.wirenet.org. “This looks to be another good chapter event,” said chapter President Annaliese Sviolka, Gem Gravure. “FENN has a long history in the industry, and being able to be there is really special.”
Fenn Torin this year celebrates its 125 anniversary. FENN is a global supplier of customized metal forming machinery that includes rolling mills, wire flattening and shaping lines, Turks heads, drawbenches, swagers and spring coilers used across a wide variety of industries. Its history traces back to Jan. 15, 1900, when Wison Lee Fenn received his first purchase order. Using rented space in Hartford, Connecticut, he began to manufacture plug and ring gages, built marine engines, printing presses, special milling and drilling machines.
Led by three generations of Fenn men and over a dozen presidents throughout the years, Fenn has adapted to significant historical events and altered operations to contribute to the advancement of manufacturing. Their influence is widespread, found in your office, kitchen, car, printing, and aircraft as well as for military applications such as machine gun parts and other war materials.
Interwire, indeed, can be a rewarding experience ... that goes especially for the four attendees whose names will be pulled in this first-ever addition to Interwire.
WAI is introducing a raffle with four cash prizes totaling $10,000. This initiative emphasizes the strong exhibition and engaging educational programming taking place in the WAI Theater on the show floor. Attendees who are on-site during the drawing times will have a chance to win one of four $2,500 cash prizes.
The first drawing is set for Wednesday at 4 pm, followed by the second drawing on Thursday at noon. Winners will be drawn by WAI President Eric Bieberich and announced through the event’s mobile app/show floor speakers. To participate, attendees must have submitted their ticket from their registration packet and be on-site at the time of the drawing. This could be your most memorable Interwire ever.
The WAI’s Advanced Extrusion Workshop that will be held Wednesday, May 14, at Southwire’s campus in Carrollton, Georgia, is nearing full capacity.
There are only 50 available slots, and as of press time it appeared that it likely would close, reflecting the strong demand that exists for specialized training in wire and cable extrusion processes.
This hands-on, in-depth session builds on the basic principles from the Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing extrusion session and expands into advanced techniques and optimization strategies. Co-led by Rick Chamberlin of Hawkins Consulting, LLC and David Skinner of Joe Tools, the workshop is designed to enhance operational efficiency and technical proficiency among extrusion professionals.
The course will cover topics such as material handling options, crossheads and tooling, extruder screw optimization and material balance and usage optimization. For more details on the workshop and registration, visit interwire25.com.
The Wire Association International reports that the Wire & Cable Krakow Conference, to be held Oct. 14, is shaping up to be a productive one-day event.
There has been a strong response to the call for papers, with some 20 abstracts submitted on topics centered on sustainability, production efficiency, and product development emerging as key themes. The planning committee is now reviewing these submissions, aiming to craft an insightful program for attendees.
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, in collaboration with Hyperion Materials & Technologies (HMT), will present a two-part webinar series in September free to WAI members for wire die tool makers and wire producers that will provide insights into PCD and TC wire dies.
Part 1, Differentiating High-Quality PCD Wire Dies, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 11 am EST, presented by HMT’s Hector Ferrer Ribas, a business development specialist- carbide metal cutting, and Andrew Gledhill, technical manager. They will focus on identifying high-quality polycrystalline diamond (PCD) wire dies. Topics will include fundamental material properties, common defects like EDM cutting issues and cracks, and the impact of quality on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Attendees will also receive a checklist to assess superior products and learn about innovations in PCD materials.
Part 2, Key Differentiators in Carbide Wire Dies, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 11 am EST, will highlight the defining features of high-quality carbide wire dies. Attendees will explore red flags such as casing issues, breakage, and porosity, along with an assessment checklist to evaluate manufacturing quality and material consistency. The webinar will also cover advancements in carbide materials, testing methods, and the importance of traceability and certifications.
Both sessions will be recorded for those unable to attend live. As noted above, that access will be free to WAI members. They will offer a convenient opportunity for industry professionals to deepen their understanding of wire die quality and advancements. For more updates on these events and programs, visit wirenet.org.
The weather may not have been overly obliging, but the New England Chapter’s Feb. 6 annual meeting and dinner was thoroughly enjoyed by the WAI chapter members who gathered at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.
The chapter welcomed its new president for 2025, Annaliese Sviokla, Gem Gravure, and thanked its 2024 president, Ryan Carbray, Alphagary, for a job well done. Also recognized were new board members David Roberge, Sjogren Industries Inc.; Sean Donnelly, Kinrei of America LLC; and Shawn Stavely, Gendon Polymer Services Inc.
Sviokla said that she was honored to head the chapter and pledged to carry on Carbray’s good work. She also thanked multiple people, including a friend and past chapter president, Lori Parent, and multiple Gem colleagues. That included President Paul Gemelli, who she said gave her every opportunity to succeed. “At our board meeting earlier today, it was joked that in the wire industry, when you’re in, you’re in. And after 17 years of wire and cable, I’m happy to say that’s fine with me because there’s truly no place I’d rather be.”
Carbray traced the highlights on 2024, which included the 30th Annual Golf Tournament, the largest to date with more than 160 golfers and attendees; the awarding of three college scholarships for $2,500 each; and the November tour of ACCEL International’s wire drawing plant in Cheshire, Connecticut; as well as last year’s annual meeting. “We owe a great deal of thanks to all of you who support these events. All the money raised directly supports the scholarship fund and allows us to continue providing these awards. Please give yourselves a round of applause,” he said.
The keynote speaker, Ramon Peralta of Peralta Design, proved to be remarkable. His discussion that covered multiple considerations of employee engagement was well received, as was the overall event. “Despite some snowy weather in Connecticut, the WAI NE Chapter Annual Meeting was a big success,” said Paul Gemelli. “I continue to be impressed with the quality of this annual event. It was an excellent night of networking in a great venue with many industry leaders and professionals. Mr. Peralta’s presentation was very relevant and informative for me and my colleagues. Thanks to WAI for a terrific event!”
Over the past 20 years, ACIMAF, IWMA and the WAI have produced numerous technical conferences throughout Europe. This time, they are being joined by Poland’s AGH University (AGH) to put on an event that will be held in Kraków, Poland, on Oct. 14, 2025.
The deadline for an abstract submission form is March 31, 2025. The form can be accessed online at BIT.LY/WAIABSTRACTS.
The Kraków location is most fitting as multiple members of WAI’s Poland Chapter have presented technical articles. A public university in Kraków, Poland, that was founded in 1913, AGH focuses on innovative technologies, and its research includes engineering disciplines, exact sciences, earth sciences and social sciences. Wire production is part of its scope.
WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll credits RichardApex’s Don Neville—who recently completed his term as chairman of U.K.-based International Wire Machinery Association (IWMA)—for encouraging a collaboration with AGH. That led to support from AGH Dean Tadeusz Knych, the 2015 winner of WAI’s Mordica Award and a long-time member of the WAI Poland Chapter, and Dr. Beata Smyrak, an AGH professor. “The group is working well together and of course, it is a pleasure to have a chance to work more closely with genuine supporters.”
Professor Jerzy Lis, the rector of AGH, is also supporting the one-day event that will see concurrent ferrous and electrical tracks as well as tabletops.
Attendees will be presented an in-depth view of the manufacturing advances in wire and cable research, operations and production. While some presentations have already been secured, the issued call for papers is for ferrous and nonferrous topics
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