Prysmian recently marked the completion of a $63.8 million expansion of its Du Quoin, Illinois plant with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by local leaders, state officials and company executives.

A press release said that the event, which also celebrated the facility’s 60th anniversary, highlighted the company’s ongoing investment. The project, which saw the addition of 100,000 sq ft of manufacturing space, is creating 80 new jobs. Prysmian’s investment is designed to ramp up production of renewable energy and electric vehicle (EV) cables to keep pace with the growing demand, while also modernizing the plant and implementing an advanced Energy Management System.​

A central element of the expansion is a new solar farm that now generates about half of the energy needed for the plant’s operations, reducing the carbon footprint and the energy required to make cables critical for U.S. grid improvements. Supported by the state’s Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) initiative, the project received praise from community and utility leaders including ComEd and Ameren Illinois, who highlighted the facility’s importance to the regional clean energy economy and electric grid reliability.

Prysmian’s Du Quoin plant, established in 1965, produces specialized cables for wind, solar, EV charging and grid-hardening projects, further solidifying its position as a pillar of local manufacturing and a driver of innovation for both Illinois and the national clean energy transition.

The Wire & Cable Manufacturers Alliance (WCMA) will hold its Annual Membership luncheon meeting on Thursday, Dec. 4 that will feature industry-recognized Robert Fry, Robert Fry Economics, much networking potential and support a good cause.

The event will take place from 11 am to 3 pm at the Hartford Marriott Downtown, 300 Capitol Blvd., Hartford, Connecticut. The event will also host a dedicated panel session for young professionals and mentors to kick off the morning from 10 am to 11 am, and the Young Professional of the Year will be presented during the main meeting. Attendees are encouraged to participate in WCMA’s annual Toys for Tots donation and to support industry scholarships for organizations such as the Wire Association, IWCS and The Copper Club.

Discounted lodging at the Hartford Marriott Downtown is available once a registration is received with a booking cut-off of November 28. Registration for the luncheon is open. For more details, call WCMA Executive Director

Ed Fenton at tel. 860-841-7720, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.wcmainc.org

Earlier this year, Premix Group, a Finnish-based producer of electrically conductive plastics, opened a new manufacturing facility in Apple Creek, Dallas, North Carolina, supported by a $79 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense and Health and Human Services.

A press release said that while there are American companies capable of producing plastics, the $79 million contract was issued primarily because its specialized electrically conductive plastics meet stringent technical requirements for critical diagnostic applications—something that was found lacking or under-capacity in the U.S. during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many U.S.-based companies do manufacture general-use polymer compounds, but few offer the exact grades, quality, and scale needed for highly sensitive components like pipette tips used in mass medical and laboratory testing.

“By awarding the contract to a European supplier with proven reliability, the U.S. government is ensuring rapid technology transfer, risk mitigation, and supply chain resilience for essential health infrastructure,” the release said. Construction began in 2022 and the new facility now produces advanced PE and PP-based compounds and concentrates.