Messe Düsseldorf Shanghai (Messe) and its longstanding regional partner SECRI (Shanghai Electric Cable Research Institute Co., Ltd.) announced that they are expanding their cooperate efforts by working together to organize the 12th staging of WireShow – China International Wire & Cable Industry Exhibition (WireShow).
A press release said that the Messe will work with SECRI to stage the event Aug. 31-Sept. 2 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The Messe has not previously been part of the event, but it does put on wire China, which SECRI supports. “With this addition, Messe Düsseldorf Shanghai and SECRI will offer trade fairs for the global wire and cable industry every year in Shanghai.”
In addition to the live exhibits at the fairgrounds, WireShow 2021 will feature interactive online showrooms for companies not able to travel to Shanghai. At the last staging of the WireShow in 2019, 419 Chinese and foreign exhibitors showcased their products on 25,000 sq m of exhibit space to 14,360 visitors from 41 countries.
For further information on visiting or exhibiting at WireShow 2021, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America; telephone 312-781-5180; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; www.wireshow.com and www.mdna.com.
Nexans has reinforced its long-lasting relationship with Airbus with a new contract to supply specialized aerospace cables and wires that form the electrical backbone of civilian and military aircraft and helicopters.
A press release said that the new contract establishes Nexans as a major supplier to Airbus for high-performance, lightweight cables that play a major role in aircraft efficiency, passenger comfort and safety. Over the contract duration, Nexans will focus on new solutions for the future generation of electric and hybrid aircraft.
Nexans will provide most of the cables required for Airbus aircrafts in the coming years, covering applications such as cockpit, engine, cabin, in-flight entertainment and wings. The cable types include hook-up, wire, power, data, avionics and fire-resistant cables. Between 100 km and 350 km of cable are installed on a single aircraft, depending on the model.
Nexans solutions for future Airbus electric and hybrid aircraft will build on the success of the high-voltage (HV) cable prototypes, rated from 500 V to 3 kV, developed for the E-Fan X project. The regional hybrid-electric Aircraft demonstrator was a major milestone on Airbus’ decarbonization journey and a giant leap toward zero-emission flight.
The cables currently delivered by Nexans to Airbus are manufactured at Nexans plants in Draveil and Paillart, France and Mohammedia in Morocco.
For years, the WAI Immediate Past President would receive the WAI flag that was prominently displayed at the WAI offices during their year leading the organization. When the Association moved in 2015, the suggestion was made by past president Nick Nickoletopoulos to present the flag to the President at the start of his term and have him display it at his company.
To that end, the WAI flag was presented to 2021 WAI President Tom Heberling at the first Executive Committee Meeting of the year. No surprise to anyone, Zoom helped facilitate this tradition on February 9. Heberling, vice president of Southwire, has responsibility for five plants, and his plan is to rotate the flag to each plant over the course of the year. The first stop is the Villa Rica plant in Georgia.
The 2021 Executive Committee includes President Tom Heberling, Southwire; 1st VP Jim York, Insteel Wire Products; 2nd VP Daniel Blais, Prysmian; Members Kurt Breischaft, SDI LaFarga Copperworks; Eric Bieberich, Fort Wayne Wire Die, Immediate Past President Jan Sørige, Enkotek; and Secretary Steve Fetteroll, WAI.
Dr. Horace Pops, the industry guru for fines and wire breaks, set an Association record with his recent three-part webinar series.
Registration for the webinars—held Jan. 27 (annealing), Feb. 3 (fines) and Feb. 10 (wire breaks)—was closed when all 500 per presentation slots were filled. The total attendance for the three presentations topped 700. The reviews were consistently very positive.
“We are fortunate that not only is Dr. Pops a genius in his field, but that he has been so willing over the years to share his knowledge with the industry,” said WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll. He noted that Pops, a fixture at the WAI’s Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing course, will return in that role as one of the presenters in the course that will run on seven consecutive Wednesdays, beginning March 17. A prolific author of technical papers, Pops is the principal of Horace Pops Consulting, Inc.
The WAI has extended the deadline for submitting technical papers for the Association’s technical program at Interwire 2021, which earlier this year due to Covid-19 was rescheduled from May 10-13 to Oct. 26-27.
The WAI is focusing on Industry 4.0 at Interwire, (more on that in future issues). Eligible topics that relate to wire and cable manufacturing include: Industry 4.0, new ways to use automation in factories, The Internet of Things (IoT), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Smart factories, dark factories (lights-out manufacturing) and changes in plant management. Other topics, however, are also welcome.
Abstracts should be sent to WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by March 31. Interwire will remain at its longtime location at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. More information will be presented about the event in future issues, including a “Prequel” of the Atlanta show in the August issue, then the full preview in the September issue.
As most of the world continues to adjust to Covid-19, three WAI chapters fully intend to continue their scholarships programs, all of which largely depend on their annual golf tournaments for funding.
It was not easy in 2020: WAI’s New England Chapter was able to reschedule and stage its tourney at a later date, with a smaller field; the Midwest Chapter canceled its golf tourney; and the Southeast Chapter canceled its event. However, that did not stop the cause. The New England Chapter awarded five scholarships, the Midwest Chapter awarded three and the Southeast Chapter awarded four.
Looking forward in 2021, it is not a certainty that all of the three chapters will be able to hold their events. The New England Chapter and the Southeast Chapter have scheduled dates, but the Midwest Chapter has not made a final decision. Despite the challenges, the chapters want to continue their scholarships. The goal is far from abstract as the dozen of 2020 scholarship recipients can attest.
“We’re very proud of how the chapters have continued to support their scholarship programs,” said WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll. “That chapter members are so willing to support the programs says a lot about who they are.”
2/16/21 -- At the end of 2020, Mayer Braidtech GmbH merged with Mayer & Cie. GmbH & Co. KG, its former parent company.
A press release explained the details as follows. Braiding machine production and sales will be a separate division of the former parent company. With this move, the circular knitting machine manufacturer has formally completed the integration of Mayer Braidtech GmbH at the company’s Albstadt headquarters. It began in January 2019 when the production of braiding machines got under way in Albstadt. Mayer & Cie.’s sister company Mayer Industries had previously manufactured in Orangeburg, South Carolina, the braiding machines that make reinforcements for high-pressure hoses.
“By integrating Mayer Braidtech into Mayer & Cie. GmbH & Co. KG, we have formally completed a process that for us has long been accomplished on a day-to-day work basis,” said Patrick Moser, business unit manager of Mayer Braidtech and future head of Mayer & Cie.’s braiding division. The production of braiding machines in Albstadt has been under way at full capacity since the beginning of 2019; sales of the machines had long been based in Albstadt. “That is why the braiding machines are old friends, as it were, at our main factory,” he said, adding that there had been, as hoped, synergy effects of circular knitting and braiding machine production. “We definitely benefit from one another, be it in manpower, logistics or simply in sharing news and views.”
2/10/21 -- Dr. Horace Pops, the industry guru for fines and wire breaks, destroyed the association record for webinar registration for the first of his three webinars: Annealing, Jan. 27, which had to close on Friday, Jan. 22 because all 500 available slots were filled. Of note, the days that followed brought additional requests.
The two other scheduled Pops’ webinars are Fines, held February 3, and Wire Breaks, to be held today, Feb. 10. The original registration was for all three sessions, so all three are closed.
“Dr. Pops has long been known in the industry for his ability to discuss potential wire problem areas in a way that makes sense, but even we were surprised that we had to shut registration six days before it was to be held,” WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll said. He observed that the three webinars will be available later online to WAI members.
A prolific author of technical papers, including multiple award winners, Pops has presented at numerous WAI events over the years. He is a mainstay at WAI’s Fundamentals of Wire & Cable Manufacturing course. A WAI Past President (1992-93), he is the principal of Horace Pops Consulting, Inc.
2/10/21 -- The WAI is seeking technical papers for the Association’s technical program at Interwire 2021, which earlier this year due to Covid-19 was rescheduled from May 10-13 to Oct. 26-27.
The WAI is focusing on Industry 4.0 at Interwire, (more on that in future issues), and technical papers that focus on this are being sought. Abstracts should be sent by March 1 to WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Interwire will remain at its longtime location at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. More information will be presented about the event in future issues, including a “Prequel” of the Atlanta show in the August issue, then the full preview in the September issue.
2/10/21 -- The WAI’s Southeast Chapter was unable to hold its annual golf tournament in 2020, but its board confirmed at a recent meeting that it will issue four scholarships this year, using saved funds.
“As we come out of an uncertain time in 2020, the Southeast Board of Directors is excited to announce that the scholarship program will continue in 2021,” said Chapter President Chris McGill, Southwire. “We know there are deserving students in our community that could use the stability of this program to help them advance to the next level in their educational goals.”
The golf event, a key contributor to the chapter’s college scholarship program, also reflects a team effort. The 2019 event, held at the Rock Barn Country Club in Conover, North Carolina, was declared one of the best ever. Board members served as emcees, placed 40 sponsorship signs, managed the putting contest, photographed the event and made sure that everyone was fed and happy.
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