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.”

U.K.-based Primetals Technologies announced that it has signed a contract to supply three high-speed wire rod mills to a Chinese customer seeking to expand its capacity.

Per a press release, the deal for the single-strand, high-speed wire rod mills will include three Morgan Vee Mini-Blocks as mini-finishing mills (MFM). They will have three sets of Morgan Intelligent Pinch Rolls and high-speed laying heads, hydraulic systems and oil lube systems. Two mills will have a two-stand 230 MFM and the third will have a two-stand 250 MFM. Primetals Technologies will also supply air/oil systems for a snap shear and rollerized turndown.

Each of the three mills will have an annual production capacity of 720,000 metric tons and a maximum operating speed of 115 mps, a maximum rolling rate of 150 metric tons per hour. The mills will produce rod ranging from 5.5 to 20 mm and 20 to 28 mm in diameter, rebar of 6 to 16 mm in diameter, and coil with an inner diameter of 850 mm and an outer diameter of 1,250 mm.

“The new mills improved thermo-mechanical rolling capabilities will complement additional mills moving into the company’s main production base,” the release said. Start-up is scheduled to be completed this year. The customer, which was not named, was described as one of the largest raw material sup-pliers for fasteners in northern China. It also produces welding wire and carbon structural grades.

Fisk Alloy, which in February announced that it has agreed to be acquired by Thermo Technologies of France, announced that the deal will not go through.

A press release said that the acquisition, which included the customary stipulation that it was pending due diligence and other conditions, was undone by Covid-19. “With the impact of Covid-19 on countries, markets, businesses and people worldwide, Fisk and Thermo Technologies have mutually and amicably come to the conclusion that now is not a good time to combine the companies. Hence, Fisk Alloy will not be acquired by Thermo Technologies,” Fisk Alloy CEO Erik Fisk said in a statement. “Our company will continue independently operating as we have for the past 46 years here in Hawthorne, New Jersey, with the same excellent solutions and service you’ve come to expect.”

Addressing customers, Fisk wrote, “For the years prior and for the moment at hand, thank you for your business and your understanding through what has been a most difficult time for everyone and everything.”

Founded in 1973 by John Fisk as a producer of high-quality copper alloy wire, the company today offers unique proprietary capabilities in high-performance alloy wire.