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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.

Last modified on March 31, 2025

Barnes, a manufacturer whose product range includes fasteners, was sold to Apollo Global Management for $3.6 billion in a deal that closed in January. Now, it will see its corporate headquarters in Connecticut closed by the end of this year.

Per a press release and media reports, Barnes, long known as the Barnes Group, will close its corporate headquarters in Bristol, cutting about 28 jobs, the company said in a filing with the state Department of Labor. Layoffs will be made periodically, including June 30 and Sept. 30.

The news comes several months after Apollo Global Management acquired the Barnes Group and took the company private. Barnes Group makes precision components for aerospace and a range of other industries. Barnes Group and its predecessor, Associated Spring, have been located in Bristol since 1857.

Per its 2024 annual report, Barnes Group, as of  Dec. 31, 2023, the company had approximately 6,500 employees worldwide. Approximately 25% were in the Asia-Pacific region, approximately 45% in the European, Middle East and African regions and approximately 30% in the Americas region. 

Southwire, which this year marks its founding 75 years ago in Carrollton, Georgia, was awarded 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies® recognition by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.

A press release said that in 2025, Ethisphere recognized 136 companies spanning 19 countries and 44 industries. This marks the second consecutive year that Southwire—one of only four honorees in the electronics and components industry—has been recognized by Ethisphere.

“It is an honor to be recognized once again by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies,” said Southwire President and CEO Rich Stinson. He termed the award as “a testament to the fact that doing right is not only one of our core tenets of sustainability but a true pillar of Southwire’s culture.”

The assessment by Ethisphere requires companies to provide 240+ different proof points on practices that support robust ethics and compliance, governance, a culture of ethics, environmental and social impact and initiatives that support a strong value chain. The data are analyzed by Ethisphere’s panel of experts who spend thousands of hours vetting and evaluating applicants. 

The SPS Technologies factory in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, suffered catastrophic damage from a fire that broke out on Feb. 17 blaze.

Per multiple media reports, the fire lasted multiple days, destroying much of the 600,000-sq-ft facility. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The company has laid off 250 of its approximately 500 employees. At its peak during World War II, the plant employed over 3,000 workers but had reduced its workforce to 475 employees in recent years. The fire resulted in half of thee employees being out of work..

The plant produced nuts, bolts, washers and fasteners used in critical applications for aircraft engines, wings, fuselages, and landing gear. It also supplied fasteners for industries such as medical technology, automobile racing, marine applications and power generation.

HEXPOL, a global supplier of polymers, reports that it has signed an agreement to acquire 80% of the shares of Turkey’s Kabkom Kimya Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi (Kabkom).

A press release said that agreement was signed by Kabkom founders Erdem Eker, Özgür İpek and Bekir Güler. Kabkom, founded in 2011, was described as the largest independent cable compounder in Turkey. The company specializes in high-performance thermoplastic and thermoset cable compounds for the fast-growing cable market. Kabkom operates a new manufacturing facility outside Izmir, with 70 employees.

The addition of Kabkom, will strengthen HEXPOL’s capabilities for HFFR and cross-linked materials, allowing them to serve even better a wide selection of international and domestic customers. “With this acquisition we broaden the capabilities of the HEXPOL Group in the fast-growing wire and cable market. We look forward to continuing the successful journey of Kabkom together with the founders and we welcome them to the HEXPOL family,” said HEXPOL Group President and CEO Klas Dahlberg.

Hellenic Cables, the cables segment of Cenergy Holdings, in consortium with Asso.subsea, was awarded a turnkey contract from Réseau de Transport d’ Électricité (RTE) —the sole operator of France’s public electricity transmission network—to supply the cable for the Dunkirk Offshore Wind Farm.

A press release said that Hellenic Cables will design, manufacture and supply 32 km of submarine cables for the double submarine cable link, as well as 38 km of underground cables for the tri-phased double underground cable link, supply submarine and underground cable accessories.  The submarine cables will be manufactured at the company’s plant in Corinth and the land cables at its plant in Thiva, which is currently undergoing a capacity expansion project. The company will also perform on site jointing, testing and termination works and be responsible for the commissioning of the cable links wind farm.

The wind farm, which has a planned capacity between 500 MW and 600 MW, will feature two 225 kV HVAC export cable links which will enable the seamless transfer of clean energy to the French grid. The wind turbines will be spaced around 1 km apart to ensure that the offshore wind farm operates at optimum efficiency.  The project involves complex laying and burial operations in shallow waters.

“This project is an important step forward in supporting France’s renewable energy goals and Hellenic Cables is honored to continue its collaboration with RTE,” said Hellenic Cables General Manager Kostas Savvakis, General Manager. “Our role in the Dunkerque Offshore Wind Farm highlights Hellenic Cables’ commitment to delivering reliable and sustainable energy solutions, while fostering strong collaborations with industry leaders like RTE and Asso.subsea.”

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