Last year, the WAI’s Board of Directors met at Wire Expo to discuss the Association’s future. That focus continued at Interwire 2025, where the board met in a meeting led by Consultant Eric Curtis, Curtis Strategy.

The meeting served as an update and further discussions about the Centennial Plan that was presented to the WAI’s BoD last October. In it, four pillars were identified as crucial: an Education & Training Center; trade shows & conferences; WJI and WAI media platform; and member users/customers. Key beliefs of the mission include that wire drawing and extrusion are specific processes that cannot be serviced by other industry associations; that technology, digital platforms and AI are paramount; and that in-person events will remain important to hybrid workforces.

At the 2025 meeting, held the day before the event started, board members split into three groups that each discussed areas where the WAI should be active as well as the biggest concerns the industry faces. A wide range of topics were discussed, with one of the most important areas being for WAI to firmly establish itself as “the place to go” for technical information. As for concerns, everyone’s list included the loss of industry expertise as more industry veterans retire.

“Our industry, like many others, needs help for securing and keeping reliable employees,” observed WAI President Eric Bieberich. “The WAI has dedicated volunteers who with the help of staff can help create programs that can make a difference. It’s vital that we do so in an effective way, and meetings like this one we just had are essential.”

The Association has already been active in heightening its educational focus through its video-based education courses available for purchase. Last year, the Board voted to fund the initiative, which has been led by WAI Manager of Education John Markowski, who made a presentation on this at Interwire at the WAI Theater. He noted that to date, four courses have been created so far, covering single-layer extrusion, extrusion materials, extrusion applications, and an introduction to ferrous metallurgy, with others (extrusion special process considerations, wire drawing dies, lubricants, and wire breaks) expected to be released in the near future. Individuals or companies interested in knowing more about the courses now available can contact Markowski at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

LS Cable & System Ltd., South Korea’s largest cable manufacturer, announced that its subsidiary, LS Marine Solution Co. (LS Marine), has won a US$15.8 million contract to install submarine power cables for Taiwan Power Company’s (TPC) offshore wind power plant.

A press release said that LS Marine Solution will install the submarine cables for the TPC Offshore Wind Power Complex 2, a 294.5 MW project, by May 2026. The order represents the first overseas submarine power cable deal for LS Marine.

LS Marine Solution was established in 1995 as South Korea’s first dedicated submarine cable construction company. Formerly known as KT Submarine, it was acquired and rebranded by LS Cable & System in 2023.

LS Cable & System has previously supplied ultra-high-voltage submarine cables for Taiwan’s first phase offshore wind projects—including the one cited above—and the new contract is expected to create synergies between cable manufacturing and installation. The current project is part of the Taiwanese government’s long-term plan to develop 20.6 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035.

“Based on our technology and experience accumulated as the first-generation submarine cable construction company in Korea, we have successfully taken our first step into the overseas power grid market,” said LS Marine Solution CEO Kim Byung-ok. “We will further expand our entry into the global market with this Taiwan project.”

The LS Group and LIG Group—both part of South Korea’s influential Pan-LG family of conglomerates— have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation across defense, energy, and advanced technology sectors.

A press release said that the agreement, announced March 31, follows a high-profile gathering of Pan-LG leaders at GS Group’s 20th anniversary, underscoring a renewed spirit of unity among the country’s leading business families.

Under the MoU, LS and LIG will collaborate on joint R&D, market analysis, technology and personnel exchanges, and may establish joint ventures to leverage each group’s core strengths. The LS Group, known for its focus on electrics, materials and energy, will bring expertise from subsidiaries such as LS Cable & System and LS Mtron. The LIG Group, whose portfolio includes defense equipment and IT services, is expected to integrate LS’s material and cable technologies into its flagship defense unit, LIG Nex1, which specializes in advanced weapon and command systems.

A joint consultative body will be formed to define detailed cooperation plans and set an execution timeline. The partnership is widely viewed as a strategic move, especially as LS Group faces heightened competition and legal disputes in the cable sector. Recently, Hoban Group, parent of rival Taihan Cable & Solution, acquired a 3% stake in LS Corp., fueling speculation about its intentions amid an ongoing patent and technology theft dispute between Taihan and LS Cable & System.

More than a year after an expected production order, the Great Sea Interconnector—a project to link the electricity grids of Greece, Cyprus, and Israel—has seen little progress as it deals with unresolved financial arrangements and deposit guarantees, casting uncertainty over its future viability.

A recent article in Vima, a Greek newspaper, spelled out the problems encountered by the project that trace back to mid-2023 when the original developer sought a financing increase to €1.9 billion from Greek and Cypriot regulators due to cost overruns. Although a long-delayed contract with French cable manufacturer Nexans was signed for the Crete-Cyprus segment, EuroAsia Interconnector soon declared it could not make the required advance payment, further jeopardizing progress.

To prevent collapse, the Greek and Cypriot governments intervened, asking Greece’s Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) to assume responsibility for the project. The European Commission endorsed this move, expressing confidence in IPTO’s ability to deliver. By October 2023, IPTO was officially in charge, and the project-renamed the Great Sea Interconnector-finally entered the implementation phase after thirteen years of planning.

Despite this momentum, significant challenges persisted through 2024. Construction of the first phase began in December 2023, with Nexans instructed to secure production slots and initiate procedures. However, in July 2024, the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority issued a ruling that upended the project’s financial framework by rejecting recognition of a reasonable return, revenue, or cost recovery during construction. This decision severely undermined the project’s economic viability.

Compounding the situation, the Cypriot government did not fulfill its commitment to acquire a stake in the project, despite earlier assurances that a decision would be made by January 2024. After months of negotiations, Greece and Cyprus signed a bilateral

agreement in September 2024 to accelerate the project, overturning the July regulatory decisions and providing a more sustainable foundation for development.

Japan’s NTT World Engineering Marine Corp. (NTT WE Marine), the submarine cable laying subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (NTT), has launched a new CLV that is registered under the Philippine flag and operated primarily by Filipino crew members.

A press release said that NTT WE Marine, marking its 25th year in the Philippines, launched the CS VEGA II, a state-of-the-art cable-laying vessel. NTT notes that it is the only cable provider that has a fully equipped, Philippine-flagged cable-laying vessel.

The new CLV, is primarily intended to be operated for the maintenance of domestic submarine telecommunications cables within the Philippines, as well as international submarine telecommunications cables in nearby waters. It joins a fleet that includes four other CVLs: Vega, Orion, Subaru and Kizuna. The vessels are used for a range of tasks including submarine cable installation, maintenance, ocean investigation, construction, repair work and marine surveys.

NTT WE Marine is a key participant in the Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN), a 2,500-km initiative led by Eastern Communications, Globe Telecom and InfiniVAN, aimed at improving connectivity in underserved regions. It also will be a maintenance supplier for PDSCN, which was said to be in its final project stages. The

network’s subsea (wet) segments were finished as scheduled in 2023, and about 90% of its 33 planned cable landing stations have been constructed. The remaining landing stations and some inland facility connections are expected to be completed within this year.

NTT WE Marine President & CEO Mamoru Watanabe said that the Philippines project has a pivotal telecom role. He also cited global security concerns and the need for stable communications infrastructure as key drivers for the expansion. “Economic development’s foundation is communication. There’s a lot of opportunity in the Philippines, especially now that global security is unstable,” he said.