Wire Expo 2024 Show Preview

2024 SHOW PREVIEW

CONFERENCE

EXHIBITS

DEMOS AND MORE!

ELITE Sponsors

PLATINUM Sponsors

SILVER Sponsors

BRONZE Sponsors

Welcome to WIRE EXPO

The backdrop for Wire Expo 2024 is about as good as it gets.

Continuing demand for renewable power and connectivity, with a greener approach, has kept many manufacturers busy, and on June 11-12, Wire Expo 2024 will provide the ideal site for the industry to once again gather.

Suppliers and manufacturers will be able to discuss technology and possibilities, hear speakers talk about meaningful topics, see some of the industry’s best receive well-earned awards, and once again mingle and network at an exemplary backdrop provided by the return to the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort on June 11-12.

The pages that follow present a look at what will await attendees. an exemplary backdrop provided by the return to the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort

WAI’s iconic Fundamentals course continues to present the basics of wire and cable, and it’s not meant just for industry newcomers.

Attendees who want to make the most of their experience at Wire Expo will be able to squeeze in a lot of activity over two days. Make that three days if they attend the day-long Fundamentals of Wire program to be held on Monday.

The official start of Wire Expo will include something that has not happened in 76 years: attendees can witness the WAI’s annual clockwinding ceremony, held outside of the Association’s office, for the first time since it was presented by British wire makers in 1948. See p. 46. Sales reports that all but two of the available exhibitor slots have been filled on the show floor. The roster includes

more than a dozen “first-ever” Wire Expo exhibitors, while returning exhibitors are equally ready to meet attendees and share their latest advances and ideas.

Each of the two days will be led off by noteworthy keynote speakers. On Tuesday, it will be H.O. “H” Woltz III, chairman, president and CEO of Insteel; and on Wednesday, it will be Paul Furtado, COO, Prysmian North America. The Welcome Reception, to be held Tuesday night, is the ideal time to meet up with people while the WAI Theater will host Production Solutions, and WAI awards will be presented on Wednesday.

The Wire Expo offers relaxed exchanges on the show floor, where there is less of a sense one must move, move. move.

♦

Below is a list of event highlights

♦

On Tuesday, it will be H.O. “H” Woltz III, chairman, president and CEO of Insteel; and on Wednesday, it will be Paul Furtado, COO, Prysmian North America.

♦ Exhibits. As of press time, nearly every spot on the show floor had been taken.

♦ Association meetings. Behind the scenes, an assortment of WAI committee and board volunteers will convene with staff to discuss current and future plans.

♦ Presentations. Speakers will focus on meaningful topics, from the role of AI and cybersecurity to worker safety and the future of copper.

♦ Industry recognition. WAI will honor the winners of the Mordica, Donnellan, President’s and Industry Champion awards.

♦ Reception. The WAI will hold the Welcome Reception just outside the host hotel.

♦ Networking. It’s not on the official schedule, but the entire event is designed to foster endless possibilities.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Board of Directors

Alberto Aguilar Carris Reels

Keith Albers

Fort Wayne Metals

Joe Barrett

Davis Wire Corp.

Eric Biebrerich

Fort Wayne Wire Die

Daniel Blais Prysmian

Michael Bowne MindSphere World North America

Kurt Breischaft SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS

Andrés Cartagena Ruiz MFL

Rebecca Cranford Southwire Co.

David Fisher

James Monroe Wire & Cable

Raúl Garcia

Viakable SA de CV

Reed Hoagland Leggett & Platt

Robert Nalli Sivaco Wire Group

Alex Nedergaard Lincoln Electric

Conference Programming

The Conference Programming Committee consists of the members of the WAI Board of Directors, headed by two co-chairmen:

Co-Chairman

Daniel Blais Prysmian

Co-Chairman

Eric Biebrerich

Fort Wayne Wire Die

Andrew Richards RichardsApex

Brian Steinbruegge Insteel Wire Products

Willem Sunblad Oden Technologies Inc.

Chris Tucker Encore Wire Corp.

Robert Wild Niehoff Endex North America Inc.

John Zachow Davis-Standard LLC

Education Committee

Chairman

Matt Miles Southwire Co.

Vice Chairman

Erik Perks Prysmian

Brad Andrews Condat Corp

Donald M Dodge Calmont Wire & Cable

Joseph P Domblesky Marquette University

Jason Giebfried Paramount Die Co

Tracy Gooding Mar-Mac Wire Inc

C Richard Gordon

C Richard Gordon Consulting

David Gzesh

Blachford Corp

Erik A Macs

Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp

Richard Medoff

Ace Metal Inc

Isaac Muller

American Wire Group

Donald Neville

RichardsApex Europe Ltd

Dale Olp A-1 Wire Tech Inc

Brian Parsons Interstate Wire Co Inc

Svet Pavlovsky Blachford Corp

Horace Pops

Horace Pops Consulting

Christopher Reeve Insteel Wire Products

Matthew Reinoehl

SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS

Eric Wagner

Charter Steel

Bhaskar Yalamanchili

Gerdau Long Steel North America

Executive Committee Liaison

Kurt F Breischaft

SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS

Staff Liaison

Steven J Fetteroll

Event Schedule at a Glance

Preshow: Monday

June 10, 2024

Day 1: Tuesday

June 11, 2024

Day 2: Wednesday

June 12, 2024

8:00 am–5:00 pm

Registration Open

8:30 am–5:00 pm

Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing

Noon–1:30 pm

Executive Committee Meeting*

1:00 pm–4:15 pm

Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing (Ferrous Track continues)

1:00 pm–4:15 pm

Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing (Nonferrous/Electrical Track continues)

1:30 pm–3:00 pm

Member Relations Committee Meeting*

3:00 pm–5:00 pm

Board of Directors Meeting*

4:15 pm–5:00 pm

Fundamentals (Nonferrous/Electrical Track continues)

5:15 pm–6:15 pm

Education Committee Meeting*

8:00 am–5:00 pm

Registration Open

8:45 am

Coffee reception & Opening Remarks

WAI President Daniel Blais

9:00 am–9:05 am

Clockwinding Ceremony

9:05 am–9:30 am

Keynote Address by Champions Award

winner H.O. Woltz III

9:30 am–3:30 pm

Conference Sessions

10:00 am–5:00 pm

Exhibits Open

11:30 am

Mordica Lecture WT Bigbee

2:00 pm–3:30 pm

Conference Sessions

8:00 am–3:00 pm

Registration Open

8:30 am

Continental Breakfast

9:00 am–9:30 am

WAI Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony,

9:30 am–10 am

Keynote Address by Paul Furtado, Prysmian

10:00 am–noon

Conference Sessions

10:00 am–3:00 pm

Exhibits Open

10:30 am–noon

Product Solutions

11:00 am–noon

Executive Panel - Industry Outlook

6:30 pm–8:30 pm

Welcome Reception

Sun Patio

* Invitation only Schedule subject to change. Go to the event website — www.wireexpo24.com — for the latest details.

Event Highlights

TUESDAY KEYNOTE ADDRESS

H.O. Woltz III, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Insteel

The talk by Woltz, who goes by “H,” is “Success Based on Committing to Continuous Improvement and a Passion for Manufacturing.” He will discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the ferrous wire industry. He will draw from his 45 years in the industry, including 30 years as CEO, guiding a company during both up and down business cycles. Of note, H is also the 2024 recipient of the WAI Champion’s Award. He is just the second recipient of this award, which recognizes an industry executive for his support of the wire and cable industry.

EXHIBITS

The industry thrives on technology, and more than a hundred slots have been taken by suppliers ready to discuss their latest solutions. If you have a project or want to consider alternatives, this is the place to flush out possibilities. Also, with 21 new exhibitors, attendees would be well served to look through the Product Directory and see whether there may be some new potential suppliers worth spending some time with.

CLOCKWINDING

This event was a mere 76 years in the making

WAI’s annual Clockwinding Ceremony will be held Tuesday at 9 am on Tuesday, June 11, at Wire Expo 2024. This will be the first such event “appearance” for the clock since it was presented to the Association in 1948. It will be wound by U.K. Clockwinder Dave Lane—plant floor supervisor, Northampton Machinery Co. (NMC), part of the MGS Group. See p. 4 for a group photo of some of his predecessors. Lane exemplifies the tradition of U.K./U.S. cooperation and partnership. He has spent his career producing and commissioning NMC machinery, first in the U.K., as part of the production team, then in customer plants around the world as a commissioning technician/service tech. Since 2003 when The MGS Group took over NMC operations, he has continued to support products, primarily in the USA market.

MORDICA LECTURE

William T. Bigbee

The Mordica Lecture by William T. Bigbee will discuss the role that Encore Wire’s leadership and boldness has had in its amazing success story. The company’s single campus in McKinney, Texas, has grown to more than three million covered sq ft. Bigbee has been a key R&D force in driving that growth, with his name on dozens of patents.

It was a unique experience for U.K. Clockwinder Martin Thacker, who remotely wound the clock in 2020 and 2021, before doing it in person in 2022.

WEDNESDAY KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Paul Furtado, chief operating officer, Prysmian North America

Furtado will outline key elements of on-going efforts to optimize operational processes through the Prysmian Operating System (POS) approach, highlighting specific tools to build employee engagement and a culture of continuous improvement strategies. He will focus on aspects such as strategy deployment and leveraging internal systems of core manufacturing principles to maximize teams’ capabilities. He has 30 years of operational experience, during which he has held leadership roles tasked with increasing accountability within manufacturing operations.

AWARDS

Mordica Memorial Award

The winner is William T. Bigbee, vice president of operations for Encore Wire and the 2019 WAI president, whose name has been on dozens of patents during his years with the company.

President’s Award

The individual chosen for this recognition by WAI President Daniel Blais is Raúl García of Viakable, who has long been a strong supporter of WAI educational programing.

Donnellan Memorial Award

The winner is Jan Sørige, the president of Enkotec Co., who was chairman of WAI’s Exhibition Planning Committee from 200914, and was president in 2020, a tumultuous period due to Covid.

Champion Award

H.O. Woltz III, chairman, president and CEO of Insteel, was chosen by the WAI’s Board of Directors for his company’s support and contributions to the wire industry during his storied career.

PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS

Trifecta of basic yet utterly essential industry topics to be presented at WAI Theater

Leading off the show floor presentations on Wednesday, at 10:30 am, will be “Factors Affecting Wire Production from Precoats to Lubricants,” Svet Pavlovksky, R&D chemist, Blachford Company. She will be followed at 11 am by Wire Breaks, Dr. Horace Pops, president, Horace Pops Consulting, and Matt Reinoehl, process metallurgist, SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS. The final presentation, at 11:30 am, is Wire Drawing Die Material and Profile Specification Considerations: Eric Bieberich, president, Fort Wayne Wire Die.

WELCOME RECEPTION

No car travel needed for Welcome Reception!

The WAI will hold Tuesday’s Welcome Reception at the spacious patio that hosts the Sun Patio Bar. Attendees familiar with the Mohegan Sun will know the location better as the casino’s Summer Entrance. Last May it was converted to an outside location, with a 50-ft long bar that has six stations. As ever, this is the perfect time and place to catch up with what’s going on in the wire and cable industry.

Event Registration

Registration for Wire Expo 2024 is now open and can be accessed at the event’s website, www.wireexpo24.com

All-Access Registration*

Monday-Wednesday, June 10-12

Includes access to: the Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course and materials, with lunch and breaks*; Wire Expo Conference Sessions and online proceedings materials; Keynotes; Exhibits and Production Solutions Demonstrations; and Welcome Reception.

Conference & Exhibits Registration

Tuesday-Wednesday, June 11-12

Includes access to: Wire Expo Conference Sessions and online proceedings materials; Keynotes; Exhibits and Production Solutions Demonstrations; and Welcome Reception.

Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course*

Monday, June 10

Choose Your Track — Ferrous or Nonferrous

Includes: Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course and materials, with lunch and breaks.

To take part in all other Wire Expo activities, please purchase the “ALL ACCESS” registration option.

Exhibits Only

Tuesday-Wednesday, June 11-12

Includes access to: Exhibits and Production Solutions Demonstrations.

Opening Reception

Tuesday, June 11

The festivities take place at the Sun Patio, at the Mohegan Sun Resort

Member: $620

New Mbr: $720**

Nonmember: $720 Not Available

Member: $495 New Mbr: $595**

Nonmember: $595

Member: $395

New Mbr: $495**

Nonmember: $495 Not Available

* The Fundamentals course is held on June 10, 2024, one day prior to Wire Expo.

** New Member price includes a one-year WAI membership – SHOW SPECIAL, ONE TIME ONLY PRICING.

Register for Wire Expo 2024 at wireexpo24.com

Hotel Reservations

Mohegan Sun, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville, CT, 06382, United States

Wire Expo 2024 will be held at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino. For the attendees’ convenience, a negotiated discounted hotel block has been established specifically for the WAI.

Make a hotel reservation at bit.ly/WE24Hotel

Everything points to INTERWIRE. It’s the North American wire & cable marketplace where you will meet customers and make valuable new contacts.

It’s the place to exhibit in 2025. And with 100,000 square feet of inventory, choosing a prime booth location at INTERWIRE is easy.