WIRE JOURNAL JANUARY 2019
®
INTERNATIONAL
www.wirenet.org
C O NFE RE NC E
PREQUEL
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL
At Interwire you’ll hear and see what manufacturers around the world are talking…and doing…about the next generation of wire and cable making.
CONFERENCE CONF ERENCE
NEXT GEN
NEXT GEN
The Future of Wire and Cable
State of Manufacturing Global Wire and Cable Market Outlook
Sector Insights/Forecasts Operations Innovation Panel Tariffs & Trade - Steel Wire Impact
CONFERENCE: MAY 14 - 16 EXHIBITS: MAY 13 - 16 GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER ATLANTA, GEORGIA USA
exhibits All about expert speakers at Interwire YOU
See page 48
FEATURE
C O NFE RE NC E
PREQUEL WJI traditionally presents its Interwire preview in the March issue, and while the 2019 Atlanta event is still four months away, there was a sense that some of the news could not wait that long. That there was a need to let the industry know well in advance about the new and upgraded conference programs so potential attendees can plan ahead. Ergo, we welcome you to the first-ever “Interwire prequel.�
FEATURE
What’s new
for Interwire 2019?
‘Next Gen’ manufacturing keynote
Renowned Keynote Speaker Dr. Shawn DuBravac, an acclaimed global futurist and trendcaster, will spark attendees with his views on how to react to the turbulent changes brought by an increasingly digitized, datafied world.
Let’s go to the theater!
A new display that will grace the Interwire show floor should make quite a scene as it represents a novel concept to host the newly re-created Technical Program: the Sonoco Theater! It will be showing your industry favorites.
Insights, Innovation and Information
Who can you turn to for perspective during chaotic times? Listening to savvy industry leaders speaking at the Interwire Conference is a good place to start. It will include sector insights and forecasts, individual overviews for steel and electrical, a panel discussion on innovation, and more.
What do the industry observers think?
It’s one thing to understand a piece of the big picture, but when it comes to the big picture, the ones who do it best follow it 24/7. A representative from Integer & Argus Media will share their latest view of the electrical field.
Who else will be there?
I N C O N JU N C T I O N W I T H :
Interwire has a lot to offer, and for 2019 it will also have some company. It will be accompanied by the GCCF, IFME and AWPA. If those acronyms are not familiar, read on.
Parting talk: want to be a champ?
Speaker Ross Bernstein spent six years of research for two books that explore what makes a champion, and where one can cross lines. He will share what he learned, and offer some tips on how you can come out on top in any field.
What’s next? Choose “Conference Registration” when you register and find out first-hand. 50 | WIRE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL
With the theme of “Next Gen” for the Interwire Conference Program, it is appropriate that it will start off with a very dynamic speaker, Dr. Shawn DuBravac (see following page). It then will transition to a presentation by a leading steel industry executive, followed by an industry overview by Integer & Argus Media, and finally a Sector Insights/Forecasts panel by three distinguished company presidents.
Steel yourself for this production
At press time, the WAI was still finalizing the details for a scheduled presentation, “The State of Manufacturing.” Given how unsettling the sector has been the last year or so with tariffs and the vagaries of politics, this talk should prove to be of much interest. Further details will be included in the February issue.
Industry overview to cover electrical sector
Representatives from U.K.-based Integer Research, which is well known to the wire and cable industry, have made multiple presentations over the years for WAI events as well as for content for WJI. The company, recently acquired and now called Integer & Argus Media, continues its mission, which includes consulting assignments and working extensively with leading global cable producers, in a range of product sectors, from countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, the U.S. and South Korea, and more. At Interwire, a company representative will provide their latest update.
Return to the College Football Hall of Fame
In 2015, the WAI held its Opening Reception at the newly opened College Football Hall of Fame, which lived up to its billing, getting rave reviews even from attendees who are not gridiron fans. The WAI will return to the iconic site on Tuesday, May 15. The threestory site has 50,000 sq ft of event space. For first-time visitors, it will be an amazing experience, with more than 50 engaging and interactive exhibits. A spin has been added so even returnees can have a different experience. A local comedian, John Floyd, will make an important presentation: How To Laugh A Lot And Stress Not. Warning: there’s only room for 150 people in the Game Day Theater, so if you’d like to attend, it’s first-come, firstseated.
Panel discussion charged with presidential view Three industry veterans that represent different electrical sectors will share their thoughts at this session. The participants include:
• Bill Reichert, president of Champlain Cable, who will focus on the automotive sector. • Paul Wagner, president and CEO of Minnesota Wire & Cable, who will speak on the defense and medical sectors • Brian Parsons, president of Dekoron Wire & Cable, Marmon Specialty Wire Group, who will speak on the petrochemical sector
Q &A
The following discusses Interwire highlights that will await attendees.
Q: What are some of the new program elements that attendees will see at Interwire 2019? A: Two of the biggest changes are the creation of the new Interwire Conference separate from the technical program, and the use of a new Sonoco Theater venue to present educational programming right on the show floor. Interwire is known for its focus on technology, but we wanted to incorporate more business-oriented and operational topics to give our audience a broader offering. So, the conference part of the program includes things like market and industry outlooks; a panel on specific segments like automotive, defense, and medical; hot topics like tariffs and Industry 4.0; an innovations panel; and a couple of special guest speakers including futurist Dr. Shawn DuBravac as keynote. The new “theater” idea gives attendees a chance to see more presentations without having to leave the exhibit floor. This new presentation space will host the technical papers, the lecture by this year’s Mordica Memorial Award winner, Production Solutions demonstrations, and another special guest speaker, Ross Bernstein, who will weave lessons from the world of pro sports into business management. All this takes place in the morning, and most of the technical program is in the afternoon, so attendees won’t have to choose between competing presentations. Q: How did these new elements come to be developed? A: It sounds trite to say we’re always looking for ways to improve, but in this case, that’s really all it is.
JANUARY 2019 | 51
FEATURE
Day 1: Tuesday, May 14