Elite Harness plans to refurbish an existing facility in Wellington, Kansas, to produce wiring harnesses and custom cables for various sectors, including automotive, industrial, agricultural, aerospace, and other industries requiring electric connections.

A press release said that the company plans to invest $14 million in the initiative, which is expected to create 110 jobs. It plans to convert an existing plant into a 50,000-sq-ft manufacturing plant. Elite Harness will produce wiring harnesses and custom cables for various sectors, including automotive, industrial, agricultural, aerospace, and other industries requiring electric connections.

“We have a sister company (in) Tulsa, so we considered building there, but the State of Kansas and Sumner County really stepped up to the plate and made Wellington a wise choice for us,” Elite Harness President Nathan Smith said in a news release. It notes that the wiring harness and custom cable market is a $90 billion industry poised for significant growth over the next 10 years.

Last October, the Prysmian Group presented the launch of the Group’s new business strategy, Connect to Lead. Now, the world’s largest cable business is furthering that mission with a rebranding—a manifesto—that reflects its vision and goals for the next five years.

A press release said that the initiative “aims at capitalizing on the company’s market position to seize the opportunities offered by the new market trends that are currently shaping the cable industry.” It will allow Prysmian “to transform the Group from a cable player into a cabling solution provider and to lead the energy transition and the digital transformation.”

Per the company, its new brand “represents the energy and technology that moves us towards a more sustainable way of living, in every corner of the planet.” Prysmian’s strong new logo captures the name, mission and legacy of the company, ensuring its recognition and amplifying its distinctive identity. The new logo, in fact, represents all the essential aspects and elements of Prysmian’s identity: the pathways, the shift, the gradient and the circularity.

The logo, primarily developed digitally, reflects the brand’s determination to embrace new strategies and a new corporate purpose. The symbol shape reveals a hidden ‘p,’ in addition to recalling the circular economy concept, while the blue-to-green gradient color reflects the Group’s commitment to the development of renewable energy. The iconic logo, interpreted with a contemporary and dynamic design, connects the concepts of tradition and evolution. The entire visual system and the new payoff “The Planet’s Pathways” embody the role that Prysmian aims to play in shaping a better future and in paving paths for an increasingly sustainable and digital future for our planet.

“Through this rebranding, we are aligning Prysmian’s image to the changes the Group is undergoing and to the rapid evolution of our industrial sector, an evolution we intend to lead,” said Maria Cristina Bifulco, chief investor relations, sustainability and communication officer, Prysmian. “The global challenges and opportunities we are facing require us to put our organization’s strength and expertise at the service of our customers, partners and all our stakeholders to drive new forms of energy and information to every corner of the Earth.

“Together, we can navigate the way forward. And that’s exactly what Prysmian wants to convey with its new payoff, The Planet’s Pathways. This is what inspires our future moves and what guides us in reaching our purpose.”

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced that it is launching an investigation to determine whether certain wire rod from China, Egypt, and Vietnam are being sold at unfair prices in Canada.

A press release said that the investigation stems from a complaint filed with the CBSA by Ivaco Rolling Mills 2004 LP (Ivaco). It alleges that it has suffered from an increased volume of dumped imports from China, Egypt and Vietnam that has resulted in lost market share, lost sales, price undercutting, price depression, price suppression and a negative impact on employment, capacity utilization and financial performance.

The CBSA and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) both play a role in the investigation. The CITT will begin a preliminary inquiry to determine whether the imports are harming Canadian producers and will issue a decision by May 7, 2024. The CBSA will also investigate whether the imports are being sold in Canada at unfair prices and will make a preliminary decision by June 6, 2024. The Canadian market for wire rod has been estimated to be approximately $194 million annually.

Tri Star Metals announced that it has completed the acquisition of Centric Alloys Corp. (Centric), a specialty metals bar and wire company.

A press release said that Centric is a North American distributor and mill sourcing partner for nickel-based alloys, nickel bearing alloys, cobalt alloys and specialty stainless steels (remelted grades) in drawn wire, wire rod, and bar product forms. At its website, Centric notes that it is the largest U.S. stocking distributor and supplier of wire basket spools in North America.

“The addition of these industry experts greatly improves our ability to understand the unique demands of the defense sector and we are thrilled to welcome Centric’s current account base to the Tri Star family,” said Jim Roach, executive vice president of Tri Star Metals.

Tri Star, which is a member of the Hagener Feinstahl group of companies, has a 350,000-sq-ft manufacturing and distribution campus in Freeport, Illinois, and a West Coast Distribution facility in Phoenix, Arizona. Since 2010, it has invested more than $40 million in its mill/distribution facilities.

After nearly 20 years of growth at Centric, I am pleased to become part of the Tri Star team,” said Centric Alloys founder and President Mike Walsh.