Wirenet Image Band
wirenet.org mobile image band

Wire Journal News

TiniFiber reported several management changes. Tom Artinian is the new CEO. He has 30 years of leadership experience in fiber optics and cabling, most recently serving as CFO and president at the wire and cable division of Hitachi Metals, now known as Proterial Ltd. During his time there, he spearheaded transformational initiatives that expanded the company into new markets and achieved double-digit growth, as well as navigating the division during the ownership transition to Proterial Ltd. He replaces Christian Peterson, TiniFiber’s founder and outgoing CEO, who will transition to chairman. Ken Consalvo was promoted to operations manager at Proterial Cable USA. He joined the company in 2023 as a senior process engineer, and prior to that was a process engineering supervisor for Marmon Industrial Energy & Infrastructure Operations, and a quality assurance manager for Alphagary. His extensive manufacturing experience includes seven years at Data Guide Cable and 28 years at Mohawk Wire, Belden/CDT. Based in Lindenhurst, New York, USA, TiniFiber manufactures micro armor fiber optic cables.

The American Wire Group has named Amy Sadusky as vice president of regional sales, Northeast & Mid-Atlantic. She most recently was a senior sales associate with Venus Power-Com Supply, and prior to that worked for 17 years for companies that included Total Electrical Distributors, Clear-VU Lighting, Eaton’s Crouse-Hinds Business and the Prysmian Group, where she was a regional sales manager for five years. Based in Aventura, Florida, the American Wire Group manufactures wire and cable for multiple markets, such as power transmission/distribution, substation, solar and EV.

Simone Badini is the new technical department manager for the SAMP Group in Italy. He most recently worked nearly 12 years for Italy’s IMA Group, where he began as an R&D engineer in 2013 and was promoted to positions that included mechanical engineering manager. Based in Bologna, Italy, the SAMP Group makes nonferrous wire pressing equipment, from multiwire drawing systems to insulation and jacketing lines.

John Orona was named business development manager for Remee Wire and Cable. He has extensive manufacturing experience, most recently at Clark Wire & Cable, where he worked for eight years, most recently as director of broadcast sales. He has decades of prior sales and managing experience at companies that include Lake Cable, Gepco International, Isotec Inc., Wire and Cable Specialties and Rome Cable. Based in Florida, New York, Remee Wire and Cable manufactures electronic wire and cable, both copper and fiber optic cable.

Earlier this year, Chroma Color Corporation promoted Joe Herres from vice president of sales and marketing to CEO. He joined the company in 2023. Prior to that he had worked two separate stints, totaling some 15 years with Spartech LLS, where he was vice president sales and marketing and global sales director. He worked for five years for PolyOne, where he was commercial director, and three years with Polymer Extruded Products as national sales manager. He holds a degree in business administration and management from Washburn University. Based in McHenry, Illinois, Chroma Color Corporation supplies specialty color and additive concentrates.

Last modified on October 3, 2024

The New England Chapter golf tournament on Sept. 9 saw a healthy field of 142 golfers view for top honors at the chapter’s annual event, held at the Tunxis Country Club in Farmington, Connecticut, topping the 135 players that took part in 2023. In addition to the golfers, 15 attendees participated just for the awards program and dinner. The chapter’s scholarship program was also among the winners, with more than $2,000 being added to the cause.

At the end of what proved to be a glorious day for golf, the team from Gem Gravure Co. Inc. prevailed, It included company President Paul Gemelli and National Sales Manager Derek Olson and Schleuniger USA Director of Sales Micah Durham and Director of Technical Service Greg Douglas, who shot 10 under par.

“It was a terrific opportunity to catch up and network with so many friends of ours from this great industry, and to meet some new industry colleagues as well,” said Gemelli, who attributed the win with his longtime customers/teammates to consistent play with zero bogeys. “It felt great to bring home the trophy for the Gem team to see. Looking forward to defending our title next September!”

There was plenty of praise for the event, for the condition of the course, the way play largely moved along crisply and the networking opportunities that abounded both on the course and at the awards program. A key to making that happen was dependable cadre of volunteers. They were led by Web Industries’ Jim Evans, who for years has been a perennial whirlwind behind the scenes, along with numerous others. They were also supported by WAI staff.

“Kudos to everyone!” declared Tom J. Rosen, Wire & Cable Consulting, LLC. “It was a first class outing. Everyone really enjoyed themselves.”

“It is very clear that (it) was a great success!” declared Chapter President Ryan Caraway, Orbia/Alphagary. “Both of my guests stated it was the best one yet! My hat is off to you, Jim, WAI staff, and all Golf Committee volunteers!”

Premium sponsors for the event included: Carris Reels; Commission Brokers, Inc.; Electric Cable Compounds, Inc.; Fluorogistx; James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp.; Joe Snee Associates; Lenze America; Lloyd & Bouvier, Inc.; M. Holland; The MGS Group; Rainbow Rubber; RichardsApex Inc.; Teknikor; W. Gillies Technologies LLC; Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp.; and Woodward Insurance.
Corporate Hole sponsors were: Amaral Automation; Cable Components Group; Fenton Group/WCMA; James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp.; and Lloyd & Bouvier. Of note, James Monroe and Lloyd deserve “angel status” for their very generous donations.

Last modified on October 3, 2024

The New England Chapter will present an insightful experience on Nov. 7 when it continues its string of educational/networking events at the ACCEL Wire Drawing Plant in Cheshire, Connecticut.

The tour, which starts at 3:30 p.m., will present a behind-the-scenes look at cutting-edge wire drawing technology. Accel operates three vertically integrated factories in Connecticut and Indiana with nearly 500,000 sq ft of manufacturing space producing silver plated, nickel plated and tin plated copper and copper alloys for the wire and cable market. It also has a fourth plant, in Florida. The company serves fields that include aerospace, medical, telecom and industrial markets.

Following the tour, the chapter event will transition to nearby Viron Rondo Osteria for a networking dinner at 6 pm. There, participants can unwind and connect with industry peers over delicious Italian cuisine. Blending education with networking in a vibrant setting makes for a good combination, and it’s not too late to sign up.

Attendees of the chapter’s 2022 educational event got to tour the Radio Frequency Systems (RFS) plant in Meriden, Connecticut. That visit resulted in very positive reviews from members of the New England Chapter. The Oct. 25 tour saw some 50 chapter members and guests see the operations up close of RFS, which is a global designer and manufacturer of total-package solutions for wireless and broadcast infrastructure. The tour started with a half-hour presentation on the markets that the company serves, followed by the tour. After the tour concluded, everyone regrouped down the road at a restaurant that provided an enjoyable dinner experience just steps away from the Connecticut River.

Last modified on October 3, 2024

The WAI, which just completed the first leg of an ambitious video-based education initiative (previous page) has notched a milestone for one of its earliest videos: topping 100,000 views on YouTube.
Posted Oct. 26, 2016, Extruder Screw Cleaning is a seven-minute video that details the process of cleaning an extrusion screw. The video was produced at the Nexans Energy USA plant in Chester, New York. See it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpBqVHq40-0

Last modified on October 3, 2024

With eight months left to go, sales reports that the show floor for Interwire 2025 is 96% full, with all the large booth positions taken, and the discussion now turns to whether the exhibit space should be expanded at the Georgia World Congress Center.

At this point, there are 216 contracted companies representing some 300 companies that have accounted for about 92,000 sq ft of exhibit space. Of note, the list of exhibitors includes more than 120 companies that are based outside the U.S., including a strong showing from Turkey, which accounts for 16. There will also be extra interest in Interwire as it will be co-located again with the Global Continuous Casting Forum.

“We continue to get calls from companies that are interested in exhibiting, and we could open the floor plan more, so this is a good time,” said WAI Sales Director Shannon Timme. “Right now, there are no large booths available, but we could add them depending on interest we see.” She can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Last modified on October 3, 2024

The Wire Association International (WAI) has completed production of its first in-house, video-based training course: Introduction to Ferrous Metallurgy.

This accomplishment marks a significant milestone in WAI’s new online learning initiative and reflects its ongoing commitment to providing world-class educational resources to the wire and cable industry.

“This is the kind of project that the founders of WAI would truly appreciate,” said WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll. “It embodies the goals of the people who originally formed the association to advance industry know-how by using a modern approach, one that is relevant to the electronic age we all live and work in. It will especially appeal to manufacturers that have new employees who are comfortable with this type of learning format.”

Each course has seven short videos, none lasting more than five minutes. Each module includes knowledge checks after each video. Upon completing a course, students receive a certificate of completion.

WAI is collaborating with a motion designer who specializes in manufacturing “explanation” videos. Each one will feature a blend of shop floor footage and animated segments that clarify complex concepts. Narration is done by a professional voiceover artist to ensure that the material is engaging and easy to follow.

Each module was developed under the guidance of primary and secondary subject matter experts to ensure the content is both accurate and relevant. A key person in the creation of the ferrous video course is steel industry veteran Anand Bhagwat, a WAI Past President (2005) who now serves as a metallurgical consultant. He worked closely with WAI Project Manager John Markowski, who leads the production team. “It’s been an amazing experience, and I’m confident that this program is going to be well received.”

With the production of this foundational course now complete, WAI is moving into the soft launch phase of its new Learning Management System (LMS). In addition to Introduction to Ferrous Metallurgy, the soft launch will include 12 general manufacturing safety courses, Markowski said. During this phase, WAI is working closely with key opinion leaders across the industry to gather valuable feedback. This collaboration will ensure the platform is fully optimized before its official release.

Companies interested in participating in the soft launch and gaining early access to these courses are welcome to contact WAI’s Education Department. Industry feedback is an important factor to help deliver comprehensive and effective training content. For inquiries about the soft launch or to find out how to participate, contact WAI’s Education Department at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 203-458-4044.

Looking ahead, the full public launch of WAI’s online platform is scheduled for early 2025. As part of this launch, WAI will offer discounted access during the introductory period, allowing WAI members and non-members alike to experience the breadth of training available.

In addition to the Introduction to Ferrous Metallurgy, WAI has begun production on the first of four planned extrusion training courses. The next course on deck will offer an overview of single-layer extrusion, providing critical insights for both new and seasoned professionals in the field. The first extrusion course is slated to be ready for the hard launch at the beginning of 2025, with the others closely behind.

Of note, while WAI is committed to providing this new video-training course, it will continue to stage the Association’s in-person day-long Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing course. It will next be held at Interwire 2025.

A U.S. jury has awarded Prysmian $96,500,000 in damages from Sterlite Technologies, Inc., a business of India’s Sterlite Technologies Lt. (STL), for violations of trade secrets related to a former Prysmian executive who joined the company.

A press release said that on Aug. 6, at the end of a three-week trial, a U.S. District Court jury in Columbia, South Carolina, found in favor of Prysmian. Sterlite and Szymanski had denied wrong-doing.

In its June 2021 lawsuit, Prysmian had accused a former key executive, Stephen Szymanski, of providing Prysmian’s trade secrets to STL. The jury also awarded Prysmian $200,000 from Szymanski, who ran the company’s optical fiber cable business in North America before going to Sterlite, a direct competitor, in August 2020.

“At trial, Prysmian ultimately proved that Sterlite had taken thousands and thousands of pages of Prysmian’s confidential information and trade secrets,” the release said, noting that those included information about Prysmian’s customers, newest products and plans to expand its manufacturing plants. “Much of the information was found in the possession of not just Szymanski and Sterlite, but also in the possession of executives at Sterlite’s global headquarters in Pune, India.”

“This case came down to the basic principle of right versus wrong, and we are pleased that the jury came to this decision,” said Prysmian North America CEO Andrea Pirondini. “We will not stand still when it comes to defending our confidential information and trade secrets, competing fairly in the marketplace, and doing right by our customers.”

“Prysmian has a longstanding reputation for our quality products and our commitment to delivering innovative solutions in the telecommunications space,” said Patrick Jacobi, Prysmian North America Telecom senior vice president. “Securing a win in this case is a step in the right direction.”

On Sept. 16, 2023, STL, which is active in more than 150 countries, inaugurated its first U.S. cable manufacturing plant in Lugoff, South Carolina. Its focus is high fiber count cables with small diameters.  

In an STL statement, Managing Director Ankit Agarwal said that the company remains committed to serving customers in America. “We do not intend for this verdict to interrupt our plans to grow our U.S. presence. As a company, we uphold the highest standards of ethics and integrity.

We believe the verdict is not supported by the testimony and evidence presented at the trial and intend to appeal and vigorously pursue all available post-trial remedies.”

Orlando Precision announced that it has acquired Gifford Spring Company, a family business located in Garland, Texas.

A press release said that Gifford Spring serves the aerospace, telecommunication and industrial sectors, with products that include compression springs, tapered springs, torsion and double torsion springs, extension springs and wire forms, as well as rod forming. The deal represents the first acquisition for Orlando Precision outside of its base state of California.

 “The acquisition broadens our geographic footprint, allowing us to better serve markets and customers located in Texas and throughout the south, including central Mexico,” said Frank Mauro, president of Orlando Precision. He said that it also valuable capabilities to his company’s overall capacity to innovate, deliver services and achieve strategic goals.

Founded in 1984 by Ralph Gifford in his garage with one machine “and a handful of customers,” the company quickly grew. Per the Gifford Spring website, one key to that growth was that it used secondary operational step-saving machines that Ralph Gifford designed and built using pneumatic and electronic technology and components. During this early period of dynamic growth, Ralph Gifford introduced electronic gauging and sorting on automatic spring coiling machines to the Dallas manufacturing community.

Last modified on September 5, 2024

South Korea’s LS Cable & System (LS C&S) reportedly is interested in opening a plant to manufacture optical cables in Turkmenistan.

Per a posted report that cites the online publication SNG.TODAY, representatives held video negotiations with the Turkmenaragatnashyk Agency, which has the authority to conclude contracts. The discussion was about the supply and creation of optical cable production in Turkmenistan. It included discussion of needs from the construction of the “smart” city of Arkadag, fully based on advanced infrared and green technologies.

The parties agreed on further contacts and discussed the possibility of signing a Memorandum of Understanding, as well as organizing a visit of the Turkmen delegation to the LS plant in South Korea.

The report said that the negotiations were attended by representatives of the sales and production departments of optical cables LS C&S, as well as the deputy chairman and head of the infrastructure development group of the Turkmenaragatnashyk Agency. The meeting was held in video conference format. The report notes that a prior online meeting was held in September 2023.

Last modified on September 5, 2024

Aurora Material Solutions reports that it recently completed the previously announced expansion of its Streetsboro, Ohio, facility.

A press release said that the expansion further extends Aurora’s capabilities in thermoplastic compounding of rigid PVCs, rigid PVC alloys and CPVC. The expansion adds over 140 million pounds of compounding capacity, creates new jobs, and supports Aurora’s continued growth with customer partners. It produces the AuroraGuard™ lines of thermoplastic polyolefins that provide high-heat, low-smoke zero-halogen and flame-retardant properties and its AuroraFlex™ line of flexible PVC compounds.

In March, Aurora Plastics became Aurora Material Solutions. With the new name, Aurora also embraced its first brand statement in its 27-year history: “People. Partners. Possibilities.”

Last modified on September 5, 2024

Contact us

The Wire Association Int.

71 Bradley Road, Suite 9

Madison, CT 06443-2662

P: (203) 453-2777