UPCAST OY has promoted Janne Hosio to sales director, responsible for all the global sales and marketing activities and customer relationships of the company. He joined the company in 2001 as a project engineer, specialized in electrics and programming. Over the years, his role expanded, and he was given more responsibility for the sales of new casting lines. He was named sales manager in 2008. He holds a degree in electrical engineering from the Central Ostrobothnia University of Applied Sciences. Based in Pori, Finland, UPCAST OY is the original developer of upward upcasting technology.

Bremen based SIKORA AG ranks once again among Germany’s 100 fastest growing medium-sized companies and even improved from place 61 to 18. This is the result of the study “TOP 100 ranking of the medium-sized companies 2020”, which was carried out by the management consultancy Munich Strategy Group. This year again, SIKORA is the only company from Bremen that has made it into the “TOP 100“.

Dr. Christian Frank, CEO of SIKORA, says: “I am delighted that we are among the “TOP 100” again this year. The award once again shows that we belong to the elite of the German medium-sized companies. We set significant trends and play a leading role in the field of innovative measuring, control, inspection and sorting technologies. I am particularly proud that we worked our way up from rank 61 to rank 18. My special thanks goes to our colleagues in Bremen as well as in our subsidiaries around the world. Their achievement made this result possible. By focusing on technical innovations as well as expanding our global sales and service network and the simultaneous concentration of research, development and production at our location in Bremen, we create the conditions for future, constant growth.”

More than 4,000 companies from all industries with an annual turnover between 10 million and 1 billion Euro have been evaluated by the Munich Strategy Group. The “TOP 100” companies were determined on the basis of their long-term growth and profitability. The basis for the selection is the performance of the companies during the last five years.

SIKORA was founded in 1973 by Harald Sikora and is today a leading manufacturer and supplier of measuring and control technology for the wire and cable, hose and tube, sheets as well as optical fiber, metals and plastics industries. With around 300 employees worldwide, 14 international offices and more than 30 regional representatives, the medium-sized company provides customers with innovative product solutions and expert service. The measuring and control systems are exclusively made at the headquarters in Bremen/Germany. Innovation, product quality and customer satisfaction define the daily activities at SIKORA AG.

Converting the WAI’s Fundamentals of Wire & Cable Manufacturing Program (Fundamentals) to a virtual form that presented over seven consecutive Wednesdays in September and October was not without occasional technical challenges, but overall, it got a hearty “well done,” based on comments from the participants.

The final count for attendance was 119, with participants from 28 countries. The traditional Fundamentals program has drawn more, but one of the advantages of the virtual format was that it allowed attendees to take part that may not have been able to travel for the two-day format. The WAI plans to continue staging the live Fundamentals course at Interwire and Wire Expo, but future virtual presentations are also possible.

One participant, ArgusIoT founder and CEO Parag Panse, who attended all 13 sessions (three live and the rest by watching the video recording later), said that he liked the format. “I would certainly recommend this Fundamentals training to my own employees as well as to other companies. I was happy with the way the program was organized and run. Well done WAI!”

In Covid-19 times, reality often becomes virtual, which is exactly how WAI presented the annual Clockwinding tradition, its annual meeting and the Mordica Lecture on Nov. 11. See p. 6 for related comments by WAI President Jan Sørige.

Former WAI President Ron Reed, Lloyd & Bouvier, was physically at the Association’s headquarters in Madison, Connecticut, accompanied by his wife, Mary. Also present was WAI Executive Director Steve Fetteroll and Director of Technology Chuck Szymaszek.

Reed explained the history of the Clockwinding tradition, wherein a U.K. representative annually comes to WAI’s headquarters to wind the grandfather clock that was presented to the Association on behalf of the U.K., wire industry for help during World War II. Reed then introduced Clockwinder Martin Thacker, who spoke for the occasion from his home in Britain. Below is his speech, which was followed by Reed performing the actual winding of the clock.

“With the benefit of modern technology, our tradition of clock winding is able to continue in spite of a worldwide pandemic. As a result, we are creating a new first today. It is a real privilege for me to be invited as the very first clock winder to participate in this prestigious ceremony without even leaving my home! Although it saddens me that I cannot be with you in person today, we should be glad that the clock winding is going ahead and the annual tradition remains unbroken.

“On this day 80 years ago, the British Royal Navy launched its first ever aircraft carrier strike in history on the Italian fleet. Particularly poignant, is that on this day in 1918 an Armistice was signed which marked the end of World War I.

“During that war, my grandfather became an apprentice at Johnson and Playfair Wire Manufacturers in Sheffield. His wages were eight shillings a week with a war bonus of a further two shillings. The company produced patent and plough steel rope wires, as well as high strain steel wire. The advent of the Second World War saw my grandfather move to Brealey and Company as a wire drawer for the princely sum of 80 shillings a week. The company was well known for production of bright wire for all purposes. My grandfather was proud of the work he did and how the wire produced made a difference to the world he lived in. He was equally proud to be an official in the Amalgamated Union of Wiredrawers, founded in 1840, the oldest trade union operating in the wire industry. My grandfather was a union official when there were 13,000 members and he attended the Trades Union Congress in 1968.

“His love of the industry inspired me to become a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Tinplate Workers Alias Wireworkers in the City of London. My proposer for membership was Peter Rigby, a past Master of the Livery Company and clock winder. His father, John Rigby, presented the clock in 1948 on behalf of the British Wire Association. Just like the hands of this clock, the many links ensure we come full circle.

“A clock’s primary purpose is to display the time. We know that this clock is so much more than that. It is a symbol of the friendship between our countries, a practical connection of our wire industries and the continuation of a bond linked by a metaphor of time-honored tradition. Thank you for allowing me to participate in the ceremony today and ensuring that this wonderful tradition is maintained and has meaningful relevance in our 21st century world.”

Following Thacker, Dr. Gil Baker presented his Mordica Lecture, which was published in the July issue of WJI. His presentation, which included commentary on some aspects beyond the printed paper, can be accessed—along with the Clockwinding ceremony and annual meeting—at https://bit.ly/2020Clock.