The Wire Association International Inc. (WAI) reported strong energy, engagement, and key highlights following its 2026 Wire Expo Operations Summit & Exhibits, held May 6–7 at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The event took place alongside the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE), hosted by the Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association (WHMA) and the Global Electronics Association. As a result, attendees received free reciprocal access to both shows, increasing visibility and participation across events.
Strong Attendance and Global Reach
WAI welcomed 1,045 attendees representing 44 U.S. states and 21 countries. In addition, 271 visitors crossed over from the EWPTE show. Overall, the event brought together professionals from 105 manufacturing facilities, while 150 companies exhibited.
Conference Program and Industry Focus
This year’s conference followed the theme, “Accelerating Progress Together – Where Wire, Innovation & Industry Connect.” The program featured 24 speakers presenting at the WAI Theater, located directly within the exhibit hall.
Because of this setup, attendees could easily access presentations, explore exhibits, and view production solutions in real time. At the same time, they could visit the adjacent EWPTE show to gain insight into downstream applications and technologies.
Leadership Perspective on Event Success
WAI President David M. Fisher highlighted the benefits of co-locating the event with EWPTE. He noted that attendees could explore both shows while participating in presentations and networking opportunities in one central space.
He also thanked event staff, vendors, and sponsors for their contributions. In addition, he recognized Charter Steel for hosting the plant tour. Learn more about Charter Manufacturing here: https://www.chartermfg.com/
Awards and Industry Recognition
During its 96th Annual Meeting, WAI presented four major awards:
- Mordica Memorial Award: Kiran Manchiraju, Southwire Company (https://www.southwire.com/)
- Donnellan Memorial Award: James (Jim) York, Insteel Industries (https://www.insteel.com/)
- President’s Award: Marco Gerardo, MFL Group (https://www.mflgroup.com/)
- WAI Champion Award: John W. Mellowes, Charter Manufacturing
Wire Expo 2026 Highlights
The event included several key sessions and activities:
- A Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing course attended by 97 participants
- A keynote from John W. Mellowes, Charter Manufacturing, titled “Charter Steel: Built on Partnership – Navigating the Complexities of Today’s Steel Market”
- A keynote from Dr. John Sviokla, titled “The Next Productivity Curve: Where AI Creates Value in Industrial Settings”
- A Welcome Reception sponsored by Southwire Company, with more than 300 attendees
- The Advanced Extrusion Workshop
New Additions in 2026
WAI introduced several new features this year, including:
- A Charter Steel plant tour
- The Wire Association Social Hour, sponsored by James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp. (https://www.jamesmonroe.com/) and Lloyd & Bouvier Inc. (https://www.lbwire.com/)
- A Young Professionals outing
- An electric bike giveaway
Event Sponsors
Wire Expo 2026 received support from a wide range of industry sponsors:
- Elite: Gem Gravure Co. Inc.; James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp.; Prysmian (https://www.prysmiangroup.com/); SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS (https://www.lafargacopperworks.com/); Southwire Company LLC
- Platinum: Carris Reels Inc. (https://www.carris.com/); Lloyd & Bouvier Inc.
- Gold: RichardsApex Inc. (https://www.richardsapex.com/); Sonoco Reels & Spools (https://www.sonoco.com/)
- Silver: Insteel Industries Inc.; Niehoff Endex North America Inc. (https://www.niehoff-endex.com/); SIKORA International Corp. (https://www.sikora.net/); August Strecker GmbH & Co. KG (https://www.strecker.de/)
- Bronze: Baum’s Castorine/Blachford (https://www.blachford.com/); Cable Components Group-Gendon Polymer Services (https://www.gendon.com/); Esteves Group (https://www.estevesgroup.com/); Graham Engineering LLC (https://www.grahamengineering.com/); Quaker Houghton (https://www.quakerhoughton.com/); Teknikor (https://www.teknikor.com/); Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp. (https://www.wireandplastic.com/)
- Industry Partner: Wire and Cable Industry Suppliers Association (https://www.wcisaonline.org/)
Looking Ahead
The last time Milwaukee hosted the biennial Wire Expo was in 2010. Looking forward, WAI plans to hold the next event in June 2028.
You can download the full press release here: https://wirenet.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/WAI_WE26_PostShowPR.pdf
