7/7/21 

Anand Bhagwat was promoted to senior manager - quality and technology at Minova USA. In his new position, he will continue to support daily operations of quality functions, and manage the overall technology group in the Americas region. He will also support the global R&D team on product development. He joined the company in 2011 as manager of the Steel Technology Center. Prior to that, he worked at the Seneca Wire Group from 2000 to 2006 as vice president of quality and technology. Following a three-year stint as managing director of WAI Wire and Cable Services, Ltd., in India, the past WAI president (2005) returned to Seneca in 2011 as plant manager of FENIX, LLC. Based in Georgetown, Kentucky, Minova USA supplies ground support products for the mining, construction and energy industries.

Oman Cables Industry announced that Cinzia Farise is the company’s new CEO. She has been a sales and marketing director in the services and industrial products sector. She joined Italy’s Prysmian Group in 2005, holding a number of positions that included vice president and CEO of Prysmian India. She later served as CEO for Trenord, a large Italian rail company. In 2019, she returned to the Prysmian Group, and was named CEO of the group’s Turkish affiliate. She holds a degree in economics. She replaces Ali Said al Habaj, who left for personal reasons. Based in Rusayl, the Sultanate of Oman, Oman Cables Industry manufactures a wide range of electrical wires.

Victor Muñizn is the new regional manager for Latin America for Proton Products, tasked with leading and developing its sales and services business for measuring equipment in Latin America and the Caribbean. He previously worked for more than 20 years for Beta LaserMike, which is a brand of NDC Technologies, in Latin America as well as the U.S. His career began in 1999 as a senior laboratory engineer for Alcatel in the U.K. He holds a degree from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and an MBA from the University of Hull. Based in the U.K., Proton Products offers a wide range of measuring technology for wire and cable.

Remee Wire & Cable has named Marc Stringer as the company’s engineering product manager. He has more than three decades of industry experience in product management, marketing, engineering and related positions throughout his career. Some of his previous employers include General Cable, Belden, Southwire, Coleman, Champlain Cable and TE Wire & Cable. Based in Florida, New York, Remee Wire & Cable manufactures a range of fiber optic and copper cable.

Chroma Color Corporation announced three new employees. Wayne Comeau is the new market development manager. He most recently worked for eight years in the masterbatch industry as a key account manager, focused on custom color concentrates across various strategic markets. Prior to that he worked in numerous molding processes. Bob Mann is a regional account manager for Indiana, Michigan, and key accounts in the Midwestern region. He has 15 years of experience in colorants and additives, and a solid technical background that included roles with increasing responsibilities in color development labs. Tony Tanner is a regional account manager in the Mid-Atlantic region. He most recently was a senior technical account manager with a global pigment and dye manufacturer. He has wide experience in the field. Based in McHenry, Illinois, Chroma Color Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier for markets that include wire and cable. 

Obituary notice
WJI is said to report the passing of Ronald “Ron” W. Reed, a past WAI President (2008) who died from cancer on June 24 at age 65. A friend to many, he was a superb Association advocate and volunteer, for which he was named the 2012 winner of the Donnellan Memorial Award. The August issue will have a full obituary.

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.

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.