Mega Metal, a Turkish copper wire manufacturer that was among the returning exhibitors at Interwire 2025, is opening a cable plant in Ridgeway, South Carolina.

Mega Metal is entering the North American market with a $34 million investment in a new production facility in Ridgeway, South Carolina. The company will retrofit a 91,000-sq-ft building to produce superfine electrolytic oxygen-free (EOF) copper wire—an essential component for industries ranging from automotive and aerospace to medical and defense.

The Ridgeway plant marks Mega Metal’s first U.S. operation and is expected to create 135 new jobs in Fairfield County. Once fully operational, the plant will have an annual capacity of 55 million pounds of copper wire. Operations are slated to begin in September 2025.

Founded in 2004 and based in Istanbul, Mega Metal employs more than 700 people worldwide and exports to over 30 countries. The company is recognized as one of Turkey’s top 500 industrial enterprises and has earned accolades such as “Supplier of the Year” from international customers. Its expansion into South Carolina is part of a broader strategy to enhance its global footprint and provide logistical advantages to clients in critical industries.

“This investment in Fairfield County is not only a manufacturing milestone—it is a reflection of our long-term commitment to the North American market,” said Cuneyt Turgut, board chairman of Mega Metal Inc. “Mega Metal is poised to become a key player in the U.S. supply chain, offering strategic support to high-demand industries across the continent.”

The company reported online that it had good interaction with attendees at Interwire 2025. “The meaningful conversations and connections we made throughout the event have not only opened doors to new collaborations but also reaffirmed that we are on the right path.

Prysmian held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 19 at the Encore Wire campus in McKinney, Texas, which will undergo a massive expansion, part of a $500 million project over five years that will see the addition of a state-of-the-art medium voltage cable production facility totaling more than 650,000 sq ft.

A press release said that the investment includes $249 million Prysmian’s Board of Directors approved earlier this year. The groundbreaking “marks a significant advancement for the company, nearly a year after Prysmian’s acquisition of Encore Wire to serve electrical customers in North America through Encore’s outstanding service model.” Expected online in 2027, the plant will significantly increase Prysmian’s medium voltage capacity and add 120 new jobs.

“This new plant will be one of the largest standalone facilities on our campus, which is the largest vertically integrated cable factory on the planet and is a major milestone in the Prysmian/Encore Wire growth,” said Prysmian North America CEO Andrea Pirondini.

Encore Wire started in 1989 with a 68,000 sq-ft industrial warehouse building in McKinney. Over the past 35 years, Encore has grown to over 3.5 million sq ft across 460 acres.

In addition to Prysmian leaders, U. S. Representative Keith Self’s District Director Michelle Bishop presented a Congressional certificate to Pirondini marking the importance of this investment. Governor Greg Abbott also issued a proclamation commemorating the groundbreaking. McKinney’s new Mayor Bill Cox joined other local leaders for the ceremony, including the Michael Kowski from McKinney Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).

Guests signed a commemorative beam that will be placed in a prominent location in the new facility. The medium voltage plant is the first phase of Prysmian’s investments in McKinney. For more on the vertically integrated campus, visit Encore Wire’s website.

ArcelorMittal’s decision to permanently close its Hamilton, Ontario wire plant and consolidate wire drawing operations in Montreal marks a significant moment for Canada’s wire industry, with ripple effects across the broader steel sector. The closure, announced in June, will eliminate 153 jobs and end wire production at a facility that has served telecommunications, construction and automotive markets for decades.

While the move was described as being part of a restructuring to improve operational efficiency and long-term competitiveness, multiple media reports observed that it also underscored the unique pressures facing Canada’s wire segment, a sector that is distinct from “big steel” in both scale and market dynamics.

Of note, the decision comes on the heels of the U.S. doubling tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50%, a move that industry leaders and union officials alike say has accelerated job losses and squeezed margins. ArcelorMittal’s CEO, Stéphane Brochu, cited the need to “strengthen competitiveness and ensure better long-term profitability” as a driving factor, while union leaders described the closure as a “horrible day” for the workforce, many of whom learned of the news as they arrived for their shifts.

One industry observer, Murat Askin, principal at Staalx, a steel industry consultancy, observed that the Canadian steel industry is very much reliant on the U.S. market. “This includes wire and wire rod producers. Both Arcelor and Ivaco have announced job cuts and production reductions. So far, however, wire rod mills haven’t announced any dramatic plant closures. Canadian wire rod producers are prime suppliers for the cold heading quality wire rods that are mostly used in automotive applications. It’s difficult to move the supply to another international supplier that is not approved by automotive customers. Therefore, Canadian mills continue to ship to the U.S. with reduced quantities. The conditions, however, are not sustainable as no mill operates efficiently at half capacity.”

Unlike large integrated steel plants, wire mills are more exposed to market volatility and less able to absorb the shocks of tariffs and dumping. The Hamilton plant reportedly lost $2.6 million annually over the last five years, a figure attributed to both global price competition and declining demand.

Askin points out that “help may be on the way,” with Canada and Mexico in talks with the U.S. about potential trade remedies, including lowering tariffs or implementing a quota system. However, for Hamilton’s wire workers, these solutions may come too late.

Local officials, including Hamilton’s mayor, have called for urgent federal action, warning that the loss of specialized wire production capacity could have long-term consequences for both the city and Canada’s manufacturing supply chains.