Barnes, a manufacturer whose product range includes fasteners, was sold to Apollo Global Management for $3.6 billion in a deal that closed in January. Now, it will see its corporate headquarters in Connecticut closed by the end of this year.

Per a press release and media reports, Barnes, long known as the Barnes Group, will close its corporate headquarters in Bristol, cutting about 28 jobs, the company said in a filing with the state Department of Labor. Layoffs will be made periodically, including June 30 and Sept. 30.

The news comes several months after Apollo Global Management acquired the Barnes Group and took the company private. Barnes Group makes precision components for aerospace and a range of other industries. Barnes Group and its predecessor, Associated Spring, have been located in Bristol since 1857.

Per its 2024 annual report, Barnes Group, as of  Dec. 31, 2023, the company had approximately 6,500 employees worldwide. Approximately 25% were in the Asia-Pacific region, approximately 45% in the European, Middle East and African regions and approximately 30% in the Americas region. 

Southwire, which this year marks its founding 75 years ago in Carrollton, Georgia, was awarded 2025 World’s Most Ethical Companies® recognition by Ethisphere, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices.

A press release said that in 2025, Ethisphere recognized 136 companies spanning 19 countries and 44 industries. This marks the second consecutive year that Southwire—one of only four honorees in the electronics and components industry—has been recognized by Ethisphere.

“It is an honor to be recognized once again by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies,” said Southwire President and CEO Rich Stinson. He termed the award as “a testament to the fact that doing right is not only one of our core tenets of sustainability but a true pillar of Southwire’s culture.”

The assessment by Ethisphere requires companies to provide 240+ different proof points on practices that support robust ethics and compliance, governance, a culture of ethics, environmental and social impact and initiatives that support a strong value chain. The data are analyzed by Ethisphere’s panel of experts who spend thousands of hours vetting and evaluating applicants. 

The SPS Technologies factory in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, suffered catastrophic damage from a fire that broke out on Feb. 17 blaze.

Per multiple media reports, the fire lasted multiple days, destroying much of the 600,000-sq-ft facility. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The company has laid off 250 of its approximately 500 employees. At its peak during World War II, the plant employed over 3,000 workers but had reduced its workforce to 475 employees in recent years. The fire resulted in half of thee employees being out of work..

The plant produced nuts, bolts, washers and fasteners used in critical applications for aircraft engines, wings, fuselages, and landing gear. It also supplied fasteners for industries such as medical technology, automobile racing, marine applications and power generation.

HEXPOL, a global supplier of polymers, reports that it has signed an agreement to acquire 80% of the shares of Turkey’s Kabkom Kimya Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi (Kabkom).

A press release said that agreement was signed by Kabkom founders Erdem Eker, Özgür İpek and Bekir Güler. Kabkom, founded in 2011, was described as the largest independent cable compounder in Turkey. The company specializes in high-performance thermoplastic and thermoset cable compounds for the fast-growing cable market. Kabkom operates a new manufacturing facility outside Izmir, with 70 employees.

The addition of Kabkom, will strengthen HEXPOL’s capabilities for HFFR and cross-linked materials, allowing them to serve even better a wide selection of international and domestic customers. “With this acquisition we broaden the capabilities of the HEXPOL Group in the fast-growing wire and cable market. We look forward to continuing the successful journey of Kabkom together with the founders and we welcome them to the HEXPOL family,” said HEXPOL Group President and CEO Klas Dahlberg.

Hellenic Cables, the cables segment of Cenergy Holdings, in consortium with Asso.subsea, was awarded a turnkey contract from Réseau de Transport d’ Électricité (RTE) —the sole operator of France’s public electricity transmission network—to supply the cable for the Dunkirk Offshore Wind Farm.

A press release said that Hellenic Cables will design, manufacture and supply 32 km of submarine cables for the double submarine cable link, as well as 38 km of underground cables for the tri-phased double underground cable link, supply submarine and underground cable accessories.  The submarine cables will be manufactured at the company’s plant in Corinth and the land cables at its plant in Thiva, which is currently undergoing a capacity expansion project. The company will also perform on site jointing, testing and termination works and be responsible for the commissioning of the cable links wind farm.

The wind farm, which has a planned capacity between 500 MW and 600 MW, will feature two 225 kV HVAC export cable links which will enable the seamless transfer of clean energy to the French grid. The wind turbines will be spaced around 1 km apart to ensure that the offshore wind farm operates at optimum efficiency.  The project involves complex laying and burial operations in shallow waters.

“This project is an important step forward in supporting France’s renewable energy goals and Hellenic Cables is honored to continue its collaboration with RTE,” said Hellenic Cables General Manager Kostas Savvakis, General Manager. “Our role in the Dunkerque Offshore Wind Farm highlights Hellenic Cables’ commitment to delivering reliable and sustainable energy solutions, while fostering strong collaborations with industry leaders like RTE and Asso.subsea.”