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THE YEAR TO COME + Report to Members
O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E W I R E A S S O C I AT I O N I N T E R N AT I O N A L
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Industry success story: from dropout to marine to sales manager The wire and cable industry seems to live up better than most to the American dream: that a path to it exists for someone with a work ethic and a desire to advance. Below is one such story, that of Billy Head, of REELEX, a U.S. packaging technology company. The company helped me fill It was 2013, and I was paying my out all the necessary paperwork way through college, but I couldn’t to continue getting paid. They make ends meet. So I did what a even made a donation to my lot of guys do when they’re out of family. options: I joined the Marine Corps. Right then and there, I considFrom 2014 to 2020, I served in the ered it fate that I came back. It Marine Corps reserves as an aviatrauma-bonded me to this place. tion electrician on the KC-130. My daughter’s cancer went into Following bootcamp, combat trainremission by the end of 2022, ing and aircraft training, I returned and I was back full speed as a home in 2016. I started shooting out field service technician. my resume, looking for a civilian Coming off that expericareer in electronics. ence created a new insight for Two former Marines at a company me. It showed me what really called REELEX reached out to me. mattered. I used to get anxious, The job was five minutes from my shoulder responsibility, and be house, which felt like fate. They REELEX’s Billy Head, r, with company President my own worst critic. I learned gave me a test to gauge my basic David Gerhart, who believed in his potential. to take things one step at a time, electronics knowledge. focus on what’s in front of I didn’t get a single question right. me, and accept that I can only They hired me anyway and put me control what I can control. It shaped me into something in electrical assembly. For a year, I wired control panels, new and something better. Not something broken. assembled wire harnesses, and soldered boards. I soaked In 2024, during a quarterly meeting, REELEX created up any information I could. The culture at REELEX was a company LinkedIn profile and wanted to improve our incredibly supportive, unlike anything I’d experienced marketing. In April, I created my own LinkedIn profile and outside the military. A year later, they asked if I was interbegan studying different AI tools to make content promotested in traveling the world as a field service technician. ing REELEX. Shortly after, our VP of sales complimented I’m the kind of person who loves taking the next step, so of the content I was creating and asked if I had any interest in course I said yes. the open sales position. From 2017 to 2021, I traveled to 16 countries as a field Here I was—no degree, no sales experience—being service technician, installing and servicing cable packaging considered for a sales manager role. I said I was interested. equipment. It was a challenge I needed, but in 2021 I put in I couldn’t tell you what ICP stood for, but I started listenmy notice because I wanted to explore another opportunity ing to sales podcasts. I took multiple 200-question sales at a different company, where I worked as a field service assessment tests to prep for the one the recruiter would technician for nine months. The additional money didn’t give me. I scored in the 70s, not great, but the executive outweigh the culture I had at REELEX. They hired a lot team was confident I could learn. They wanted me to of veterans, and I missed the guys I worked with the same have a one-hour interview with our external sales training way I missed the ones I served with. Thankfully, I’m not company. To prep for that, I wrote an AI prompt to simuone to burn bridges. late the sales trainer asking me questions based on public I came back to REELEX in December 2021. One month information about their training program. later, tragedy struck. My five-year-old daughter was diagI did well on the real interview. Not because I knew what nosed with Stage 3 cancer. Think about the timing. I left I was talking about in sales. I didn’t. He mentioned he REELEX, came back, and one month later, I wasn’t availwas enamored by our conversation, and how eager I was able to them anymore. My CEO told me: “You focus on to learn. Ultimately, I was hired on July 1, 2025. I now your daughter. If you can’t work at all, don’t work at all. If am managing sales for both domestic and international you can only work an hour, work an hour. Your job is here customers. and it is safe.” You can imagine the pressure that relieved.
Editor’s note: This occasional section is a venue where the industry can discuss topics of interest, both direct and indirect. If you would like to share your thoughts, contact WJI at editor@wirenet.org. 2 0 W I R E J O U R N A L I N T E R N AT I O N A L J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 6
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WJI: Billy was not the classic candidate: why did REELEX hire/ re-hire him? Gerhart: As we began to think about growing the business, we needed more help in expanding our sales team. Billy had all the enthusiasm, but not the experience of a professional salesperson. We took a risk. Enthusiasm and energy will get you only so far, though. You need to surround that energy with a plan and a process. We introduced Billy to our sales process consultant, and he drank it up, immediately taking his new skills into the outside world. We see him now making relevant industry contacts and having very rich discussions with customers who were previously hiding in plain view from us! Don’t count yourself out before you even try. Force yourself into the conversation. Make them tell you “no” — don’t say it for them. It’s better to cross the line and deal with the consequences than to forever wonder what could have been. In the meantime, continue to show up consistently, ask questions and take pride in your work. Those basic actions can help create opportunities. And to the company managers out there reading this: your next best hire for that open role might already be working for you. Sometimes the person who shows up, does the work, and gives a damn is worth more than the perfect resume. The best hire may already be on your payroll. Your panel builder or machine operator could be your next operations manager. I’m proof of that — and I’m not done climbing. And that includes my family, which also has thrived.
Billy Head with wife, Taylor; son, Teddy, 21 months; and daughters Elsie May, 5; and Harper, 8.
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NEWS
ASSOCIATION NEWS
Explore the new wirenet.org — WAI’s hub for news, learning and more! In its Centennial Plan, the Board of Directors set a clear priority: expand WAI’s digital reach. They envisioned a dynamic media destination that delivers unique value to members and complements Wire Journal International and the growing Education Center. After six months of focused development, the WAI team has launched the new wirenet.org, providing the foundation for WAI’s next century of digital service as follows. • A layout that mirrors the Centennial Plan, with intuitive navigation across four connected pillars: education, events, membership and WJI. • A launchpad to the developing Education Center, with new learning content added every month.. • A single destination for the latest industry news from WJI and other trusted sources. • Member-only content that reinforces the value of WAI membership. • A secure, open‑source content management platform that is widely used and actively supported. • A fully integrated Industry Search that connects directly to the WJI Reference Guide. As digital change accelerates, WAI has positioned wirenet.org as the foundation for its next-century media hub. This enhanced platform deepens connections, supports ongoing learning, and keeps WAI members competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.
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NEWS
Reinvigorated Wire Expo to make a splash in the Badger state this May From networking opportunities to the overall attendee experience, every detail is being crafted for the launch of Wire Expo 2026, when the reinvigorated biennial event hits the road for its first-ever stop in Wisconsin, the Badger State. It’s also fitting that all this will be presented not just on-site but at WAI’s new website (see opposite page): wirenet.org. Wire Expo will deliver a high‑impact event uniting the wire and cable industry on May 6‑7, when it takes over Milwaukee’s Baird Center, preceded by WAI’s Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course being held the day before at the Hyatt, which connects via a skywalk directly to the Baird Center. Wire Expo will run alongside the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE) to create a unified experience under one roof. Conference sessions and exhibits will share the same timing: Wednesday, May 6, from 9 am to 5 pm, and Thursday, May 7, from 9 am to 3 pm. Day 1 will be capped off with the Opening Reception (6:30–8:30 pm, 4th Floor Ballroom Terrace) featuring refreshments, connections that matter, and a view of the Milwaukee skyline.
The Milwaukee Riverwalk is sure to impress. The WAI Member Lounge will serve as a central hub on the exhibit floor, featuring a dedicated resource and learning center where members can connect, recharge and regroup between sessions. New sponsorship tiers offer companies more ways to stand out, and advertising opportunities are available through the Wire Expo sales team. Registration is now live at my.wirenet.org/events/ upcoming-events. But wait, there’s more: Milwaukee offers an impressive array of attractions. Attendees are encouraged to turn this business trip into a memorable experience and extend their stays—visit the Milwaukee Art Museum, catch a Brewers game on Friday against the New York Yankees, or explore the scenic Riverwalk, world‑class breweries and vibrant lakefront dining.
Members of WAI Education Committee to serve a key continuing role this year
Wire Expo will make its first-ever appearance at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this May. The show floor will offer plenty of reasons for attendees to stop by. As of Dec. 23, a hundred companies have already claimed their spot, taking advantage of the exhibitor package that delivers a turnkey, business‑ready setup that includes carpet, electric, wi‑fi and 200 lb of freight. A limited number of exhibit spots are still available and are being filled on a first‑come, first‑served basis. The conference sessions have been reimagined with a punchy 20‑minute format on the exhibit‑floor theater. This ensures that attendees can get their fill of diverse technical topics and valuable industry insights without missing floor time. Expect the first wave of confirmed speakers, new product showcases and preliminary agenda details to drop shortly, both here and at www.wirenet.org.
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As the depth and range of WAI’s educational program, has expanded, so has the importance of the Education Committee. Below are the members who will help guide the Association in 2026. The committee is chaired by Matt Miles, Southwire Co. Other members include: Erik Perks (Vice Chair), Prysmian; Brad Andrews, Condat Co.; Donald M. Dodge, Calmont Wire & Cable; Joseph P Domblesky, Marquette University; Jason Giebfried, Paramount Die Co.; Tracy Gooding, Mar-Mac Wire Inc; C. Richard Gordon, C. Richard Gordon Consulting; Erik A. Macs, Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp; Isaac Muller, American Wire Group; Donald Neville, RichardsApex Europe Ltd.; Brian Parsons, Interstate Wire Co. Inc.; Svet Pavlovsky, Blachford Corp.; Horace Pops, Horace Pops Consulting; Christopher Reeve, Insteel Wire Products; Matthew Reinoehl, SDI La Farga COPPERWORKS; Eric Wagner, Charter Steel; and Bhaskar Yalamanchili, Gerdau Long Steel North America. The executive committee liaison is Raúl Garcia Martínez, Viakable SA de CV.
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CHAPTERS
CHAPTER NETWORK New England Chapter’s annual meeting once again looks to be most memorable The WAI New England Chapter will return to the Cabaret Theatre at the Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, for its annual meeting. Registration is open for the regional networking event, which also serves as a fundraiser for the WAI New England Chapter Scholarship Fund. Highlights will include the dinner, the introduction of the officers for 2026, a raffle, photo booth and a look back at 2025, which likely will go down as a good one. The New England Chapter returned to the Tunxis Country Club in Farmington, Connecticut, for its 31st annual golf outing on what proved to be an utterly gorgeous day for the 143 golfers. The event was won by the Lloyd & Bouvier team of Michael Tucker, Darren Tucker, Joe Yabba and Gibson Yabba that shot a very respectable score of 15 under par.
Corporation; Michael Russo, son of James Russo, electrical engineer at MGS Manufacturing; and Ryan Delage, recipient of the Intern Scholarship sponsored by Gary Collette and Michael Renner of Sjogren Industries Inc. Each scholarship was valued at $2,500. The meeting will also feature a very smart guest speaker. Dr. John Sviokla is a globally recognized authority on AI and digital transformation. An Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School, where he earned his doctorate and MBA, he generated some of the earliest thought-leadership on the coming world of AI and digital competition. He has since guided senior executives through the full lifecycle of technology-led change. At the meeting, he will explain why every organization must move from human centric to a hybrid of human and AI intelligence and how to do it. Sponsorship opportunities are available for this event at Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels. These can be purchased during event registration. Registration costs $160 for non-members and $135 for WAI New England Chapter members in good standing. To register, visit www.wirenet.org. For questions or assistance with registration for the event, contact events@wirenet.org.
Make it happen! Submit a scholarship application for a family member now
At the 2025 annual meeting, Keynote speaker Ramon Peralta with Aaron Yaddow of Carris Reels. A healthy donation from the golf event went to the chapter’s scholarship program. The chapter also announced the six 2025 winners of its scholarship program. Those included: Jack Bienvenue, stepson of Walter Parsell, facility engineering manager at Prysmian; John Hartline, son of Christopher Hartline, vice president of operations at RichardsApex; Luke McComiskey, son of Thomas McComiskey, vice president at The MGS Group; Erin Mulligan, daughter of Alan Mulligan, sales representative at Vandor
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In 2025, the Midwest, New England, Southeast and Ohio Valley chapters awarded 13 scholarships that had a combined total of $26,100. This year, the New England Chapter will offer five scholarships at $2,500 each, plus one intern scholarship at $2,500; the Southeast Chapter will offer three scholarships at $2,400 each; the Midwest Chapter will offer three scholarships; and the Ohio Valley Chapter will offer two scholarships at $1,500 each. WAI chapter members in good standing will be able to submit applications for 2026. The chapter scholarship programs are educational opportunities for academically qualified high school seniors who are children, grandchildren or dependents of WAI members in good standing. The sponsor must be a chapter member. The deadline for applications is March 31. Questions can be e-mailed to WAI Program Manager Vanessa Lewis at vlewis@wirenet.org. n W W W. W I R E N E T. O R G
REPORT
REPORT TO MEMBERS This report submitted by Eric Bieberich, the 2025 WAI President, and Steve Fetteroll, WAI’s Executive Director, presents a progress update on what the Wire Association International (WAI) has achieved over the past year in carrying out its Centennial Strategic Plan, and the focus for 2026.
Strategy driven operations
Education and training platform
The WAI Centennial Plan was created in 2024 and introduced at this time last year. It is named the Centennial Plan because in 2030 the Association will celebrate a century of service to the industry. The years leading up to that milestone will see a flurry of new initiatives and improvements as WAI pursues the ambi‑ tious goals outlined below. They are aimed at making WAI the go‑to resource for both its members and the industry for years to come. The Centennial Plan was developed by the Board and staff in facilitated sessions that looked closely at members’ needs in a rapidly changing industry. The Board and Executive Committee review the plan each year. At their 2025 Interwire meeting, they focused on how digital technologies affect both the industry and the Association. This was a key step, but it did not cross a finish line as the plan and WAI’s products and services will be refreshed and expanded as technology evolves. This Report to Members follows the structure of the Centennial Plan, which is organized around four inter‑ connected service areas that define the Association’s value and guide its work: education and training; trade shows and conferences; media and communications; and membership.
Objective: To be the preferred training resource for our members and the global industry. The education and training platform tackles one of the industry’s toughest challenges: attracting, developing and retaining a skilled workforce. The Board has reaf‑ firmed its commitment to making WAI a primary source of professional development for operations person‑ nel. The platform emphasizes digital content to ensure
2025
WAI’s BoD members met to discuss topics that included the Centennial Plan and use of digital technology.
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REPORT
global access, while still incorporating face-to-face interaction where it adds the most value. “The goal isn’t just to provide information,” said John Markowski, WAI’s manager of education. “It’s to create a structured learning experience that equips employees with the skills they need to succeed from day one, while giving companies a reliable framework for training and professional development.” WAI’s educational mission has evolved dramatically from its early roots in 1930, when the Association focused on serving the steel wire industry. In the past year, it has built the foundation of a modern, digital-first learning platform designed to accelerate workforce readiness across the global wire and cable sector. This evolution reflects the industry’s rising need for structured, accessible training as companies face rapid technological change, increasing automation and growing demands for safety and precision. At Interwire 2025, WAI debuted its new platform with a live, hands-on demonstration led by Markowski. Attendees explored 3D simulations, interactive quizzes and shop-floor-focused video modules. More than a hundred participants have already enrolled, and interest continues to grow among manufacturers seeking to integrate these courses into their onboarding and training programs. Some companies have already woven
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WAI’s John Markowski shared the capabilities of the association’s new training platform at Interwire 2025. modules—such as Introduction to Ferrous Metallurgy and Single Layer Extrusion—into employee orientation, and industry groups including the Spring Manufacturers Institute are adopting WAI content to strengthen their own curricula. What sets WAI’s training apart is its blend of real factory footage, animations and concise five-minute videos supported by interactive knowledge checks. This format helps new employees ramp up faster, reduces onboarding pressure on senior staff and improves
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REPORT
consistency across operations. Courses are built through a well‑controlled feedback loop with subject‑matter manufacturing experts, ensuring the content addresses real challenges and provides practical, immediately applicable knowledge. WAI’s strategic approach is to support employees at every career stage, from foundational topics to advanced technical modules now in development. The platform creates a structured learning pathway that standard‑ izes training across companies while helping workers understand both the “how” and the “why” of complex processes. Looking ahead, WAI plans to expand into emerging technologies, automation and evolving safety standards, helping ensure the workforce is prepared for future industry demands and strengthening the sector as a whole.
Trade shows and conferences
for a robust program with some 85 speakers, a new extrusion workshop, the iconic Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing course, a full conference program and three days of Theater programming at the WAI Theater on the show floor. Credit goes to the Global Continuous Casting Committee for its fourth highly successful Forum produced alongside Interwire, a strong example of WAI’s ability to harness volunteer expertise to deliver best‑in‑class content. Interwire will also be remembered for what many described as the best networking event in the industry, with the Opening Reception returning to Mercedes‑Benz Stadium and earning even stronger reviews in its second outing. On Oct. 14, 2025, WAI partnered with ACIMAF, IWMA, AGH University of Science and Technology and the WAI Poland Chapter to produce Wire & Cable Krakow 2025. The power of collaboration was evident in a program that featured 28 papers, 17 tabletop exhibits, a gala dinner at the historic Stara Zajezdnia Kraków by DeSilva and a tour of Tele‑Fonika Kraków‑Wieliczka plant.
2025
Objective: Deliver high‑value trade shows and confer‑ ences that energize and engage the industry and provide a strong ROI for attendees, members and WAI. Trade shows and conferences remain a core part of the Association’s mission because wire drawing and extrusion are highly specialized processes that are not addressed elsewhere. The industry depends on in‑person gatherings to exchange technical knowledge, show‑ case innovation and celebrate the profession of wire and cable manufacturing. The largest event produced by the Association is its Interwire Trade Exposition, held every other year. The 2025 Interwire featured a sold‑out exhibition floor with 350 companies that included some 50 first‑time exhibitors. The event drew 3,386 attendees from 46 countries and 32 U.S. states, a 6% increase over 2023. Of note, the attendees represented 450 manufactur‑ ing plants. Prysmian’s North America CEO, Andrea Pirondini, delivered the keynote, “Linking the Future: Driving Tomorrow’s Wire Solutions.” That set the stage
The Interwire 2025 trade show served as the premier location for the North American wire and cable industry.
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LEARNING MODE ON
Knowledge transfer starts with WAI’s video training for individuals & teams. WAI’s on-demand video training courses are “Every expert was designed in manageable segments that are ready to go when you are. You set the pace.
once a beginner” — R.B. Hayes
Led by industry experts each course includes engaging interactive content, a quiz, and a certificate of completion to track your progress.
See how quickly you can achieve more career milestones. New content is added regularly. Courses are offered separately or bundled; and WAI members get discounts. Learn more with WAI https://wirenet.org/education/online-courses/ or contact: education@wirenet.org
EDUCATION
Check out: • Introduction to Ferrous Metallurgy • Single-Layer Extrusion Overview • Extrusion Applications • Extrusion Materials • Extrusion Special Process Considerations • Manufacturing Safety
F E AT U R E
The year(s) to come The New Year is a time for looking forward. For the wire and cable industry, that takes a lot of planning, and not just for 2026. This feature presents a range of perspectives, much from industry reports, as well as a CRU outlook, a look at robots, expansion of company focuses and the cost for copper. Success likely will depend less on demand than on execution.
The Year/Years to Come: pragmatic growth ahead How should the industry outlook for the year/years to come be summed up? The overall picture that emerges in the collective feature from multiple market and policy reports is a bit messy and out of focus in places, but it points to a busy, fundamentally supportive environment for electrical wire and cable, as well as the closely linked—and more challenged—world of steel wire and wire rod. The global electrical wire and cable market in the mid-2020s is commonly estimated in the roughly $230 billion–$270 billion range, with growth coming from renewables, grid expansion, electrified transport, and an increasingly power-hungry digital economy that includes AI-driven data centers and cloud infrastructure. In net-zero-type scenarios, cable demand tied to the green transition can climb several-fold by 2040 as grids/clean power are built out on a huge scale, assuming permitting, financing, and public acceptance do not slow projects too severely. Meeting those goals requires enormous grid investment, with annual spending on transmission and distribution expected to push above $1 trillion by the 2030s. Much of the supporting hardware for that system—from conductors to reinforcement and fittings—depends not only on nonferrous cable, but also on steel wire and wire rod. All this suggests a “most likely” case for the next five years that is more pragmatic than idealistic. Governments will keep talking about 2050, but policy on the ground will be stop-and-go. Support is likely to concentrate on “no-regrets” projects: grid reliability, interconnections, selective renewables, data-center power and urban infrastructure. That still points to steady demand for transmission, distribution, building and specialty cables—and steel wire and rod applications—even if the most ambitious climate pathways quietly slip and fail to find essential funding.
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On the supply side, manufacturers are generally expected to invest cautiously but consistently. Capacity is likely to grow in high-voltage, submarine, fire-resistant, and data-center cabling, while companies try to avoid overbuilding assets that only pay off if every long-range climate promise is kept. A significant share of new volume will likely be tied to data-center clusters, industrial reshoring, and city-level upgrades—projects that remain politically attractive even when broader decarbonization efforts stall. Touched on, but rarely the primary focus of these reports, is the role of people. Many of today’s experienced engineers, line workers, and plant managers will retire long before 2050, and the replacement pipeline is often described as thin. Over the next five years, several analyses suggest that the industry’s biggest challenge may be execution rather than demand: attracting younger workers, expanding training, automating more processes, and standardizing designs so less “tribal knowledge” is needed. There are multiple unknowns—policy, geopolitics, costs and technology among them—and no one can say with certainty whether 2050 sustainability goals for the world will ever be fully reached. Success is not so easy to define, yet wire and cable, along with the steel wire and wire rod that quietly underpin so much infrastructure, will remain central to whatever future actually gets built.
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F E AT U R E
Rising stars of 2026? Robots and the wires that make them work Advances in factory automation in 2026 will likely include more robots. They are faster, safer and wired for nonstop data, at home in both steel mills and precision electronics lines. Below are two low‑key examples from company announcements that capture the trend: a robot doing grunt work, and the cables that let robots “see and think” clearly. Robots in the steel mill At Hyundai Steel’s Dangjin plant, a job that once depended on workers standing next to hot, heavy coils, now belongs to a robotic cell, taking people out of heat, noise, dust and awkward lifting near moving loads. The company has introduced Korea’s first automated wire rod tagging robot on a live shipping line. It replaces manual attachment of product‑history tags on wire rod coils, a dull but critical task, where a wrong or missing tag can mix grades, ruin orders and create safety risks downstream.
The Polytec robot at work. Photo Hyundai Steel. The system splits the work between two robots: an assembly robot that clips fasteners onto printed tags and an attachment robot that scans each coil, calculates the tagging position and presses the label into place with consistent force. Hyundai Steel developed the setup with BM Group Polytec over roughly two years and put it into regular operation after safety and efficiency tests, as part of a broader push toward smart, sensor‑rich steelmak‑ ing that also includes beam‑blank inspection robots at its Incheon plant and four‑legged “robot dog” patrol units for hazardous areas at Dangjin. The company says it plans to keep expanding its investment in robotics in line with global steel trends, while separate Korean press reports quote union leaders who criticize the patrol robots as intru‑ sive and argue that better basic facilities and safer equip‑ ment would do more for workers than being watched by machines. What makes this project notable is where it sits in the value chain: tagging sits at the “unsexy” end of operations, far from blast furnaces and casting lines, yet by automat‑ ing this last‑mile task, Hyundai Steel is effectively wiring product‑history data directly into physical logistics so each coil leaves the plant with its identity secured by a robot, not a rushed human hand. W W W. W I R E N E T. O R G
The cables behind AI’s eyes On the other end of the industrial landscape, Japan’s OKI Electric Cable is working on a quieter piece of the puzzle: the wiring that lets robots see in high definition. From its Gunma factory, the company is launching new machine‑vi‑ sion interface cables aimed at AI‑equipped robots and factory automation gear. They are not the only GVIF/ GMSL and FAKRA camera cables, but they are tuned tightly to what modern robots need on crowded lines. Each cable can carry around 5 Gbps of image data, fast enough to feed real‑time inspection and navigation systems. The 3 mm cable can snake through cramped cable tracks and robot joints. One version is designed for fixed routing, while another is engineered for constant motion and rated for roughly 10 million sliding‑bending cycles— exactly the kind of punishment a robot wrist dishes out over years of service. Noise resistance and waterproof FAKRA connectors help keep images clean in electrically hostile, messy environ‑ ments. In a smart maintenance twist, OKI’s design allows the moving section of cable to be swapped without disturb‑ ing the fixed portion. You only replace that section, saving time and money on maintenance. The bigger shift is that cabling itself is being treated as strategic, not generic. As more inspection and guidance happens at the edge—inside robot arms, on gantries, inside compact inspection cells—the link between camera and processor becomes as critical as the optics or algo‑ rithms. By commit‑ ting manufacturing capacity and a focused product line to this niche, OKI is betting that “AI‑ready” wiring will become a defined category, much like field‑ bus or industrial Ethernet did in earlier automation waves. Taken together, the Hyundai Steel cell and OKI’s cables show where 2026 is heading. Robots are stepping deeper into legacy industries, taking over small, error‑prone tasks, while the infrastructure that feeds them data becomes a designed product in its own right. The future of indus‑ trial robotics is not about spectacular machines: it is about getting every tag, frame and signal right, every time.
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CRU Wire & Cable’s Top Calls for 2026 U.K.-based CRU International has long been a frequent presenter of information at industry events, with staff speaking on matters from supply and demand assessments and forecast to microeconomic and end-use demand and cost drivers. Below is CRU’s Top Calls for 2026, which were authored by much-traveled analysts Aisling Hubert and Ahmed Ali. The department is headed by Chenfei Wang.
Overview The overall wire and cable industry continues to be supported by global demand for electrification and connectivity. As the world urban‑ izes and industrializes, demand for metallic and optical cables is grow‑ ing as modern life becomes increasingly energy and data intensive. Over the past year, data centers have emerged as a staggering growth oppor‑ tunity for suppliers as power requirements and connectivity demands break records across regions. Combined with decarbonization, energy security and increasing digitalization, cable demand remains robust and able to weather short‑term challenges in applications such as FTTH roll‑ out slowdown and cyclical construction slowdowns.
Aisling Hubert
Ahmed Ali
#1 Top call – Metallic Wire and Cable Continued exports of cables from China as low domestic demand persists Multi-year weakness in China’s construction industry has plagued building wire demand while manufactur‑ ing and grid network expansion have continued at pace. Although new anti-involution measures hope to limit the hyper-competitiveness of the industry and try to avoid the continued erosion of margins, we still expect that producers will continue to rely on exports to make up for a poor domestic market. Smaller companies may struggle in this new paradigm of relying on international markets for returns. As a result, we also expect to see increased consolidation of smaller, distressed manufacturers.
#2 Top call – Metallic Wire and Cable Reshoring of manufacturing to the US as tariffs make imports prohibitive Some copper and aluminium cables, and wirerod’s exposure to 50% Section 232 duties has made imports more prohibitive. Imports currently represent one-quarter of U.S. cable supply. As inventories are drawn down, onshoring will become more attractive. Currently, only low voltage copper cables are covered by the Section 232 ruling but there is scope for the tariffs to be broadened further to other key cable import categories such as power cables. Longer-term tariffs on refined copper, which are due to come in in 2027, will also fuel investments in more US wirerod manu‑ facturing capacity.
#3 Top call – Metallic Wire and Cable, and Optical Fiber and Cable Data center demand to continue at pace as investments reach record highs Data center market has become a key driver of both the metallic and optical cable segments. Metallic cables are benefitting from the higher power requirements of data centers, and despite wariness around the sustain‑ ability of the investments, data centre demand continues to deliver the fastest y/y growth rates across appli‑ cations. Power cables for energy applications as well as low-voltage cables for building construction are both receiving a boost from this demand area. We expect that data centers will account for roughly 8% of total US metallic cable demand in 2026. On the fiber optic side, stronger pull from server room connectivity and data center interconnect is driving a notice‑ able shift in demand patterns. Optical cable for data centers will reach around 16% of total global demand in 2026, with suppliers increasingly prioritizing the requirements of this segment.
#4 Top call – Optical Fiber and Cable There will be more consolidation among European optical cable suppliers Europe is likely to see a shrinking ecosystem of active optical cable suppliers in 2026 as consolidation accel‑ erates. This is driven by current price pressure, subdued cable demand, and aggressive Asian exports that are squeezing the margins of mid-tier players.
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#5 Top call – Hollow Core Fiber Hollow core fiber ecosystem will expand, but it will remain early days for commercial rollout Hollow core fiber will gain momentum in 2026 with more suppliers, trials and technology partnerships emerging across the U.S., Europe and China. This is due to sustained interest from hyperscalers in its low latency and low attenuation capabilities that align with their data centre infrastructure needs. Investment in hollow core will likely prompt new joint development programmes between hyperscalers, telcos and optical cable and fibre suppliers as well as accelerating the existing ones. There is also space for start-ups to emerge to serve this niche market and collaborate with established players.
Summary There is a shared momentum across both metallic wire and cable and optical fiber and cable despite challenges in some specific applications. Metallic cable producers will have to navigate shifting global supply dynamics, most notably China’s export recalibration under anti-involution policies and the accelerating pull of the US as tariffs and copper price differentials shape trade patterns. On the optical side, competition across the supply chain is intensifying as manufacturers in many regions look for new avenues for growth across regions and applications to compensate for their subdued domestic demand and mounting price pressure. Despite elements of saturation and cyclical challenges, the combined wire and cable industry remains strategically indispensable, increasingly innovation-led and supported by long-term demand fundamentals that appear firmly intact for 2026.
About CRU CRU International provides independent market analysis, price assessments and forecasts for metallic and optical fiber wire and cable, covering supply–demand, costs, end-use demand, and energy-transition themes. Its dedicated wire and cable team includes at least four named specialists across Shanghai, London, Mumbai and Pittsburgh, supported by CRU’s wider network of about 290 commodity experts worldwide. www.crugroup.com.
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