The Best of... Compounds/Colorants + Hand Tools Feature Sample by Wire Journal International, Inc.

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01010100 0 40YEARS YEARS The Best of... 00100000 0 COMPOUNDS/COLORANTS + HAND TOOLS 40YEARS IN 40

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INTERWIRE 2021

INTERWIRE 2021 HIGHLIGHTS Welcome back to Interwire Interwire registrants have access to exhibits, Industry 4.0 pavilion, keynote sessions, briefings, paper presentations, production solutions demonstrations, and welcome reception—all happening within the exhibit hall!

Insights, Innovation and Information

INDUSTRY4.0

Has your company been on the sidelines when it comes to Industry 4.0? 20 paper presentations will address different elements. Get your front row seat for insights and discussions on this and other meaningful topics.

Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing This iconic WAI program is being offered as a hybrid course. It will be offered virtually on Wednesday, Oct. 13, and Oct. 20. The balance will be held in person at the Wire Journal Conference Centers on Wednesday, Oct. 27.

Exhibits & Products Meet the machinery makers and suppliers - in person - who can help you realize your manufacturing goals. More than 70 product categories are represented by exhibitors.

Dedicated Industry 4.0 Pavilion Where can you find real-world answers to questions about Industry 4.0? The Industry 4.0 Pavilion on the show floor will host 12 companies with 18 presentations over two days. Reps from companies will be there, so bring your questions.

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INTERWIRE 2021

Day 1: Tuesday, October 26 It’s pedal to the metal from the official opening of Interwire 2021, with the exhibits open from 9 am to 6 pm. The day will include a memorable keynote presentation followed by a concentrated schedule of alternating presentations made at the Industry 4.0 pavilion (15 minutes) and the WAI Theater (30 minutes) sponsored by Sonoco. Production Solutions will be held on the exhibition floor (more details to follow in September). WAI will also hold its Annual Meeting, Awards Presentation and Mordica Lecture at the WAI Theater. The day concludes with the Welcome Reception on the show floor. It looks to be a very busy, full day.

A keynote for the super hero in everyone Keynote Speaker Brett Culp, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, will revitalize attendees by redefining what a superhero is: everyday people, indeed, can make a difference. See p. 42.

Industry 4.0 Briefings These 15-minute segments scheduled throughout the two-day program highlight exhibitors involved in some aspect of Industry 4.0.

Live! WAI’s Annual Meeting, Awards Presentation and Mordica Lecture Join us at the WAI Theater sponsored by Sonoco on Tuesday at 4 pm for the WAI’s Annual meeting. It will be followed by the WAI awards ceremony and the Mordica Award Lecture. See more details in the September Preshow issue.

• MFL Group/40Factory/MindSphere Group • ADVARIS • TROESTER • Rockwell • Niehoff • Sikora • Cimteq • Zumbach • The MGS Group

Industry 4.0 Conference Sessions WAI’s conference program represents a first for the Association’s iconic event. It will focus directly on Industry 4.0 through companies—including first-time exhibitors—that have expertise in the field, and can explain how it can best be introduced and deployed. The 16 presentations (nine of which will be held on day 1, Oct. 26) will show how elements such as automation, AI, robotics, data analytics and machine learning can improve wire and cable production. Speakers: • Willem Sundblad, Oden Technologies • Jussi Hanhirova, Maillefer Extrusion Oy • Ali Shehab, Cimteq • Andrea Gozzi, MindSphere World Italia, and Rajiv Sivaraman, MindSphere World North America • Grant Latimer, Proton Products, Inc. • Jeff Dewberry, Southwire Company • Giuseppe Marcantoni, Continuus-Properzi • Eduardo Bolivar, Marposs Corporation • Lawrence Whittle, Parsable W W W. W I R E N E T. O R G

“I’M GOING BACK TO THE FUTURE OF WIRE MAKING”

INDUSTRY4.0

Use the QR code to reveal my video.

OCTOBER 26-27, 2021 GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER ATLANTA, GEORGIA, USA

A U G U S T 2 0 2 1 W I R E J O U R N A L I N T E R N AT I O N A L

INTERWIRE 2021

Keynote speaker: the superhero within us Brett Culp, the scheduled keynote speaker for WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo 2020, will be unlike any who has previously appeared at a WAI event. Brett is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and founder of The Rising Heroes Project, a non-profit entity. He is known for films Legends of the Knight, and his latest, Look to the Sky, both of which explore the power of heroic stories and heroic individuals to inspire us to believe in a better tomorrow. Brett’s newest film, A Voice That Carries, follows the relationships between fathers and daughters, premiered in early June 2021. His films are featured on Netflix, iTunes, Hulu, and other top digital platforms. Through his groundbreaking non-profit documentary work, Brett has pioneered the art of creating “minimovements” that inspire the super-human spirit in us all. His unique approach to community-building and relationship-driven engagement invite people to connect with a noble vision and make a difference together. Passionate, energetic, and engaging, Brett

encourages audiences to find the superhero within and their own path to “everyday leadership.” His insights on connecting individuals to an organization’s mission and goals resonate, help us realize our greatest personal and business potential, and renew our collective sense of hope for the future and belief that our efforts can make an impact.

Keynote speaker: time to join the revolution Kathleen Edge, Southwire executive vice president, operations, will discuss Southwire’s mission to be a “Connected – Flexible Operating System.” She will highlight the company’s journey toward modernization and a lean culture adapting to new demands by sharing production-related success stories. Observes Edge, “The Industrial Revolution 4.0 is a decade in the making. Only 40% of large companies have a strategic roadmap in place and 18% for firms with revenues of less than $1 billion. The wire and cable industry is delivering power to this revolution with our solutions and services. At the same time, we need to revolutionize our own operating processes across

W I R E J O U R N A L I N T E R N AT I O N A L A U G U S T 2 0 2 1

the entire value chain to remain competitive. While technology is an enabler, it is not the fix. Technology needs to leverage experienced employees with tools to realize the true benefits. Southwire is on a mission to ensure no one is left behind in this revolution and make the lives or our operators easier and more rewarding.”

Crowd at a keynote presentation from Interwire 2019.

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INTERWIRE 2021

Day 2: Wednesday, October 27 The action continues. Exhibits will open at 9 am and close at 5 pm. The day will include a keynote presentation followed by multiple presentations at both the Industry 4.0 Pavilion and the WAI Theater. The in-person portion of the WAI’s Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing course will reconvene.

Industry 4.0 Conference Sessions

WAI’s conference program represents a first for the Association’s iconic event. It will focus directly on Industry 4.0 through companies—including first-time exhibitors—that have expertise in the field, and can explain how it can best be introduced and deployed. The 16 presentations (eight of which will be held on day 2, Oct. 27) will show how elements such as automation, AI, robotics, data analytics and machine learning can improve wire production. Speakers: • Andrés Cartagena Ruiz, MFL Group • John Dognazzi, SIKORA International Corp. • TBD, Rockwell Automation, Inc. • Maziyar Fransgaard Nesari, ENKOTEC A/S • Thomas Lerch, TROESTER GmbH & Co. KG • Paul Douwes, ADVARIS • Ali Shehab, Cimteq • Camillo Ghelfi, 40Factory Srl

Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing (hybrid program)

This is the Wire Association’s most popular training program and refresher course for new hires, sales teams, and operations personnel. The general sessions will be held virtually prior to Interwire, covering: Mechanics of Wiredrawing and Drawing Dies on October 13, 2021, and Wiredrawing Lubricant Technology and Wire Breaks & Surface Damage on October 20, 2021. The below sessions will be presented in person on October 27, 2021. Ferrous track: • Fundamentals of Ferrous Metallurgy • Cleaning and Coating of Rod and Wire • Ferrous Testing and Properties • Ferrous Heat Treatment Nonferrous/Electrical track: • Stranding and Cabling • Extrusion • Fundamentals of Electrical Testing • Marking & Printing

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Keynote speaker is an agent for change at Southwire Kathleen Edge, Southwire’s executive vice president, operations, will share her thoughts on her company’s journey toward modernization and a lean culture adapting to new demands. See p. 42.

Industry 4.0 Briefings

Six more companies present their 15-minute segments at the Industry 4.0 Pavilion. • Oden Technologies • Enkotec • Davis-Standard/Maillefer • Parsable • Continuus-Properzi • InnoVites

“I’M GOING BACK TO THE FUTURE OF WIRE MAKING”

INDUSTRY4.0

Use the QR code to reveal my video.

OCTOBER 26-27, 2021 GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER ATLANTA, GEORGIA, USA

A U G U S T 2 0 2 1 W I R E J O U R N A L I N T E R N AT I O N A L

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTERNET OF THINGS AUTOMATION

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The Interwire experience is both grand and detailed with an eye on the future, as it has been since 1981. Today Industry 4.0 captures the imagination of wire makers. It introduces change. Automation, robotics, and data analytics affect the way wire is made and how well companies compete on the world stage.

INDUSTRY4.0

At Interwire you can explore the possibilities of Industry 4.0. Meet with the machinery makers and suppliers who can help you realize your goals. Learn what these changes mean for your plant and personnel. And find out what is imminent and what is already here to stay.

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Getting back to the business of wire making means getting ahead with Interwire – the Americas wire & cable industry fair. Join WAI for a lively exchange in a healthy place. Register now:

VISIT WWW.INTERWIRE21.COM TO SEE MORE VIDEOS!

EXHIBITS: OCTOBER 26-27, 2021 GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER ATLANTA, GEORGIA, USA

1101000 01010100 01101000 INTERWIRE EXHIBITORS RY4.0 40YEARS 1010111 0 40YEARS A. Appiani Aeroel Ace Metal, Inc ADVARIS GmbH AIM, Inc. Air Control Industries, Inc. AITMAC, Inc. Allied Industrial Group, Inc. American Kuhne, a brand of Graham Engineering ArgusIoT, Inc. Asahi Kasei Ascaclean Americas AW Machinery, LLC AWT Machinery, Inc. Axjo America, Inc. Aztech Lubricants, LLC B & H Tool Co., LLC Balloffet Die, Corp. Baum’s Castorine Co., Inc. Bechem Lubrication Technology, LLC Bergandi Machinery, Co. BetaLasermike Blachford, Corp. Bobbins India Boockmann Engineering GmbH Buhler Redex GmbH Caballe Calmec Candor Carris Reels, Inc. CBC Metals Processing Cemanco, LC CERSA-MCI Chase Wire & Cable Materials Chemetall/BASF Cheng I Wire Machinery, Co. Ltd. Chengdu Centran Industrial, Co., Ltd. Chroma Color Corp. Cimteq Clifford Clinton Instrument, Co. CM Furnaces, Inc. CMEC International Exhibition Co., Ltd. CMEC, Ltd. Cogebi, Inc. Cometo Commission Brokers, Inc. Condat Conneaut Industries, Inc. Conoptica CTS - Cincinnati Thermal Spray, Inc. Davis-Standard Delta Tecnic Die Quip, Corp. Domeks Makine Ltd. STI DS Hai Dies, LLC DuBois Chemicals/ Heatbath Dynamex, Corp. E-BEAM Services, Inc. Ebner Furnaces, Inc. EJP Maschinen GmbH Elkem, Inc. Enkotec Co. Inc. ERA Wire, Inc. Esteves Group, USA Eurodraw Energy George Evans, Corp. EVG/DEM Evolution Products Extrusion Control & Supply, Inc. Fabpro Polymers, AKA Great Lakes Polymer Fabritex, Inc. Fenn, LLC FIB Filtertech, Inc. Fine International, Corp. Flymca, Fluidos Y Mecanicas Cantabria S.L. FMS USA, Inc. Foerster Instruments, Inc. Fort Wayne Wire Die, Inc.

40Factory SRL Frigeco Mario Frigerio Gateway Recovery Inc. Gem Gravure Co., Inc. W. Gillies Technologies, LLC Guill Tool & Engineering, Co. Güven Mühendislik Makina San Tic Ltd. Sti H Folke Sandelin AB Hangzhou JR Exhibition, Co., Ltd. Heany Industries, Inc. Henrich H-I-S Coatings HONTA, Inc. Hower Equipment, Inc. Huestis Industrial Huettner-Maschinenfabrik IDEAL Welding Systems Ideal Werk iiM AG measurement + engineering Innovites Inosym Integrated Control Technologies Italian Trade Agency ICE IWE Spools & Handling Joe Snee Associates, Inc. Joe-Tools Jouhsen - Bundgens, Inc. Kablosan Turkey - FBC Yayincilik, Ltd., Sti KABMAK MUHENDISLIK VE MAKINA SAN. TIC. LTD. STI. Kalmark Intergrated Systems, Ltd. KEIR Manufacturing, Inc. Kieselstein GmbH King Steel, Corp. Kinrei of America KN Manufacturing Solutions Koch Kopilowitz Krollmann Lamnea Bruk AB LaserLinc, Inc. Leggett & Platt Wire Group Leibinger Coding and Marking Systems Leoni Wire, Inc. OM Lesmo Lloyd & Bouvier, Inc. M. Holland Madem-Moorecraft Reels, USA Magnetic Analysis Corp. Maillefer Extrusion Oy MARPOSS MAX SÜSS GmbH & Co. KG Messe Düsseldorf North America Metal Link, Inc. Metalloid Corp. MFL Group USA MFL X The MGS Group Micro Products Co. Microdia SA Mid-South Wire MindSphere World Italia Morgan-Koch NDC Technologies Niagara Composites International, Inc. Niehoff Endex North America, Inc. Maschinenfabrik Niehoff GmbH & Co. KG Nitta Corporation of America Nylene Canada, Inc. Oden Technologies P & R Specialty, Inc. P/A Industries, Inc. Paramount Die, Co. Parkway Kew Parsable Phifer Wire, Inc. Pioneer Precision Die Technologies, Inc.

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Premier Wire Die PRINTSAFE Process Control Corp. Progress Promostar, srl Properzi International, Inc. Proton Products, Inc. Q8Oils QED Wire Lines, Inc. Quaker Houghton QMS Rainbow Rubber & Plastics RAUTOMEAD Ltd. Reber Systematic GmbH KG Redex of America Reel Options by Vandor Corp. REELEX Packaging Solutions, Inc. Refractron Technologies, Corp. RichardsApex, Inc. Rockford Manufacturing Group FELM Rockwell Automation Rosendahl Nextrom Roteq Machinery, Inc. SACO AEI Polymers Saint-Gobain SAMP USA, Inc. Sark-Wire Sarkuysan Schlatter North America Schmidt Maschinenbau GmbH Schnell SpA Schunk Carbon Technology Setic s.a.s. Sikora International, Corp. SIMPACKS Sjogren Industries, Inc. SKET Sonoco Reels and Spools Spirka Staku Surface Treatment Star Materials Steel Cable Reels Stolberger Inc DBA Wardwell Braiding Strecker USA Super Seal Corp. Sweed Machinery, Inc. Taubensee Steel & Wire, Co. Taymer International, Inc. Teknikor Teknor Apex Tektapes Tensor Machinery, Ltd. Tramev Traxit North America, LLC Troester GmbH & Co. KG Ultimate Automation Ltd. United Wire Co., Inc. UPCAST OY US Extruders Vaughn Vinston US, Corp. Voge Composites WAFIOS Machinery Corp. Western Engineered Products, Inc. Windak, Inc. Winding Automation Wire & Cable Technology International The Wire Association International, (WAI) Inc. Wire Journal International, Inc. Wire Lab, Co. Wire Machine Systems, Inc. Wire & Plastic Machinery, Corp. Witels Albert USA, Ltd. Woodburn Diamond Die, Inc. Worth Steel Yield Management Corporation Zumbach Electronics, Corp. List as of 7/22/21

ADVANCE REGISTRATION FORM October 26-27, 2021 | Georgia World Congress Center | Atlanta, Georgia, USA

3. EVENT REGISTRATION (Select one from either section A. or B. below.) Advance pricing available until October 8, 2021.

Note: Please print and complete all information. If you mail this form, keep a photocopy.

E-MAIL (REQUIRED)

[

]

A. CONFERENCE AND EXHIBIT

Advance

Tuesday-Wednesday, October 26-27 Includes Industry 4.0 sessions, exhibits, keynote, production solutions, and welcome reception.

LAST NAME

FIRST NAME

WAI Member

$75 

$110 

*New WAI Member

$140 

$180 

Non Member

$175 

$210 

B. FUNDAMENTALS OF WIRE MANUFACTURING COURSE

MIDDLE

JOB TITLE

Hybrid program Includes program materials, handouts, and access to all ‘Conference and Exhibit’ registration.

COMPANY

Note: This course is offered as a hybrid program. It will be offered virtually on Wednesday, Oct. 13 and Oct. 20. The balance will be in person on Oct. 27.

STREET/MAILING ADDRESS

WAI Member

$295 

$395 

*New WAI Member

$395 

$495 

Non Member $445  $545  –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Ferrous Track  Nonferrous/Electrical Track 

*New WAI Member price includes a one year WAI membership – SHOW SPECIAL, ONE TIME ONLY PRICING.

2ND ADDRESS LINE IF NEEDED

WELCOME RECEPTION STATE/PROV.

CITY

On-site

POSTAL CODE

Tuesday, October 26 The festivities take place on the exhibit floor and are open to all registrants. Please check box if you plan to attend.

Yes, I am attending the reception. 

COUNTRY

4. PAYMENT OPTIONS COUNTRY CODE TELEPHONE (include area code)

 Check enclosed payable to THE WIRE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL, INC. (Checks must be in U.S. dollars drawn on U.S. bank) Credit Card:  American Express  Discover  MasterCard  Visa

2. BUSINESS INFORMATION (REQUIRED) A. Company business type

| CARD NUMBER

M| M| Y| Y

EXPIRATION DATE

(SELECT ONE) WIRE MANUFACTURING: 10  Aluminum & Al. Alloys (Rod/Bar, Bare Wire) 20  Copper & Copper Alloys (Rod/Bar, Bare Wire) 30  Steel & Steel Alloys (Rod/Bar, Bare Wire) 40  Other Metal (Rod/Bar, Bare Wire) 50  Electrical (Insulated Wire) 53  Communication (Insulated Wire) 55  Fiber Optics 60  Fasteners, Wire Forming, Fabricating, Springs SUPPLIERS TO THE WIRE INDUSTRY: 72  Machinery 74  Process, Accessories, Materials

NAME ON CARD (please print)

SIGNATURE

DATE

Cancellation Policy Refund requests must be received in writing by these dates: On or before October 20, 2021 – REFUND minus $25 handling fee After October 20, 2021 – NO REFUND

WIRE AND CABLE END USER: 19  Appliance, Transportation, Other Wire & Cable End User OTHER: 80  Service Centers, Distributors & Warehouses 90  Consultants 91  Student/Faculty 92  Govt., Library, Others Allied to Field

B. Primary job function (SELECT ONE) 10  General & Administrative Management 20  Engineering/Operations/Production 30  Technical/R&D/Quality Control 40  Purchasing 50  Sales & Marketing 60  Student/Faculty 90  Other, Please Specify: _____________________________________________________________

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: Wire Journal International I would like to receive/continue to receive Wire Journal International each month! ❏ Yes SELECT ONE: ❏ Print

❏ Digital

❏ Both print & digital

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DATE (required)

INTERWIRE 2021







A map of the show floor with three sites singled out. Visit www.interwire21.com for an interactive view of the floor plan.  WAI Theater  Industry 4.0 Pavilion  Wire Journal Conference Centers

Show floor overview The condensed schedule for the 2021 staging of Interwire promises to make for one very full experience. 250+ exhibitors will participate on the show floor (see the continuously growing list on p. 45). The roster includes a number of new exhibitors, including some that are part of the Industry 4.0 Pavilion. Educational segments are scheduled throughout the two-day program at the Industry 4.0 Pavilion. Visit each kiosk for in-depth discussions or visit for the 15-minute mini presentations to learn more about the innovative technologies that are part of Industry 4.0. The WAI Theater sponsored by Sonoco will host Interwire Conference Sessions as well as WAI events. The in-person portion of the Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing courses will be held in the Wire Journal Conference Centers (A/B). Look no further than the exhibit hall for the Interwire Welcome Reception this year. WAI welcomes visitors, exhibitors, speakers, and sponsors for an exhilarating chance to continue business discussions with clients and friends.

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Event registration Special low pricing and full access registration have been established for Interwire 2021. All attendees will have full access to the 250 company exhibition, the new Industry 4.0 Conference that includes the two Keynote sessions, the Industry 4.0 Pavilion and Briefings. In addition, all attendees will be able to participate in the Welcome Reception on Tuesday that will be held on the exhibit floor. The Fundamentals Course continues to require a separate registration, but that also includes access to the Conference and other elements. For more details, go online to www.interwire21. com/general-info/registration-rates.

Hotel reservations The time to act is now! At press time, two of the eight hotels in the Interwire block were nearly sold-out, and rooms at the Omni CNN Center were approaching capacity. We encourage everyone to reserve a room as soon as possible directly through the www.interwire21.com site. There are other events going on in Atlanta during Interwire, so hotel availability will be limited, especially at the properties nearest the GWCC.  A U G U S T 2 0 2 1 W I R E J O U R N A L I N T E R N AT I O N A L

F E AT U R E

The Best of...

COMPOUNDS + COLORANTS

The Best of ... Alphagary

Alphagary’s Melton plant in the U.K. Contact: Rob Conway, national sales manager Tel: 978-537-8071 rob.conway@alphagary.com www.alphagary.com

This section asks OEMs to explain why what they have to offer customers is “the best of.” Here, suppliers of compounds and colorants used for wire and cable discuss their product focus and what makes them a good potential partner. Some companies also present more technical details in entries in the Products section, and a few share their thoughts on the current shortages of raw materials and other industry challenges.

Alphagary (Mexichem) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of innovative compounds that are purpose-built for wire and cable applications. Cable engineers who work with us have polymer options. Our compound brands include SMOKEGUARD (built for plenum), MEGOLON (LSHF), GW series (FR-PVC), GARAFLEX (TPE) and GARATHANE (urethane). Each is uniquely designed to provide a balance of performance criteria that meets required physical properties, processability and fire testing guidelines. With safety our top priority, Alphagary’s materials are designed to perform under various fire testing standards in the U.S. (National Electrical Code standards for residential, tray, riser and plenumrated cables) and Europe (CPR standards). Several compounds are listed in UL recognition categories. For example, MEGOLON LSHF compounds are listed in UL’s halogen-free recognition program and SMOKEGUARD is listed in the UL category for plenum cables. To broaden our innovation horizon, Alphagary recently acquired majority share ownership of Shakun Polymers Private Ltd. See p. 12. Shakun, which has four facilities in India, has earned its reputation in the wire and cable industry as a trusted and innovative supplier. This partnership allows both organizations to widen their product portfolios and gives Alphagary a local supply position to service its customer base in the Indian subcontinent, Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa. Our employee team is our greatest asset. We have a dynamic and deliberate emphasis on safety and health, as can be seen by our maintaining certifications to programs such as ISO 9001, 45001, 14001, OHSAS and ISRS. This mindset, coupled with decades of innovative experience, empowers us to provide solutions for the next generation.

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F E AT U R E

The Best of ... Arkema Inc.

Castor beans further ‘green’ cables Contact: Luigi Puglia, wire & cable market manager-NA Tel: 610-205-7528 luigi.puglia@arkema.com www.kynar.com

The Best of ... Cable Components

Specialists in fluoropolymers Contact: Cable Components Group Tel: 860-559-5877 www.cablecomponents.com W W W. W I R E N E T. O R G

Arkema is a pioneer in amino 11 chemistry. Our flagship Rilsan® polyamide 11 and Pebax® Rnew® thermoplastic elastomers have a legacy of meeting some of the world’s most demanding material challenges. Their trademark properties, ideal for wire and cable applications, include lightweight, flexibility, durability, energy return, and overall toughness. They represent two families of highly differentiated advanced materials with a wide portfolio of options, including grades tailored for higher temperatures, flame and smoke resistance, transparency, and even functional characteristics like flexibility and antistatic properties. Bio-based. Arkema’s amino 11 chemistry is derived from the castor beans, a sustainable, renewable crop that does not compete with food and does not cause deforestation. Arkema is a leading driver of sustainable castor farming in India. Launched in 2016, Arkema is a founding member of the Pragati Initiative with BASF, Jayant Agro-Organics Ltd., and Solidaridad. The initiative’s key goal is to enable sustainable castor crop production. Circular. The castor bean is actually a seed. When planted, more seeds grow: the circle of life in action! Further, Rilsan and Pebax Rnew grades are generally recyclable. Arkema offers its Virtucycle® services to partner customers. This mechanical recycling allows another ~80% further reduction in CO2 impact. We understand high-performance polymers require strict quality controls to assure the final properties are not compromised so our Virtucycle services are done on a case-by-case basis. Arkema is dedicated to producing advanced bio-circular materials for the wire and cable industry. See p. 74 for its newest PVDF resin grade.

Founded in 1999 and located in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, USA, Cable Components Group LLC (CCG) designs, engineers and manufactures extruded products for wire and cable, optical fiber, fiber optics and other industrial applications. CCG also manufactures specialty compounds based on fluoropolymers and engineering resins. CCG provides chemically foamable resin applications allowing customers to improve performance through its patented FluoroFoam® technology and patented profile designs. Legacy products range from cross-web designs to tubing, rods and tapes. CCG’s engineers also apply their decades of industry experience toward the development of fluoropolymer-based compounds with better dielectric constants, enhanced thermal stability, and other application critical metrics with higher temperature ratings. CCG will compound, toll-blend modify and customize formulations with in-house blending of resin, color pigments and additives, which is cost effective and efficient for the customer. Custom compounding is a wise solution for complex, process-critical blending. Equipped with a range of Buss Kneader and twin-screw compounding equipment, CCG can handle all of your diverse compounding requirements. CCG designs and engineers custom formulations in the form of compounds, cable fillers such as tubes, tapes and rods, fibers and filaments. With technological innovation in fluoropolymers such as PVDF, FEP, PFA, MFA, ETFE and ECTFE, as well as technical prowess in other high-temperature engineering resins ranging from PAEK to PEEK to PEKK, and PPS and PSU, CCG is unmatched in providing a combination of unique product performance, applied scientific expertise and engineering excellence. A U G U S T 2 0 2 1 W I R E J O U R N A L I N T E R N AT I O N A L

F E AT U R E

The Best of...

HAND TOOLS

The Best of ... Aztech Lubricants

EZPliers 10 small hole model Contact: Jonathan Anderson, CEO Tel: 405-310-0034 janderson@aztechlube.com www.aztechlube.com

This section asks suppliers of hand tools to explain why what they have to offer customers is “the best of.” They aren’t going to be thought of the same way that capital equipment is, but for the people who have to use them day-after-day on the shop floor to pull, cut and snip, having hand tools that work reliably and comfortably matter a lot. Also, some companies present more technical details in entries in the Products section.

Aztech Lubricants is best known for its lines of EZDraw, EZCoat, and EZClean Products lubricants, but we also offer the EZPliers lines of wire hand tools, which we trademarked in 2018. Why would we do that? It turns out that when you visit customers who make wire over the years, you notice things. One is that manufacturers often need to pull or cut wire, and if you don’t have the right tools, that can be a pain. Companies would have tools, but some we saw were not especially good. If you are snipping wire on a regular basis, you need— and deserve—better. As our philosophy is to find ways to make operations run smoother for our customers, we realized we could help, which is how Aztech Lubricants came to offer hand tools. While we don’t make wire, we have staff experienced in doing so. We thought about what was needed, and found a manufacturer of hand tools that could make what we asked for. The result is our EZPliers line of tools, a very modest investment you will never regret making. These wire pliers were designed especially for the wire industry, and over the years we have further worked with our manufacturer to improve the EZPliers to meet our customer’s needs. They have three cutting points that leave your wire cut with a safer flat end. The main feature is a weld-cleaning hole. This is used to quickly clean metal spread after a butt weld, and safely reduce or eliminate the need for a grinder. We offer two different size holes on 10-inch and 12-inch pliers. Our 8-inch pliers only come with a small hole. We also carry 18-inch and 24-inch bolt cutters as well as an 8-inch mini bolt cutter. And while we are there for you for hand tools, we’d really like to also talk about our wire drawing and lubricating formulations.

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The Best of ... Die Quip Corporation

A Krenn bolt cutter Contact: Tom Maxwell, president Tel: 412-833-1662 diequip@diequip.com www.diequip.com

The Best of ... METC

Schematic of a hand tool Contact: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. Tel: 800-729-3878 www.milwaukeetool.com

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Die Quip carries lines of hand tools from two highly regarded German companies: Knipex and Krenn GmbH & Co. KG, as well as its own. The Knipex hand tools are designed to cut soft to hardened steel wire. The 8-in. Mini Bolt Cutter is a favorite of many wire drawers that work with high tensile wire. Knipex recently released a 10-in. version that increases the cutting capacity while requiring 61% less effort because of lever-action design and dual hinge points. Its features include: • Precision cutting edges for soft and hard wire as well as piano wire. • Cuts components like bolts, nails, rivets, etc. up to .205 in./5.2 mm. • It increases cutting performance by 20 times the hand-force applied. • Cutting edges are induction-hardened, hardness approx. 64 HRC. • Chrome vanadium heavy-duty steel, forged, oil hardened. Die Quip now offers its BT-1000 Heavy Duty Benchtop model. It uses Krenn’s R Series bolt cutter head, which features a tough forged steel body and triangle blades that provide three cutting edges to reduce the cost of replacing blades. They are made from oil-tempered hardened steel with a hardness of 60RC. The base is made from heavy-duty steel plates with an action to maximize the transfer of energy to reduce the required cutting force. Features include: • Heavy duty action to reduce failures. • Solid steel base to resist shock of cutting tough materials compared to sheet metal and castings. • Triangle blades provide three cutting edges to reduce blade costs. • Forged head compared to plate steel.

Editor’s note: The below entry is courtesy of the Patents Section, which this month includes the below timely entry from Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp. (METC).

Hand tool such as a wire stripper or combination pliers U.S. Patent No.: 11,027,399 Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp., USA Patent date: June 8, 2021 Filed: April 1, 2016 Inventors: Christopher Hoppe, Mark Cors, Steven Hyma, Grant Squires, Michael Stearns A hand tool and a wire stripper. The hand tool may include a first jaw portion and a second jaw portion having a spring constant more than about 2,225 lbs./in., measured when a force is applied in a direction parallel to the pivot axis to an associated jaw tip with a pivot member being held. The hand tool may include a jaw portion having a gripping surface and an angled wall connected to a side wall and defining a wire stripping portion, the wire stripping portion including a cutting edge and a recess defined in the angled wall, the recess extending from the cutting edge to an end at one of the side walls, the angled wall being arranged non-parallel to the gripping surface and non-perpendicular to the side wall. The wire stripper may be a forged wire stripper including jaws defining a stripping aperture for Romex.

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