wiredInUSA June 2018

‘Upbeat’ Wire Expo M A K I N G T H E NEWS

An upbeat vibe for the future of the industry was the underlying feeling from the staging of Wire Expo, held in May at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. More than 1,100 participants from 37 states and 17 countries attended the event, coinciding with the Wire Association International’s 88 th annual convention. Curt Cronin, former Navy SEAL, delivered an engaging keynote address entitled “Tapping into Your Potential: Attempting the Absurd and Achieving the Impossible.” John T Johnson, owner and president, Mid-South Wire Company, Nashville, and president of the American Wire Producers Association, followed the keynote address with a welcome to Nashville. His opening remarks emphasized the impact of challenges facing the industry such as imported steel tariffs, and the significance of

attracting new talent to the wire industry.

More than 175 companies exhibited, covering more than 90 product types including wire and cable making machinery, supplies and ancillary equipment, and industry services. The Ask the Expert Express and the live Production Solutions demonstrations remain popular activities on the exhibit floor. More than 450 people attended WAI’s welcome reception on Delta Island within the Gaylord campus, where entertainment was sponsored by James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp. WAI’s highest honors went to Mordica Memorial Award winner Gary L Spence; Donnellan Memorial Award winner and WAI Past President Bill Avise; President’s Award winner PatricioMurga; andWire Link Travelling Scholarship winner Chris Palisch.

9

wiredInUSA - June 2018