Verona 2019: a Wire and Cable conference with an Italian flavor

Wire and Cable Verona’s premiere has just ended surpassing even the best initial expectations. On October 21 and 22 the International Conference dedicated to the Wire and Cable industries brought together over 250 delegates from 27 different countries in the charming city of Verona, Italy.
In the two halls, one dedicated to ferrous metals and the other to non-ferrous metals, plenty of technical innovations were presented and discussed: from the advantages of thermo-mechanical and air patenting in modern rolling, to cathodic plasma electrolysis, to the applications of 4.0 industry, and much more.

Most of the speeches were related to technical issues, but there was also space for more general themes. A worthy contribution was given by Chenfei Wang (CRU) in his speech: Overview of the global insulated wire and cable markets.
What emerged from the very rich and thorough analysis was a stark contrast between the Chinese and Global market. “Despite being caused by very different factors, both the Chinese and European cable markets have experienced a negative trend lately. The overarching theme is that the European cable market is concentrated, while China’s cable market appears to be more fragmented“, said Mr. Wang in conclusion.

A special mention also goes to Walther Van Raemdonck (NV Bekaert SA), who gave a presentation about Trends and Challenges in Steel Wire Technologies: “In many application areas for wire products higher tensile strength levels are envisaged. Many different processing parameters are affecting process ability and final wire properties, and are becoming even more important when higher tensile strength levels are targeted and when tighter tolerances and more uniform downstream performance are needed in view of automation. Ductility, toughness, fatigue etc. are important characteristics which can be strongly affected by static and dynamic ageing phenomena. Finding a robust solution to reduce the ageing sensitivity is a real challenge. In our industry the trend towards more healthy and environmentally friendly ways of processing is clearly present and obliges us to anticipate and develop phase-out plans for possible hazardous substances.”

A word from the attendees
Attendance to the conference was exceptional, to the point that the organizers WAI and ACIMAF had to close registrations because the event was sold out.
Expometals.net has captured this big hit on video, collecting the comments of some of the protagonists. Many attendees have expressed their appreciation not only for the value of the technical speeches, but also for the organization of the meeting, which was blessed by a pleasant and unusually warm weather.

The first day ended with a top-class reception and gala dinner in the historical halls of Palazzo Verità Poeta, where guests were able to experience the incredible taste of Italian cuisine. On the following day, the delegates linked to the ferrous industry were taken on a tour of Acciaierie di Verona (Pittini Group), hosting a brand new steel wire rod mill. Attendees of the non ferrous track visited the facilities of the electric cable manufacturer Mondini Cavi. After the plant tours, the two groups reunited at the Serego Alighieri Estate for a wine tasting and a buffet, to honor the historical, cultural and wine tradition of the worldwide famous Masi Winery.


“At Wire & Cable Verona 2019 we were able to offer technology, innovation, but also the beauties of Italy”, commented Ferruccio Bellina, President of Acimaf and TKT Group. These values were celebrated during the conference day by showing a video from ITA (Italian Trade Agency) entitled Italy - the Extraordinary Commonplace.