EoW September 2009

17 / 116

EuroWire – September 2009 15
corporatenews
Serving the industry for 40 years – IWMA
The International Wire & Machinery
Association (IWMA) celebrates its 40th
anniversary in 2010, coinciding with
the wire Düsseldorf exhibition, and will
mark this milestone in a number of ways.
Already member organisations are taking
advantage of a special offer of two years’
membership for the price of one, when
renewing during 2009.
New members who apply to join during
2009 can also enjoy the two years’
membership anniversary offer.
Currently in preparation for publication
early next year is a commemorative
booklet, recording the history of the
IWMA and the member organisations
and individuals who have made the
association what it is today.
Important social and networking events
will take place during 2010 to celebrate
the anniversary, with the main focus on a
prestigious gala dinner in Düsseldorf on
Tuesday 13th April during wire Düsseldorf
2010. Many special guests will be invited,
including a number who have played
important roles in the history of the
IWMA.
Many member companies will be
attending wire Düsseldorf, but for those
on the other side of the world there will
be a special reception on Thursday 23rd
September 2010 at the IWMA booth
during the wire China 2010 exhibition.
More details of this special anniversary
event in China will be posted on the
IWMA website,
The IWMA began in 1970 when the
four founders Messrs J Buckley, J Hogg,
W Merchant and R Molyneux saw the
need to provide an organisation that
would specifically represent the interests
of those companies concerned with the
production and processing machinery for
wires, cables and wire products.
In its formative years of 1971-1974 the
association, then known as the “Wire
Machinery Association”, embarked on
a recruitment campaign which gained
members in both the UK and overseas.
During this period a series of technical
conferences were also held.
By 1975 the worldwide corporate
membership totalled sixty-six, and a
year later the organisation was renamed
the International Wire & Machinery
Association. By the end of the 1970s
the IWMA had also instigated the birth
of the International Tube Association,
which remains a sister organisation to this
day. During the 1980s the IWMA
played key roles in the establishing
and sponsoring of major international
exhibitions such as Interwire, wire
Düsseldorf and wire Singapore.
A number of major technical conferences
were organised by the IWMA during this
decade and this activity continues right
up to the present day. By the time of the
forthcoming Istanbul Cable & Wire ‘09
technical conference in November this
year the IWMA will have organised no
fewer than forty-five such events since
its foundation.
Mindful of the need to attract young
engineers to the wire and cable industry
and to improve technical standards, the
IWMA registered an Educational Trust
Fund in 1987 to sponsor educational and
research projects related to the industries
represented by the membership.
This became known as the “Walter Niehoff
Scholarship” in recognition of the past
IWMA president.
Subsequently, the Educational Trust
introduced what is now known as the
“John C Hogg Travel Award”, named in
memory of the Association’s late Secretary
General and Founder, which enables
trainees from all parts of the world to
attend the biggest and most important
industry trade fair in Düsseldorf.
More recently the IWMA has supported
and sponsored other exhibitions in
emerging or developing markets, notably
wire Russia, wire China, Metaltech in
Brazil, Tekno in Dubai and Wire & Cable
India as well as encouraging the moving
of wire Singapore to Bangkok in its new
designation as wire Southeast Asia.
The global market is fully reflected
in the scope of the IWMA’s corporate
membership – now nearly three hundred
organisations from more than fifty
countries and still growing.
International Wire & Machinery
Association (IWMA) – UK
Fax: +44 1926 314755
Email:
Website: