TS Conductor (TS), a U.S.-based manufacturer of advanced power transmission technology, will invest $134 million to build a new production facility in Hardeeville, South Carolina, that will create more than 450 jobs.

Per multiple press releases, the plant will manufacture TS’s Aluminum Encapsulated Carbon Core (AECC) conductors, which are designed as direct substitutes for traditional ACSR (aluminum conductor steel-reinforced) cables and are compatible with existing installation and maintenance practices. The new facility, located in the Clarius Park Hardeeville industrial park near the Port of Savannah, is TS’s second U.S. manufacturing site, its first being in Huntington Beach, California.

The project will be carried out in three phases. Phase one involves TS moving into a 301,275-sq-ft building within Clarius Park Hardeeville. This phase is scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2025 and is supported in part by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through its Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains. The DOE funding is part of a broader initiative to bolster domestic manufacturing capacity for critical energy supply chain needs, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines.

Future phases of the project could add up to 1 million sq ft of additional manufacturing space as demand grows. TS projects the three-phase expansion will create 462 manufacturing jobs. The AECC conductors incorporate a pre-tensioned carbon core, a seamless aluminum encapsulation layer and trapezoidal strands made from annealed aluminum. The design is intended to maximize strength, reduce thermal expansion and improve conductivity compared to conventional steel-reinforced cables. The advanced conductors are often used for reconductoring existing power cable lines, especially in applications where excessive sag is a concern, allowing utilities to upgrade capacity without replacing towers or structures.

The TS technology has been recognized with the 2024 Bloomberg NEF Pioneers Award, the S&P Global Platts Rising Star Company award and honors from Public Utilities Fortnightly and DOE. The 2023 June issue of WJI included a writeup on the DOE’s choosing TS as one of the seven companies chosen from 50 teams that entered its Stage 2 Conductivity-enhanced materials for Affordable, Breakthrough Leapfrog Electric applications (CABLE) contest. The winners got $200,000 and $100,000 in vouchers for laboratory support.

TS’s expansion comes at a time when the U.S. electric grid is facing increased demand due to the growth of data centers, manufacturing, and new energy projects. TS says its

conductors are intended to help utilities increase transmission capacity and improve grid reliability without requiring major changes to existing infrastructure.

The announcement in March was attended by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, who welcomed TS Conductor to Jasper County, and by state and local officials who highlighted the potential economic impact of the investment. “TS Conductor’s announcement showcases that cutting-edge energy companies recognize the many advantages of doing business in South Carolina,” said Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III.

In July 2024, TS Conductor raised $60 million in a growth funding round to support the expansion. 

WAI, in collaboration with Hyperion Materials & Technologies (HMT), will present a two-part webinar series in September free to WAI members for wire die tool makers and wire producers that will provide insights into PCD and TC wire dies.

Part 1, Differentiating High-Quality PCD Wire Dies, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 11 am EST, presented by HMT’s Hector Ferrer Ribas, a business development specialist-carbide metal cutting, and Andrew Gledhill, technical manager. They will focus on identifying PCD wire dies. Topics will include fundamental material properties, common defects like EDM cutting issues and cracks, and the impact of quality on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Attendees will also receive a checklist to assess superior products and learn about innovations in PCD materials.

Part 2, Key Differentiators in Carbide Wire Dies, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 11 am EST, will highlight the defining features of high-quality carbide wire dies. Attendees will explore red flags such as casing issues, breakage, and porosity, along with an assessment checklist to evaluate manufacturing quality and material consistency. The webinar will also cover advancements in carbide materials, testing methods, and the importance of traceability and certifications.

Both sessions will be recorded for those unable to attend live, with that access free to WAI members. They will offer a convenient opportunity for industry professionals to deepen their understanding of wire die quality and advancements. For more updates on these events and programs, visit wirenet.org. 

Registration is now open online for Wire & Cable Krakow Conference, to be held Oct. 14 at the Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre in Krakow, Poland.

The program for the one-day event is largely complete, with some two dozen abstracts having been submitted on topics such as sustainability, production efficiency, and product development emerging as key themes. Organizers of the event include ACIMAF, the AGH University of Krakow, IWMA and the WAI.

Final details, including attendee registration pricing, tabletop exhibits, and sponsorship options, are still being determined. For more details, visit wirecable25.com or reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

WAI’s education program is advancing on multiple fronts as the Association continues building a robust library of technical training designed for early-career professionals in the wire and cable industry.

WAI’s Education Center’s goal is to deliver the best possible learning experience, and while the Association has done a lot in-house, with the help of industry volunteers, it has contracted with a professional instructional designer to enhance the structure and interactivity of the courses. “We think that members will appreciate the results as they are released over this year and the following ones,” said John Markowski, WAI’s manager of education.

The collaboration, Markowski said, will allow WAI to translate complex technical content into engaging, easy-to-follow lessons that better support learner retention and engagement. From interactive elements to improved pacing and flow, the goal is to make each course more intuitive and impactful.

On the content side, development is continuing to move full speed ahead, Markowski said. The third course in WAI’s extrusion series—focused on extrusion materials—is nearing completion and will be released soon. That course builds on the foundational knowledge introduced in earlier modules and dives deeper into the properties and performance of materials used in the extrusion process.

Markowski said that the WAI has also begun production on a new Fundamentals of Drawing Dies course that is already about halfway complete. This course—led by subject matter expert Eric Bieberich, president of Fort Wayne Wire Die—will serve as a key learning tool for individuals entering the wire industry.