Aurora Material Solutions announced news about five positions in recent months. Renee Havrilla was named president of the company’s flexible compounds business segment. Most recently, she served as vice president of the solvents business for Monument Chemical in Indianapolis, Indiana. She previously held roles as vice president of global compounds for Westlake Corporation and general manager of the polyurethane spray foam business for Bayer Material Science (now Covestro). She holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. Daniel Lowery was named technology director of the company’s engineered thermoplastics (ETP) business segment. He most recently worked for EMS-Chemie, where he managed a team developing and commercializing specialty polyamides in niche markets. He also held leadership roles at Ascend Performance Materials, SABIC/GE and Eastman Kodak. Juan Bravo was named business development and technology manager for rigid specialties. He previously worked for Cruz Foam in Santa Cruz, California, where he most recently served as senior director of technology/operations. He has also worked for Struktol Company of America, Ferro Corporation, Trim-Tex, Alloyd Company, and Arlington Mills in various technical and management roles. He holds a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from the University of Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico. He has co-authored multiple patents in polymer and foam technologies. Megan Kravec was named a market segment manager, industrial. She previously worked at Valtris Specialty Chemicals in Independence, Ohio, as global product manager/operational marketing manager for polymer modifiers. She also worked for PPG Industries for 18 years in multiple technical roles and has extensive experience in product development, technical service and market development. She holds a B.S. degree in biology and chemistry and an MBA from Bowling Green State University. Brian Bejcek was named a regional sales manager. He has a proven track record of selling into distribution channels, OEMs and direct customers. He previously worked at EMS-Chemie (Grivory) North America, where he most recently served as distribution manager. Prior employers include PolyOne/Avient and EcoLab & Rogan Corporation. He holds a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from Oregon State University and a plastics engineering certificate from the American Injection Molding Institute. Based in Streetsboro, Ohio, Aurora Material Solutions makes custom PVC compounds and engineered polymers for sectors that include wire and cable.

Héctor Ferrer has been appointed segment manager, insert blanks & gears, at Hyperion Materials & Technologies. He has some eight years with the company, serving in roles that included business development specialist - carbide metal cutting, application engineer - metal forming and application engineer & product specialist - metal forming. He holds a B.S. degree in materials engineering from the Universitat de Barcelona. Based in Dublin, Ohio, Hyperion Materials & Technologies makes materials used to manufacture carbide nibs and wire die blanks, as well as PCD (polycrystalline diamond) blanks

International Wire Group Holdings Inc. (IWG), one of the largest manufacturers of copper wire in the United States, announced the acquisition of Hussey Copper, a Pennsylvania-based producer of copper products for industrial and infrastructure markets.

A press release said that the deal consolidates two long-established names in copper manufacturing and signals IWG’s intent to expand its market share across North America. Founded in 1859, Hussey Copper is best known for its production of copper bus bars, sheet and plate products, which serve power generation, transmission, and industrial applications. The company operates facilities in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania, and Eminence, Kentucky, and has long been recognized as one of the nation’s key domestic suppliers of copper plate and strip.

International Wire Group, headquartered in Camden, New York, manufactures bare, plated, and engineered wire products used in electrical infrastructure, automotive, aerospace, and industrial markets. The company operates more than a dozen facilities in the U.S., Poland, and Italy, and is known for its vertically integrated wire solutions. 

WB Alloys, a U.K.-based wire alloy manufacturer, has announced plans to establish its first U.S. production facility, marking a significant milestone in the company’s international expansion. The plant, located in Virginia, represents a $6.6 million investment and is expected to create 30 jobs.

A press release said that WB Alloys, founded in 1974, produces alloy wire for welding, designs weld monitoring systems, and develops equipment for additive manufacturing. The company currently operates seven facilities in the U.K. and one in the Middle East. The new Danville site will become its first in the U.S.

Company executives said that the move was designed to strengthen WB Alloys’ ability to serve the U.S. defense and advanced manufacturing sectors. The Virginia facility will primarily support the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense, which are expanding investment in domestic manufacturing capacity. “Opening our first U.S. facility is a strategic milestone,” said company spokesperson Richie Barker. “The market is growing quickly, and this positions us to serve American customers more efficiently while aligning with defense industry priorities.”

The company added that proximity to advanced manufacturing partners in Virginia—such as FasTech, Phillips Corporation and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research—was a critical factor in its location decision. WB Alloys already supplies FasTech with alloy products for 3D printing and machining, giving it a built-in customer and partner base in the U.S.

By localizing production, WB Alloys expects to reduce lead times and improve responsiveness to its American clients, particularly as defense supply chains move toward more resilient, domestic sourcing. Almost all of the 30 new roles will be filled by U.S. workers, with the potential to expand operations if demand grows.

A newly launched Uzbek-Tajik joint venture in Uzbekistan’s Fergana region demonstrates how emerging markets are transforming global supply chains and international investment—a development of increasing significance for U.S. industries and policymakers. With the U.S. elevating trade and investment in Central Asia, projects like this offer new sources of critical industrial materials while deepening economic ties across borders.

The new facility, named Osiyo Kabellari, is being established by Uzbek businesswoman Fatima Imomova and Tajik investor Shukhradzhan Ashurmatov as an entirely private greenfield venture. The plant, located in the Dangara district on a one-hectare site, is financed exclusively through $10 million in direct foreign investment, without public sector ownership or funding. Osiyo Kabellari is a purpose-built company formed specifically for this initiative, reflecting the region’s shift towards private-sector-led, cross-border industrial cooperation.

Set to begin operations by year’s end, the plant will boast an annual output capacity of 15,000 tons of copper wire and 1,700 tons of aluminum wire—products critical for infrastructure, energy, and manufacturing supply chains. Alongside production, the project is forecast to generate about 100 permanent jobs. Exports will be an important part of Osiyo Kabellari’s model, with the plant aiming to send up to $1 million of its wire products to neighboring CIS countries, especially Kyrgyzstan, in its first phase.

This joint venture reflects both countries’ broader goals: strengthening economic integration, expanding private sector opportunities, and diversifying the region’s export mix. For international observers—including the U.S.—such investments signal the potential for Central Asia to play a larger role as a reliable manufacturing and supply hub in the ever-evolving landscape of global trade and production.

Per Diplomatic Watch, Uzbekistan is one of the fastest-growing, most reform-minded economies in Central Asia, actively opening to foreign investment and global markets. U.S. trade with Uzbekistan is rising, with American investment in sectors like manufacturing, infrastructure, and energy reaching over $600 million in 2024—and growing connections between American and Uzbek companies.

Marinus Link has received a positive Final Investment Decision (FID) from government stakeholders, clearing the way for construction of a major electricity interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria,

A press release said that Stage One construction is slated to begin in 2026 with completion targeted for 2030. The project will establish a second high-voltage direct current (HVDC) connection across Bass Strait, adding up to 1.5 GW of capacity via two 750 MW links. Stage One includes a 750 MW cable between Burnie, Tasmania, and Hazelwood, Victoria, made up of approximately 250 km of undersea cable and 90 km of underground cable. This stage will proceed in parallel with the first phase of the North West Transmission Developments (NWTD) to reinforce Tasmania’s electrical grid.

Industry leaders have been selected for key components: Prysmian Group, through Prysmian PowerLink, will supply and install both the undersea and underground HVDC cables for Stage One. Hitachi Energy will supply the HVDC converter stations necessary for alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) conversion.

Stage Two, planned to deliver an additional 750 MW, remains subject to market conditions, regulatory approval, and further development of dispatchable generation in Tasmania. This second phase is intended to roll out alongside NWTD’s later phase, but has yet to be contracted.

Marinus Link forms the centerpiece of the broader Project Marinus initiative, which includes supporting transmission infrastructure within Tasmania and operates alongside the existing Basslink interconnector. The project aims to tap Tasmania’s hydro and wind resources for export, bolstering reliability and flexibility in the National Electricity Market (NEM). According to TasNetworks and Marinus Link Pty Ltd, it will facilitate greater renewable integration, complement mainland grid modernization, and support Australia’s energy transition targets.