A committee meeting was then held, focusing on production and demand of copper, brass and phosphor bronze products and the energy transition, with a presentation from Nick Snowdon, Mercuria. The event included a dinner at Olta Balik, a local restaurant. The next Rolled Product Committee meeting will be held in Hemer, Germany, hosted by Sundwiger, on the 23rd and 24th of June 2026.
Recent Events at the IWCC:
IWCC Joint Meeting 2025 – Singapore:
The 2025 Joint Meeting was held in Singapore between the12th and 14th of May. This event brought together delegates from over 75 companies from across the entire copper value chain, from mining companies to semis fabricators, as well as industry stakeholders. The first day began with a comprehensive and insightful talk on the future of AI investment by the event’s keynote speaker Sundeep Gantori, UBS.
The second day of presentations began with a comprehensive and thought provoking talk on global geopolitical trends from Professor Joseph Liow, followed by updates on the growth of copper consumption in India in recent years, copper usage in the offshore energy sector, recycling and refrigeration. A panel was also held to discuss the crucial role copper will play in the energy transition.
Alongside the presentations, the agenda included an industry dinner at the Fullerton Bay Hotel, a chairman’s dinner held at Raffles Hotel, and a dive into Singapore’s Historic Quarters, including the Civic Centre, River Bumboat and China Town. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural run, 34 delegates participated in an early morning run through Singapore’s Botanical Gardens. These events provide unparalleled networking opportunities for delegates across the entire copper value chain.
We would like to thank everybody who attended and supported this event. We are pleased to announce that the 2026 Joint Meeting will be held between the 11th and 13th of May, in Amsterdam, at the Okura Hotel. More information about the event will be available in future newsletter instalments.
Brass Rod Committee Spring Meeting – Istanbul:
The Spring meeting of the IWCC Brass Rod Committee was held in Istanbul on the 22nd and 23rd of May. The meeting began with the committee discussing the CLP certification which will come into effect in September. The committee were then shown a presentation on the latest production and demand statistics across all major markets. Members then heard an update on the Umbrella Project by Sue Fortunato-Esbach, Director, Assent, before concluding with an update on the Drinking Water Directive from Lara van de Merckt, Eurometaux, and some information about the DWD Workshop being held in Brussels on the 2nd of October.
Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Committee Spring Meeting– Osnabruck:
Members of the IWCC Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Committee met in Osnabruck on the 3rd and 4th of June. The event began with a plant visit to the KME Germany Osnabruck Plant. The group discussed the consequences of the hazardous classification of lead based products, the Sevesto Directive and ADR compliance, before hearing a presentation from Johannes Appel, WV Metalle, on this topic. Finally, members heard an update on the CDA Recycled Content Calculation Methodology and Carbon Accounting Workshop. The committee hopes to engage increasingly with the CDA to build EU/US alignment on this topic before the end of the year.
The event also included a dinner at a local restaurant, before delegates embarked on an evening tour of Osnabruck. This gave a comprehensive insight into the history of Osnabruck, including its use in the negotiation and signing of the Peace of Westphalia treaty in 1648. We would like to thank Frank Otten, chair of the committee, KME for their hospitality.
Copper Wire Rod Committee Spring Meeting – Gothenburg:
Members of the IWCC Copper Wire Rod Committee met in Gothenburg, Sweden, on the 11th and 12th of June. The meeting began with a discussion on the structure of the committee and exploring widening the group’s engagement and insight into global markets. Members were then shown the latest market statistics for wire rod production and demand in all major markets including Europe, North America and China. This developed into a wider discussion on wire rod demand in Europe by region in 2024. Nick Snowdon, Mercuria, gave members an interesting and insightful presentation on the potential growth in copper demand in various sectors of the energy transition, including AI data centres, EVs, renewable energy infrastructure and grid hardening. Finally, members then heard a presentation on sustainability from ABB Group.
The meeting also included a visit to the World of Volvo Museum, where members heard a comprehensive history of Volvo cars and trucks since 1927and heard a presentation from Johanna Trillkott, Engineering Manager, Volvo Cars, about sustainability and the key role copper will play in electrification and the EV industry.
Rolled Product Committee Meeting – Istanbul:
The annual meeting of the Rolled Product Committee was held in Istanbul on the 24th and 25th of June. The event began with a plant tour to Altek Dokum, where delegates were shown the rolling mill and received a presentation from Nilay Denizli, General Manager, on the history and future growth of the company.
Appointment of new IWCC Chairman:
In May, Steffen Sigloch, CMO of Mueller Industries, was appointed as the new Chairman of the IWCC, taking over the position from Erwin Mayr, CEO of Wieland group, who had been in the role since 2019.
Steffen started at Wieland in Germany in1988 and was transferred to the United States in 1997 with evolving roles including the GM of Wieland Metals and later CEO of Wieland Copper Products. In2011 Steffen moved to Mueller Industries where he has held various roles in the Executive Leadership Team.
We are excited about the different perspectives and further development that Steffen will bring to this role and the organisation. At the same time, we would like to thank Erwin Mayr for everything he has contributed to the IWCC over the past six years.
Forthcoming IWCC Events:
IWCC Joint Statistical and Copper Committee Meetings:
The IWCC Joint Statistical Committee, Chaired by Randy Nickle, will meet on the 12thof October to discuss the latest statistics and trends of refined copper demand across all major global markets and regions.
The IWCC Copper Committee, Chaired by Dirk Harten, will meet on the 12th of October to discuss they key trends in the copper semis industry including sustainability, macro-economic and geopolitical impacts, and trade flows.
For more information about both committees, please email Luke@coppercouncil.org.
IWCC Product Committee Autumn Meetings:
The IWCC European Product Committees will hold a number of events and meetings in the coming months, including:
- Copper Tube Committee, 18th-19th of November, Amsterdam
- Brass Rod Committee, 20th to 21st of November, Amsterdam
These meetings will look to build on the positive discussion had in the Spring meetings. For more information about the IWCC’s ongoing product committee work, please email iwcc@coppercouncil.org.
IWCC Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Committee:
Building on the discussions in Osnabruck in June, the IWCC Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Committee will next meet in Amsterdam on the 19th-20th of November. If you would like to join the IWCC Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Committee and participate in the ongoing work on topics such as the Drinking Water Directive, CLP compliance and RoHS compliance, please email Luke@coppercouncil.org for more information.
IWCC Technical Seminar 2026 – Vietnam:
The IWCC Technical Seminar 2026 will be held in Vietnam between the 1st and 5th of March. The event will include a two day seminar focusing on ‘Innovation in the Copper Fabricating Industry,’ and will include visits to the Jintian and Boway plants. More information about the seminar will be released in future newsletter instalments.
The purpose of this Newsletter is to strengthen the relationship between the IWCC and our members through updates on recent news and forthcoming events. We want to hear from you and encourage any of our members who would like more information or have any questions about future events, to send us an email or a message on our website and we can arrange a call together.
