IWCC Technical Seminar 2025 USA – Registration Now Open

The 2025 IWCC Technical Seminar will be held in the USA between the 2nd and 6th of March. The event will begin with a plant visit to the Wieland recycling plant in Shelbyville, Kentucky (pictured below). The event will then move to Dallas, where a seminar focusing on downstream processes will be held, before a second plant visit to the Encore Wire plant in McKinney, Texas. Registration for the event is now open, and we look forward to seeing many of you there. If you would like to sign up for this event, please find the registration on the members’ section of our website or email us at iwcc@coppercouncil.org for further information.

Recent events at the IWCC:

Brass Rod Committee Meeting – Edinburgh

European Brass Rod fabricators met in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the 16th and 17th of October, for the autumn meeting of the IWCC Brass Rod Committee. The topics covered in the meeting included:

  • An update on the work being done around lead free brass regulations in Europe, including the Drinking Water Directive, IUCLID and the Umbrella Project.
  • A review of IWCC European and global statistics for brass rod production and demand.
  • Members received an update on the CDA US/ IWCC working group on scrap and recycled content methodologies.

The meeting was also an opportunity to meet colleagues and network. A committee dinner was held the night before the meeting, giving members the chance to catch up and network with friends across the industry. We would like to thank all IWCC members present for supporting the event. We look forward to our next meeting in Istanbul on the 21st and 22nd of May 2025.

The IWCC Brass Rod Committee work on the Lead Free Brass initiative has increased in recent months. Concerns have been raised on the process to implement the new Drinking Water Directive requirements, and the forthcoming reviews of the End-of-Life Vehicle Directive (ELV) and Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) regulations are approaching. These may impact on the use of lead in copper alloys. The IWCC has been working with members to understand these issues and is meeting with regulators at ECHA and the European Commission to raise and discuss these topics.

To find out more about the work of the IWCC Brass Rod Committee, contact us at iwcc@coppercouncil.org.

Copper Tube Committee Meeting – Brussels

The IWCC Copper Tube Committee met in Brussels, Belgium, on the 23rd and 24th of October. Topics covered in the meeting included:

  • An update from Flohic Morin, Digital Director of Hopscotch Europe, on the ‘Copper for Sustainable Plumbing’ campaign launched this month. Members were shown the first month’s content, and a timeline for the next few months of the campaign. Further information about the campaign can be found on our website under the ‘Latest Updates’ section.
  • Next, members heard a presentation by Pedro Dias, Solar Heat Europe, on the Net Zero Industries Act (NZIA), and its impact on copper tube producers in Europe. It was emphasised that currently copper tubes are not included as a component in the list of key components for Net Zero technologies, but that both the IWCC and ICA Europe will work to ensure they are included.
  • Finally, members were shown a presentation outlining copper tube demand across all major European markets, with breakdowns of water tube and industrial tube demand.

We would like to thank both Flohic Morin and Pedro Dias for their interesting and insightful presentations.

The event also included a tour of the ‘Het Anker’ brewery, and a dinner at their brasserie. This gave members the perfect opportunity to catch up and network with friends across the industry, and enjoy the local cuisine. We would like to thank everyone who attended this event and look forward to our next meeting in Vienna, Austria, on the 26th and 27th of March 2025.

For more information about the work of the IWCC Copper Tube Committee, or the ‘Copper for Sustainable Plumbing’ campaign, please contact us at iwcc@coppercouncil.org.

Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Committee Meeting – Held Online

The IWCC Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Committee held an online meeting on the 14th of October. The topics covered in the meeting included:

  • The meeting began with a presentation by Michele Brulhart who updated members on ‘The Copper Mark’ and their efforts to reduce ESG risks across the value chain.
  • A presentation by Simon Jaeger, BMW, who gave members an insight into BMW’s responsible sourcing initiatives and requirements in the automotive industry.
  • Members heard a comprehensive update from Quentin de Hults, ICA Europe, on future EU trade and sustainability legislation.
  • Finally, members received an update on IWCC workings around EU regulations and sustainability topics, including the ‘Global Semis Life Cycle Assessment,’ the IWCC joining ‘The Umbrella Project,’ and a breakdown of the work being done around clarifying Rule of Origin / Preferential Status requirements.

We would like to thank everyone who attended, and thank Michele Brulhart, Simon Jaeger and Quentin de Hults for their interesting and insightful presentations. We look forward to the next meeting, which will be hosted by KME in Osnabruck on the 3rd and 4th of June 2025.

For more information about the work of the IWCC Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Committee, contact us at iwcc@coppercouncil.org.

Wire Rod Committee Meeting – Held Online

The IWCC Wire Rod Committee held a meeting last week. The topics covered in the meeting included:

  • A presentation by Jonathan Barnes and Loyce Mpangala, Project Blue, on the outlook of the European market for wire rod and drawn wire in the forthcoming years.
  • Members were shown the latest IWCC statistics covering European wire rod demand with regional breakdowns and forecasts for 2024 and 2025.
  • A presentation from Fernando Nuno, ICA Europe, on the transformers market and the effect electrification may have on wire rod demand.

We would like to thank everyone who attended, and thank Jonathan Barnes, Loyce Mpangala and Fernando Nuno for their interesting and insightful presentations. We look forward to our next meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden, on the 11th and 12th of June 2025.

New Method of Data Collection

The IWCC is committed to producing and continuously improving our statistical datasets. Our goal is to provide members with the most robust and accurate data available, which relies on input from our members in the global semis industry.

To enhance our statistics, the IWCC has updated its method for capturing semis production. We now request members to provide total country production by semis type. This means that, moving forward, we will ask members to estimate the semis production for the relevant product type in a country, rather than just their own company’s production. Luke Freeland, Project Manager at the IWCC, has distributed the questionnaire to IWCC Fabricator Members. If you have received the questionnaire, but someone else in your organization should handle this, please inform us at iwcc@coppercouncil.org so we can send the request directly to them.

With the collected data, we will generate a detailed report for each semis type for copper and alloy across all markets. This information will be exclusively available to IWCC members. The data will be updated and published quarterly. Assuming we receive sufficient input, we aim to publish the first report in Excel format in January 2025, followed by quarterly updates.

Forthcoming IWCC events and meetings:

As we approach the new year, we are excited to share with you the list of all the IWCC 2025 events that we have lined up. From product committee meetings all around Europe, to the Technical Seminar in the USA, to the Joint Meeting in Singapore and the IWCC’s inaugural India Seminar, there is much to look forward to in the coming year. We hope these events will provide valuable opportunities for learning, networking, and discussion. For more information on these events please contact us at iwcc@coppercouncil.org.

Product Committee Meetings

Copper Tube Committee Meeting – 26th and 27th of March 2025 – Vienna, Austria.

Brass Rod Committee Meeting – 21st and 22nd of May 2025, Istanbul, Turkey.

Wire Rod Committee Meeting – 11th and 12th of June 2025, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Flat Rolled Product Committee Meeting, 24th and 25th of June 2025, Turkey. This event will be hosted by Altek Dokum.

Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Committee

The Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Committee will meet on the 3rd and 4th of June 2025 in Osnabruck, Germany.

IWCC India Seminar

The IWCC is holding its inaugural ‘India Seminar’ on 1st of April 2025 in Mumbai, India. This event is a first step in the IWCC’s commitment to developing its work and membership in India, to give the association a higher profile and greater insight into one of the world’s fastest developing copper markets. The seminar will be attended by representatives of the copper industry in India and will be followed by an industry networking dinner. Attendance at the Seminar is by invitation. More information about the 2025 ‘India Seminar’ will feature on our website and future IWCC Newsletter instalments. For further information please contact us at iwcc@coppercouncil.org.

IWCC Joint Meeting 2025 – Singapore

The next IWCC Joint Meeting will be held between the 12th and 14th of May, in Singapore, at the Shangri-La Hotel. The event will begin with the IWCC Joint Statistical Committee and Copper Committee meetings before our Industry Dinner for all delegates and partners at Clifford Pier. The main Joint Meeting will begin the next day, followed by a dive into Singapore’s Historic Quarters, including the Civic Centre, River Bumboat and China Town. After another day of Joint Meeting panels and presentations, the event will conclude with a dinner at Cookhouse Dempsey.

Registration for this event is currently still open. If you would like to sign up for this event, please find the registration on the members’ section of our website.

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.