Esteves: Innovation With Purpose

Manuel F. Geremias, CEO of Esteves Group, on industry demand, smarter tooling and why practical innovation matters 

As the wire and cable industry responds to rising demand from electrification, grid expansion and digital infrastructure, manufacturers are under increasing pressure to produce more, move faster and meet higher technical standards. Against that backdrop, innovation, efficiency and close customer collaboration are becoming more important than ever.

Ahead of wire Düsseldorf, Manuel F. Geremias, CEO of Esteves Group, spoke to IWMA Insider about the trends shaping the wire and cable sector, the role of smarter tooling and why practical innovation remains central to long-term success.

 

The wire and cable industry is experiencing strong demand. What do you see as the biggest changes shaping the market today?

Demand is growing significantly, driven by electrification, grid expansion and digital infrastructure. What characterises the current situation is both the scale and the speed at which supply is required. At the same time, the technical requirements for many wire and cable products are becoming more demanding.

This is pushing manufacturers to expand capacity while also improving performance and efficiency. High copper prices add another layer of pressure, forcing companies to manage inventory carefully, keep stock levels lean and move material through production quickly.

 

How is Esteves responding to that environment?

At Esteves, we are responding by investing in both product innovation and manufacturing capacity, so that we can meet higher technical standards while continuing to support our customers with reliable supply.

We see our role not just as a supplier, but as a technical partner. That means staying close to our customers’ day-to-day challenges, understanding how their requirements are evolving and translating that into continuous improvements in our tooling solutions.

 

How important is innovation across the supply chain today?

Innovation is essential, particularly at the high-performance end of the industry. It is the only way to keep pace with the increasingly demanding requirements of modern wire and cable applications.

In the coming years, I see the greatest opportunities in areas that directly improve production performance: better tooling, improved process stability, longer service life, less waste, reduced downtime and smarter process optimisation. Automation and data will certainly play an important role, but the real value will come from innovations that deliver practical improvements on the factory floor.

 

A good example of that is EZero. What was the thinking behind its development?

EZero is a good example of how we respond to specific industry challenges through innovation. The technology was developed to address a wear pattern commonly seen in conventional natural diamond and synthetic single-crystal diamond dies, which can affect dimensional consistency and drawing performance over time.

With EZero, we launched a product that maintains a round wear pattern throughout its life, similar to PCD. This means die life is determined mainly by tolerance rather than by loss of surface finish.

For customers, this means higher machine uptime, better diameter stability, lower production costs and improved sustainability.

 

What other developments are taking place across the Esteves Group?

In recent years, we have continued investing in our factories to strengthen both capacity and capability across the Esteves Group. This includes modernising equipment, expanding capacity in key locations and introducing high-precision machining and measurement systems that allow us to maintain the tight tolerances required for advanced tooling.

We are also increasing automation and making better use of production data to improve efficiency, consistency and responsiveness across our operations. These technologies are designed to support people rather than replace them.

 

Esteves will also be launching Eddie Vending at wire Düsseldorf. What inspired the concept?

The idea came from the need for better control of tooling inventories on the production floor. Eddie Vending is an intelligent system that manages critical tooling through a single platform with full real-time visibility and traceability.

It helps operators avoid stockouts, reduce inventory handling time, eliminate urgent orders and monitor product usage. In essence, Eddie is not just a vending machine but a practical logistics and process-control solution for the production environment.

 

Why is wire Düsseldorf such an important platform for Esteves?

Wire Düsseldorf is unique because it brings the entire global wire and cable industry together in one place. For Esteves, it is a very efficient opportunity to meet customers and partners from many different markets, exchange knowledge with industry professionals and gain a clear sense of the direction in which the industry is moving.

It also allows us to present new technologies and strengthen relationships with customers and partners.

 

Do face-to-face events still matter in a digital business environment?

Very much so. Digital communication is extremely useful and efficient, particularly for global companies like ours. However, meeting in person remains essential for building trust and strengthening long-term relationships.

 

What is your message to the industry ahead of wire Düsseldorf?

Our industry plays a crucial role in enabling the technologies that power modern society. I encourage everyone to keep innovating, keep improving and continue building a strong and competitive industry that contributes to progress and a better future.

With demand rising and technical expectations continuing to grow, Esteves remains focused on combining innovation with practical performance and long-term partnership.