What a week it was at wire China 2026!
From 21–24 September, the IWMA team was in Shanghai for one of the biggest events in the global wire and cable calendar, bringing together our members, partners and industry contacts across four busy days at SNIEC.
With 115,000 sqm of exhibition space, more than 1,600 exhibitors and over 55,000 visitors, wire China provided plenty of opportunities to meet with companies from across the industry, strengthen existing relationships and make new connections.
For IWMA, the week was also an opportunity to grow our community, launch the new Wire & Cable Hub, share industry insight and bring members together away from the show floor.
Here’s a look back at everything that happened.
A busy week at the IWMA stand
Our home for the week was Hall E1, Stand D52, where the team welcomed members, partners and industry visitors throughout the exhibition.
With meeting tables, hospitality and copies of the latest IWMA Insider available, the stand provided a place for people to stop by between meetings, catch up with the team and find out more about IWMA.
It was great to see so many familiar faces throughout the week, while also meeting companies new to IWMA and introducing them to the wider benefits of being part of our community.
We’re pleased to have welcomed new members to IWMA following the show, further growing our international network and bringing more companies from across the global wire and cable industry into the association.
A big thank you to everyone who took the time to visit us, whether you were already an IWMA member, considering joining or simply stopping by for a chat.
Launching the Wire & Cable Hub
One of the biggest highlights of the week was the launch of the brand-new Wire & Cable Hub, developed by IWMA in partnership with Messe Düsseldorf Shanghai.
Located in Hall E1, Stand B68, the Hub brought together exhibition space, technical presentations and networking across all four days of wire China.
Seven IWMA member companies exhibited within the Hub:
- AFH-Antriebstechnik GmbH
- HAEHNE Force Measurement Technology
- TEMCO Wire Products Limited
- Bar Products & Services Ltd
- BHAG Digital
- GMM Cable Machinery
- InnoVites B.V.
The Hub gave visitors the opportunity to meet the companies exhibiting there, discover their products and expertise, and take part in the wider programme of presentations and networking.
The Hub was also supported by SAMP (Changzhou) Co., Ltd., Xaloy Asia (Thailand) Ltd., Metalube Group Ltd., Zeller+Gmelin (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB) and Bernex Bimetall AG.
Thank you to all of our exhibitors, sponsors and partners for helping make the first Wire & Cable Hub a success.
Lunch & Link Bringing Members Together
To mark the opening of wire China and the launch of the Hub, we hosted Lunch & Link: Where Industry Minds Meet on Monday 21 September.
The event gave IWMA members the chance to meet fellow members, reconnect with industry contacts and make new introductions over a complimentary lunch.
It was also a great opportunity to bring together the companies exhibiting within the Wire & Cable Hub and kick off what would be a busy few days of activity.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped get the week off to a great start.
Two days of industry insight
The Wire & Cable Hub was also home to two full days of seminars on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 September, bringing together technical expertise, market insight and practical discussion from across the industry.
The programme covered four key themes:
- Advanced Manufacturing & High-Performance Cables
- Resilience, Cost & Efficiency
- Sustainability & Greener Manufacturing
- Smart Manufacturing & Digitalisation
We were also pleased to welcome contributions from CRU, IWMA’s Data Insight Partner, including market intelligence sessions and the panel discussion Resilience vs Efficiency: Staying Competitive in a Changing Global Market.
With a packed programme of presentations across the two days, the seminars gave visitors the opportunity to step away from the exhibition floor and explore some of the key topics currently shaping the wire and cable industry.
The Great Connection at CHAR Bar
And, of course, no wire exhibition week would be complete without The Great Connection.
On Wednesday evening, we welcomed members and industry guests to CHAR Bar at Hotel Indigo Shanghai on the Bund, taking the event to the 29th floor for an evening overlooking the Huangpu River and Pudong skyline.
The evening began with IWMA’s signature Aperol Spritz, followed by a welcome from IWMA Chairman Willibert Dautzenberg, before guests enjoyed complimentary drinks, a finger food buffet and live entertainment.
A huge thank you to our The Great Connection sponsors, who helped make the evening possible:
SKET Verseilmaschinenbau GmbH – Welcome Drinks Sponsor
TEMCO Wire Products Limited – Entertainment Sponsor
Their support helped us create an evening that brought the IWMA community together after a busy few days at the show.
Growing the IWMA community
One of the most positive outcomes from the week was seeing our IWMA community continue to grow.
wire China gave us the opportunity to meet companies from across the international wire and cable industry, speak to businesses interested in becoming more involved with IWMA and welcome new members into the association.
For us, that is what events like wire China are all about: creating opportunities for the industry to connect, share knowledge and build relationships that continue beyond the exhibition itself.
We’re looking forward to continuing those conversations and welcoming our newest members into the IWMA community over the coming months.
Thank you, Shanghai!
A huge thank you to everyone who made wire China 2026 such a successful week for IWMA.
To our members, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, partners and everyone who stopped by the IWMA stand or joined one of our events, thank you for being part of it.
We’re already looking ahead to what’s next, with wire China 2028 taking place from 25–28 September 2028. But in the meantime, our next stop is wire India, taking place from 30 November–2 December 2026.
See you there!
