INDUSTRIAL INFO-TAINMENT s • Measuring Up i : e Th su res • WHMA Annual Conference Is tu • Gowth Strategies for Harness Companies a • Standard and Low Profile Cable Ties e F • Electrical Wire Processing Expo Registration Wiring Harness News NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012 1 • Wire Wisdom - How Current Relates to Wire & Cable JANUARY FEBRUARY 2013 TA Wire and Harness Inc. By Fred Noer _________________________________ T wo years after starting up TA Wire And Harness Inc., in 1997 Trevor Williams made a deci- sion that would prove invaluable to him and his company to this day. Supplying wiring harnesses, cable assemblies and other products to customers in such industries as medical, automotive, rail- road, commercial garage- door openers, security and telecommunications has been supplicated by what Williams learned on the gridiron. Coaching 9 and 10- year- old young- sters for nine years in Montreal, Canada—the home of Williams and his firm—has afforded insights into every aspect of his company. “Almost everything you do in life involves teamwork,” says Williams. The secret is positioning- - figuring out the right player for your key positions. The wrong player in the wrong position can make or break your team—and prove a costly error. “I realized fast that I had to get to know my company staff and devise a plan of attack.” Williams’ plan has fostered long tenures by TA Wire’s 15 full- time and 6 part- time employees. “Of all the things about my company, I am most proud of the workers,” he said. They are always Standard and Low Profile Cable Ties Have Unique Differences By Mark Bresnahan, Vice President Cobra Products _________________________________ M ost people are familiar with cable or zip ties and do not understand the features and benefits of low profile ties over standard cable or zip ties. A cable tie is a band or length of strap, manufactured from a class of poly- meric materials known as polyamides (Nylon 6/6). The width, length and head area employ ratcheting mechanisms that allow for locking as necessary for “bundling” items together. Material Characteristics Nylon possesses an outstanding bal- ance of properties, combining strength, moderate stiffness, high service temper- ature and a high level of toughness. Par- ticularly resistant to repeated impact, nylon has a low coefficient of friction and excellent abrasion resistance. Nylon is resistant to fuels, lubricants and most chemicals, but is attacked by phenols, strong acids and oxidizing agents. Nylon is inherently susceptible to environmen- tal conditions. Some cable ties like Cobra ® cable ties are moisturized to attain optimum performance levels. Nylon products should be stored in cool dry areas, out of direct sunlight and sealed in the original packaging materi- al. These measures will extend perform- ance levels indefinitely. ________________Continued on page 12 TA Wire and Harness manufacturers harnesses for many different industries. Pictured above is a railway harness. here. They show up no matter what. “Stepping out of the box” is how Williams sums up his coaching venture. He believes that, “Continuous improve- ment” could apply not only to all aspects of manufacturing at TA Wire but to his own personal and professional develop- ment as well. Continuous improvement, facilitated through seminars such as ‘Secrets of the Millionaire Mind’ and ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ based on the books by T. Harv Eker and Robert Klyosaki, respectively. These men see things a bit different from the average individual, Williams said. Yet they remind you of things you already knew but just never apply or even consider. The seminars provide information which provokes the mind and lends insight on how things could be done more efficiently, said Williams. I noticed that I have changed my approach in doing things and I pay more attention to details. Likewise, TA Wire and its customers have and continue to benefit from Williams attendance at trade shows every year. By the extensive amount of information exchanged in these shows and the ridiculously large network of suppliers it is impossible not to increase ones’ buying knowledge and acuity. Knowledge is power. It allows you to explore new ideas. It helps you to see ________________Continued on page 26 Getting Away From the Office to Work ON the Business! By Paul Hogendoorn _________________________________ T his is a good expression that I have heard from time to time: “leaders need to work ON the business instead of always IN the busi- ness”. A similar phrase that rings equally true to me is this: “leaders determine the right things to do; managers figure out how to do those things right.” Saying it, and even understanding it, is the easy part; living it and doing it is the hard part. Often, the best first step is to just leave the office for a period of time, and surround yourself with like-minded peo- ple that face similar challenges that you do, and that pursue dreams and objec- tives similar to yours. The upcoming WHMA conference in Orlando is perhaps the best such oppor- tunity. Each year, the conference attracts business and company leaders that have two things in common: the industry they serve, and the desire to improve and grow. Based on what people said about last year’s record breaking confer- ence, people attending this year can expect two things - to be informed and inspired. And that is exactly how I left last year’s conference – informed, and inspired. A few weeks prior to that, Randy Hess and I formed FreePoint Tech- nologies, a new little company that had acquired some innovative technology. Our belief was that it had a compelling value proposition to wire harness manu- facturers if we could commercialize it for broad based applications, and if it could demonstrate an ROI right out of the box. And so, with that in mind, we attended the conference to share ideas, gain insights, find out what kept busi- ________________Continued on page 10