# Copper wire (over 0.5 mm)

Refined copper wire over 0.5 mm up to 6 mm, incl. profiled and flat wire, contact wire of copper and low-alloyed copper (CuAg, CuSn within the refined copper limits of note 1 to chapter 74). Aluminium counterpart: aluminium wire (up to 7 mm) – competing use: wire for electrical conductors and cables.

- Metal: Copper
- Family: Wire rod and wire (Wire) · Copper – https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/products/copper#rodzina-wire
- CN: 7408 19 10
- PRODCOM: 24.44.23.50
- Form in the R02 forecast: Copper wire (all drawn wire, incl. cable makers) (`semis.copper.wire`)
- Data as of: 2026-10-20, version 2.30
- Page: https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/products/cu-wire
- JSON: https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/products/cu-wire.json

## Key figures

- producing plants (incl. outside the EU): 13 (of which in the EU-27: 12)
- companies: 12
- countries: 7
- Corporate groups (a company without a group counted separately): 11
- non-EU control – plants in the EU-27: 14.3% – Non-EU control – plants in the EU-27: 1 of 7 plants with an established controller (12 of 13 producing plants are in the EU-27; plants outside the EU are out of scope of the indicator; ownership control logic and area).
- documented capacity (lower bound): 45 kt at 1 of 13 plants – lower bound

Figures cover entries “produced”; planned and ended – separately. Figures are a lower bound: a plant without a document naming the class is not entered.

## Producers

| Plant | Company | Group | Country | Status | Alloys | Source | Verified | Controller |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hemiksem – Cu alloy wire (upcasting), Al wire rod (Hemiksem) | [Lamifil nv](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/lamifil-nv.md) | – | Belgium | produced | Cu-ETP1, Cu-OF1, CuAg0,1, CuAg0,2, CuSn0,3, CuP | [B] Company website Lamifil – special wires of copper and copper alloys, upcast casting (lamifil.be) – https://lamifil.be/cu-speciality-wires/ | 2026-10-19 | – |
| Sofia – casthouse, rolling mill, extrusion plant (Sofia) | [Sofia Med S.A.](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/sofia-med-s-a.md) | [Viohalco](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/groups/viohalco.md) | Bulgaria | produced | Cu-ETP | [B] Company website – Cu-ETP copper wire 3.0–12.5 mm in coils (sofiamed.com) – https://sofiamed.com/product-sofiamed/wire/ | 2026-10-19 | Viohalco (Belgium) |
| Pont-de-Chéruy (copper busbars, flat bars, wire and profiles) (Pont-de-Chéruy) | [Établissements Gindre Duchavany S.A.](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/etablissements-gindre-duchavany-s-a.md) | [UMCOR](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/groups/umcor.md) | France | produced | – | [C] Gindre website – fils méplats et ronds (gindre.com) – https://www.gindre.com/produit/fils-meplats-et-ronds/ | 2026-10-19 | UMCOR (Switzerland) |
| Lens – wire rod foundry and wire drawing plant (Lens) | [Nexans France SAS](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/nexans-france-sas.md) | [Nexans S.A.](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/groups/nexans-s-a.md) | France | produced | – | [B] Nexans France website – Lens plant (nexans.fr) – https://www.nexans.fr/fr/company/Nexans-in-France/Usine-de-Lens.html | 2026-10-19 | Nexans S.A. (France) |
| Stolberg – strip rolling mill (Stolberg) | [Aurubis Stolberg GmbH & Co. KG](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/aurubis-stolberg-gmbh-co-kg.md) | [Aurubis AG](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/groups/aurubis-ag.md) | Germany | produced | – | [B] Aurubis Stolberg website – wire and rod: drawn round copper wire 2.0–14.5 mm, flat, shaped (aurubis.com) – https://www.aurubis.com/en/stolberg/products/specialty-wire-and-bars/wires | 2026-10-19 | Aurubis AG (Germany) |
| Hettstedt – wire rod mill (Contirod) and wire drawing plant (Hettstedt) | [Elcowire Rod GmbH](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/elcowire-rod-gmbh.md) | [Elcowire](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/groups/elcowire.md) | Germany | produced | – | [B] Elcowire Group press release of 2.03.2022 – takeover of KME’s Hettstedt operations (wire rod, wire and stranded wire) (elcowire.com), 1 – https://elcowire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ENG-Elcowire-pressrelease-220302.pdf | 2026-10-19 | Elcowire (–) |
| Hemer-Sundwig – bronze and brass rolling mill (Hemer) | [Sundwiger Messingwerk GmbH](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/sundwiger-messingwerk-gmbh.md) | [KME Group](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/groups/kme-group.md) | Germany | produced | Cu-OF, Cu-ETP | [B] Sundwiger Messingwerk website – copper wire 1.0–11.2 mm (sundwiger-mw.com) – https://www.sundwiger-mw.com/drahtprodukte/kupfer/ | 2026-10-19 | Quattroduedue S.p.A. (Italy) |
| Avellino – rolling mill (Avellino) | [Aurubis Italia S.r.l.](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/aurubis-italia-s-r-l.md) | [Aurubis AG](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/groups/aurubis-ag.md) | Italy | produced | CuAg | [B] EMAS Environmental Statement Aurubis Italia S.r.l., Avellino plant, rev. 10 (15.10.2024), p. 24, 24 – https://www.aurubis.com/dam/jcr:ddc3d3ae-434f-453b-9bdd-d0c8270ad278/Dichiarazione%20Ambientale | 2026-10-19 | Aurubis AG (Germany) |
| De Angeli Prodotti S.r.l. (Bagnoli di Sopra (Padua)) | [De Angeli Prodotti S.r.l.](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/de-angeli-prodotti-s-r-l.md) | [De Angeli Prodotti](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/groups/de-angeli-prodotti.md) | Italy | produced | – | [B] De Angeli Prodotti S.r.l. website – bare round and flat copper and aluminium wires (deangeliprodotti.com) – https://www.deangeliprodotti.com/prodotti-cat/conduttori-nudi/ | 2026-10-19 | De Angeli Prodotti (Italy) |
| Córdoba – wire rod mill, wire drawing plant, secondary refinery (Córdoba) | [Cunext Copper Industries S.L.](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/cunext-copper-industries-s-l.md) | – | Spain | produced | – | [A] Non-financial report (EINF) 2024 of the Cunext group, p. 9 – initial drawing of part of the wire rod into bare and tinned wire, 9 – https://cunext.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CUNEXT_EINF_2024__en-GB.pdf | 2026-10-19 | Cunext Group (–) |
| Espiel – ESTACOR (wire drawing and tinning plant) (Espiel) | [Cunext Copper Industries S.L.](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/cunext-copper-industries-s-l.md) | – | Spain | produced | – | [C] Non-financial report (EINF) 2024 of the Cunext group, p. 9 – ESTACOR: copper wire drawing and electrolytic tinning, 9 – https://cunext.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CUNEXT_EINF_2024__en-GB.pdf | 2026-10-19 | Cunext Group (–) |
| Les Masies de Voltregà – rolling mill (ETP and FRHC Cosmelt) (Les Masies de Voltregà) | [La Farga YourCopperSolutions S.A.](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/la-farga-yourcoppersolutions-s-a.md) | – | Spain | produced | Cu-OF, CuAg, CuMg, CuSn | [B] La Farga catalogue – wire rod, drawn products and welding wire (lafarga.es), plant address Les Masies de Voltregà, 22, 27, 35 – https://lafarga.es/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/LA-FARGA-Catalogue-WRod-DSolutions-Welding-W-ENG.pdf | 2026-10-19 | La Farga (–) |
| Denizli – copper refining, wire rod, copper wires and stranded wires, contact wires (Denizli) | [Er-Bakır Elektrolitik Bakır Mamulleri A.Ş.](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/er-bakr-elektrolitik-bakr-mamulleri-a-s.md) | – | Türkiye | produced | Cu-ETP | [B] Company website – bare single wire 0.05–4.50 mm, tinned and nickel-plated, drawn from 8 mm wire rod (erbakir.com.tr) – https://www.erbakir.com.tr/tekteller | 2026-10-19 | – |

## EU-27 trade with non-EU countries

Imports into the EU-27 from non-EU countries and exports from the EU-27 to them (without trade between EU countries), tonnes and euro, 2015–2025.

| Year | Imports (t) | Exports (t) | Balance (t) | Imports (EUR m) | Exports (EUR m) |
|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| 2015 | 11,642 | 32,221 | 20,580 | 71.0 | 184.6 |
| 2016 | 12,376 | 31,392 | 19,016 | 64.4 | 158.2 |
| 2017 | 13,858 | 27,141 | 13,283 | 87.0 | 165.3 |
| 2018 | 14,617 | 30,890 | 16,273 | 93.4 | 192.8 |
| 2019 | 13,823 | 31,503 | 17,680 | 84.7 | 191.3 |
| 2020 | 13,557 | 31,968 | 18,411 | 83.2 | 195.3 |
| 2021 | 20,631 | 32,052 | 11,421 | 174.5 | 270.8 |
| 2022 | 21,503 | 31,380 | 9,877 | 203.2 | 306.5 |
| 2023 | 21,533 | 27,551 | 6,018 | 195.8 | 269.1 |
| 2024 | 18,163 | 23,984 | 5,822 | 172.1 | 246.2 |
| 2025 | 20,158 | 22,711 | 2,553 | 195.0 | 231.1 |
| 2026 (2026-01/2026-08) | 13,352 | 14,135 | 783 | 157.4 | 172.3 |

- Largest non-EU suppliers, 2025: Türkiye 14,579 t; Uzbekistan 3,518 t; Serbia 644 t; Mexico 516 t; Peru 230 t
- Largest non-EU customers, 2025: Switzerland 4,481 t; United Kingdom 2,794 t; Saudi Arabia 1,743 t; Norway 1,360 t; United States 1,194 t

Source: Eurostat Comext – EU trade by CN8 (DS-045409); data retrieved: 2026-10-19. CN codes of the class as in the header; balance = exports – imports. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/comext/newxtweb/

## Counterpart in the other metal

Substitute product in aluminium: [Aluminium wire (up to 7 mm)](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/products/al-wire.md). Common application: wire for electrical conductors and cables.

| | Copper wire (over 0.5 mm) (Cu) | Aluminium wire (up to 7 mm) (Al) |
|---|---:|---:|
| producing plants (incl. outside the EU) | 13 | 4 |
| countries | 7 | 3 |
| Extra-EU imports 2025 (t) | 20,158 | 5,143 |
| Extra-EU exports 2025 (t) | 22,711 | 2,504 |

Figures of both classes come from the same sources (entries from documents, Comext); copper and aluminium figures are never added up, and a pair does not mean interchangeability in every application.

## Related

- Form in the R02 forecast: [Copper wire (all drawn wire, incl. cable makers)](https://ai-waw.com/en/forecasts/eu-copper-semis-production-2026-2031?obszar=EU27&ogniwo=semis.copper.wire) – median 2031: 1,979.8 kt (EU-27)
- Flow analysis: [EU Copper Flow Analysis](https://ai-waw.com/en/metal-flows/eu-copper-flow-analysis.md)
- Production technologies: [charge and melt analysis](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/analiza-wsadu.md); [melting and casting](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/topienie-odlewanie.md); [hot rolling](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/walcowanie-goraco.md); [cold rolling](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/walcowanie-zimno.md); [wire, bar and tube drawing](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/ciagnienie.md); [extrusion](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/wyciskanie.md); [heat treatment (annealing, solution treatment, ageing, brazing)](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/obrobka-cieplna.md); [slitting and cutting to length](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/ciecie.md); [surface treatment and cleaning](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/obrobka-powierzchni.md); [quality control and materials testing](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/kontrola-jakosci.md); [protective atmospheres, gases and utilities](https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/technology/atmosfery-media.md)
- Ownership control of the producers: https://ai-waw.com/en/companies/ownership.md?produkt=cu-wire
- Companies list and map filtered to this class: https://ai-waw.com/en/companies?produkt=cu-wire

## Method note

- **Entry only from a primary document** – A class is assigned to a plant only when a primary document names it – a product data sheet, an annual report, a register or a company page describing the product – with the document page and a reliability class (A, B or C). Press and company directories without a company document are not a basis for an entry.
- **Assignment from a location document** – When a company document describes the product and only a location page points to the plant, the assignment of the product to the plant is an inference – the source then has class C and the entry awaits confirmation by a plant document.
- **“Full range” is not an entry** – A general claim (“full range of copper products”) without the class, dimensions or alloys does not create an entry. A plant without an entry may make the class – the register does not know.
- **Capacity only from a document** – Class capacity (kt) – only when a document states it; no estimates and no split of a whole plant’s capacity into classes. The sum covers only plants with a stated capacity and is a lower bound – always given with the number of plants it covers.
- **Entry status** – Produced, planned production (investment announced in a document), production ended. A closed plant – production ended. Key figures – “produced” only.
- **Ownership control** – The entity controlling the plant and its country – as in Ownership control (GLEIF Level 2, GLEIF exceptions, groups from company documents). The non-EU share is computed only among producers located in the EU-27 with an established controller (as the default area of Ownership control); a plant outside the EU – e.g. in Türkiye, the United Kingdom, Switzerland or Serbia – is out of scope of the indicator, although it counts among plants and countries.
- **Trade** – Eurostat Comext: EU-27 with non-EU countries, CN codes of the class (sum of the codes), tonnes and euro. A CN code may cover products of other classes (e.g. rods and sections in one code) – trade describes CN codes, not the plants of the register.
- **Metals kept apart** – Each class belongs to one metal (aluminium, copper, zinc). Each metal has its own page; the metals share a family layout – five semi-finished product families (wire rod and wire; bars and sections; plate, sheet and strip; foil; tubes), families outside semi-finished products (unwrought alloys – feedstock, powders and dust, chemical compounds, anodes and other articles – currently zinc only) and derived products; split by material within a family. A family without classes of a metal shows “–” with a description in the comparison table. Header figures and trade totals are given separately for each metal – tonnes of different metals are never added up. Derived products (e.g. winding wire, structures, cans, stranded wire, zinc-coated steel, die castings) are marked and are not semi-finished products; tonnes of coated steel are the mass of the product, not of zinc. A class outside the metal trade total (coated steel, zinc oxide, die castings without a CN code) carries a note with the reason.
- **Counterpart in the other metal** – A copper ↔ aluminium substitution pair (e.g. wire, coiled tubes, strip, stranded wire) comes from the dictionary field or from the portal map of pairs. The comparison shows the figures of both classes side by side, without a total, and the application sentence has no figures; a pair does not mean interchangeability in every application.
- **Links by metal** – Copper classes have a form in the R02 forecast and the EU copper flow analysis; aluminium classes – the EU aluminium flow analysis and the country analyses; zinc classes – the EU zinc flow analysis and the country analysis for Poland (the R01 and R02 forecasts cover copper only). An analysis link given with the class takes precedence.
- **Pilot coverage** – The pilot covers copper and aluminium semi-finished products and their alloys, and zinc products (titanium-zinc sheet, unwrought alloys, powders and dust, anodes, derived products) at plants of the Companies register. Counts of plants, countries and groups and the capacity sum are a lower bound of the market – they grow with further documents.

Pages and Markdown are open to text and data mining with attribution; JSON data – like the other JSON data of the register – are reserved as a database compilation. Trade data: Eurostat (reuse with attribution).