Essex Furukawa Plants First in Magnet Wire Industry to Achieve The Copper Mark

FORT WAYNE, IN — Essex Furukawa is proud to announce the successful completion of The Copper Mark Assurance Process and meeting of relevant The Copper Mark standards at three of its North American facilities—Fort Wayne and Franklin, IN plants as well as the Metals Processing Center (pictured above) in Columbia City, IN.

The Copper Mark is a globally recognized standard for responsible copper production making this award a significant achievement for Essex Furukawa’s facilities as it demonstrates the company’s commitment to sustainable practices and responsible sourcing of copper. By meeting the stringent requirements and successfully passing a third-party assessment at three of its facilities, Essex Furukawa reaffirms its dedication to environmental stewardship and social responsibility that was set in place by its Vision 2030 initiative.

Essex Furukawa Fort Wayne is an assured The Copper Mark Site.

Jared Rowntree, President of Essex Furukawa North America, expressed his pride in the achievement, stating, “I share in the excitement across our North American teams, at each of these locations, for achieving The Copper Mark. It is a significant step for our entire organization as well as the industry.”

The assurance process involved a comprehensive evaluation of each plant’s operations, including its social practices and governance with criteria that included environmental standards, community health and safety requirements, equality practices, and employee work conditions.

Austin Robinson, Global Corporate Sustainability Manager at Superior Essex, has worked diligently with the teams, and expressed her satisfaction with the achievement, saying, “Having worked closely with these teams for the better part of the last two years to meet The Copper Mark criteria—and now completing the Assurance Process—is very rewarding for everyone involved.

“Across our global operation, we are working towards a sustainable future through several initiatives and having these three locations achieve The Copper Mark is a tremendous step in that journey.”

The Copper Mark is an internationally recognized assurance framework that promotes responsible copper production and supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It provides a credible and independent verification of a sites’ commitment to responsible practices, including environmental protection, human rights, and community engagement.

“We congratulate Fort Wayne, Franklin and Columbia City, IN plants for their achievement,” said Michèle Brülhart, executive director of The Copper Mark. “The Copper Mark’s vision is to address critical impacts along the full copper value chain. As one of the earliest adopters in the midstream, the three facilities of Essex Furukawa have demonstrated leadership in building transparent and responsible value chains.

Essex Furukawa was the first magnet wire manufacturer to participate and achieve the Assurance Process, starting the process in June of 2022 when it pledged to meet all The Copper Mark Criteria within 24 months; demonstrate conformance with the relevant standards through participation in The Copper Mark Assurance Process as part of the Semis-Fabricator Pilot.

The achievement of The Copper Mark by these Indiana facilities underscores the company’s dedication to ESG as well as responsible business and labor practices. It sets a benchmark for the industry and reinforces Essex Furukawa in its position as a leader in responsible copper production.

Essex Furukawa Franklin, IN is an assured The Copper Mark Site.

About Essex Furukawa

Essex Furukawa Magnet Wire LLC is the leading, global provider of magnet wire that is used by most major OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and industry leaders in the automotive, energy, industrial, and commercial & residential sectors. The Atlanta-based company is a global joint venture formed in 2020 between Essex Magnet Wire and Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd., both leaders in magnet wire product development, and custom solutions. The combined entity, relying on the strengths of both Essex Magnet Wire and Furukawa Electric, draws on more than two centuries of combined experience and knowledge to push forward innovation while also remaining focused on delivering manufacturing excellence and outstanding customer service. For more information, visit essexfurukawa.com.

About the Copper Mark

The Copper Mark is an assurance framework available for the copper industry to demonstrate its responsible production practices and its contribution to the United Nations SDGs. The Copper Mark offers a comprehensive system that addresses 32 environmental, social and governance issues related to the responsible production of copper, using the Responsible Minerals Initiative’s (RMI) Risk Readiness Assessment. Initially developed and funded by the International Copper Association (ICA), the Copper Mark is incorporated as an independent entity headquartered in the United Kingdom. For additional information, visit coppermark.org.