Monthly Digest for ICA Members
ICA
NEWS
The ICA News Brief is a monthly summary of our key activities and achievements. In this edition, ICA advanced copper’s role in key growth markets, including renewable energy, data centers and e-mobility, while highlighting its continued value.
Eventos
Strategic Communications
Advocate Material Efficiency for Transformers
ICA China presented a material-efficient, system-level transformer solution enabled by copper at the CWIEME Shanghai forum.
OBJECTIVES
▪ Improve market understanding of copper’s advantages in high-temperature and high-short-circuit-withstand transformers
▪ Shift the material efficiency discussion from material price toward performance and system-level value
MESSAGES
▪ Copper’s higher conductivity enables more compact transformers with less material use, strengthening its position in green transformer design
▪ Copper supports compact design, thermal stability, and short-circuit performance under high-temperature conditions
▪ Material efficiency should be assessed through lifecycle performance, reliability, and energy efficiency, not material cost alone
Promote Copper & Maintain Relationships in the Wind Industry
ICA China highlighted how copper enhances wind power system safety and is 100% recyclable at a leading wind power industry conference in China.
OBJECTIVES
▪ Promote copper at one of the premier annual conferences in China’s wind power industry
▪ Maintain constructive, collaborative relationships with authoritative industry organizations and key enterprises
MESSAGES
▪ The excellent properties of copper contribute to enhancing the safety and stability of wind power generation systems
▪ Copper’s 100% recyclability helps reduce overall investment costs for wind farm developers and supports the circular development of China’s wind power industry
ICA China showcased the copper HVC prototype and solutions
Demonstrating its commitment to advancing e-mobility’s healthy and sustainable development at the 2026 Shanghai International New Energy Vehicle and Smart Mobility Exhibition
OBJECTIVES
▪ Enhance the electric vehicle (EV) industry's understanding of copper's superior properties and application potential in EVs, and consolidate its market presence in this sector
▪ Showcase the new copper high-voltage cable (HVC) prototype, high-safety battery pack, and copper rotor motor as the preferred choice for EVs
MESSAGES
▪ Copper is an indispensable material for EVs due to its premium electrical and thermal conductivity, good ductility, and durability
▪ Copper solutions for EVs are valuable in enhancing EVs’ safety, reliability, and efficiency
Grammar check: The wording is grammatically sound overall. I would not rewrite phrases such as “premium electrical and thermal conductivity” if your goal is to preserve the author's wording. The main thing I’d watch is consistency with apostrophes and punctuation across the whole deck.
ICA China Highlights Cu’s Innovation at the Cu-Based New Material Forum
OBJECTIVE
▪ Introduce cutting-edge trends in data-center and motor technologies to the copper industry, articulate end-user demands for product performance and specifications, and align upstream supply with downstream demand to strengthen copper's competitiveness
▪ Deepen collaboration with the copper industry to jointly deliver competitive copper solutions and safeguard copper's market share in data-center and electric-motor applications
MESSAGES
▪ Driven by global computing power expansion and the low-carbon transition, data center and electric motor markets are poised for rapid growth, fueling sustained demand for thermally and electrically conductive materials, with copper playing a pivotal role
▪ The evolution of data centers and electric motors is placing increasingly stringent and specialized demands on materials, including copper, requiring collaborative breakthroughs across the value chain
▪ With its superior electrical and thermal conductivity, combined with a sustainable and low-carbon profile, copper stands as a critical foundational material for the future of data centers and electric motors
Advocate Copper’s 100% recyclability
ICA China emphasized copper’s significant advantages for building a circular economy in the renewable energy sector at the high-level forum
OBJECTIVES
▪ Develop and maintain cooperative relationships between ICA China and authoritative industry organizations as well as influential core institutions
▪ Clear up misunderstandings about copper resources via communication and public outreach
MESSAGES
▪ The complete recyclability of copper offers substantial advantages in establishing a circular economy within the renewable energy sector
▪ ICA China is committed to collaborating with all stakeholders to optimize the application of copper in China’s renewable energy development
ICA & CDA Engage with Senior U.S. Wire & Cable Leaders
CDA President & ICA Market Development Council Chair Speak at NEMA Panel
OBJECTIVES
▪ Represent the copper industry at a senior-level forum hosted by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association examining the market, material, policy, workforce, and infrastructure conditions shaping the wire & cable industry
▪ Provide upstream and midstream industry knowledge, data, insights, and market context to support downstream U.S. wire & cable manufacturers
▪ Position copper as the conductor of choice for U.S. wire & cable manufacturers
MESSAGES
▪ The U.S. can meet surging copper demand through an “all of the above” sourcing strategy involving increased mining and refining, increased recycling, and trade with dependable partners
▪ Examination of structural demand growth, domestic production, recycling, trade exposure, and industrial policy, and how these factors shape availability, cost pressures, and supply-chain resilience
▪ U.S. industrial and trade policy must ensure that all segments of the value-added copper supply chain can remain competitive and move forward together
Clarifying Recycled Content and Carbon
Member-identified market confusion drove aligned industry communications
OBJECTIVES
▪ Clarify how recycled content and carbon performance should be understood and communicated for copper products
▪ ICA MD/SRA and CDA’s Sustainability Councils shaped the target audiences, content, and regional considerations—including OEM procurement teams and third-party certifiers/auditors
▪ A coordinated suite was launched:
• webinar reaching 128 registrants and 68 participants
• a press release including a white paper and audience-specific (OEM and certifiers) summaries
• a platform for continued OEM engagement
MESSAGES
▪ Copper recycling is a proven strength; claims should be transparent, comparable, and climate-relevant
▪ Recycled content measures circularity, while product carbon footprint is the primary climate metric
▪ Standardized definitions and boundaries enable credible, like-for-like reporting
▪ Procurement should reward net recovery, lower-carbon pathways, product performance, and supply resilience—not simply higher recycled-content percentages
Advocating incentives for battery-grade copper foil
ICA represented copper industry at ministerial meeting on incentivization of domestic manufacturing of Li-ion components including copper foil
OBJECTIVE
▪ Meeting convened by the Cabinet Minister of Heavy Industries, Government of India with an aim to address value-chain challenges for Li-ion component manufacturers and finalize the contours of the incentive scheme
▪ Advocate for incentive policy for copper foils (Li-ion cells component)
MESSAGES
▪ Represented copper industry to garner support of the government along with Li-ion cell manufacturers in localizing manufacturing of copper components within the battery ecosystem
▪ ICA emphasized on importance of domestic manufacturing and need of incentives for copper foil for building self-sufficient ACC advance chemistry cells industry in India
Copper is essential for lower life-cycle cost
Highlighted copper cable’s role to 150+ industry experts, decision makers and influencers
OBJECTIVES
▪ Advocate for better electrical installation practices using copper-based cable solutions in building electrical systems
▪ Create awareness of newly released national building code and standard specifying copper cables for addressing rising incidents of electrical fire
MESSAGES
▪ Highlighted the potential safety hazards posed by non-standard aluminum flexible cables circulating in the Indian market
▪ Cited revised codes and standards that designate copper as the preferred material for building electrical systems
▪ Demonstrated copper’s role in enhancing fire safety and ensuring uninterrupted operations in critical buildings
Copper, the best conductor for reliable electrical infrastructure in buildings
Highlighted copper cable’s role to 150+ industry experts, decision makers and influencers
OBJECTIVES
▪ Advocate for better electrical installation practices using copper-based cable solutions in building electrical systems
▪ Create awareness of newly released national building code and standard specifying copper cables for addressing rising incidents of electrical fire
MESSAGES
▪ Highlighted the potential safety hazards posed by non-standard aluminum flexible cables circulating in the Indian market
▪ Cited revised codes and standards that designate copper as the preferred material for building electrical systems
▪ Demonstrated copper’s role in enhancing fire safety and ensuring uninterrupted operations in critical buildings
ICA India shares insights on copper demand & supply dynamics
Global Commodity Conclave panel ‘Primary Copper: Demand Momentum vs Supply Discipline – Where is the balance?’
OBJECTIVES
▪ Highlight various megatrends and demand drivers for copper growth in India
▪ Highlight gaps in refined copper supply and policy interventions required to boost copper processing industry in India
MESSAGES
▪ Traditional sectors such as building & construction and power infrastructure will continue to anchor copper demand
▪ Emerging sectors including renewable energy, electric mobility and data centres account for around 5% of total demand but are growing at nearly 30% annually
▪ To meet the demand, coordinated action across policymakers, smelters, fabricators, and recyclers is required to build a competitive copper supply ecosystem
Copper’s role in India’s solar value-chain
ICA advocated lifecycle-cost-based procurement at India Energy Summit 2026
OBJECTIVE
▪ ICA was invited to the panel discussion ‘Powering Clean Energy Future: Renewables, Green Power, Critical Minerals & Infrastructure’ organized by the provincial Government
▪ Position ICA India as the leading technical voice driving standardization and highlight copper in lifecycle procurement across energy transition stakeholders
MESSAGES
▪ Differentiated copper solutions based on improved durability, efficiency, safety, and higher residual value, thus giving better lifecycle cost over the lowest upfront cost
▪ Asset valuation models must integrate material durability, efficiency gains, residual metal value, and cost variability to support financing of bankable energy infrastructure
Copper’s role in improving rural electricity distribution
Dialogue on strengthening last mile power delivery connectivity in rural India
OBJECTIVES
▪ Highlight the importance of reliable and efficient transformer with copper for strengthening last-mile electricity delivery in rural India
▪ Promote a separate metal asset valuation model for distribution transformers, enabling DISCOMs to better reflect the underlying value of their transformer assets
MESSAGES
▪ Utilities need to look beyond installation and consider transformer design, material selection, asset performance, and lifecycle management, including the choice between copper and aluminum windings to reduce failure rates
▪ Separate metal asset accounting can improve bankability, unlock greater financing potential, and support investment in reliable last-mile power infrastructure
Copper for safe and reliable electrical infrastructure in data centers
Advocated copper as the best conductor for AI-ready data centers among 50+ key decision makers & influencers
OBJECTIVES
▪ Participated in the panel ‘Building Resilient, Sustainable & AI-Ready Data Centers’ at a conference organized by the Net Zero Transition Association (NETRA)
▪ Advocate for better electrical installation practices using copper-based cable solutions in the electrical systems of data centers
MESSAGES
▪ Highlighted electrical safety as critical for high-energy-density AI data centers, emphasizing urgent standardization amid a recent fire incident
▪ Leveraging a new national building code specifying data centers under critical loads, advocated copper as the preferred material for data center electrical systems
▪ Showcased copper's role in enhancing fire safety and ensuring uninterrupted operations in critical infrastructure like AI data centers
Seminar Hosted by JCDA for AC Manufacturers
Copper Tube Superiority in Heat Exchanger Energy Reduction
OBJECTIVES
▪ Heat exchangers are a central component of climate-change mitigation in air-conditioner manufacturing and represent a critical issue for both copper tube manufacturers and air-conditioner producers
▪ Copper is one of the few materials that simultaneously satisfy all key requirements for heat-exchanger decarbonization: reducing direct emissions through lower refrigerant leakage, reducing indirect emissions through improved energy efficiency, and lowering environmental impact through high recyclability and resource circularity
MESSAGES
▪ To promote these advantages, JCDA invited Professor Miyara (Saga University), who developed condensation correlations for small-diameter copper tubes, and Professor Inoue (Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology), who conducted practical condensation experiments. They presented the effectiveness of adopting copper high-fin heat exchangers to AC and copper-tube manufacturers, leading to a clear understanding of copper’s technical and environmental benefits
▪ As a result, participating companies gained a deeper understanding of the technical advantages and environmental benefits of copper-based heat-exchange systems
ICA @ KCIC’s 2026 CTO workshop
Participation in the KCIC (Korea Copper Industry Cooperatives) Members’ CTO Workshop
OBJECTIVES
▪ Reinforce ICA’s initiatives and maintain close relationships with local copper manufacturers and national research institutions
▪ Engage in discussions about the current status and future directions of the domestic copper industry and its technological development
MESSAGES
▪ Government support for the development of key technologies
▪ Consultation on the development direction of copper alloy materials and the expansion of technical exchanges
▪ Overview of ICA's activities and potential areas for collaboration
ICA Promotes Copper Conductor Performance in KEA’s Seminar
Co-Sponsored KEA’s Annual OWF Seminar along with KEPCO and seven subsidiaries
OBJECTIVES
▪ Emphasize the importance of copper conductors in submarine cables in offshore wind farms
▪ Enhance cooperative relations between the ICA and offshore wind power developers, including KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) and Seven National Power Generators
MESSAGES
▪ The performance of copper submarine cables in reducing O&M costs directly enhances the economic viability of a wind farm. (Mr. YH Moon / Sr. Dir, DNV)
▪ Copper is a crucial material for minimizing power losses in electricity generation, conversion, and transmission due to its excellent electrical conductivity. (Mr. DJ Shin / Exec. Dir, EDF Power Solutions)
