Technology

Is $5/lb Copper the New Normal?

Published

2 years ago

March 26, 2025

Sea Change in Copper Prices Has Big Implications for the Construction Industry

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The following article is written by Josh Vogel, CFO at Copperweld

After months of momentum, copper has once again broken through the $5-per-pound threshold — a price point that signals far more than just a strong commodities market. For the building industry, it marks the return of higher material costs, tighter construction budgets, and renewed pressure to rethink long-standing material choices.

Given the current economy, with copper inventories under strain and global demand showing no signs of cooling, some analysts now expect copper to not just reach but exceed $6.80/lb by next year — a once “distant” projection for 2025 that’s rapidly becoming reality.1 What does this mean for the building wire market? In short: building disruptions, rising costs, and new urgency to innovate.

What follows is a refreshed take on Copperweld’s popular 2024 article, “What Does $5/lb Copper Mean for the Building Wire Market?” With record copper prices returning in under a year, it’s getting harder to call these spikes anomalies. Whether this is the new normal remains to be seen — but in the meantime, builders have to protect their bottom line and get homes done on time.

Copper crosses the $5-per-pound threshold again

Copper is currently trading at record highs, which analysts suggest may be driven by the potential that copper supply will struggle to keep pace with rising global demand. Depleted inventory combined with an uptick in demand from industries with high copper consumption translates into a scenario where many analysts predict the price of copper to rise far beyond $5/lb.1

Many experts saw this new price point coming as copper had already increased in value by about 20%, but an understanding of the numerous factors impacting copper supply are leading some experts to accelerate their prediction timelines.1

The rising price of copper

Analysts attribute much of the copper price explosion to soaring demand, mainly due to the large role the metal plays in renewable energy, decarbonization efforts, and power grid investments. However, this latest round of copper price increases does not stem from demand alone; it is also due to concerns about copper production and standing inventory’s struggle to keep pace.2

Copper supply is further threatened by the increased tightening of mining regulations and geopolitical tensions. In 2022, copper production was about 22 MMT, while demand was about 26 MMT, with recycled copper scrambling to help make up the 4 MMT difference. Despite copper producers’ efforts to increase output, there is also a shortage of new mine development. Simply put – mines are not producing as much copper as the market requires.2

As a result of these factors, the U.S. Department of Energy classified copper as a “Critical Material” in their 2023 report.3 This classification is reserved for a substance that the Secretary of Energy designates as “a high risk of supply chain disruption; and serves an essential function in one or more energy technologies.”4

What does this mean for the building wire market?

The greater a market’s reliance on a critical material, the greater its vulnerability to instability.

Few industries will feel the impact of record-setting copper price increases like the construction industry, which accounts for almost half (46%) of the nation’s copper supply. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), within the construction industry, building wire alone uses 20% of the total U.S. copper supply.5, 6

But the factor impacting the building industry’s vulnerability to copper price fluctuation is more closely tied to a single product’s dependency on copper: building wire. For decades, the primary conductor material for building wire has been composed of 100% copper. So logically, the price of copper has an outsized impact on the price of building wire.

Steep increases in building wire costs

Builders and electrical contractors who use solid-copper building wire have once again felt the sting of volatile copper pricing. Since December 2024, copper building wire has experienced multiple price increases, each in the 5% to 7% range. The cumulative impact? A total price increase of nearly 70% from December 2024 to March of 2025!7, 8

Distributors often try to buffer these shocks by buying wire at lower prices and slowly releasing increases. But once that lower-cost inventory runs out, the reality of higher copper prices hits the jobsite — and the job budget — hard.

During copper events like this, home builders are getting ‘hammered’ by increase after increase in copper pricing. The results have been costly and disruptive: construction delays, re-estimations, margin compression, and a breakdown of predictability in an already tight labor and materials market.

The relationship between copper price and wire theft

There is another, more sinister, relationship with the price of copper — the incidence of wire theft. Home builders have long observed the direct impact of high copper prices on the prevalence of building wire theft. The higher the price of copper, the greater the incentive for thieves to assume risk in hopes of a big payoff.

Copper building wire is a prime target for thieves because of its increasing value as scrap. Whether via outright theft of complete circuits by skilled thieves or pilferage via liberal end-cutting by third-party installers, many job sites experience some degree of copper theft. It is estimated that as high as 8% of the copper wiring in new construction is lost to copper theft and insider pilferage. Annually, this would amount to enough copper building wire for 112,000 homes (15.7 million pounds of copper).

And, when copper wiring is stolen from a new construction site, there are even more costly factors to consider: production delays and lost time for the builder, repairs to circuit components and sheet rock, replacement of appliances and luminaires caused by damage, the cost of private security, and an increased risk of fire hazards — all costs that come out of the builder’s pocket.

What are the obvious solutions?

Use less copper.Reduce incentives for theft.

Fortunately, the building construction industry already has an alternative to single-metal copper wire in place. Copper-Clad Aluminum (CCA) is a bimetallic conductor that has been referenced by the NEC since 1971 and is listed for use by UL and ETL. CCA building wire is being rapidly adopted by builders and electrical contractors who are looking for safe and effective alternatives to copper building wire.

CCA building wire uses less copper

CCA building wire uses 1/6th the amount of copper when upsized two AWG sizes against copper conductors, as is required by the NEC for most electrical circuits. This upsizing allows CCA to provide comparable electrical performance to equivalently rated copper conductors. Credible reports also find that CCA conductors, when upsized, are on average 2.7% more efficient due to lower impedance.⁹

Utilizing CCA instead of single-metal copper for commodity building wire applications could have potentially saved the nation nearly 700 million pounds of copper in 2022! That’s equivalent to the copper required for 3.8 million EVs or 3.6 million homes. Using this 2022 potential saving model, CCA building wire could conserve 3.2 billion metric tons (7 billion lbs) of copper resources over the next decade, not even accounting for market growth.10, 11

CCA building wire reduces theft incentives

While substations have used CCS grounding conductors to reduce theft incentives for decades, builders and electrical contractors are turning to Copperweld’s CCA products to help mitigate the costs associated with copper wire theft.

Copperweld’s metallurgically bonded CCA building wire has little scrap value, making it less attractive to copper thieves. If a thief carts a load of CCA wire to a local copper recycler, he will likely leave embarrassed, empty handed, and bimetal educated.

CCA reduces the impact of rising copper prices

While increasing copper prices send shock waves through the building wire market, there is a simple way to mitigate the impacts. For builders, implementing a Copperweld CCA Building Wire adoption strategy can help protect profits, reduce cycle times, and reduce theft incentives. For homeowners, that translates to fewer delays, more predictable pricing, and homes completed on time.

Learn more about Copperweld building wire products.

Copperweld is the world leader in bimetallic wire and cable specializing in power, grounding, and signal conductors for building construction, power grid, utilities, communications, and transportation. For over 100 years, their mission has been to make the most reliable, sustainable, and innovative wire and cable products on the market. Copperweld’s metallurgical expertise and engineered solutions result in bimetallic products that enhance performance, extend service life, conserve copper, improve energy efficiency, and reduce theft incentives. Their American-made products are manufactured in the USA, and the culture of excellence and innovation that inspired them over a century ago still drives them today.

Sources:

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/is-copper-heading-to-15000-1033314787 https://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/news/248802/is-copper-entering-a-new-supercycle.aspx https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/us-department-energy-releases-2023-critical-materials-assessment-evaluate-supply https://www.energy.gov/cmm/what-are-critical-materials-and-critical-minerals https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/metals-and-mining/our-insights/bridging-the-copper-supply-gap https://www.statista.com/statistics/254870/use-of-copper-and-copper-alloys-in-the-us-by-purpose/https://www.southwire.com/pricing https://www.cerrowire.com/products/price-sheets/https://www.americanbimetallic.org/post/important-differences-between-cca-and-aluminum https://www.copper.org/publications/pub_list/pdf/A6191-ElectricVehicles-Factsheet.pdf https://www.copper.org/education/c-facts/home/

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SOURCE Copperweld

Technology

Axon Announces Body 5: Next-Generation Camera Built for the AI Era

Published

4 hours ago

October 24, 2026

Axon Body 5 delivers 25x the AI processing power of earlier-generation cameras, with upgraded connectivity, audio and battery life to support real-time situational awareness in the field

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Axon (Nasdaq: AXON), the global leader in public safety technology, today announced Axon Body 5, its newest body-worn camera designed to bring more powerful intelligence, connectivity and real-time support directly to officers in the field.

For years, Axon body cameras have helped agencies capture critical evidence and create greater transparency. Body 5 is built to help officers during the call, with information, assistance and backup on the spot.

“Officers shouldn’t have to choose between getting information and watching the scene. With Axon Body 5, they don’t,” said Rick Smith, Axon Founder and CEO. “They capture a license or document with the camera, keep their hands free and eyes up, and get information faster than writing it down and calling it in by radio. An officer fully engaged with the person in front of them, not down at a notepad, is a safer officer and a better-served community.”

Axon Body 5: Built for the AI Era

Built from the ground up for the AI era, Axon Body 5 delivers 25x the AI processing power than earlier generation Axon body cameras, alongside advancements in connectivity, audio, video and battery life. Together, these upgrades give the camera the physical power to run smarter AI features — both today and as new AI tools are developed in the future — while also making it more dependable for officers to use every day.

For the first time, Axon is also introducing two versions of its latest flagship camera: Axon Body 5 and Axon Body 5 Pro.

Both models feature several key advancements, including:

25x more processing power for AI: A powerful new computing architecture creates the capacity to support current and future AI features directly on the body camera.Enhanced video: Improved video captures clearer evidence across challenging environments, including better low-light performance.Improved connectivity: Seamless connectivity in urban and remote environments – and more precise location capability – helps officers, cameras and remote support teams stay connected when timely information matters most.Longer battery life: 20% more battery life than the previous generation helps keep the camera ready and connected throughout an officer’s shift.

The Axon Body 5 Pro will continue to gain new AI capabilities as they become available, growing along with the AI Era Plan. Additionally, new hardware features include:

A near-focus camera: An additional dedicated camera lens lets officers scan driver’s licenses to check status and search for wants or warrants in seconds, without returning to the patrol vehicle, with relevant information sent to Axon Fusus to support real-time operations.Front-facing speakers: Four additional speakers project even more powerful audio toward the person an officer is speaking with, helping real-time translations from Axon Assistant carry more clearly over heavy traffic or crowd noise. Additional memory: Extra space lets the camera run several AI tools at once, helping officers stay better informed and work faster.

Bringing More of Axon’s AI Era Into the Field

Axon Body 5 helps officers get more out of the Axon AI Era Plan by bringing smart tools right to the scene. Axon’s portfolio already supports public safety professionals across a growing range of tasks. For example, Draft One helps officers turn body-camera audio into high-quality report drafts and Axon Assistant provides voice-based information access and real-time translation.

Increasingly, Axon is also bringing AI into real-time operations.

Axon Guardian is a new category of AI features within the AI Era Plan that was specifically created to work with an officer’s field-based devices – starting with body cameras and in-car cameras – to improve safety. Guardian is designed to flag potential risks as situations unfold and create alerts when additional attention may be needed. Two of the first features include:

Escalation Detection: When an Axon Body 4 or Axon Body 5 camera is activated and recording, Guardian has the ability to detect potential conflicts in real time and create an alert in Axon Fusus. A human reviews the livestream and decides if additional support or action is needed.Approach Alert: When active on Axon Fleet 3, Guardian can detect if the door of a stopped vehicle opens and alert the officer through the in-car display and their body-worn camera.

Combined, Axon Body 5 and the expanding AI Era portfolio demonstrate the importance of AI as a critical resource to assist public safety professionals before, during and after an incident — reducing administrative burden, improving situational awareness and helping protect more lives.

Innovating Responsibly

Axon’s Responsible Innovation framework guides the development of all of its products. Designed with this in mind, Axon Body 5 and Guardian prioritize human oversight and maintain agency control over data. As a key part of the responsible innovation process, Axon’s independent Ethics and Equity Advisory Council was created to help responsibly develop and deploy new technologies with transparency, while aligning with community expectations.

General availability dates for Axon Body 5 and Axon Guardian will be announced soon. Product features and capabilities vary by configuration. For more information on Axon’s current products and services: Axon Product Catalog – Axon.com.

About Axon
Axon (Nasdaq: AXON) is the global leader in public safety technology supporting state, local, federal and international public safety agencies with technology designed to Protect Life. Complementing its mission, Axon’s growing Enterprise market focuses on protecting critical infrastructure and frontline workers across multiple industries including corporate security, hospitality, retail and healthcare. Founder-led since 1993, Axon builds products with transparency and responsibility. From TASER energy devices to today’s connected network of hardware – including cameras, drones, and robotics – cloud software, sensors, and AI-tools, the Axon ecosystem helps seamlessly protect people and places when it matters most. To ensure these technologies align with community expectations, Axon’s independent Ethics & Equity Advisory Council guides the ethical, inclusive, and accountable design of its products and services. Learn more about the EEAC and Axon’s Responsible Innovation framework at Axon Responsibility.

Non-Axon trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Axon, TASER and the Delta Logo are trademarks of Axon Enterprise, Inc., some of which are registered in the US and other countries. For more information, visit www.axon.com/legal. All rights reserved.

Please visit https://investor.axon.com and https://www.axon.com/newsroom for more information.

Media Contact:
Kate MacKinnon
Vice President, Communications
press@axon.com

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SOURCE Axon

Technology

In HelloNation, Custom Fabrication Expert Mark Coyle Explains a Common Mistake in Custom Aluminum Design

Published

5 hours ago

October 24, 2026

The article explains why smart geometry, not thicker walls, creates stronger, more efficient aluminum components.

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What early design choice causes many custom aluminum projects to become heavier, costlier, or harder to manufacture? That question is addressed in a HelloNation article featuring insights from Custom Fabrication Expert Mark Coyle of American Custom Metals, Inc. in Rochester, New York, that outlines how misunderstanding aluminum behavior leads designers to rely on thick walls instead of stronger geometry.

The article begins by explaining that many people assume thicker walls automatically make aluminum parts stronger. It notes that aluminum does not respond to wall thickness the way steel does. Instead, its performance is shaped by how the metal flows through the extrusion die. The article states that custom aluminum design is more effective when profiles use ribs, chambers, and flanges to create stiffness without adding unnecessary weight. This guidance helps readers understand why adding material often increases cost without improving strength.

The article also highlights that thicker walls change how aluminum moves during extrusion. When heavy areas fill more slowly, the metal cools unevenly and can develop stress that only appears later. The HelloNation piece explains that well-balanced geometry keeps extrusion smooth and predictable. This consistency makes it easier to maintain dimensional accuracy across long production runs. By focusing on geometry, custom aluminum design avoids the problems that come with slow extrusion speeds and uneven cooling.

Another insight in the article centers on how ribs and internal supports influence stability. It describes how a thin wall supported by a properly placed rib often performs better than a thick wall with no reinforcement. This happens because the rib helps distribute load, improve stiffness, and guide the aluminum as it cools. The article explains that this structural approach makes custom aluminum design more efficient and gives designers more control over how the final part behaves under pressure.

The article also shows why early collaboration between designer and fabricator prevents costly changes. It states that a fabricator familiar with extrusion can catch potential issues before a die is built. Small adjustments to corners or transitions can remove weak points or improve metal flow. The article notes that this teamwork keeps the design aligned with real-world production. By working together early, both sides reduce the risk of redesigning the die after the first test run.

Machining is another area where the article explains how wall thickness affects performance. Features such as deep pockets or sharp internal angles may require slow feed rates or special tooling. When walls are thicker than needed, those areas can become difficult to machine cleanly. The article states that thoughtful custom aluminum design makes machining more predictable. Small changes, such as adding radiused edges or sizing features to match standard tools, help shorten cycle times and prevent tool wear.

Thermal behavior receives detailed attention as well. The article explains that aluminum retains heat differently depending on the mass of each section. Thicker walls hold heat longer, which increases the chance of distortion during extrusion, machining, or finishing. When a design uses geometry to create strength, the material cools more evenly. This reduces warping and helps long profiles stay aligned. The article notes that stable cooling is important for components that require a precise fit and consistent shape throughout an entire production run.

Cost is also a key topic in the article. It states that heavier profiles increase material use, extrusion time, and tooling needs. A custom aluminum design that relies on geometry instead of mass lowers material consumption and keeps the fabrication process efficient. The article explains that lighter parts are easier to handle, ship, and assemble. This saves money across multiple stages of production and supports long-term manufacturing efficiency.

The article also notes that smart custom aluminum design creates profiles that behave predictably during extrusion and machining. Smooth transitions, balanced wall dimensions, and structural features help reduce the chance of distortion or dimensional drift. These elements also lower scrap rates and support reliable performance. By using geometry instead of excess material, designers build parts that maintain strength without compromising manufacturability.

As the article concludes, it emphasizes that avoiding thick walls is one of the best ways to improve performance and lower cost. It states that the most dependable custom aluminum components come from designs that use structural features to strengthen the profile. When designers understand how aluminum behaves at each stage of extrusion and machining, they create parts that are strong, efficient, and consistent from batch to batch. This approach turns custom aluminum design into a predictable process rather than a series of uncertain adjustments.

A Common Mistake in Custom Aluminum Design features insights from Mark Coyle, Custom Fabrication Expert of Rochester, NY, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation
HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

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SOURCE HelloNation

Technology

World Young Scientist Summit 2026 Opens in Wenzhou, Zhejiang

Published

6 hours ago

October 24, 2026

WENZHOU, China, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is a report by China Daily:

On October 24, the World Young Scientist Summit 2026 opened in Wenzhou, Zhejiang. The event is hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, and the World Association of Young Scientists. Nearly 800 representatives, including scientists, educators, and entrepreneurs from more than 60 countries and regions, are attending the summit.

He Junke, Vice President of CAST in charge of daily work and First Secretary of its Secretariat; Lian Yimin, Chairman and Party Group Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Marcelo Knobel, Executive Director of The World Academy of Sciences; and Zhang Zhenfeng, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Wenzhou Municipal Committee, attended the summit and delivered remarks. Yao Gaoyuan, Vice Governor of the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, presided over the first segment of the plenary session.

With the theme “Gathering Talents Worldwide to Create a Better Future,” the summit’s annual agenda is “Global Youth Action in the AI Era: Building a Sustainable Future.” It aims to draw on the insights of young people around the world, deepen international sci-tech cooperation, and jointly address questions about young people, science, the world and the future.

Efim Zelmanov, Fields Medalist and Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Chen Yunji, Deputy Director of the Institute of Computing Technology, CAS, and Director of the National Key Laboratory of Processor Chips; Mary Garson, President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; and Lu Chaoyang, Member of the Standing Committee of CAST, Executive Dean of the Shanghai Institute of Advanced Study, University of Science and Technology of China, and Chairman of the Council of the World Association of Young Scientists, delivered keynote speeches respectively on education reform in the AI era, AI and processor chips, young women scientists’ participation in science, and quantum computing. They explored new opportunities for scientific research, talent cultivation, and international cooperation in the AI era.

This year’s summit placed greater emphasis on the growth needs of young scientists, with young talents under the age of 45 accounting for 88 percent of participants. It aimed to build a cluster of international journals, bring together young scientific talent, facilitate a batch of international collaborative projects and advance the application and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. The summit released the Report on the Distribution and Mobility of Young Scientists in the Field of Embodied Intelligence, launched the World Young Scientist Summit Partner Journal Program and the 2026 World Young Scientist Innovation and Entrepreneurship Growth Support Program. It also published the “Young Scientist Pioneers 2035” list and announced the 2026 Sustainable Development Young Scientist Award. The awards were presented to four Chinese and foreign scientists.

Chen Tianrun, Founder of Hangzhou Moxin Technology Co., Ltd.; Yuan Yang, Assistant to the Dean of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences at Tsinghua University; and two of the 2026 Sustainable Development Young Scientist Award winners, César de la Fuente and Nicola Segata, among other Chinese and foreign young scientist representatives, spoke at the flash-talk session to share their research practices and reflections.

In addition, the conference focused on fields such as future manufacturing, quantum information, embodied intelligence, brain-computer intelligence, environmental science, deep-sea resources, and life and health, and held 12 parallel forums. It also included the “Gravitation π” Future Technology and Concept Products Exhibition and Exchange, local thematic side events, and sci-tech and humanities study visits, further building an interdisciplinary, cross-regional and cross-sector platform for youth sci-tech exchange and cooperation.

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SOURCE China Daily