AWPA Industry Voices
Member Spotlight: Simon Jones, WCJ Pilgrim Wire & Mount Joy Wire
At AWPA, we believe the future of the wire industry depends on the people leading it forward every day. Through AWPA Industry Voices, we’re highlighting the perspectives, experiences, and leadership shaping the North American wire industry.
This month’s spotlight features Simon Jones, Chief Commercial & Operating Officer for WCJ Pilgrim Wire and Mount Joy Wire. Simon oversees purchasing, product pricing, and market and product development, with a constant focus on maintaining margins while driving profitable growth. His responsibilities also include identifying new market opportunities, guiding marketing strategy, and representing both companies with key customers, suppliers, and industry associations.
One of the biggest shifts Simon sees in today’s wire industry is the continued movement toward domestic sourcing. It’s a trend that aligns closely with the direction WCJ Pilgrim Wire has taken over the past several years.
“WCJ actually began as a trading company importing specialty wire from Asia,” Simon explained. “Today, we’ve invested heavily in domestic manufacturing because we believe there’s a strong future for companies willing to innovate, reinvest, and compete.”
That commitment was reinforced through the company’s recent acquisition of Mount Joy Wire. Simon says more customers are actively seeking to qualify U.S.-produced material, creating new opportunities for domestic manufacturers. As customers evaluate new suppliers, many are also willing to reconsider long-standing specifications, opening the door for new materials, coatings, and manufacturing methods that improve performance, reduce costs, and create competitive advantages.
While those opportunities are encouraging, significant challenges remain. Imported wire continues to compete aggressively in the U.S. market, even after the increase of the Section 232 tariff to 50%, while domestic manufacturers face increasing costs for wire rod, labor, energy, and raw materials.
Simon also points to an often-overlooked challenge affecting American manufacturing. Many wire producers supply customers who compete directly against imported finished goods that aren’t subject to the same cost structure.
“While tariffs may help protect portions of the domestic supply chain, many downstream products aren’t covered,” Simon said. “That means U.S. manufacturers are often competing against imported products that don’t face the same costs. That’s a challenge for all of American manufacturing—not just the wire industry.”
Like many manufacturers, WCJ Pilgrim Wire and Mount Joy Wire continue to navigate rising costs across nearly every aspect of their business. Rather than simply passing those increases on to customers, the companies have focused on investing in equipment, improving productivity, finding efficiencies, and delivering greater value.
“We’re comfortable walking away from business that only values the lowest price,” Simon said. “If we’re asking customers to support American manufacturing, then we have to earn that business every day through quality, service, innovation, and reliability.”
Labor remains another significant challenge. Although both manufacturing facilities are supported by talented and dedicated employees, finding and retaining skilled production workers continues to be one of the biggest barriers to meeting growing demand.
For Simon personally, one of the greatest resources throughout his career has been AWPA.
“Being one of the younger people in the industry, AWPA has probably been one of the best investments I’ve made. You’re surrounded by people who have spent decades in this business, and if you’re willing to listen and ask questions, you can learn an unbelievable amount. Those relationships and that shared knowledge are invaluable.”
— Simon Jones, Chief Commercial & Operating Officer, WCJ Pilgrim Wire & Mount Joy Wire
Simon says it’s difficult to put a return on investment on the association because the benefits extend well beyond technical knowledge. The relationships, business opportunities, mentorship, and genuine friendships he’s developed through AWPA have all made a meaningful impact on both his career and the growth of the company.
Looking toward the future, Simon believes the industry must focus on two priorities if it wants to remain competitive over the next three to five years.
First, manufacturers must continue reinvesting in their businesses rather than assuming today’s market conditions will last forever.
“Manufacturing has always been cyclical,” Simon said. “Whether it’s tariffs, demand, or the economy, things change. The companies that will be successful over the long term are the ones using today’s profits to prepare for tomorrow. Buy better equipment. Improve quality. Automate where it makes sense. Find ways to differentiate yourself. Eventually, we’ll all have to compete on our own merits.”
Second, Simon believes the industry must do a better job attracting and preparing the next generation of manufacturing leaders.
“Some of the greatest technical knowledge in our industry sits with people who have spent decades on the plant floor,” he said. “If we don’t transfer that knowledge, we lose it.”
He encourages manufacturers to think differently about succession planning.
“Don’t wait until your plant manager announces retirement to hire their replacement,” Simon said. “Hire that person three or four years early. Let them work side by side. By the time the transition comes, they’ll understand the equipment, the people, and yes—they’ll know where all the bodies are buried. That’s how you build companies that last.”
Like many members of AWPA, Simon’s journey into the wire industry started early. Growing up in the family business, he spent summers organizing dies, performing tensile tests, spray painting shelving, and picking up spare parts from the local machine shop. After joining the company full time, he spent two years working alongside the plant manager—a hands-on experience he credits with shaping his understanding of manufacturing.
“Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with it,” Simon said. “There’s something incredibly satisfying about taking a coil of rod and turning it into a highly engineered product. I genuinely can’t imagine doing anything else.”
As his career has progressed, Simon says he’s been fortunate to work alongside his father every day and credits him with shaping both his leadership style and business philosophy.
“He taught me to chase every opportunity because you never know where it will lead. Take care of your people. Reinvest in the business. Take care of your customers.”
Although the companies have experienced tremendous growth over the past several years, Simon says they continue to operate with the urgency of a startup.
“Every customer matters. Every opportunity matters. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but we still try to operate like we’ve got something to prove.”
Through AWPA Industry Voices, AWPA is proud to spotlight the members and companies helping strengthen and advance the wire industry across North America.
Interested in being featured in a future AWPA Industry Voices spotlight? Contact the AWPA team — we’d love to share your story.