General Cable
General Cable designs, manufactures, and distributes copper, aluminum, and cable products for utility, industrial, construction, energy, and telecommunications end markets, operating as a recognized benchmark player in the global wires and cables industry.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1927
- HeadquartersNewport, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What General Cable does
Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Newport, United States, General Cable designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes copper, aluminum, and cable products for utility, industrial, construction, energy, and telecommunications end markets. With 10,000+ employees, the company operates a horizontal market strategy spanning power transmission and distribution, renewable energy infrastructure, automotive wiring, and industrial electrification applications. The firm previously traded on the NYSE under the symbol GCN and is reflected in delisted status in the firmographic record. Demand drivers explicitly addressed include grid modernization, renewable energy interconnection, EV charging ecosystem expansion, 5G and data center deployment, and aging infrastructure replacement.
General Cable's product portfolio centers on copper- and aluminum-based wire and cable systems, with specific positioning around lightweight aluminum and composite core conductor technologies for high-voltage applications — a sub-segment projected at $15.8B in 2026 growing to $25.0B by 2033 at a 6.8% CAGR. Specific product identity, technical architecture, and platform details are not disclosed in available sources. The company is recognized as one of five competitive benchmark players in the global wires and cables market, alongside Prysmian Group, Nexans, Southwire Company, and Sumitomo Electric Industries, with the broader market projected to grow from $256.49B (2024) to $395.07B (2033) at 4.3% CAGR.
The company employs a horizontal segmentation approach addressing utility, industrial, construction, energy, and telecom use cases, with broad-based demand for wire and cable products across long-cycle infrastructure projects. Pricing details are not publicly disclosed. Between 2005 and 2012, General Cable executed at least seven acquisitions — including the $710M Phelps Dodge International Corporation transaction in 2007 and the $185M Alcan Cable deal in 2012 — indicating a serial inorganic growth strategy during that period. Current operating status and forward operational metrics are not directly disclosed in the provided source material.
General Cable firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- General Cable
- Website
- https://generalcable.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1927
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- General Cable designs, manufactures, and distributes copper, aluminum, and cable products for utility, industrial, construction, energy, and telecommunications end markets, operating as a recognized benchmark player in the global wires and cables industry.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
General Cable industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wire and Cable Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Communication and Energy Wire and Cable Manufacturing (33592), Other Communication and Energy Wire Manufacturing (335929), Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturing (335921)
- SIC
- Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Power Cables & Conductors (LV/MV cables, flexible cables, bus wire, armored cable) (IMAGAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Building Wire & Cable (Residential/Commercial) (IMADAMAA), Utility & Underground Distribution Cable (URD/Substation) (IMADAMAG), Data, Communications & Fiber Optic Cable (IMADAMAD)
Keywords
Where General Cable is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newport
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
General Cable business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D
General Cable product offering
Product offeringCore offering
General Cable develops, designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes copper, aluminum, and cable products. The company serves utility, industrial, construction, energy, and telecommunications end markets, supplying wire and cable products for power transmission and distribution, renewable energy infrastructure, automotive applications, and industrial electrification.
Product overview
No specific product information for General Cable was found in the provided source data. General Cable is referenced as a competitive benchmark player in the global wires and cables industry, identified alongside Prysmian Group, Nexans, Southwire Company, and Sumitomo Electric Industries in market research reports covering the 2026-2033 forecast period. The source material contains market context and industry trends but does not include General Cable's specific product portfolio, individual product names, product descriptions, or product-related URLs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Copper Wire and Cable Products Copper-based wire and cable products designed for power transmission and distribution, renewable energy infrastructure, automotive, industrial, and telecommunications applications, sold to utility, industrial, construction, energy, and telecom end markets.
- Aluminum Wire and Cable Products Aluminum-based wire and cable products for grid infrastructure, including lightweight aluminum and composite core conductor technologies positioned for high-voltage transmission and distribution applications.
- Cable Products for Utility, Industrial and Energy End Markets Cable products supplying horizontal market segments in utility, industrial, construction, energy, and telecommunications, addressing demand drivers including grid modernization, renewable energy interconnection, EV charging ecosystem expansion, and aging infrastructure replacement.
Companies that use General Cable
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
General Cable technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
General Cable partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
General Cable competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Southwire Company: US-based privately held wire and cable producer with a comparable product mix spanning building wire, utility cable, and industrial conductors. Direct North American competitor across most product categories.
- Nexans: French global cable manufacturer serving building, energy, telecom and industrial markets with copper and aluminum conductor products. Closest like-for-like competitor across power, telecom and specialty cable segments.
- Encore Wire: US-based manufacturer of electrical wire and cable products focused on building wire, utility cable, and industrial applications. Directly comparable product mix in North American markets.
- Furukawa Electric: Japanese manufacturer of power, telecommunications, and industrial wire and cable products. Directly comparable in telecom/fiber and power distribution cable markets.
- LS Cable & System: Korean cable manufacturer with rapidly expanding global footprint in power cables, submarine systems, and telecom cables. Competes for major utility and offshore wind contracts globally.
- Prysmian Group: World's largest wire and cable manufacturer with overlapping product portfolio across power transmission, distribution, telecom and submarine systems. Directly comparable on product lines, end markets served, and global scale.
- Leoni AG: European specialist in wires, cables and wiring systems with strong automotive and industrial exposure. Overlaps with General Cable's industrial and specialty cable product ranges.
- Sumitomo Electric Industries: Japanese diversified cable and wire manufacturer with global operations in power, automotive, and telecommunications cabling. Competes head-to-head in utility and industrial cable tenders worldwide.
Emerging players
- Belden Inc. US-based manufacturer specializing in signal transmission and networking cables for industrial, broadcast, and enterprise markets. Adjacent overlap in data, communications and specialty cable segments.
Others
- CommScope Holding Company: Global provider of connectivity and cable infrastructure for telecom, data center, and broadband networks. Overlaps with General Cable's data and communications cable portfolio but primarily competes in active networking solutions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
General Cable social profiles
Digital presenceGeneral Cable financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
General Cable leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
General Cable funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
General Cable M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A7 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about General Cable
What does General Cable do?
General Cable develops, designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes copper, aluminum, and cable products. The company serves utility, industrial, construction, energy, and telecommunications end markets, supplying wire and cable products for power transmission and distribution, renewable energy infrastructure, automotive applications, and industrial electrification.
When was General Cable founded?
General Cable was founded in 1927. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is General Cable based?
General Cable is headquartered in Newport, United States, in the North America region.
Who are General Cable's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Southwire Company, Nexans, Encore Wire, Furukawa Electric, LS Cable & System, Prysmian Group, Leoni AG and Sumitomo Electric Industries. Belden Inc. is listed as an emerging player. CommScope Holding Company is listed as an others.
Does General Cable have an API?
No public API is recorded for General Cable.
What industry is General Cable in?
General Cable's product category is Wire and Cable Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAEAC, Power Cables & Conductors (LV/MV cables, flexible cables, bus wire, armored cable), with a secondary code of IMADAMAA, Building Wire & Cable (Residential/Commercial). Its NAICS code is 33592 and its SIC code is 3620.