12.08.2026

New COO for WireCo

US wire rope manufacturing group WireCo has appointed Luis Padilla as chief operating officer of its North American business.

He joins the company after a short spell as a partner with P5 Engineering, prior to which he was chief executive of rope company Knowix for four and a half years. In his new role he will be responsible for advancing the company’s operational performance across the region as well as strengthening customer support.

Padilla began his career in 2000 when he joined chemical manufacturer Boehme Filatex as technical manager for Mexico and Central America. After three years with the company, he moved to Teijin Aramid, also in chemical manufacturing, as sales manager. In 2007, he joined Cortland Industrial as vice president of business development, moving up through various senior sales roles, and then general manager of its Rope and Assemblies division, and in 2019 president. During his time with the company, he was also responsible for developing the firm's Biomedical business, producing special wires for medical applications, and served as president of the Cordage Institute for a two yearterm. He made the move to Knowix in 2022.

Padilla said: "WireCo has an exceptional reputation, a broad portfolio of market-leading products and a unique position across both steel and synthetic rope technologies. I am honoured to join the company and look forward to working with our teams to strengthen operational performance, deliver greater value to customers and support WireCo's continued growth."