Top 10 Connector Companies Report Stellar 2010 Sales
By Ronald E. Bishop, Bishop & Associates Inc.

As we now know, 2010 was a year of dramatic recovery for much of the connector industry, and the top 10 connector manufacturers had a great year. As a group, the top 10 achieved a 31% increase in sales, outperforming the overall market growth of 28.4%, which was impressive on its own.

The results by company are shown in the following table: 

Top 10 2010 Sales Results
 

Yazaki achieved the highest growth, increasing sales 41% to $1,777 million. Delphi saw the second highest level of growth, increasing sales 38.4%. Both companies manufacture automotive interconnects and thus benefited from the spectacular recovery of the automotive market in 2010.

Molex, ranked #3 in world connector sales, also ranked third in growth, increasing sales 37.2%. Molex has a world-class presence in Asia, particularly in Japan and China.

The following table shows sales performance of the top 10 over the past five- and 10-year time periods.

Top 10 Connector Manufacturers 2000, 2005, and 2010 Total Sales
With 5-Year and 10-Year CAGR
 

The past decade has been difficult, with periods of recession in 2001, 2002, and 2009. As a result, the connector industry achieved a lethargic 10-year compound annual growth rate of only 2.8%. The top 10 did only slightly better, growing an average of 3.5% between the years 2000-2010.

Amphenol achieved an impressive 10-year CAGR of +12.3%, or four times greater than the industry. Amphenol achieved this by aggressively acquiring companies and introducing new products.

Amphenol also benefited from historically above-average growth in the military and industrial market sectors.

The 2011 Top 100 Connector Manufacturers report is scheduled for release in July 2011.

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