The cable assembly industry has rebounded after a challenging pandemic year. Every market depends on these critical connectivity components, but some headwinds remain in the complex global electronics industry.  2020 was a surreal year in many ways. In the cable assembly industry, it started with modest expectations for growth. The overall U.S. economy was headedRead More

The pandemic, supply chain restructuring, changing energy sources, and industrial automation are among the factors that are shaping the outlook for the industrial market for connectors and the technologies that will drive it in the years to come. During 2020, making accurate predictions about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world economy turnedRead More

As the electronics industry continues to adjust to changes brought by the global pandemic, it’s clear that technological innovation will play a key role in the future of every market. A new report examines the impacts of 2020 and anticipates growth ahead. In the past 40 years, the world connector market has experienced only nineRead More

As we put the pandemic year behind us, it clear that the connector industry met the many challenges it faced with strength and turned a dire forecast into a series of rebounds and successes. The connector industry has historically reflected significant world events, and so it came as no surprise that electronics suppliers, along withRead More

Including women in tech workplaces increases innovation, operations, and profits. Organizations like Women in Electronics are working to close the gender gap. Despite years of conversation about the value women bring to the technology fields, men continue to significantly outnumber women in software, hardware, education, and leadership roles. Women represent 47% of all employed adultsRead More

We talk to ECIA’s chief analyst Dale Ford about how the electronics industry weathered a challenging year with success and how the lessons learned will impact the way it operates in the years ahead. Dale Ford, chief analyst at the Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA), described 2020 as an “unforgettable year.” If that’s one ofRead More

An expanding definition of connectivity drove connector companies to incorporate new areas of expertise via mergers and acquisitions in 2020. In 2020, mergers and acquisitions activities slowed down after the brisk pace of the previous decade, but strategic moves continued, particularly as electronics companies continued to position themselves to support customers in an expanding connectivityRead More

Longtime industry observer Bob Hult shares his informed opinions, saying that it’s time for all levels of government and industry to recognize that China has become a pragmatic competitor fully capable of disruptive innovation. Doing so may help Western economies better prepare to confront the challenges ahead.  The United States has enjoyed decades of recognition as the world’s economic, technology, and military leader. Innovators including ThomasRead More

The automotive market is the largest market for connectivity products. As connected, autonomous, and electric automotive technologies continue to advance, demand for connectors and other key connectivity products continue to accelerate.  The world’s top 10 automotive connector manufacturers ranked by 2019 sales collectively recorded total worldwide sales of $29.1 billion in 2019. The automotive connectorRead More

The impacts of COVID-19 illustrate the risks involved in centering too much manufacturing, assembly, and intellectual property in one region. Yet the coming implementation of connected technologies, including automation, the Internet of Things, and 5G networks, depends on connectivity products that are currently made in China. Automation may be one way out. The global electronicsRead More

To address performance requirements for next-generation equipment, an ideal solution would be the ability to double the data throughput using legacy hardware. Replacing traditional NRZ signaling with PAM4 is exactly what the industry needs. Design engineers have been dealing with the challenges of ever-increasing data rates for many years. Each iteration of computing equipment requiredRead More

The connector industry is broad and diverse, with numerous suppliers and distributors vying for the attention of today’s electronics innovators, so identifying the best companies from which to source your components is not easy. This latest guide from Bishop & Associates should help. It’s no surprise that design engineers and purchasing personnel want to useRead More