April 2018 Newsletter
State of The Industry
As the first quarter comes to a close business for the electronic connector industry is booming right now, pretty much across the whole industry. The automotive sector is without a doubt one of the busiest right now with things like blue tooth networks, satellite navigation systems, infotainment systems and lane departure warning systems, all becoming standard equipment along with complex engine management systems, ABS braking systems and airbag safety systems that are already standard equipment on most cars. That does not include the drive towards self-driving cars which need a whole network of sensors and computers.
The good news is that all of this technology is driving the connector content in new cars thru the roof. These systems all need much more robust, reliable, standardized, and affordable interconnects and cabling. This trend of more electronic content in today’s cars is actually changing the basic electrical systems in automobiles. intelligent bus systems are replacing simple cable connections; intelligent distribution boxes are replacing simple ignitions and fuse boxes. As the electronics content in the average car become more and more sophisticated, the number and variety of connector types being designed into vehicles is growing rapidly: sealed, unsealed, RF, I/O rectangular, and high-voltage/high- current connectors all have a place in today’s automotive designs. This trend will keep the Automotive segment of the electronic connector industry growing for years to come.
The medical segment of the industry is also growing very rapidly driven by all kinds of new electronic applications for everything from advanced robotic surgical systems to more robust patient monitoring systems and faster and more sophisticated diagnostic equipment. Just like in the automotive segment of the industry all of these new applications in the medical world require a variety of different styles of connectors and cables. In some applications where space on a PC board is limited a new class of integrated connectors has been developed that actually contain electronic components and circuits quite similar to the small conditioning circuits that are used in some cable assemblies for Data com and telecom applications.
The Telecom and Datacom segment of the industry is also experiencing rapid growth again driven by the development of the internet of things and the increasing demand by consumers for faster and more robust devices requiring faster networks. Even the industrial sector of the industry is booming right now as electronic information and control systems, become more and more a part of day to day manufacturing and product distribution. All and all 2018 should be a very good year for the electronic connector industry.
Mergers & Acquisitions & Other News
Molex, LLC, Lilsle IL., a global manufacturer of complete interconnect solutions acquired assets of Triton Manufacturing Company, Inc. which specialize in fabricating flexible power cable assemblies and custom bus bars used in a wide range of current and heat transfer applications, including power transfer devices for computers, industrial electrical power distribution, transportation, aerospace and telecommunications.
TE Connectivity has entered into exclusive negotiations with ABB to acquire their entrelec® terminal block business. The transaction, expected to be completed in mid-2018 if it satisfies all approvals. ABB’s entrelec® terminal block business comprises research and development, product development, marketing and sales and management activities in Chassieu, France; and with main manufacturing sites in France and Poland.
Winchester Interconnect Corporation, Norwalk, CT – Winchester Interconnect Corporation has acquired C&M Corporation from The Watermill Group, Dayville, CT, C&M is a producer of custom cable focused on the Industrial, Medical and Military markets. The acquisition of C&M complements Winchester’s product line by adding cable manufacturing capabilities.
Molex Ventures, Lilsle, IL – Molex Ventures has announced a strategic investment and collaboration between the Molex Optical Solutions Group (OSG) and Elenion Technologies, LLC, a semiconductor company driving innovation around silicon photonics technology, to jointly develop, manufacture and promote silicon photonic-based product solutions.
AVX Corporation, Fountain Inn, SC, a leading international manufacturer and supplier of electronic passive components, interconnect, sensing, control, and antenna solutions with 29 manufacturing facilities in 16 countries around the world. has completed its purchase of Ethertronics Inc., San Diego, CA, a manufacturer of passive and active Isolated Magnetic DipoleTM (IMD) antenna systems for wireless applications across the mobile phone, Wi-Fi, defense, aerospace, medical, and IoT markets. With its purchase of Ethertronics, AVX acquired more than 200 patents; facilities China, South Korea, Vietnam, France, Taiwan, and the Americas; and roughly 700 employees.
Foxconn Interconnect Technology (FIT), Taiwan acquired Belkin, Los Angeles, CA, known best for making computer and consumer electronics accessories like cables, cases, and chargers. The acquisition also includes sub brands such as networking hardware manufacturer Linksys, smart home accessory brand Wemo, and the Phys water- usage monitoring device. Belkin CEO Chester J. Pipkin will take on a new role overseeing Belkin operations within Foxconn. FIT develops, manufactures, and markets electronic and optoelectronic connectors, antennas, acoustic components, cables and modules for applications in computers, communication equipment, consumer electronics, automobiles, industrial and green energy field products.
Hitachi Cable America Inc., Manchester, NH, has added a medical division to its business. The new organization effective April 1, 2018 will consist of three divisions; the existing Performance Cable Systems and Automotive Solutions divisions and the new High Performance Medical Solutions Division.
JOB HUNTING FOR THOSE 55+: Tips & Tricks
- Write a “combination” resume to emphasize skills and accomplishments and downplay the length of your career. Leave out irrelevant jobs held. Keep experience within the past 15 years.
- It is useful to have two resumes – one summarizing overall skills and experience and one with more specific industry experience details. This makes it easier to tailor each submission to the specific job you are applying for.
- Be sure to list your computer software knowledge and technology-related skills.
- Make sure the words in your resume reflect the current terminology of your field.
- List where you went to college or job training and any degrees you’ve earned, but not the years you received them.
- Include your social media accounts in the contact information on your resume. (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc.) Potential employers and networking contacts are increasingly using these to identify and learn about job seekers, so be sure to manage your online image.
- If you have a LinkedIn profile make sure the information matches what’s on your resume.
- Most employers want your resume to be submitted electronically. Save your resume in several formats to readily attach in requested format. Check the preview screen to review and correct errors.
- Be sure to include all contact information: Full address, home and cell phone numbers, email address, etc.
On the Move
Drop me a line, call, or email me if you have had a change of address, phone number, email address, or employment since we last spoke, so that we can stay in touch.
If you are near retirement, retired, no longer in the electronic connector industry, or do not wish to receive this newsletter, please let me know and I will remove your name from the mailing list.
Keeping Our Data Base Current
To keep up with our growing database, and in order to be able to contact you with potential career opportunities, we must have an electronic copy of your resume on file. Therefore, if you have not already emailed me a copy of your most recent resume, please do so in Word format. Your resume will be kept in our files and never be sent anywhere unless we first speak with you about the potential opportunity.