February 2020 Newsletter

State of The Industry

As 2020 begins we find that business for the electronic connector industry has strengthened since the last quarter of 2019 and is in good shape with most sectors projecting strong growth, for 2020 as the overall industry is projected to grow by 5%. The Automotive Sector will continue to be a major driver of that growth, as the ever increasing electronic content in new cars and trucks continues with not only the last gadgets for both drivers and passengers, such as connecting every car to the internet for so drivers and passengers will have access to the internet for streaming of video content and allowing for remote locking and unlocking of your car, remote starting etc. As well as enabling cars to electronically report operating issues that can notify drivers to maintenance problems like low tire pressure, low oil pressure, high engine operating temperatures that need to be addressed before a problem occurs, but also safety items like lane departure warning systems, automatic braking systems to avoid frontal collisions, 360 degree vision systems, all needed to eventually have fully autonomous self-driving autos. One thing all these safety and convenience systems have in common is they heavily depend on a wide range of Sensors.

These trends can be seen in the 2019 acquisitions of the larger connector manufactures that are driving to be more than just connector and cable assembly manufactures, like Amphenol, TE and Molex, who acquired sensor manufacturers to add their product portfolios, they are becoming more and more complete systems solutions company’s rather than just component manufactures. TE’s Measurement Specialties subsidiary a manufacturer of a wide range of sensors and distance measuring devices, acquired Silicon Microstructures Inc. (SMI) a developer and manufacturer of MEMS-based pressure sensors offering for pressure and flow sensing offering both the lowest pressure sensing and the smallest pressure sensors available today for automotive, medical and industrial applications. They also snapped up First Sensor AG, a provider of custom sensing solutions based in Germany. Amphenol added SSI Control Technologies a leading manufacturer of sensors and sensing solutions for the global automotive and industrial markets based in Janesville, Wisconsin. The trend among the in the connector industry is slowly consolidating component manufacturers into whole solutions providers.

One of the big challenges in today’s market is finding qualified candidates With the unemployment rate hovering in the mid 3% range, the market for employees is becoming very competitive not only with increasing compensation but also in terms of working conditions, such as working from a home office a few days a week, to flextime allowing employees to work around traffic during their commute or juggling dropping and picking up children at day care, employers must be more creative to attract and retain employees in this challenging employment market. The market job market is very busy right now for people with specific experience and knowledge

All and all the general outlook for the electronic connect industry in 2020 is excellent!

Mergers & Acquisitions & Other News

Smiths Interconnect partnered with NASA
Smiths Interconnect, Stuart, FL announced that it has completed the acquisition of Reflex Photonics, Inc. Montreal, Canada to expand in the high speed data transmission market. Founded in 2002, Reflex is a recognized global leader in rugged high-reliability optical transceiver modules for space, defense, aerospace, and various industrial applications. Reflex optical transceivers deliver high signal density and ultra-fast speeds for low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) solutions. Reflex complements Smiths Interconnect’s product offering with the addition of a core fibre optic capability that will help address the needs arising from high speed data transmission in market segments requiring high reliability.

Radiall America, Inc. New Haven CT., has completed its acquisition of Timbercon, Inc., based in Tualatin, Oregon They are a fiber optic interconnect specialist that provides a variety of connectivity solutions to the aerospace, defense, medical, data storage, telecommunications, industrial, broadcast and networking industries. The acquisition will allow Radiall to offer an even more comprehensive range of end-to-end active and optical interconnect solutions for harsh environment applications and to further elevate its commitment to customer service. Timbercon will continue to operate as a standalone company under its current leadership while leveraging synergies with Radiall.

Measurement Specialties Inc., a subsidiary of TE Connectivity Ltd. completed its acquisition of Silicon Microstructures Inc. (SMI) from Elmos Semiconductor AG. SMI’s micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor technology and design and manufacturing capabilities combined with TE’s operational scale, customer base, and existing sensors technologies will provide customers with an even more comprehensive global sensing solutions portfolio. SMI expands TE’s global leadership in pressure-sensing technology, particularly in medical, transportation, and industrial applications, and will now be reported as part of TE’s Sensor Solutions business.
TPC Wire & Cable Corp., Macedonia, OH recently completed its acquisition of Cicoil LLC. Valencia, CA , a leading manufacturer and distributor of flat cable and flat and round cable assemblies widely used in mission-critical applications within the military, aerospace, semiconductor, and military markets since 1956, which will allow TPC to further expand its market reach and strengthen its portfolio of specialized wire and cable solutions for sophisticated, hi-reliability, high-cost-of-failure environments. TPC also recently completed its purchase of Pittsburgh Wire and Cable (PWC), Inc., a value-add stocking distributor of high-end electrical solutions for the video inspection, mining, and rail industries.
job hunting for those 55+:
Be sure to include address, home and cell numbers and email address. For a successful submission here are some resume do’s and don’ts tips.
⦁ Do preview and screen your resume to review and correct errors. To save time keep your resume saved in several formats so that you are prepared to quickly submit in the requested format. Don’t send in the mail unless specifically requested to do so. Employers are requesting electronic submissions.
⦁ Do limit the length of experience and maintain two resumes – one that highlights overall skills and experience and another with more specific industry experience details. This makes it easier to tailor to the specific job you are applying for. Don’t include irrelevant jobs and keep experience within the past 15 years.

⦁ Do list all your computer software and technology-related skills. Don’t list classes and/or training that doesn’t match the 15 year reporting period.

⦁ Do list where you went to college/job training and any degrees that you have earned. Don’t list the dates.

⦁ Do list your social media accounts (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, blogs) recruiters are using these to learn about you so be sure to manage your online image. Make sure that your LinkedIn profile matches what’s on your resume. Don’t include accounts that include inappropriate pictures or offensive posts that damage your credibility and professionalism. Do delete these accounts.

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.

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