September 2019 Newsletter

State of The Industry
Business for the electronic connector industry remains steady although conditions for many segments are a little bit soft which in some cases can be attributed to the ongoing trade negotiations between China and the USA. These negotiations are causing enough uncertainty for companies to be somewhat conservative going forward. The impact of these negotiations appear for now at least to be temporary in nature as the future for the electronic connector industry is still quite bright.
Demand for new connectors and cables to support the roll out of 5g networks, which are going to finally enable the full promise of the internet of everything to be realized. Supporting everything from self-driving cars to vending machines that reorder automatically, autonomous farming equipment, delivery trucks and even mining equipment that will allow operators to control their equipment from remote locations, to streaming movies on your hand held device, 5G networks when fully implemented will completely change the things we can do with our wireless devices and continue to fuel growth going forward and this is just in the communications segment of the industry.
Likewise, new technology in the medical segment of the industry in everything from new electronic diagnostic equipment to centralized patient record keeping systems in hospitals, to remotely monitoring of patients conditions over the internet. So despite overall business conditions being a little soft at this time because electronic connectors cable assemblies are one of the chief enablers of the past and future growth of the electronics industry the future is very bright indeed.

Mergers & Acquisitions & Other News

Smiths Interconnect partnered with NASA
On the development of the internal data network for the Orion Spacecraft crew capsule, which aims to return humans to the Moon and support manned missions to Mars and other destinations in our solar system. This network serves as the vital Ethernet connection to all of the space craft’s sensors and equipment onboard the space capsule, so it had to be built to quickly transmit massive amounts of data throughout the spacecraft. Network connectors had to meet stringent space, weight, and reliability demands. Lockheed Martin selected Smiths Interconnects High-speed, split-pair Quadrax connectors for their mechanical ruggedness, electromagnetic shielding capability, electrical performance, and ability to reliably support high-speed data networks.

Sager Electronics completed its acquisition of Technical Power Systems (TPS), TPS is a specialist in the Manufacture of custom battery assemblies Their main Office is in Lisle, Illinois. Sager President Frank Flynn views the addition as a natural extension to its Sager Power Systems Group, which offers both COTS and customized value-add AC power and on-board DC power solutions.

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies (CIT) acquired MicroConnex Corporation, Snoqualmie, WA a privately held manufacturer of highly engineered microminiature flex circuits for the medical and test and measurement markets, they will now operate under Carlisle Medical Technologies (CMT) business unit. MicroConnex brings deep technical expertise and process capabilities for developing custom precision flex circuits and hybrid electronics for medical catheters, ultrasound transducers, semiconductor tests, and other applications with stringent tolerance, space, and weight requirements, and its highly specialized manufacturing processes include thin-film sputtering, laser ablation, and precision laser micromachining. This latest acquisition further builds on Carlisle’s recent acquisition of Red Group, a company that specializes in the design and development of complex catheter technologies. Both acquisitions broaden Carlisle IT’s expertise and the value the company delivers to OEM customers.

CDM Electronics, a leading authorized distributor of electronic connectors and cables to the leaders in the aerospace, military, telecom, automotive, industrial, railway, commercial, and alternative energy providers, announced the opening of a new 9,000 square foot manufacturing and distribution center in Turnersville, NJ. The new location will function as a manufacturing facility for value-added cable assemblies, including RF cable assemblies, military cable assemblies, power cable assemblies, and box builds.
TE Connectivity completed its acquisition of the Kissling Group, an industry-leading provider of high-power and high-voltage relays and ruggedized switches for the commercial transportation, industrial, military, and aviation industries with a longstanding reputation as a trusted source for mission-critical applications and demanding environmental operating conditions, on May 24. Kissing Group products will be integrated into TE’s existing portfolio of hybrid and electric mobility solutions (HEMS) to support the needs of industrial and commercial transportation customers, including truck, bus, construction vehicle, and other specialized vehicle manufacturers.
TE Connectivity Ltd. also acquired Alpha Technics, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-precision medical temperature measurement products and solutions that is headquartered in California and reported sales of approximately $20 million in 2018.

Infinite Electronics, Inc. acquired Integra Optics, a leading provider of high-quality optical transceiver products and solutions that was founded in 2007, is widely recognized for innovative network solutions, product reliability, technical expertise, and personalized customer service, and was named one of the fastest growing telecommunications companies on the INC 5000 list.
TPC Wire & Cable Corp (TCP) has completed its acquisition of EZ Form Cable, an AS9100D-certified provider of coaxial cable based in Hamden, Connecticut, and a leading provider of RF and microwave interconnect products for specialized applications in the defense, space, wireless communications, and medical instrumentation market segments. The acquisition strengthens their position as a diversified supplier of high-performance wire and cable solutions for specialized, high-cost-of-failure environments.

The Interview Day – How to Optimize Your Chances:

Research and first impression:
Job interviews are a part of life. The way you’re going to get those future jobs is by acing yet another test. Don’t be on time, be early! Research the company as well as your interviewer, dress to impress with appropriate attire, sit up straight and look at the interviewer, practice with a recruiter by answering questions and refrain from overusing “You know”, “Umm” and “Like”.

Questions:
Be confident and never under estimate how valuable you are. Show that you are confident in your work, personality and your skills. This confidence can be portrayed in the way that you answer interview questions. Listen carefully and answer properly and don’t be afraid to ask for a moment to collect your response. Some interviewers make you feel relaxed, don’t let your guard down stay sharp and ready to answer hard- hitting questions. Be consistent with your response to themed questions and don’t be afraid to share your ideas.

Social media:
Clean up all social media or deactivate it.

Follow up:
Follow up with a thank you email. Follow up again if it’s taking a little longer to let them know you are still interested.

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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