July 2026 Connector Industry News

Upcoming industry events, as well as recent award, partnership, promotion, personnel, facility, distribution, standards, association, and certification news from across the connector industry.

July 2026 Connector Industry News

July 2026 Connector Industry News > Award News

Sager Electronics was named Distributor of the Year for 2025 by EAO, 2025 Americas Distributor of the Year by RECOM Power, and 2025 Distributor of the Year by OMRON Electronic Components. The awards were presented at this year’s EDS Leadership Summit in Las Vegas, NV. In conjunction with its award, OMRON will make a $5,000 charitable donation on behalf of Sager Electronics to Road to Responsibility, a Marshfield, Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Road to Responsibility works to empower individuals to lead meaningful and independent lives by providing residential, employment, and community-based programs.

Mouser Electronics Inc. announced that it has received more than 25 top business awards from its manufacturer partners for exemplary performance during 2025, including a number of Distributor of the Year (DOY) Awards. Companies recognizing Mouser included EDAC Group – Distributor of the Year, Harwin – Americas Distributor of the Year, Hirose – High Service Distributor of the Year, Molex – AME Distributor MVP of the Year (Ryan Virostek) and APS e-Catalogue Distributor of the Year,  Neutrik America – Distributor Partner of The Year and Top Revenue-Partner of The Year, Samtec – Global High Service Distributor of the Year, and TE Connectivity – Global E-Commerce Distributor of the Year.

The MIPI Alliance announced the 2025 MIPI Alliance Membership Award recipients who were recognized at the 13th annual awards ceremony held in conjunction with Member Meeting #72 in Berlin. Four recipients in four categories were recognized during the recent ceremony: Edo Cohen of Valens Semiconductor – Lifetime Achievement Award, Aruni Nelson of Intel Corporation – Working Group Leadership Award, and Rod Hogan of Apple Inc. – Distinguished Service Award. George Goodman, who retired from the MIPI Alliance in 2026, received the Special Achievement Award for his multifaceted contributions to the organization.

July 2026 Connector Industry News > Acquisitions News

Arxis Inc. entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Omnetics Connector Corporation. Omnetics, headquartered in Minneapolis, maintains deeply embedded positions across leading defense and space, commercial aerospace, and medical technology platforms where size, weight, and reliability are mission critical. Omnetics is currently privately held and owned by its long-term shareholders. Under the terms of the agreement, Arxis is acquiring Omnetics in an all-stock transaction (subject to lockup provisions), reflecting the Omnetics shareholders’ requirement to receive public company stock over cash consideration and reinforcing one of the key drivers and benefits of Arxis becoming a public company.

Taoglas announced the acquisition of Sure Antennas, a specialist in advanced vehicle communications systems for emergency services, public safety, and mission-critical fleets, headquartered in the UK. Sure Antennas, part of the SFL Mobile Radio Holdings Group, designs and manufactures a wide range of vehicle antenna solutions that primarily serve the blue light and public safety sectors. Key products within Sure’s portfolio include multi-function antennas that are ready for Emergency Services Network (ESN) transition, compact external antennas that use a vehicle’s original OEM whip or shark-fin housing for complete operational anonymity, and wideband solutions that support multiple communication, navigation, and data services within a single compact unit. Additionally, the portfolio includes vehicle intercoms, RF multiplexers, cable kit assemblies, and integrated systems that are engineered to meet the high performance and compliance standards required in public safety communications. The acquisition strengthens Taoglas’ position in the critical communications and automotive antenna markets, both of which are undergoing rapid transformation as agencies and fleet operators begin the transition to high-bandwidth LTE and 5G networks. By combining resources, the companies can offer broader capabilities for connected fleets, meet emerging network requirements, and support applications ranging from public safety and defense to commercial transport.

July 2026 Connector Industry News > Personnel News

Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF) announced that Bryan Ferrand has assumed the role of President and Donna Kelly has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer of BMF Precision Inc. John Kawola will transition from CEO to strategic advisor, supporting the leadership team and the company’s long-term direction. BMF has built its position in the market through its micro-precision 3D-printing platform and its focus on advanced manufacturing applications requiring ultra-high resolution, accuracy, and precision. These leadership appointments reflect the company’s commitment to operational excellence, customer success, and continued innovation as demand grows across medical devices, electronics, biotechnology, and other high-value manufacturing applications.

Ken Crawford, John Froustet, and Carlus Hicks (L to R)

Weidmuller USA announced a strategic organizational alignment designed to enhance collaboration, streamline decision-making, and position the company for continued growth in an increasingly dynamic industrial landscape. The organization has aligned around three core business models that reflect how customers design, build and scale their operations: Components for Cabinet & Field, Systems & Solutions, and Connectivity for Device Manufacturers. To support this evolution, Weidmuller USA announced several leadership appointments. John Froustet has been named Senior Director, Product Portfolio Management. His team will drive product strategy and portfolio development across all three business models. Ken Crawford has been appointed Senior Director, Strategic Automation Solutions, focusing on advancing large-scale automation opportunities. Carlus Hicks will serve as Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships & Special Projects, responsible for expanding strategic partnerships, strengthening industry relationships and leading initiatives that support long-term growth, including channel and ecosystem development. This organizational alignment reflects Weidmuller USA’s commitment to simplifying internal structures while enhancing the customer experience. By reducing complexity and strengthening collaboration, the company is better positioned to respond to market opportunities, deliver innovation at scale, and support customers with speed, expertise, and reliability.

The Association of German Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, VDMA e.V.) has appointed Philip Harting to its Main Board. As Chairman of the Board and CEO of the HARTING Technology Group, Harting contributes his expertise in representing the industry’s interests. Harting is reinforcing the board at a time of ongoing transformation for Germany as a business location. As recently as June, the VDMA had lowered its growth forecast for the German mechanical engineering industry to zero growth for 2026. At the same time, the association is optimistic about the future, as innovative machines and systems continue to be in demand internationally.

July 2026 Connector Industry News > Facility News

Smiths Interconnect, a Molex company, has secured an additional £340,000 in funding from the UK Space Agency through its Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF).  Building on the achievements of a previous funding grant from the UK Space Agency awarded in November 2023, this further funding will enhance the rapidly expanding CAD-to-FAB prototyping and digital manufacturing capability at the Dundee fiber optics and RF components facility. Smiths Interconnect’s CAD-to-FAB model turns bespoke designs into space-qualified hardware in a single facility and supports the full RF passive portfolio (isolators, circulators, filters, couplers, hybrids, and multi-functional assemblies) across key bands including C- and X-Band, with scale up from prototype to high volume LEO programs. The most recent grant from the SCIF allows further enhancement of the rapid prototyping and digital fabrication lab by installing additional manufacturing equipment, boosting throughput, unlocking higher-frequency product development (Q, V, and E bands), supporting production needs for all other frequences, and expanding capability into advanced materials and more complex filter architectures. Crucially for customers, these changes cut lead times and development risk by supporting faster prototype build, test, and iteration while lowering non-recurring engineering costs.

At the binder Innovation and Technology Center (ITZ) in Bad Rappenau, the company prints electronically functional structures – sensors, heating and conductor tracks – directly onto three-dimensional components. This saves individual parts, installation space, and assembly steps, and enables applications that are barely feasible with conventional assembly technology. Using the process developed at the ITZ, binder applies functional layers directly onto the component, for example, onto substrates made of plastic, metal, glass, or ceramic. The company employs high-precision screen and pad printing with conductive pastes based on silver, copper, carbon, or PEDOT:PSS, as well as dielectric pastes. Multilayer printing produces conductor tracks, heating elements, or sensors, including on three-dimensionally shaped and curved surfaces where conventional circuit boards reach their limits. The applications are wide-ranging. In mechanical engineering, printed sensors supply data for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance; in operating interfaces, printed touch and force sensors replace mechanical buttons; and printed heating elements keep components reliably at temperature. The benefits are fewer individual parts, lower weight, more compact installation spaces, and greater design freedom. Function and housing become one and the same. With the ITZ in research and development and binder solutions in implementation, the binder group covers the entire path, from process development to the functionalized series component.

July 2026 Connector Industry News > Partnership and Distribution News

Schneider Electric has selected Weidmüller’s award-winning SNAP IN solution for the new TeSys series of motor control products. The collaboration delivers an industry-leading toolless contactor that can cut motor control installation time by up to 75% for OEMs and panel builders across North America. The jointly developed solution for motor control and motor management sets new standards in electrical connection technology and highlights the potential of SNAP IN technology in industrial applications. The TeSys Deca contactor, the first product in the series to feature SNAP IN, is engineered for resilience in harsh industrial environments and supports Schneider Electric’s commitment to electrifying, automating, and digitalizing motor management for North American OEMs. SNAP IN technology enables both stranded and ferruled wire to be inserted directly into the contact point with no additional preparation. The pre-tensioned contact points are ready for immediate use, significantly simplifying and accelerating the wiring process. A green pusher indicates the switching status of the contact point, providing visual, tactile, and audible feedback with a distinct “click” confirming secure contact. For installers and panel builders, this means no ferrules, no tools, and no complex preparation. At the same time, the design offers optimized safety, delivering highly reliable connections that ensure consistent conductor insertion every time. The technology is also reusable, making it ideal for maintenance and retrofitting.

Sager Electronics added APEM to its line card. This new partnership expands Sager’s electromechanical offering with APEM’s comprehensive range of high-quality switches, LED indicators, joysticks, and human-machine interface (HMI) solutions.

On May 20, 2026, Würth Elektronik representatives joined faculty and students to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the jointly established “Cátedra EMC Würth Elektronik – Universitat de València.” Chairholders Professor José Torres, Professor Adrian Suarez, Ph.D., along with Jorge Victoria and Antonio Alcarria, product managers at Würth Elektronik eiSos GmbH, welcomed Alexander Gerfer, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Würth Elektronik Group, as the ceremony’s keynote speaker. Representing the university, Inmaculada Coma, Vice-Rector of the Universitat de València, praised the fruitful collaboration. The Chair of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) was established 10 years ago to advance both research and practical applications in this field. Since then, it has supervised doctoral dissertations as well as master’s and bachelor’s theses, delivered seminars and courses on EMC topics, and organized presentations at international conferences. Each year, Würth Elektronik proposes projects that enable internships in the chair’s laboratory and at the company’s headquarters. Coordination of these activities is overseen by Jorge Victoria and Antonio Alcarria from Würth Elektronik’s Product Management team. The event was hosted by Maria Cuesta and Victor Martinez, both former students of the department who are now working in Product Management at Würth Elektronik. Professor Adrián Suárez delivered a presentation outlining the department’s past achievements, as well as its current work and future plans. As the department’s first doctoral student, he later returned as a faculty member. He was supported in his presentation by Antonio Alcarria.

Mouser Electronics Inc. has expanded its industrial automation portfolio with the addition of nine new manufacturers, including METZ CONNECT (connectivity and interface components for Industrial Ethernet and automation networks), in the first two quarters of this year, strengthening its lineup of solutions for modern industrial systems. This expansion broadens access to critical technologies across AI, connectivity, power, control, and sensing, which are key building blocks for today’s increasingly integrated industrial environments. Mouser’s expanded resources cater to a wide array of industrial applications, including robotics, safety and compliance systems, industrial networking and sensing systems, and the IIoT. Mouser’s automation resource hub includes dozens of technical articles, blogs, and videos to support engineers throughout the design process. By providing access to the latest components and technologies, Mouser enables professionals to design and implement solutions that increase efficiency, productivity, and safety.

ept’s connector solutions are now available through DigiKey. This collaboration expands access to ept’s connector technologies, including new additions such as its 25+ Gb/s Colibri high-speed board-to-board connectors as well as ept’s classic Tcom press press-fit zone technology. Engineers, designers, and procurement professionals can conveniently browse, compare, and order from a growing selection of ept connector solutions while benefiting from DigiKey’s reliable fulfillment, extensive inventory, and fast delivery available for hundreds of countries worldwide. Whether designing for automotive, industrial automation, medical technology, telecommunications, or high-speed computing, you can now find and order PCB design solutions from ept with confidence through DigiKey.

Indium Corporation and Ames National Laboratory have formed a research and development partnership to expand U.S. production of gallium, a critical material used in semiconductors and electronics, including smartphones, LED lighting, and optoelectronics. The new alliance will focus on developing the technologies needed to establish a domestic supply chain for an element that currently relies almost exclusively on imported sources. In the U.S., gallium is recovered as a byproduct of well-established, high-volume aluminum refining operations. Called the Bayer process, this method uses caustic liquids and high temperatures to extract and refine aluminum from raw ore. Gallium is typically present in the refining process waste in low concentrations of about 100 parts per million. Liquid-based refining methods typically use specialized polymers, called resins, that can separate and concentrate metals from mining solutions. For this project, Ames Lab researchers are designing a heat-stable, efficient resin that is selective for gallium. Scaling the technology is a joint effort, which will be done through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA): Indium Corporation will provide a U.S. resin testbed that mirrors high-volume production and techno-economic models to define the required material properties, and Ames Lab will synthesize materials up to the hundreds-of-grams scale. Future scale-up to kilograms and tons will continue collaboratively.

July 2026 Connector Industry News > New Technical Resources

Rise of the Robots is the latest installment of the Empowering Innovation Together (EIT) technology series from Mouser Electronics, which explores key technologies behind humanoid robots and their potential for transformation. The series shares how these robots have progressed from simple machinery to critical tools used in caregiving, industrial automation, education, and even in the harshest environments. Recent advances in sensing, actuation, AI, embedded computing, and power systems have enabled practical, real-world robotic deployments across industrial, healthcare, and high-risk environments. Engineers are now integrating multimodal perception, real-time control, and simulation-driven training using physical AI approaches to accelerate development and improve performance. Although many systems still require supervision, they serve as the foundation for collaborative robotic platforms capable of complex, human-like interaction. The latest EIT installment explores the engineering design process, system integration challenges, and the role of legacy infrastructure, safety, and ROI in shaping scalable humanoid robot deployment. Also check out Mouser’s new eBook in collaboration with Arduino, From Blink to Think: How Arduino UNO Q Helps Designers Go from Idea to Intelligent Product. The eBook explores how the Arduino UNO Q platform helps developers bridge the gap between proof-of-concept designs and intelligent edge products, enabling a smoother path from concept to deployment.

DigiKey released the second season of its Sustainable Futures video series, which examines how advanced electronics, from infrastructure to intelligence, are enabling cleaner energy, smarter systems, and more sustainable design across industries. Sustainable Futures, sponsored by Harwin and Analog Devices, highlights the components and technologies behind efficient power systems, intelligent infrastructure, and reliable performance in demanding environments. From high-performance signal processing and energy management to rugged interconnects and advanced materials, these solutions enable engineers to design systems that are more efficient, scalable, and resilient. The series also explores how these technologies support real-time decision-making, improve system reliability, and help bring sustainable innovations from concept to deployment.

Like this article? Check out our other Product Roundup, Product News, and Connector Industry News features and our 2026 Article Archives Article Archives.

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