August 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.

August 2026 Connector Industry News

August 2026 Connector Industry News > Event News

DigiKey and Arduino have launched the Dream Lab Challenge to award a custom lab with professional-grade test equipment to the winning creators. The contest is open through September 30, 2026, to makers, engineers, students, and innovators with big ideas. Applicants are encouraged to build and document a project featuring the new Arduino UNO Q microcontroller board, which is a high-performance, hybrid, single-board computer and microcontroller development board. Projects could be an intelligent robot, an AI-powered vision system, a smart automation platform, or something entirely unexpected. All submissions are encouraged to highlight the UNO Q’s powerful capabilities that bridge the gap between hardware and generative AI and demonstrate creativity, innovation, and inventive ways to use it. DigiKey and Arduino will award four creators with a custom dream lab package valued at approximately $5,000. The lab’s professional-grade equipment is designed to support future experimentation in advanced vision, robotics, local LLMs, VLMs, Edge AI, and more. U.S.-based creators who are 18 or older can submit their projects as a maker.io project post using the hashtag #UNOQDreamLab, along with filling out the form on the contest page. Winners will be chosen based on creativity and originality, technical execution, use of the UNO Q solution, quality of documentation, and potential impact and innovation.

August 2026 Connector Industry News > Award News

Samtec received the 2025 Flex Sustainability Award for first place in the Achieved RE (Renewable Energy) Target category. Flex, a global manufacturing and supply chain solutions provider, recognizes top-tier global suppliers that demonstrate exceptional commitment and measurable progress in advancing environmental impact and supply chain sustainability. Samtec received the award for its dedication to continuous sustainability improvement and emissions reductions – achieving and exceeding all its environmental goals for 2025. Samtec’s sustainability accomplishments reflect the combined impact of targeted energy-reduction initiatives, increased use of lower-carbon energy sources, and water conservation efforts. For example, Samtec reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity by 25.3% relative to its 2019 baseline. Samtec also established baselines and identified opportunities for future reductions. Also in 2025, Samtec exceeded its renewable energy target by increasing the share of renewables in its global energy portfolio to 21.5%. This progress was driven by expanded green power agreements, strategic procurement of renewable energy credits, and on-site renewable projects. The recent installation of a photovoltaic solar power system at Samtec’s Costa Rica facility will account for roughly 28% of the facility’s yearly total energy consumption. Samtec made significant progress in optimizing water use in 2025, particularly in water-intensive processes such as electroplating. A new wastewater treatment facility at the New Albany, Indiana, headquarters contributed to a 20% water recycling rate across all global manufacturing operations.

FDH Electronics, an FDH Aero division serving the MIL-Aero market’s electronic component needs, has been named a 2025 Distributor of the Year by Smiths Interconnect, a Molex company. This marks the second consecutive year FDH Electronics has received this recognition. The prestigious honor recognizes FDH Electronics for its outstanding performance, strong partnership, and unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional service and support to Smiths Interconnect’s customers throughout the Americas. Over the past year, FDH Electronics achieved impressive sales growth, demonstrating its ability to navigate challenges, adapt quickly, and maintain a sharp focus on execution to deliver consistent results.

ENNOVI has been awarded the EcoVadis Platinum Medal for the sixth consecutive year, placing the company among the top 1% of companies assessed by EcoVadis. In its latest EcoVadis Sustainability Rating published in June 2026, ENNOVI achieved an overall score of 88/100, improving from 85/100 in 2025. The high rating reflects the continued maturity, consistency, and effectiveness of its sustainability management systems. ENNOVI recorded year-on-year improvements across all four EcoVadis assessment themes. A key contributor to the improved overall score was ENNOVI’s first external verification of its greenhouse gas emissions.

Thirty years after the introduction of the Stäubli PV connector, the original MC4 photovoltaic connector technology has received the first TEXXECURE AA Product Rating, achieving 925.7 out of 1,000 points. The rating was formally presented at the Stäubli CONNECTS event during the smarter E Europe 2026 in Munich, held alongside Intersolar Europe. The Stäubli Original MC4-Evo 2 connector family was evaluated across defined connector-specific categories, including PV connector properties, electrical characteristics, product certificates and documentation, other risk-relevant characteristics, and expert interviews.

August 2026 Connector Industry News > Personnel & Acquisitions News

TE Connectivity has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Astrodyne TDI, a leading provider of advanced power management and filter solutions for mission-critical industrial applications, from Tinicum L.P. Headquartered in Hackettstown, New Jersey, and with manufacturing operations in North America, China, and Southeast Asia, Astrodyne TDI has a proven track record of solving complex power electronics challenges. The company is recognized for its deep engineering expertise and close collaboration with customers developing next-generation technologies across semiconductor manufacturing equipment, medical, defense, and industrial applications. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. Upon closing, Astrodyne TDI will continue to operate under its current leadership team and become part of TE’s Automation & Connected Living sector.

Sager Electronics has been designated as a factory-certified value-add reseller for Power-Sonic. Power-Sonic brings its innovative battery solutions to Sager’s value-add reseller roster of power, thermal, and battery manufacturers, including Advanced Energy, ebm-papst, Enersys, MEAN WELL, Panasonic Energy, Sanyo Denki, Varta, and VOX Power. Sager’s strong internal engineering team comprised of electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing engineers, along with its investment in the latest testing and packaging equipment, has been the foundation of its successful value-add program.

OMRON completed the spin-off of its device & module solutions business into Aratas Corporation. The new company includes OMRON’s connector, relay, switch, sensor, and socket product lines. Following regulatory approvals, The Carlyle Group is expected to become the majority owner, while OMRON will retain a 5% ownership interest. The move is intended to allow Aratas to focus exclusively on the electronic components market while OMRON concentrates on automation, healthcare, and social systems.

August 2026 Connector Industry News > Facility News

TE Connectivity introduced a new automated 3D printing process to manufacture the catheter shafts it supplies to medical device manufacturers. It will replace a higher-cost, predominately manual assembly process commonly used across the industry. Catheters often require multiple polymer jacket sections with different flexibility characteristics along the length of the device. The new technology, developed by the Advanced Technology Group within TE’s Medical business at the PROPELUS Prototype Center in Galway, Ireland, applies the polymer sections directly onto the catheter shafts during production, resulting in a quicker and more consistent manufacturing process. The resulting catheter shafts have the same mechanical properties, materials, and aesthetics as those made by traditional methods. The new process will allow catheter manufacturers to speed up the development of new devices by allowing TE’s engineering teams to iterate designs more quickly. It may also create opportunities for these manufacturers to introduce new catheter constructions and device architectures that are impractical to manufacture using conventional techniques.

FDH Aero opened a new sales and distribution facility in Montreal. The new location will serve as a dedicated hub to support FDH Aero’s expanding business in Canada. Anchored by local teams with deep market knowledge, in-country inventory, and reliable service, the Montreal facility emphasizes FDH’s strategy of pairing global scale with localized support. By removing the boundaries of specific product lines, the facility will serve as a comprehensive distribution point for the aerospace and defense markets.

August 2026 Connector Industry News > Partnership and Distribution News

Molex announced a long-term supply agreement with Prysmian to address the surging demand for fiber optic connectivity inside data centers. Fueled by rapid AI-driven data center expansions, Prysmian will supply optical cables to Molex for up to 10 years. This agreement will extend production of optical cables and fiber in plants across the U.S., including the glass preform stage, doubling Prysmian’s domestic fiber capacity, and is expected to result in over 1,000 jobs created by Prysmian worldwide, including 600 jobs in the U.S. This investment represents one pillar of the company’s broader global strategy to scale fiber cable supply. Increased access to expanded fiber-optic cable capacity helps hyperscalers and data center architects secure a reliable supply through Molex. \

Neutrik Group Americas announced a new channel partnership with DigiKey. This collaboration will expand DigiKey’s global customer base access the complete portfolio of NEUTRIK and REAN connectivity solutions. Through this new reseller relationship, DigiKey will offer both NEUTRIK and REAN brand products, making these solutions more accessible to engineers, integrators, manufacturers, OEMs, and technical buyers who rely on DigiKey’s extensive distribution platform and streamlined purchasing experience. NEUTRIK and REAN products available through DigiKey include connector and interconnect solutions spanning audio, video, data, power, and industrial applications.

binder joins Austrian company TerraCare as a development partner for TerraCare’s fully automatic tire pressure control system that adjusts the air pressure in the tires of a tractor and trailer to field or road within seconds. On the field, every electrical connection is put under strain due to mud, dust, moisture, aggressive condensate in the compressed air, daily high-pressure cleaning, constant vibration, and temperatures ranging from frost to summer heat. Every tire on the tractor carries its own pressure sensor; valves and compressor must be controlled and supplied reliably. If a connection fails here, the entire system comes to a standstill. binder and TerraCare defined the right connection solution for these extreme requirements based on robust, field-proven connectors from the binder portfolio. Two series handle the central tasks. The M12-A connector (series 763) signal transmission from pressure sensors and valves has 12 contacts, IP68/IP69K, is suitable for high-pressure cleaning, and is molded onto the cable. The RD24 power connector (series 692/693) power and energy supply features IP67, screw locking, up to 16 A, and -40 °C to +100 °C.

August 2026 Connector Industry News > New Technical Resources

Weidmuller USA released significant findings from a national survey of 400 engineers in North America to understand how they design PCBs, evaluate components, and use emerging tools such as AI in their workflow. The study revealed that nearly 8 in 10 respondents placed the highest value on a product’s reliability when selecting components for PCB designs. Component performance also topped the list of reasons why the engineers would make a product switch. According to the survey, conducted between April and May 2026 by global research and intelligence firm EETech Research, more than 9 in 10 engineers have used AI-based tools in their PCB design workflow. The majority of respondents – 75% – viewed AI tools as a productivity and acceleration layer within existing workflows for increased efficiency and faster design iteration. The responding engineers also provided insights on their decision-making during the PCB design process, with almost half saying that component selections for a new PCB design are finalized during the early concept phase or in the schematic design phase. Forty-three percent of respondents said most component selections for a new PCB design are finalized either in the early concept/architecture phase or in the schematic design phase, and 26% said component selection is usually iterative across multiple stages. Ninety-one percent have used AI-based tools in their PCB design workflow, with faster design iterations being seen currently as the primary value of AI. When respondents were asked to write-in what they “wish existed” in AI tools, their answers revealed that engineers see real and persistent gaps in the promise and reality of AI for PCB design, including lack of real-time error detection and fully autonomous text to the PCB board.

Mouser is empowering engineers with its comprehensive transportation resource center focused on the technologies reshaping mobility. As systems evolve, engineers must address complex requirements around power management, functional safety, real-time decision-making, and infrastructure integration. The hub provides technical insights and resources to help designers navigate these evolving challenges and accelerate the development of future transportation solutions. As mobility evolves toward cleaner, more autonomous systems, engineers are navigating modern infrastructure, safety, and performance challenges. Emerging urban air mobility (UAM) platforms require designs that support reliable electric propulsion and charging infrastructure, while hydrogen fuel cell systems need advanced power management solutions to maximize efficiency. At the same time, robotaxis and autonomous transportation are driving demand for robust sensing, AI-powered decision-making, and functional safety. Mouser’s transportation resource center helps engineers navigate these evolving design requirements with expert technical content, practical insights, and the latest products needed to bring next-generation mobility solutions from concept to deployment.

August 2026 Connector Industry News > Association, Standards, & Certifications News

Mouser, in collaboration with onsemi, released a new eBook, Powering and Sensing AI: From Cloud Infrastructure to Physical Autonomy. The new eBook brings together insights from experts across the AI ecosystem, including specialists from onsemi, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Tesla, to explore how advances in power semiconductors, sensing technologies, and hardware architectures are supporting the breadth of AI applications — from hyperscale data centers to robots and real-world autonomous systems. The eBook examines how the move towards higher-voltage architectures and the adoption of wide-bandgap semiconductor technologies, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), are helping data center operators improve efficiency, reduce thermal management demands, and lower overall energy consumption. The eBook also highlights the growing importance of sensing in physical AI applications. While vision remains a key element of autonomous systems, intelligent machines increasingly rely on a combination of image, force, torque, position, and proximity sensing to interact safely and effectively with the physical world. The eBook explains how improvements in sensing quality can reduce processing overhead, lower power consumption, improve response times, and enable more reliable AI decision-making at the edge. Download the eBook here and browse Mouser’s complete eBook library.

The Technology Export Controls Conference sponsored by ECIA and SIA brings together current and former government officials, compliance practitioners, and policy experts from technology companies and their valued channel partners, university and think tank researchers, and legal practitioners to assess the state of U.S. dual-use export controls on semiconductors and other technology items and identify practical paths for compliance. Through expert panels and interactive discussion, participants will examine policy updates, enforcement trends, diversion threats, IP and insider-threat risks, and opportunities to strengthen export compliance programs and public–private partnerships. The event is free for ECIA members and takes place September 30, 8:45 a.m. – 5:45 p.m. at Center for Strategic & International Studies, Washington, DC.

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

Subscribe to our weekly e-newsletters, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, and check out our eBook archives for more applicable, expert-informed connectivity content.