May 2025 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.

May 2025 Connector Industry News

May 2025 Connector Industry News > Event News

ECIA’s 2025 Executive Conference Committee announced this year’s conference theme will be Amped Up – The Power of Tomorrow.  The committee “was inspired by the rapid advancements in technology shaping the electronics industry and selected a theme that captures the opportunities ahead,” said Maryellen Stack, director of marketing communications, Sager Electronics, and this year’s conference chair. “Amped Up. The Power of Tomorrow. is more than just a theme — it’s a call to action. It reflects the energy, transformative innovation, collaboration, and resilience driving our future. We are committed to delivering a conference that not only tackles the hard topics but also ignites — and powers — new ideas to lead our businesses forward.” The conference will take place October 19-21, 2025, at a new location, the Westin O’Hare Hotel. Registration is open now.

Learn something new with EDAC’s Tech Tuesday, a series of free, 60-minute training presentations over Teams. Each month, the EDAC Group company experts focus on a different connectivity topic. The in-depth sessions are open to all and designed as a platform for collaboration and growth. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just stepping into this field, this is an opportunity to learn more and ask questions of interconnect experts. The next session is Tuesday, June 3, and focuses on card edge connectors. Learn more about the series and register for the next session.

May 2025 Connector Industry News > Award News

Harwin announced the winners of its annual Distributor of the Year Award, with Mouser taking the grand prize of Global Distributor of the Year, plus Americas Distributor of the Year. The Distributor of the Year Award is based on an analysis of six KPIs, including sales growth, bookings and billings, new designs, and the ease of doing business with the distributor, with the Texas-headquartered online distributor outperforming its US-rivals across four of these. Harwin particularly noted Mouser’s increased period-on-period inventory positioning, with bookings up 28% and billings up 6% versus last year.

Left to right: Caroline March-Long, director of marketing, Weidmuller USA; Randy Sadler, president & CEO, Weidmuller USA; Haley Neumann, DISC commodity manager, Emerson; Dan Smith, product manager – discrete automation, Emerson; and Alan Mathason, senior product manager, Emerson

TTI Inc. received a Supplier of the Year award from BAE Systems’ Partner 2 Win program. TTI was selected from a pool of suppliers that delivered exceptional performance and contributions to support supply chain success for BAE Systems’ Electronic Systems sector in 2024. BAE Systems’ Partner 2 Win program is designed to achieve operational excellence and eliminate inefficiencies in its supply chain by raising the bar of performance expectations to meet the demands of current and future customers. As part of the program, BAE Systems meets regularly with its suppliers to transfer best practices and ensure the components and materials that compose its products meet the highest quality standards.

Weidmüller is one of only six worldwide winners of the 2024 Supplier Sustainability Award from Emerson, a global industrial technology leader. Emerson evaluated suppliers on a variety of criteria related to a company’s goals for a reduction in data emissions, along with the action plan and collaborative process to achieve the desired solution. Companies were also reviewed for their efforts to incorporate sustainability as a strategic business focus and for their transparency in sharing insights with customers. Weidmüller had established a target goal to reduce Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 35% (starting in 2019) by 2030, with plans to expand across all global company locations. Some highlights of the company’s award-winning actions included energy-efficient buildings featuring geothermal energy, LED lighting, EV charging, solar roofs, heat pumps, reduced water consumption and reduction of single-use plastic; reduction of its carbon footprint with new local manufacturing in Richmond, Va., and a newly installed native habitat landscape; and producing a public sustainability report since 2021.

May 2025 Connector Industry News > Personnel & Acquisitions News

Waytek Inc. appointed Andres Caballero as its new CEO, effective June 2, 2025. Waytek’s current CEO Charlie Kanan will ensure a seamless transition as he continues in his role as Chairman of the Board. Caballero brings more than two decades of experience leading complex and global organizations including Fortune 100 and multinational industrial firms. Most recently, he served as President of GF Building Flow Solutions Americas. Prior to that, he held senior executive roles at Uponor and Honeywell. As Waytek continues to strengthen its position in the market, Caballero will lead the next chapter of growth, focusing on strategic expansion, technology-driven innovation, and sustaining Waytek’s commitment to customer service excellence. Caballero holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and serves on several boards, including the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

May 2025 Connector Industry News > Partnership and Distribution News

DigiKey has expanded its extensive product selection in Q1 2025. This includes the addition of 104 new suppliers and 98,320 innovative new product introductions in the first quarter across its core business, Marketplace, and Fulfilled by DigiKey programs. The most recent first quarter new supplier additions include Cookiecad, DB Products, Electro Terminal, and MinewSemi. DigiKey continues to deliver an unmatched selection of products to accelerate progress for every designer, buyer, and builder.

May 2025 Connector Industry News > New Technical Resources

Mouser Electronics announced a new eBook in collaboration with TE Connectivity that explores how advancements in automation, connectivity, and intelligent systems are solving today’s manufacturing challenges. For decades, manufacturing has followed predictable, linear processes. However, the demand for greater flexibility, customization, and speed has pushed traditional systems to their limits. In Advancements in Industrial Automation: Smart Manufacturing and Future Technologies, experts from TE Connectivity discuss how collaborative robots (cobots), predictive maintenance, hybrid connectivity, and other technologies are enabling the transition to smart manufacturing. Get the new eBook here.

Mouser Electronics’ agriculture resource center offers valuable insights into the latest innovations in farming. Through the integration of sensors, drones, and AI, farmers have the capability to collect and analyze vast amounts of data. Technological advancements, like satellites, have enabled farmers to track changes in land use, such as crop growth and vegetation health, which helps feed the growing global population while maintaining sustainable practices. By gaining insights into the field, like pH and CO2 levels in the moisture content, they can better understand soil quality, leading to enhanced crop yields. IoT devices are added to optimize agricultural practices like RFID tagging livestock to track their movements and analyze the herd’s feeding behaviors, stress levels, and potential health issues. The comprehensive library of resources offers engineers the tools to make informed decisions on processes from irrigation to fertilization. With  eBooks, articles, blogs, and products from Mouser’s technical team and trusted manufacturing partners, readers will gain valuable knowledge on the cutting-edge technology that is transforming agriculture.

Like this article? Check out our other Product Roundup, Product News, and Connector Industry News features and our 2024 and 2025 Article Archives Article Archives.

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