November 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.

November 2026 Connector Industry News

November 2026 Connector Industry News > Event News

Anderson Power joined IDEAL Industries Inc.’s second-annual Month of Kindness, an employee initiative to support the communities where they live and work. This year, employees across six countries took part in efforts like Habitat for Humanity build days in the United States and Canada, food assistance in New Zealand, and environmental cleanup activities in China, translating the company’s purpose and values into meaningful local action. In India, Anderson Power employees assembled supply kits for underprivileged students. By packing nutritional snacks, stationery, and other essentials, the team helped local students prepare for the upcoming school year. The effort impacted 36,359 people and generated $221,066 in community investment and charitable giving, with 100% site participation and 737.5 volunteer hours. Full results are detailed in IDEAL Industries’ first ever Month of Kindness Impact Report.

November 2026 Connector Industry News > Award News

The Weidmüller Group received the prestigious Rockwell Automation Direct Supplier of the Year Award at Rockwell Automation’s annual supplier conference in September. With the Direct Supplier of the Year Award, Rockwell Automation recognizes suppliers that demonstrate technical excellence, global reach, and partnership value and stand out for their achievement in new product introduction (NPI), flexibility, quality, and compliance.

Lumberg’s RAST 1.5 connector system received the prestigious Key Components & Manufacturing Process Award for Automotive Lighting at the DVN Shanghai Lighting Workshop in September. This is the first award presented to RAST 1.5. The honor recognizes not only an innovative product but also the engineering expertise, technical know-how, and dedication of the people behind this connectivity solution. With RAST 1.5 — the only system of its kind available worldwide — Lumberg has taken its proven RAST connection technology to the next level. The compact connector system requires approximately 43% less installation space than RAST 2.5, creating new opportunities for the continued miniaturization of electronic assemblies. RAST 1.5 combines its compact design with the established benefits of RAST technology: reliable electrical connections, efficient processing, and cost-effective integration into industrial manufacturing processes.

Indium Corporation received a Mexico Technology Award in the solder paste category for its Indium12.9HF, a no-clean, halogen-free solder paste designed to meet the growing challenges of high-density, fine-pitch assemblies. The award was presented at a breakfast event prior to the SMTA Guadalajara Tech Forum and Expo in October. As fine aperture print transfer efficiency becomes increasingly critical, Indium12.9HF helps PCB manufacturers keep pace with rapid industry miniaturization. Its strong oxidation resistance allows it to withstand soak profiles often required for large, thermally massive assemblies, and helps reduce the risk of HIP, NOW, and bridging defects. It delivers best-in-class voiding performance on OSP and ENIG surfaces and demonstrates high oxidation resistance, with little to no graping or solder balling on pads as small as 175 microns. Additionally, Indium Corporation’s Regional Technical Manager and Technologist Andreas Karch received the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 1906 Award recognizing his exceptional contributions to global electrotechnical standardization. Karch received the award at a special IEC ceremony in Offenbach, Germany.

November 2026 Connector Industry News > Personnel & Acquisitions News

Wieland Group has acquired Neotiss SAS, a provider of heat transfer solutions and a leading manufacturer of high-performance smooth and finned tubes for demanding applications in the nuclear, energy, and process industries. Growing demand for reliable energy supply, driven in part by the rapid expansion of data centers, combined with ongoing investments in industrial infrastructure, is increasing the global need for efficient heat transfer solutions and high-performance tube systems. With the acquisition of Neotiss, Wieland is well positioned to support customers around the world even more comprehensively in these growing markets. Neotiss is one of the world’s leading specialists in welded smooth and finned tubes made from titanium, stainless steel, and nickel alloys. Its products are used in highly demanding applications where maximum efficiency, corrosion resistance, and operational reliability are essential. Headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France, the company operates manufacturing facilities in France, the United States, and China and employs approximately 370 people.

HARTING Technology Group announced it has joined the NVIDIA MGX ecosystem as a power system component provider for the NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL72 platform. HARTING delivers power whip solutions — cable assemblies that distribute power from the building to each rack — as growing AI compute demands reshape how power is distributed within data centers. The solutions span the transition across two generations of NVIDIA MGX power architecture, from 480 VAC to the NVIDIA 800 VDC architecture, designed to support the rapidly increasing power demands of AI factories.

November 2026 Connector Industry News > Partnership and Distribution News

DigiKey is the exclusive distributor of the newly available Coralboard, powered by Coral NPU technology from Google Research and Synaptics Astra embedded processors. Manufactured by Grinn, the development board offers a practical starting point for rapid prototyping, product evaluation, and production-oriented edge AI development.

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

The ODVA (Open DeviceNet Vendor Association) has officially specified the compact, industrial-grade ix Industrial mating interface for Ethernet/IP network applications. This completes the standardization and referencing process for the smaller, more rugged alternative to the classic RJ45 connector. In addition to Ethernet/IP, the ix Industrial is already integrated into leading industry standards including PROFINET, CC-Link IE TSN, FL-net, and GigE Vision. As an official IEC standard (IEC 61076-3-124), the ix Industrial connector is offered by three independent manufacturers – Hirose, HARTING, and Amphenol. This guarantees users free market access, price diversity, and long-term supply security without manufacturer dependency.Component miniaturization combined with increased robustness and performance addresses the evolving demands of industrial data transmission. The product range is broad to meet application demands. In addition to standard sockets and angle variants, the ix Industrial is available with IDC or solder connection and in rugged IP65/67 versions. Field-assembly designs also allow on-site assembly without special tools. Development teams that are now entering their next product developments should integrate ix Industrial into upcoming devices as a robust, industrial-grade, and significantly smaller alternative to the RJ45.

November 2026 Connector Industry News > Facility News 

Wire and cable specialist WireMasters has opened a value-add connector assembly operation at its European headquarters in Langenselbold near Frankfurt. The facility gives military and aerospace customers in Europe a regional source for configured Conesys and Corsair circular connectors that the company has until now assembled outside the region. The operation runs a stock-to-build model, holding common piece parts that allow WireMasters to configure a broad range of connectors on demand and reduce customer exposure to long lead times. Assembly follows manufacturer-approved processes covering inspection and marking, with traceability maintained for the applicable qualified product families such as MIL-DTL-38999 and MIL-DTL-26482 circular connectors. WireMasters’ manufacturing partners, Conesys and Corsair, as well as the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency, have granted the facility authorization to assemble fully qualified mil-spec connectors to order. 

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