COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 334417

Electronic Connector Manufac-turing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

14companies1832–1999founding years14still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedRogers Corporation
1832
FoundedCTS Corporation
1896
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedThomas & Betts Corporation
1917
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedADC Telecommunications, Inc.
1935
FoundedMolex Incorporated
1938
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedAmphenol Corporation
1942
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedAndrew Corporation
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedLaBarge Inc.
1953
FoundedDover Corporation
1955
FoundedW.L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedTyco International Ltd.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
FoundedAVX Corporation
1972
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedLucent Technologies Inc.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedJDS Uniphase Corporation
1999
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Rogers Corporation →
Active · founded 1832
Rogers Corporation was originally founded as a paper mill in 1832 and segued from insulated paperboard into a wide…
CTS Corporation →
Active · founded 1896
Established in 1896 to make telephones and switchboards, CTS Corporation has become a leading manufacturer of passive…
Thomas & Betts Corporation →
Active · founded 1917
Thomas & Betts Corporation (T&B) is a leading global manufacturer of electrical connectors and components.
ADC Telecommunications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1935
ADC Telecommunications, Inc.
Molex Incorporated →
Active · founded 1938
Late 1940s:Krehbiel's son, John H.
Amphenol Corporation →
Active · founded 1942
Amphenol Corporation manufactures interconnect products--cable and connectors.
Andrew Corporation →
Active · founded 1947
Andrew Corporation is an international supplier of communications equipment, systems, and services.
LaBarge Inc. →
Active · founded 1953
LaBarge Inc.
Dover Corporation →
Active · founded 1955
Dover Corporation is a diversified industrial manufacturing holding company composed of about 50 subsidiaries with…
W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. →
Active · founded 1958
W.L.
Tyco International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1962 · Bermuda
Tyco International Ltd.
AVX Corporation →
Active · founded 1972
AVX Corporation is a global manufacturer of passive electronic components.
Lucent Technologies Inc. →
Active · founded 1995
Lucent Technologies Inc.
JDS Uniphase Corporation →
Active · founded 1999
JDS Uniphase Corporation is a high technology company that designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes a wide…
Build It Today

Starting a electronic connector manufac-turing company now

Each week we rebuild one of these stories for today's tools and capital.