Nicab Ltd  01280 704867  sales@nicab.co.uk
  • Home
  • Bespoke Cables & Harnesses
  • About us
  • Standard Cables
  • Box-Build
  • What we do
  • Why us
  • Quality
  • Contact us
  • The Nicab Blog

The future of interconnect in Electronics

27/2/2012

4 Comments

 
Picture
In a meeting last week with a sales manger of a very well known connector manufacturer, I was told his prediction of the mains cable becoming obsolete in the next 10-15 years.

Furthermore, according to him, the whole interconnect industry is under threat as new technologies are making electronics smaller and the need for cables becoming a thing of the past.

That is quite a depressing thought especially if your job is to sell connectors! I personally don't agree with the first point as the ability to charge products without a cable requires a manufacturer to sell products that most people can't use because they don't have the means to power it. That's not really the point however; I understand what is being said. In the future at some point most products will probably not require cables as we know them today. For example, the mobile phone is fast becoming the do-it-all device that we all use and that is pretty much the point with regards to personal electronic devices.

So where does this leave us in the interconnection business? In my opinion the answer to this question is the same as it has always been for all industries that are mature. The textile manufacturers working from home that had to give way to the industrial might of the water-powered loom that eventually gave way to lower cost labour from overseas is exactly the same problem we face today.

Change and how we cope with it has and will always be our biggest challenge. When I first entered into the industry we were in the middle of a mass exodus of work being sent to the Far-East so I have only seen the industry in flux with many good companies being lost in the process.

There is a future for us and I believe a very good one. To take the example above of the textile industry we can turn the whole thing on its head. The idea of a bespoke garment being manufactured in the UK by an artisan and instantly we are thinking about high fashion and big prices. What a change.

This is where I see the future of our products turning away from mass production that is nice work if you can get it but the real future is in the specialist companies producing high quality parts using traditional methods. There will always be a demand for this, and a healthy one too. After all, you can't yet build a submarine or aeroplane without using cables.

Our challenge is to work out where we are different than the others and to focus of our individual strengths. It's always been the same in business and never more so than now. So I am not going to predict the end of our industry I am instead going to celebrate out ability to continue to produce high quality products to world class standards.

4 Comments
Keith Badger link
27/2/2012 05:06:18 pm

As a former employee of the world's largest connector manufacturer, I couldn't disagree more about cables and / or connectors becoming a thing of the past. Maybe in certain industries such as mobile phones they will be if not already, however any product that has to get power from an external source will always need some way to 'interconnect'. How would transport in general function for example without cable and connectors? How would you link up power and lighhting in buildings? The future for cables and connectors will continue to change and evolve, but I seriously doubt they will ever disappear.

Reply
led spotlight link
26/4/2012 08:06:11 pm

Hi, this is a good post, indeed a great job. You must have done good research for the work, i appreciate your efforts. Looking for more updates from your side. Thanks

Reply
kindle 3 cover stand link
23/9/2012 08:44:47 am

I like your article. Your article is quite good and complete. thank you,,,,,,

Reply
Bitcoin Store link
30/9/2014 04:40:59 pm

Hi, Thanks for your page. I discovered your page by way of Bing and hope you maintain providing much more good articles.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Hi Nick here! I have been working in Cable Assembly & Manufacturing for a number of years (too many to mention).  You’ll discover I've got a lot to say!   I hope to make your day better and will give some useful info along the way.

    Archives

    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010

    Categories

    All
    Did You Know?
    Did You Know?
    Free Gifts
    Helpful Information
    Product Image

    RSS Feed


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.