【Popular Science】A Complete Overview of the Connector Industry Chain in 2026
- Categories:Company News
- Author:Guangdong Deke Electric Co., Ltd.
- Origin:https://www.de-ke.cn/
- Time of issue:2026-06-27 14:38
- Views:
【Popular Science】A Complete Overview of the Connector Industry Chain in 2026
- Categories:Company News
- Author:Guangdong Deke Electric Co., Ltd.
- Origin:https://www.de-ke.cn/
- Time of issue:2026-06-27 14:38
- Views:

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The connector industrial chain is divided into three segments: upstream raw materials, midstream manufacturing and downstream applications.
Upstream raw materials are mostly bulk commodities, subdivided into basic components including metallic materials, electroplating chemicals, plastic materials and structural materials.
Copper alloy serves as the core substrate for conductive springs and terminals, with domestic enterprises such as Boway Alloy and Chuxin New Materials achieving localization of this key material. Engineering plastics, used for housings and insulators, see accelerated domestic substitution with remarkable cost advantages. Precious metals applied to contact surfaces for anti-oxidation still partially rely on imports for high-end grades. Structural materials govern the product’s dustproof, waterproof performance and structural stability, an area well-covered by firms like Zhongding Co., Ltd. Electroplating chemicals are adopted for surface treatment and anti-corrosion, and the performance of domestic plating solutions keeps improving.
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Professional Industrial English Translation (Electronics & Connector Industry Standard Terminology)
The midstream segment functions as the value core of the connector industrial chain, covering precision stamping, injection molding, electroplating surface treatment, assembly testing, wire harness integration and other processes.
Global Competitive Landscape: Domestic Manufacturers Breaking Through Oligopoly Competition
The global connector market follows a "one dominant leader plus multiple strong competitors" structure. TE Connectivity has long ranked first with around 12% market share, serving automotive, industrial, aerospace and communication sectors. Amphenol holds approximately 9% share, with its 2025 revenue reaching USD 23 billion and continuous expansion via mergers and acquisitions. Molex accounts for about 7%, boasting prominent strengths in automotive and data communication fields. Aptiv and Foxconn capture roughly 4% and 3% respectively. The top five manufacturers together take up about 35% of the market, indicating high market concentration.
China Market: From "Following Behind" to "Running Side by Side"
China’s connector manufacturing industry is mainly clustered in eastern and southeast coastal provinces such as Guangdong and Zhejiang. In 2024, AVIC Optoelectronics topped the domestic market with around 11% share, followed by Everwin Precision, Guizhou Space Appliance and other enterprises.
Competitive Tiers of Chinese Connector Enterprises
Classified by operating revenue in the first three quarters of 2025:
- First Tier: Lingyi iTech and AVIC Optoelectronics, with revenue exceeding RMB 10 billion each;
- Second Tier: Envicool, with revenue ranging from RMB 2 billion to 5 billion;
- Third Tier: Yidong Electronics, Dingtong Technology, Yonggui Electric, Shenglan Co., Ltd. and others, whose revenue stands below RMB 2 billion.
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Professional Official English Translation (Electronics Industry Standard Terminology)
Downstream applications of connectors cover automotive electronics, communication equipment, consumer electronics, data centers, industrial control, aerospace and other sectors. Automotive electronics and communication equipment together account for nearly 50% of total market demand.
Four Core Growth Drivers
Automotive Electronics: Driven by Electrification & Intelligentization
The penetration rate of new energy vehicles keeps rising, and the consumption of connectors per vehicle has increased significantly. High-voltage connectors and high-speed signal connectors are in strong demand, with the sector expected to maintain a growth rate of over 20% in 2026. Mass quantities of high-performance connectors are required for battery management systems, power control systems, autonomous driving sensors and other components.
AI Data Centers: Surge in Computing Power Spawns the Liquid Cooling Revolution
As single-chip power consumption exceeds 300W and even 500W, traditional air cooling is approaching its heat dissipation limit, making liquid cooling an inevitable solution. As critical components of cold-plate liquid cooling systems, liquid cooling connectors are seeing soaring demand alongside rising penetration of liquid-cooled servers. Data centers make up approximately 60% of the total market for liquid cooling connectors.
Communication Equipment: Continuous Expansion of 5G/6G & Optical Communications
Rapid deployment of 5G base stations and high-speed network infrastructure fuels demand for high-performance connectors in communication systems. In 2026, co-packaged optics (CPO), the representative optical interconnection technology, will hit an inflection point of large-scale rollout, driving the development of industrial chains including photonics, packaging and thermal management.
Consumer Electronics: Miniaturization & High-Density Design
Consumer products such as smartphones, wearables and AR/VR devices impose ever stricter requirements on miniaturization and high-density design of connectors. Global shipments of smart glasses are projected to reach 23.687 million units in 2026, creating new growth momentum for micro connectors.
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Professional Industrial English Translation (Formal for Official Articles & Corporate Profiles)
The connector industry stands at a critical juncture of transformation from quantitative expansion to qualitative advancement. Within the global market worth USD 78.5 billion, automotive electronics, communication equipment and AI data centers deliver the core growth momentum. For Chinese manufacturers, the localization of upstream raw materials, technological breakthroughs in midstream manufacturing, and expansion of downstream application scenarios form a three-stage rocket powering domestic substitution.
The future is unfolding, enabling boundless connectivity. Riding the wave of domestic substitution, Dekor Electric deeply cultivates the three core tracks and facilitates industrial upgrading through precision connection solutions.
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