185: Connectors, Engineering Leadership, and Growth Strategies with HARTING Americas' Casey Spitz and Cory Jenkins
Casey Spitz, Vice President of Development and Innovation, and Cory Jenkins, Senior Director of Business Development, both from HARTING Americas, discuss the critical role of industrial connectors in modern manufacturing. They explain how 'connectorization' enables modular, plug-and-play systems, allowing for faster assembly and reduced risk compared to hardwiring. The guests highlight the industry shift toward miniaturization, specifically Single Pair Ethernet, and the need to integrate connectivity early in the design process to handle higher power densities and robust environments. They also share leadership insights on balancing rapid growth with process creation, emphasizing the importance of localization, customer-centric co-creation, and hiring for soft skills to foster innovation.