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TE Connectivity and Harting: Complementary Strengths in Industrial Connectivity

By Alexandre Oliveira Costa | International Industrial Procurement & Supply-Chain Executive · December 2025

Korpen distributes products from both TE Connectivity and Harting — two of the world’s leading connectivity manufacturers. While both companies serve automotive and rail markets, their product philosophies and strengths differ in ways that matter for procurement teams.

TE Connectivity

TE Connectivity is one of the largest connector manufacturers in the world, with a product portfolio spanning automotive, industrial, aerospace, and medical sectors. In automotive applications, TE is known for its DEUTSCH and AMP connector families — products with decades of field history in demanding environments. TE’s strength lies in breadth — for procurement teams specifying a wide range of connector types across a platform, TE can often supply the majority of requirements from a single manufacturer.

Harting

Harting is a specialist in industrial connectivity, with particular strength in heavy-duty connectors for rail, machinery, and power applications. The Han connector family is widely specified in rolling stock applications for its robustness, modularity, and ease of maintenance in the field. Harting’s modular approach allows engineers to configure connectors for specific power, signal, and data requirements within a single housing.

Choosing the Right Product

The decision between TE and Harting often comes down to application specifics. For high-volume automotive signal and power applications, TE’s catalogue depth and competitive pricing at volume make it the natural starting point. For heavy-duty rail and industrial connections requiring modularity and field serviceability, Harting frequently offers advantages that justify the specification. At Korpen, we work with both manufacturers and can help customers identify the right product for their application requirements.