A port city on China’s southeast coast, Wenzhou in Zhejiang province is within the economic zone of the Yangtze River Delta. The region, a vast and economically vital metropolitan area, is one of the country’s richest and fastest-growing areas.
One of the many thriving industries in Wenzhou is connector manufacturing, which accounts for a sizeable share of China’s production value for the category. In 2022, the hundreds of suppliers there collectively realized $7.31 billion, about one third of the total.
The top makers operating in Wenzhou include CWB Automotive Electronics, CZT, Zuch, JVE, Xinya and Lida, some of which rank high domestically. In China’s high-speed connectors niche, JVE leads with a 20 percent market share. On AskCI’s list of top 50 manufacturers in the country in 2024, CZT and CWB Automotive Electronics were in 10th and 25th place respectively.
Most of these suppliers are located in the prefecture-level city of Yueqing, which is under the administration of Wenzhou. They include about 400 companies in the upstream and downstream segments of connector manufacturing, according to Yueqing Daily. To support and promote this sector and attract more investment, the Yueqing Connector Industry Association was recently formed.
Expansion efforts
China’s growing market for connectors, especially those used in the automotive and communications industries, has been generating interest among key Wenzhou-based companies.
CWB Automotive Electronics, for instance, has spent $270 million on the setting up of a subsidiary in Jiaxing, another city in Zhejiang. This project started producing connectors and parts for new energy vehicles in late 2024.
To broaden its reach in Europe and globally, the company formed CWB Technology Germany GmbH, investing about $33.6 million or €30 million in a factory in Baden-Württemberg – this project officially broke ground in December 2024. This Germany-based wing of the business is to be involved in sectors such as motor vehicle parts, plastic products, electrical equipment and component manufacturing.
Zhejiang JST Electronics, a subsidiary of Japanese electronic connector company JST, is allocating $41.6 million for a project in the Lingang Economic Development Zone in Yueqing. The facility, covering an area of 18,676sqm, is scheduled to start mass production of high-precision connectors for electric vehicles. The estimated annual volume is 1 billion units.
Yueqing Jiade has invested in the building of a factory that will turn out 12.8 million high-speed connectors for 5G base stations every year. It currently leads with a 77 percent share of the domestic market for high-precision electric connectors used in home appliances.
Globally, connectors racked up a total of $90 billion in 2023 and $95.4 billion in 2024, according to Bishop & Associates. This source puts the Chinese share of that market at $30.31 billion in 2024, from $26.93 billion in 2022.
The category is likely to show healthy growth in China and globally in the coming years, thanks to rising demand in the consumer electronics, communications, automotive, medical, industrial and military fields. The communications and automotive industries will be particularly important drivers of this expansion.
In addition to Wenzhou, other cities contributing to China’s connector manufacturing pool include Shenzhen, Dongguan and Zhongshan in Guangdong, Suzhou and Changzhou in Jiangsu and Ningbo and Hangzhou in Zhejiang.
R&D agenda
To get a bigger share of the market, Wenzhou-based companies are working to develop more midrange and high-end connectors. Zuch, for instance, has been allotting 5 percent of annual revenue to R&D, especially as it has extended its product scope from connectors for household appliances to those for use in EVs and solar energy systems.
Most suppliers cater mainly to the entry-level segment, competing for orders by accommodating small volume and offering shorter lead times, as well as providing aftersales services.
Widely available connectors include HDMI, USB, fiber-optic, coaxial, wire-to-board, board-to-board and electric types used in consumer electronics, communications, automotive, medical and industrial applications.
They are made using metal and thermoplastic materials, such as copper, bronze, gold, silver, tin, PE, nylon and LCP, sourced from domestic or foreign suppliers. Manufacturers usually turn to China LCO, Zijin Mining and Jiangxi Copper for metals, while Kingfa, Qingdao Gon and Orinko are their usual choices for plastics.
Although copper costs fluctuated in past months, they are expected to stay stable until end-2025 and ensure no change in the prices of connectors sourced in Wenzhou.
Here are verified suppliers based in Wenzhou and their connectors.
Yueqing Lanz Electronics Co. Ltd
Year established: 2006
Head office location: Wenzhou, Zhejiang
Key export products: Connectors
Export ratio: 80%
Main export markets: Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific
Model: LZ-14-T2RA
MOQ: 10 units
Lead time: 10 days
Description: Power connector; IEC 60320 C15 female, side-entry type; 250VAC, 10A rating; for home, office, industrial computers; CE, TUV, CCC
Yueqing Govoing Electrical Co. Ltd
Year established: 2010
Head office location: Wenzhou, Zhejiang
Key export products: Connectors
Annual export sales: $2.1 million
Export ratio: 85%
Main export markets: Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific
Model: 6W0066F
MOQ: Negotiable
Lead time: 7 days
Description: Automotive connector; six positions; rectangular; 1.5mm contact size; 24VDC operating voltage; 14A contact current rating
Zhejiang New-Epoch Communication Industry Co. Ltd
Year established: 1999
Head office location: Wenzhou, Zhejiang
Key export products: Connectors
Annual export sales: $0.2 million
Export ratio: 70%
Main export markets: Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific
Model: XJY-USB-08E
MOQ: 100 units
Lead time: 20 days
Description: Keystone jack with USB 3.0 Type-A connector; right-angle type; ABS, white or black; CE, RoHS
Zhejiang Tongsheng Electronic Co. Ltd
Year established: 1998
Head office location: Wenzhou, Zhejiang
Key export products: Connectors
Annual export sales: $4.125 million
Export ratio: 75%
Main export markets: Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific
Model: TS30401-12P-21
MOQ: 1,000 cartons
Lead time: 7 days
Description: Automotive connector; 12 pins; PBT, nylon 66
