Serving a Diverse Industry
The Wire Harness Manufacturing Association

David Pheteplace, CableAssemblySupplier.com: What is the primary charter of the WHMA—why does it exist?

Lyle Fahning, WHMA Chairman: “The WHMA connects you to resources that make you an industry leader.” This direction statement was developed as a result of a strategic branding session that we undertook over the last several years. It reflects the experience and knowledge that is willingly shared among the helpful and friendly fellow members of the association. I have been involved in several trade associations in my career and they are usually comprised of the “movers and shakers” in the industry. However, in my previous experience, there was significant concern about sharing information with competitors. In this highly fragmented industry of wire harnesses and cables, there are approximately 1,000 manufacturers in North America. These “competitors” come from suppliers of cables and connectors, OEM customers, direct competitors, and indirect competitors. It is truly amazing the amount of openness and sharing by WHMA members. As one member stated, “I have shared my knowledge, but have gained far more, which has substantially benefited both me and my company.” This knowledge and information is gained through our annual conferences, our committees, our WHMA list service, and through the numerous contacts and relationships that develop through membership.

CAS.com: When, how, and why was the organization originally founded?

Fahning: The Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association was established in 1993 by a small group of industry members who had the vision to see that the industry could benefit from a trade association helping them and their diverse needs. It is the only organization exclusively serving American manufacturers of wiring harnesses, electronic cable assemblies, cord sets, in addition to their suppliers and distributors. WHMA members have banded together as a not-for-profit association in the spirit of volunteerism and mutual benefit to provide the only industry forum through which member companies can aggressively solve both their specific company problems and also address pressing industry issues.

CAS.com: What benefits does the WHMA bring to its members?

Fahning: The primary benefit of WHMA membership is the opportunity to interface with the leading manufacturing and supplier companies in our industry. These opportunities help our members review and refine the direction their businesses are heading in, and also provides them with ideas and practices to help with the execution of their business practices.

“Direction” and “execution” ideas are provided at our annual conferences by outside speakers and through networking with fellow association members. One of the highly regarded sessions at each conference is the roundtable of “best practices,” where members share and learn best industry practices on numerous topics. The recent WHMA Conference in Orlando had best practices topics on strategic planning processes, profitability enhancement, industry benchmarking, industry market research, and independent rep sales vs. direct sales.

WHMA was the initiator of the industry workmanship standard IPC/WHMA A 620, and through the invaluable help of IPC, with their standards development expertise, it has become a worldwide standard for our industry. This standard is being used as everything—from a marketing tool to a key component of quality management systems to a training guide for production personnel. The IPC/WHMA A 620 is a great tool, but the real benefit comes when fellow WHMA members share their creative ideas on how it can be utilized.

Knowledge exchange occurs after the WHMA events through peer networking and also electronically through our online WHMA list service. The list service is where you can ask questions of the knowledgeable people in the industry, and responses come back from around the world.

WHMA truly does connect you to the resources that make you an industry leader.

CAS.com: What were the main challenges facing the organization’s members over the last year?

Fahning: The overall economy, and specifically some market segments, had an adverse effect on certain companies in our membership this last year. Because of the diversity of our industry, there are always some segments that seem to do well, while others may face challenges. The advantage of this industry is that many companies serve several markets/industries and while one may be down, others will hopefully be up. A cable or harness doesn’t know which market segment it goes to, and therefore, many of our members have the ability to adjust and adapt to changing environments. We definitely have seen this in the last year. Remaining flexible and creative is a valuable asset to our customers, but also serves our member companies well as they respond to ever-changing market and economic trends.

CAS.com: What is the future direction and strategy of the organization?

Fahning: Like every industry, the demands of all the market segments seem to focus on faster, better, and more cost-effective solutions. This is where the creativity and flexibility of our association members distinguishes them from other companies. The Wire Harness Manufacturers Association connect members with the resources that will help them become industry leaders. We will continue to provide pertinent knowledge and information in the ever-changing business environment. We will work to involve more companies in the industry, which reinforces a statement I’ve used in my business, “One person can make a difference. A TEAM can make a miracle.”

For more information on becoming a WHMA member, visit www.whma.org.