What Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association does

The Wiring Harness Manufacturer's Association (WHMA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1993 that exclusively represents the global cable and wire harness manufacturing industry, operating as a council of the Global Electronics Association since January 2019. Headquartered in Bannockburn, Illinois, WHMA serves approximately 250 member companies spanning manufacturers, suppliers, OEMs, and distributors across seven tracked verticals: Aerospace, Automotive/Transportation, Consumer Technology, Defense/Military, Medical/Instrument, Off-Highway, and Recreational. Its core product is the IPC/WHMA-A-620 standard, co-developed and maintained with IPC under a 1998 MOU and described in source data as the industry's sole consensus benchmark for cable and wire harness assembly requirements; the standard has progressed through A through E level revisions and underpins WHMA's training and certification portfolio.

WHMA monetizes through annual membership dues (pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled via an application portal) and supplements revenue through training products distributed via IPC's education platform (WHO Training in English and Spanish, the WHMA/IPC 620 for Operators course, and a network of authorized A-620 Training Centers), two flagship annual events (the WHMA Global Leadership Summit and the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo, the latter recognized in 2024 as a top 100 fastest-growing U.S. trade show), the Wire Harness News journal launched in 1994, and the WHMA Community Magazine. The association is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors drawn from member-company executives and run operationally by David Bergman (Executive Director and VP of International Relations) alongside tradeshow and education staff shared with the Global Electronics Association.

Name

Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association

Legal name

Wiring Harness Manufacturer's Association

Website

https://whma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

WHMA is a non-profit trade association, founded 1993 and now a council of Global Electronics Association, that exclusively represents the global cable and wire harness manufacturing industry by maintaining the IPC/WHMA-A-620 consensus standard, delivering training and certification, and serving approximately 250 member manufacturers, suppliers, OEMs, and distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Other Fabricated Wire Product Manufacturing (332618), Wiring Device Manufacturing (33593)

SIC

Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Wiring Harnesses & Pre-Fabricated Assemblies (IMADAMAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Power Cable (MV/HV) (IMADAMAB), Power Cables & Conductors (LV/MV cables, flexible cables, bus wire, armored cable) (IMAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Wire harness standards
• Cable assembly training
• Trade association services
• Electronics manufacturing certification
• Industry standards development

Headquarters

HQ city

Illinois City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: WHMA generates revenue through membership fees from wire harness manufacturers, suppliers, OEMs, and distributors in the cable and wire harness industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Wiring Harness Manufacturer's Association (WHMA) is a non-profit trade association serving the cable and wire harness manufacturing industry. It develops and promotes the IPC/WHMA-A-620 industry consensus standard, delivers workforce training through its WHO Training program and certified A-620 Training Centers, and provides member services including networking events, industry recognition programs, an industry job board, and a member directory of approximately 250 companies.

Product overview

WHMA is a trade association offering a portfolio of standards, training programs, industry events, and membership services for the wire harness manufacturing industry. The core offering is the IPC/WHMA-A-620 Standard, the industry's consensus benchmark for cable and wire harness assembly requirements. Supporting this are training and certification programs including WHO Training, WHMA/IPC 620 for Operators courses, and A-620 Training Centers. WHMA organizes the annual Global Leadership Summit and the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE), both major industry events. The association also provides a Member Directory and publishes the Wire Harness News journal and WHMA Community Magazine. There is no evidence of a software product, platform, or API-based offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IPC/WHMA-A-620: The industry standard for acceptability of electronic wire harnesses and cables, developed jointly by WHMA and IPC.

Products and services

• IPC/WHMA-A-620 Industry Consensus Standard The IPC/WHMA-A-620 standard is the industry consensus document that defines requirements and acceptance criteria for cable and wire harness assemblies, used by manufacturers, OEMs, and training centers to qualify production and personnel.
• WHO Training Program The WHO (Workforce/Harnessing Opportunity) Training program is WHMA's structured curriculum that prepares workers in cable and wire harness assembly skills, delivered through certified training providers to member companies and industry participants.
• A-620 Training Centers (Certified Third-Party Instruction) WHMA's network of certified A-620 Training Centers delivers standardized instruction and certification against the IPC/WHMA-A-620 standard, providing member and non-member companies with recognized workforce credentials.

Quantifiable outcome

• WHMA has grown from 9 founding members in 1993 to approximately 250 members

Named customers3 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Electronics AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019In January 2019, WHMA signed an agreement that made IPC executive director of WHMA. WHMA is now a council of Global Electronics Association. This partnership has contributed to the successful growth of WHMA and created opportunities for its members.
• ASI (Association Solutions, Inc)minorOthers · 1 January 2002In 2002 WHMA signed an agreement with ASI of Minnesota and Jim Manke as executive director of WHMA. The agreement was retired in 2019 after 17 years of a very successful relationship.
• IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998In 1998, WHMA developed a signed MOU agreement with IPC of Northbrook, IL. Together IPC and WHMA developed the IPC/WHMA-A-620 standard for wire harness/cable assembly. This partnership has been highly valuable to WHMA members and other industry companies.
• Wire Harness News (WHN)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994In 1994, Wire Harness News (WHN) was launched out of Richmond, IL by Fred Knaack, Publisher. With WHMA's support, WHN has become the only major wire harness/cable assembly industry journal.
• Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 1993In the early 2000s WHMA became a very important exhibitor/supporter of the Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo (EWPTE). The event is held in Milwaukee, WI each year in May and was recognized as a top 100 fastest-growing show in the United States.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries): IPC is the parent council and standards partner that develops the IPC/WHMA-A-620 standard with WHMA and has served as WHMA's executive director since 2019. It is the most directly comparable peer given shared electronics-industry standards focus and operational overlap.
• Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA): ECIA is a trade association representing electronic component manufacturers, distributors, and manufacturers' representatives. It shares WHMA's membership-based association model and serves a closely overlapping electronics supply chain constituency.
• Amphenol: Amphenol is one of the world's largest manufacturers of interconnect, cable, and wiring harness solutions and is represented on WHMA's Board. It is a direct industry peer and the largest participating member-company in WHMA's ecosystem.
• Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA): SMTA is a member-driven trade association serving the electronics manufacturing sector with technical conferences, certification, and training — highly comparable to WHMA in business model and target audience of electronics manufacturing professionals.

Regional players

• Southwire: Southwire is a major North American manufacturer of wire and cable used as direct input into wire harness assemblies, and is represented on WHMA's Board. Comparable as an upstream supplier member within the wire harness value chain.
• Schleuniger: Schleuniger is a Swiss-headquartered manufacturer of wire processing equipment used to cut, strip, and terminate wire harnesses, and is represented on WHMA's Board. Comparable as an equipment supplier member serving the same wire harness manufacturing constituency.

Broad incumbents

• TE Connectivity: TE Connectivity is a global leader in connectors, sensors, and wiring assemblies serving automotive, aerospace, and industrial end markets that WHMA members supply. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating in the same wire harness and cabling product space.
• SAE International: SAE International is a standards and membership organization serving the aerospace, automotive, and commercial-vehicle industries — end markets that drive significant demand for wire harness assemblies. Comparable as a peer standards-body serving WHMA's downstream OEMs.
• National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA): NEMA is the largest U.S. trade association for electrical equipment manufacturers, developing standards and advocating for the broader electrical industry. It is a comparable incumbent operating upstream and adjacent to the wire harness and cabling ecosystem.
• American Society for Quality (ASQ): ASQ is a large membership-based quality standards and certification body serving manufacturing professionals globally. Comparable in its certification, training, and member-driven standards business model applied to industrial quality.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WHMA_A620
• Facebookfacebook.com/WHMA.A620
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wiring-harness-manufacturer%27s-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Wiring Harness Manufacturer’s Association