The new board of directors was elected during the SPE Industrial Partner Network's general assembly in April 2024. Claus Kleedörfer is one of the four board members representing the founding members of the SPE IPN. The network is an equal alliance of companies that jointly define the strategic approach to establishing SPE as the new Ethernet technology in the market and creating the foundation for the rapid growth of the IIoT. Since the SPE IPN was founded in 2019, TE has been represented on the board and is a leading force behind standardization and the latest product launches. TE played a key role in the rollout of the international electrotechnical standard IEC 63171-7, which defines M12 hybrid connectors, supporting faster adoption of SPE interconnect technology in the industry.

“SPE represents a technological leap for single-cable Ethernet-based connectivity solutions in smart factories,” says Claus Kleedörfer. “We believe SPE will revolutionize industrial communication in future IIoT applications, which is why TE—through collaboration with other SPE IPN members—is dedicated to making SPE the standard in industrial automation.”