TE Connectivity Taps Harger for Grid Protection

TE Connectivity has acquired Illinois-based Harger, an equipment manufacturer specializing in lightning protection and grounding solutions for the energy industry.

The strategic acquisition will support TE Connectivity’s energy business, including connectivity solutions for utilities, renewable energy, and industrial sectors. Harger’s grounding products serve as foundational electrical balance-of-system components in solar power plants—a critical target market in TE’s expansion.

Harger markets a lengthy catalog of lightning and grounding equipment covering utilities’ needs, from safety-enhancing exothermic connections for substations to braid assemblies, clamps, and compression lugs for solar farms.

TE Connectivity is boosting its lightning solutions portfolio with a new acquisition. Image used courtesy of Pexels

Lightning Protection and Grounding Solutions

Since its founding in 1960, Harger has built an extensive lightning protection portfolio of products serving energy contractors. Its air terminals, which act as interceptors for lightning strikes on power transformers and buildings, protect some of the tallest skyscrapers in the U.S., such as Chicago’s John Hancock Building and Willis Tower.

Harger’s grounding and lightning protection portfolio includes substation solutions like ground rods and conductors (left) and air terminal and ridge saddle assemblies (right). Image used courtesy of Harger

Harger’s specialized conductors supply a low-impedance path from the air terminal to the grounding system. Its ground electrodes—available from 12 AWG to 1000 MCM—form a direct connection that distributes the electric charge into the ground, providing enhanced safety for substation workers. Utilities can eliminate step-voltage threats by installing additional electrodes in hazard areas, such as a substation perimeter.

Its products are compatible with exothermic connections, which allow contractors to ignite electrical equipment within a safe distance. Harger offers a multi-piece UltraShot system as an alternative to conventional ignition methods using starting powder, which produces emissions. UltraShot includes a handheld ignition system and an 18-V lithium-ion battery supporting over 1,000 connections on one charge.

Harger’s substation products include ground rods and conductors (1 and 4), fence grounding equipment (2), various Ultraweld connections (3 and 6), and air terminal assemblies and LP conductors (5). Image used courtesy of Harger

Harger’s equipment-grounding and bonding lineup offers Ultraweld connections, an alternative conductor-joining method with performance improvements over traditional mechanical or pressure-type connections.

The company’s Strike Guard Lightning Warning System activates alerts based on cloud-to-ground lightning movements within a 20-mile range. With these warning systems, workers can shut down or isolate systems during electrical storms.

Harger markets factory-built grounding assemblies to be connected on-site at solar power plants, reducing the number of field connections needed. It also offers fence grounding solutions for solar installations, like flexible gate jumpers, thinned conductors, and clamps. Its panel grounding equipment includes compression hole lugs, various Ultraweld connections, and HarGround irreversible compression connectors.

Harger’s fence grounding (1) and grounding and bonding equipment (2) for solar farms. Image used courtesy of Harger

TE Connectivity’s Growing Energy Equipment Lineup

The acquisition will help expand TE Connectivity’s energy solutions portfolio. The company’s fourth-quarter 2024 earnings presentation reported its energy business saw organic growth driven by the Americas and Europe, with continued momentum in renewable applications.

Harger’s solutions add new capabilities to TE’s existing connection and protection offerings for substations. The company sells exothermic-welded, compression, and bolted ground rods and connectors. These products are corrosion-resistant to minimize grounding failures at solar farms.

Harger’s factory-built ground assemblies. Image used courtesy of Harger

Harger isn’t TE’s first acquisition in this space. In 2023, the company acquired Kries, a developer of grid monitoring systems. The company’s fault current indicators allow grid operators to locate and restore power in distribution systems.

Beyond the utility market, TE Connectivity is also expanding its electrical equipment for automotive applications. Its latest products are helping electric vehicle makers transition from 12 V to 48 V architectures to deliver more power with lower voltages. It’s partnering with leading manufacturers to develop a specialized portfolio of 48-V connectors.