Molex LLC is a prominent manufacturer of electronic, electrical, and fiber optic connectivity systems, producing over 100,000 products for diverse industries including data communications, medical, industrial, automotive, and consumer electronics. Renowned for pioneering the Molex connector, which has achieved universal adoption in personal computing, the company is considered the second largest electronic connector manufacturer worldwide. Founded in 1938 by Frederick Krehbiel, Molex initially focused on producing flowerpots and salt shakers from a proprietary plastic material called Molex, developed from industrial byproducts like asbestos tailings, coal tar pitch, and limestone. The company's history is deeply intertwined with the Krehbiel family, Mennonite immigrants from Switzerland who settled in the United States in the 1820s seeking religious freedom and pacifist ideals. Under successive generations of Krehbiel leadership, Molex evolved from its modest beginnings into a global enterprise, operating 54 plants across 19 countries and deriving significant revenues from international markets. In 1999, J. Joseph King became the first non-family president, marking a shift while the Krehbiel brothers served as co-chairmen and co-CEOs. In 2013, Koch Industries, controlled by Charles Koch, acquired Molex to expand into electronics and automotive components. More recently, in November 2023, Molex sold portions of its Industrial Solutions Business, including the Industrial Communications segment, to HMS Networks AB, enhancing the buyer's technology portfolio while allowing Molex to streamline operations.