It's a free-hanging (in-line) connector meant for cable-to-cable or cable-to-panel harness assemblies, not a board-mount header. The solder termination suits it for field or shop termination where you want a reliable connection without crimp tooling. Gold plating at 19.7µin (0.50µm) on the contacts gives it corrosion resistance for environments where the connector sees moisture or repeated mating cycles.
Comparing the 2040008-2 and 2227302-3
The 2227302-3 is the closest functional peer — same Industrial Mini, Type II plug, same 8 positions, same gold contact finish. The practical difference is the package: the 2040008-2 ships in a Tray, while the 2227302-3 comes in a Box. For a production line feeding from tape or a specific pick-and-place tray, that package difference matters. Both are active lifecycle parts.