What FieldComm Group does

FieldComm Group is a member-driven, non-profit global standards organization founded in 2015 through the merger of the HART Communication Foundation and the Fieldbus Foundation, headquartered in Austin, Texas. The organization owns, develops, and governs industrial automation communication and interoperability standards, including the flagship HART Communication Protocol (40M+ installed field instruments, ~90% market share in process industries when combined with FOUNDATION Fieldbus), FOUNDATION Fieldbus, WirelessHART, HART-IP, SafeHART, FDI (Field Device Integration), FDT/DTM (acquired from FDT Group in 2024), PA-DIM, and Ethernet-APL. Its technology portfolio operates as an integrated ecosystem spanning industrial communications (sensor-to-field), device integration and management (FDI/FDT/DTM), and enterprise connectivity (Ethernet-APL, PA-DIM on OPC UA), with a registered product catalog of 7,000+ devices from 400+ manufacturers.

The business model is membership-driven with tiered annual dues: automation product suppliers pay Class A ($100,000, automation revenue >$2.5B) down to Class G ($5,000, revenue $0–$20M); end users, cable providers, and contract developers pay Class H ($1,500); and government agencies, research organizations, and educational institutes pay Associate rates ($1,000). Members receive specifications, royalty-free IP licensing, manufacturer IDs, committee participation, and access to technology experts. Revenue is supplemented by an online store selling developer tools, conformance testing tools, and device description development tools; in-person developer training delivered in Japan, China, Germany, and the United States; product registration and conformance certification services; and consulting services. Distribution is primarily direct via the online storefront (store.fieldcommgroup.org) and a publicly accessible product registration catalog.

The organization serves two primary customer segments: industrial automation end users across chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, water/wastewater, and power generation industries; and automation product manufacturers ranging from large multinationals (ABB, Emerson, Honeywell, Siemens, Yokogawa, Schneider Electric, Rockwell Automation, Endress+Hauser) to small application-focused suppliers. FieldComm Group is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors and guided by the Strategic Technology Committee (STC) and Strategic Integration Committee (SIC), which embeds representatives from peer standards bodies OPC Foundation, ODVA, and PROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation. The headcount is 11–50 employees, and Ted Masters serves as President and CEO.

Name

FieldComm Group

Legal name

FieldComm Group

Website

https://fieldcommgroup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FieldComm Group is a member-driven, non-profit global standards organization that develops industrial automation communication and interoperability standards (HART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, FDI, FDT/DTM, Ethernet-APL, PA-DIM), serving 400+ manufacturers and end users across process, hybrid, and factory automation markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Process Automation Communication Standards

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Networking & Communication Electronics Manufacturing (Ethernet switches, Fieldbus, Wireless) (IMAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Industrial communication protocols
• Process automation standards
• Field device integration
• HART communication protocol
• FOUNDATION Fieldbus

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues across tiered classifications based on company automation revenue. Automation Product Suppliers range from Class A ($100,000 for revenue >$2.5B) down to Class G ($5,000 for revenue $0-$20M). End Users, Cable Providers, and Contract Developers pay Class H ($1,500). Government agencies, research organizations, and educational institutes pay Associate rates ($1,000).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FieldComm Group is a member-driven, non-profit global standards organization that develops, owns, and governs industrial automation communication and interoperability standards, including HART, HART-IP, WirelessHART, SafeHART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, FDI, FDT/DTM, Ethernet-APL, and PA-DIM. The organization provides membership-based access to specifications and royalty-free IP licensing to its 400+ member companies, along with conformance testing, product registration, developer tools, training, and consulting services across process, hybrid, and factory automation markets.

Product overview

FieldComm Group is a member-driven, non-profit global standards organization that develops and promotes industrial automation communication and interoperability standards. The organization offers a portfolio of industrial communication protocols (HART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, WirelessHART, HART-IP, SafeHART), device integration technologies (FDI, FDT/DTM), and enterprise connectivity solutions (Ethernet-APL, PA-DIM). These technologies work together as an integrated ecosystem: the communication protocols enable sensor-to-cloud data collaboration, while FDI and FDT/DTM provide unified device integration and management regardless of vendor or protocol. Enterprise connectivity solutions like Ethernet-APL bridge OT and IT by providing high-speed Ethernet to the field level, and PA-DIM standardizes device data semantics using OPC UA. FieldComm Group supports this technology portfolio with a Product Registry of over 7,000 registered devices, development tools, developer training, technical support, and comprehensive specification documentation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HART Communication Protocol The flagship digital communications protocol for sending and receiving information across 4-20mA analog current loops, offering a reliable long-term solution for plant operators while preserving existing analog instrumentation investments.
• FOUNDATION Fieldbus The first all-digital process automation protocol, embedded in millions of intelligent devices and systems, enabling true distributed functionality and control-in-the-field strategies.
• HART-IP Extension enabling HART communication over Internet Protocol for high-speed delivery to plant systems including asset managers and analytics, enabling remote access and IT/OT integration.
• WirelessHART Wireless communications protocol adding wireless capabilities to HART technology using mesh networking, where each device serves as a router for messages from other devices, offering 30-60% lower installation costs than traditional wired instruments.
• SafeHART Extension of HART-enabled communication protocols specifically developed for functional safety applications, supporting Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 2 and 3 applications per IEC 61508 in Safety Instrumented Systems.
• FDI (Field Device Integration) Jointly developed standard solving the problem of integrating field devices with the multitude of networks, operating systems, and control systems used in process industries, combining advantages of FDT and EDDL into a single integrated tool environment.
• FDT/DTM (Field Device Tool/Device Type Manager) Standardized framework establishing vendor-neutral software interface for integrating assets and delivering access to device intelligence for end-users across process, factory, and hybrid operations.
• PA-DIM (Process Automation Device Information Model) OPC UA-based information model standardizing how device data is structured and shared, making it accessible for analytics, monitoring, and optimization across OT/IT boundaries.
• Ethernet-APL (Advanced Physical Layer) 10 Mbit/s Ethernet physical layer providing high-speed, two-wire, Ethernet-based communication with power and data over a single cable, installable in hazardous areas, enabling modern digital IP-based applications.
• Product Registration and Conformance Testing Official registration catalog and conformance testing service listing over 7,000 registered devices from over 400 manufacturers, with products tested for conformance to interoperability and functionality standards; successful registration grants use of the Product Registration Mark.
• Development Tools and Services Comprehensive toolkit including FDI Tools, FDT Developer Tools, FOUNDATION Fieldbus Tools, HART Protocol Tools, and GitHub repositories for product development and testing.
• Developer Training Hands-on training courses covering HART, EDD, FDI, and FOUNDATION Fieldbus technologies, offered in multiple locations including Japan, Germany, China, and USA, with member discounts available.
• Technical Support Technical support services including knowledgebase access, support ticket system, and access to on-staff technical experts for members.

Quantifiable outcome

• SRF Dahej Chemical Plant achieved over $10.7 million in cost savings through digital transformation integrating HART, FOUNDATION Fieldbus, and WirelessHART with IIoT and predictive maintenance
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• FDT GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2015, FieldComm Group jointly developed the FDI (Field Device Integration) specification with FDT Group, PROFIBUS & PROFINET International, and OPC Foundation. In 2024, FieldComm Group completed the asset transfer of FDT/DTM technology from FDT Group, expanding its device integration portfolio to cover process, factory, and hybrid applications with greater flexibility.
• OPC FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFieldComm Group partnered with OPC Foundation to create the Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM) specification, enabling standardized semantically rich information exchange across OT and IT systems using OPC UA. OPC Foundation representatives participate in the Strategic Integration Committee (SIC).
• ODVAkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerODVA is one of four standards organizations (alongside FieldComm Group, PROFIBUS & PROFINET International, and the OPC Foundation) that co-developed Ethernet-APL specifications, conformance, and marketing strategies. ODVA representatives participate in FieldComm Group's Strategic Integration Committee (SIC).
• PROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation e.V.keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation e.V. (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International) co-developed the FDI specification with FieldComm Group in 2015 and is one of four standards organizations co-developing Ethernet-APL. Representatives participate in FieldComm Group's Strategic Integration Committee (SIC).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Open Industry 4.0 Alliance: The Open Industry 4.0 Alliance is an industry consortium advancing interoperable Industry 4.0 architectures. It overlaps with FieldComm Group's OT/IT integration agenda (PA-DIM, Ethernet-APL) but focuses on broader ecosystem orchestration rather than protocol ownership.
• Avnu Alliance: Avnu Alliance certifies TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) and related deterministic Ethernet standards for industrial, professional AV, and automotive markets. It is an emerging player in the same field-level Ethernet/connectivity space where FieldComm Group's Ethernet-APL operates.
• FDT Group: FDT Group historically developed FDT/DTM technology for field device integration. In 2024, FieldComm Group completed an asset transfer of FDT/DTM technology from FDT Group; FDT Group remains a related entity and the two historically competed/co-developed in the device integration standards space.

Direct peers

• ODVA: ODVA is a global standards development organization promoting CIP (Common Industrial Protocol) technologies including EtherNet/IP and DeviceNet. Like FieldComm Group, ODVA is a member-driven organization that co-developed Ethernet-APL and serves overlapping automation vendor and end-user constituencies.
• PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI): PI is the global organization responsible for PROFIBUS and PROFINET standards, with a comparable membership-based, non-profit governance model. PI is a co-developer of FDI and Ethernet-APL with FieldComm Group, serving the same industrial automation vendors and end-users.
• OPC Foundation: OPC Foundation maintains the OPC UA interoperability standard for industrial connectivity. It jointly developed FDI and PA-DIM with FieldComm Group and serves overlapping member companies in process and factory automation, making it both a strategic partner and a competitive standards body.
• Modbus Organization: Modbus Organization stewards the widely deployed Modbus communication protocol family. Like FieldComm Group, it is a member-supported standards body focused on industrial communication interoperability, though its protocol footprint is broader in scope and lighter on feature certification.
• CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA): CLPA promotes CC-Link IE and related industrial networking standards across Asia and globally. It operates a member-driven model similar to FieldComm Group and competes for the same automation vendor and end-user membership base.

Broad incumbents

• International Society of Automation (ISA): ISA is a larger, established non-profit professional association serving the broader automation community with standards (ISA-95, ISA-88), training, and certifications. It overlaps with FieldComm Group's end-user audience but spans a wider remit across all of industrial automation.
• Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC, now part of Object Management Group): IIC was a global industry consortium advancing the Industrial Internet of Things, merging with OMG. It overlaps thematically with FieldComm Group on IIoT interoperability but operates at a broader architectural level rather than protocol-specific standards.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/FieldCommGroup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/FieldCommGroup/playlists
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fieldcomm-group
• Xx.com/fieldcommgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FieldComm Group