Name

EtherCAT Technology Group

Legal name

EtherCAT Technology Group

Website

https://ethercat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nuremberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ETG operates as a global organization funded by member company dues. OEM, End Users and Technology Providers join forces to support and promote EtherCAT technology development through membership fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The EtherCAT Technology Group maintains and promotes EtherCAT, an open real-time Industrial Ethernet network protocol, and provides technology governance, conformance testing tools and test centers, technical specifications, training seminars, and member services that enable over 8,900 member companies to develop and deploy EtherCAT-compatible industrial automation devices. ETG's offerings include the EtherCAT core protocol and extensions (EtherCAT G, EtherCAT P, FSoE, TSN, EAP), the Conformance Test Tool (CTT), official test centers, the EtherCAT Product Guide, the EtherCAT Compendium, seminars/training, and Slave Stack Code for member development.

Product overview

EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) maintains and promotes EtherCAT, an open real-time Ethernet network technology originally developed by Beckhoff. The organization supports the technology through a comprehensive portfolio including the core EtherCAT protocol, specialized extensions (EtherCAT G for gigabit, EtherCAT P for power over Ethernet, Safety over EtherCAT for functional safety, and EtherCAT TSN integration), conformance testing tools and certified test centers, global Plug Fest interoperability events, an EtherCAT Product Guide for finding certified devices, technical documentation including the EtherCAT Compendium, and educational seminars and training programs. With over 8,900 member companies and 105+ million deployed nodes, ETG provides the governance, specifications, testing infrastructure, and member services that enable manufacturers to develop and deploy EtherCAT-compliant industrial automation devices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology) An open real-time Industrial Ethernet network protocol originally developed by Beckhoff that processes Ethernet frames 'on the fly' for microsecond-level real-time performance; standardized as IEC 61158 and used by OEMs, end users, and device manufacturers worldwide.
• EtherCAT G An extension of EtherCAT technology that supports networking of multiple devices and larger system architectures with gigabit performance, enabling EtherCAT to scale to bigger system designs.
• EtherCAT P (EtherCAT + Power) An extension that combines 100 Mbit/s EtherCAT communication with two isolated 24V/3A power supplies over a single standard 4-core Ethernet cable with M8 connectors, reducing wiring complexity.
• Safety over EtherCAT (FSoE) A functional safety protocol enabling simultaneous transmission of control and safety-critical data over the same EtherCAT medium; certified by TÜV SÜD, compliant with IEC 61508/IEC 61784-3 and supporting SIL 3 applications.
• EtherCAT Cybersecurity (IEC 62443 / CRA) The certified cyber resilience profile of EtherCAT, ensuring the technology meets IEC 62443 / Cyber Resilience Act Security Level 2 without modifications and supports secure industrial network deployments.
• EtherCAT Conformance Test Tool (CTT) An official conformance testing tool that performs automatic verification of EtherCAT device implementations against the specification, used at official EtherCAT Test Centers to certify device interoperability.
• EtherCAT Test Centers (ETC) Official conformance test centers providing device certification services, operated by ETG with locations in Nuremberg, Germany (operated by Beckhoff) and Kyoto, Japan (operated by ASTEM RI).
• EtherCAT Plug Fests Interoperability testing events held worldwide (Europe, North America, Asia) where manufacturers test their EtherCAT master and slave devices against other vendors' implementations, with 10-27 master and 15-40+ slave devices tested per event.
• EtherCAT Product Guide An online searchable directory of EtherCAT-compliant products from member companies, allowing end users to find certified devices by product type, vendor, and certification status.
• EtherCAT Compendium A comprehensive technical reference document providing detailed explanations of EtherCAT technology, implementation guidelines, and best practices.
• EtherCAT Seminars and Training Free educational programs including EtherCAT Technology Basics, Configuration and Master Basics, Evaluation Kit workshops, and Development Support seminars for end users, device manufacturers, system integrators, machine builders, and research institutes.
• EtherCAT TSN Integration Integration with Time-Sensitive Networking that enables real-time communication in heterogeneous network environments; requires only master-side upgrades without changes to slave devices, connecting EtherCAT segments to TSN via bridge devices.
• EtherCAT Technology Group Membership Membership organization for OEMs, end users, and technology providers to support and promote EtherCAT technology development; provides member access to specifications, free EtherCAT Slave Stack Code, technical working groups, seminars, and Plug Fest participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 105.2 million EtherCAT nodes deployed globally with 16.9 million new nodes added in 2025 alone
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Texas InstrumentscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 April 2011First semiconductor company to license EtherCAT technology for standard microcontroller and microprocessor families. Milestone development announced at Hannover Industrial Fair 2011, making EtherCAT a mainstream technology beyond the automation market.
• EUROMAPminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2010European association of manufacturers from plastics and rubber machineries approved EtherCAT for EUROMAP 75 specification for communication with peripheral equipment.
• ASTEM RI (Advanced Scientific Technology & Management Research Institute of Kyoto)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2009Operates the Japanese EtherCAT Test Center (ETC) in Kyoto, fully operational since September 2009. Provides conformance testing services for the Japanese and Asian EtherCAT community. Also hosts the ETG Japan Office and maintains the Japanese language website.
• TÜV SÜDcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009Certified Safety over EtherCAT (FSoE) technology for functional safety applications. FSoE compliant with IEC 61508 and IEC 61784-3 standards, supporting SIL 3 safety applications.
• National InstrumentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2008Selected EtherCAT as System Bus for their Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) product line. Hosted the first North American EtherCAT Plug Fest in Austin, Texas in 2009. Decision expected to have major impact in North America and test/measurement markets.
• OmroncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2008Selected EtherCAT as next Motion Bus System following extensive evaluation. Committed to pursue EtherCAT adoption as national Japanese standard. Developing EtherCAT-based servo motors, inverters, and motion controllers. Taking active role in ETG Japan and Asian market activities.
• SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2007Leading semiconductor industry standards organization approved EtherCAT as communication technology. EtherCAT added to SEMI E54 Sensor/Actuator suite of standards. ETG established Semiconductor Technical Working Group with participation from Applied Materials, LAM Research, Aixtron, Brooks Automation, Tokyo Electron, and Dainippon Screen.
• Beckhoff AutomationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2003Original developer of EtherCAT technology. Beckhoff contributed the technology to the ETG organization and continues as a major supporter. Operates the European EtherCAT Test Center in Nuremberg. Beckhoff provides the widely-used EtherCAT Slave Stack Code for free to ETG members.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• PI (PROFIBUS & PROFINET International): The global membership organization that promotes and standardizes PROFINET, EtherCAT's primary competing Industrial Ethernet protocol. PI operates with a similar consortium/governance model, conformance testing program, and trade show presence, directly competing for the same machine-builder and OEM mindshare.
• ODVA (Open DeviceNet Vendor Association): The global standards organization that owns and promotes EtherNet/IP, the leading North American Industrial Ethernet protocol. ODVA operates the same kind of conformance testing, technical working groups, and member-driven specification development as ETG, making it the closest direct peer in governance and go-to-market model.
• CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA): The organization that promotes CC-Link IE, the dominant Asian-origin Industrial Ethernet protocol backed by Mitsubishi Electric. CLPA mirrors ETG's structure with conformance testing, regional offices, and membership-driven ecosystem growth, competing directly in semiconductor, robotics, and factory automation markets.
• Sercos International: The global consortium that owns SERCOS III, another IEC-standardized real-time Ethernet protocol for motion control and machine-to-machine communication. Sercos International shares ETG's open-standard model, IEC 61158 inclusion, and focus on high-performance drive and motion applications.
• Avnu Alliance: The industry consortium creating and certifying TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) interoperability for industrial, automotive, and professional AV markets. Avnu's TSN focus directly intersects with EtherCAT's TSN bridge strategy, positioning it as a peer that influences — and partly competes with — EtherCAT's future network architecture.

Emerging players

• OPC Foundation: The standards organization behind OPC UA, the leading industrial interoperability framework. OPC UA increasingly competes with EtherCAT's EtherCAT Automation Protocol (EAP) for factory-level and cloud-to-edge communication, making OPC Foundation an adjacent peer shaping the protocol stack ETG must integrate with.
• IO-Link Consortium: The standards organization promoting IO-Link, the point-to-point communication protocol for sensors and actuators. IO-Link complements EtherCAT at the device level rather than competing at the fieldbus level, making the IO-Link Consortium an adjacent peer shaping the broader ETG ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• FieldComm Group: The standards body governing FOUNDATION Fieldbus, HART, and FDI in process automation. FieldComm Group covers the process-industry counterpart to EtherCAT's factory-automation focus, making it a relevant peer for the broader industrial communications standards landscape.
• Siemens AG (Industrial Communication): The dominant automation vendor backing PROFINET, the principal competing Industrial Ethernet protocol. While Siemens is a product company rather than a standards body, its PROFINET push shapes the competitive context ETG operates in and influences member-vendor strategic decisions.

Others

• Beckhoff Automation: The original developer of EtherCAT and a Flagship ETG partner. While Beckhoff is a product vendor rather than a standards body, it operates the European EtherCAT Test Center, contributes the Slave Stack Code, and is structurally intertwined with ETG — making it the most economically aligned ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ethercat_group

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about EtherCAT Technology Group