Vipa GmbH

Name

Vipa GmbH

Legal name

Vipa GmbH

Website

http://www.vipa.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Controls

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Controllers & Control Systems (PLCs, PACs, CNC Controllers) (IMAHAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial I/O, Signal Conditioning & Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) (IMAGABAD), Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ)

Keywords

• Industrial automation
• PLC control systems
• Modular I/O systems
• Decentralized automation
• Automation hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

Herzogenaurach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Modular I/O Hardware Sales: Sale of modular I/O systems including CPUs, power supplies, signal modules (digital and analog), communication processors, interface modules, clamp modules, function modules, and accessories. The product line is designed for industrial automation applications and sold through Yaskawa's European distribution network.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Vipa GmbH develops, manufactures, and sells PLCs and modular I/O systems for industrial automation, with its flagship SLIO (Smart Control and I/O System) being a modular, compact decentralized I/O system featuring Permanent Wiring, a 48MBit/s backplane bus, and ETS modules with +-1us precision. Products are sold through Yaskawa Europe's channel partner network across 20 countries in Europe, South Africa, and Turkey, targeting factories, system integrators, and machine builders.

Product overview

VIPA GmbH, operating under Yaskawa Europe, offers the SLIO as its primary product—a modular and compact decentralized I/O system. SLIO combines high functionality with a clever mechanic concept in an extremely compact design. The system features conceptual separation of electronic and installation layers, innovative staircase-shaped wiring, and a quick backplane bus of 48MBit/s with ETS modules capable of switching up to +-1us independent of fieldbus. The product portfolio within the Controls category includes Micro PLC, SLIO, 300S+, HMI systems, Panel PC, Line Displays, and smartPanels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SLIO (Smart Control and I/O System) A modular and extremely compact decentralized I/O system combining high functionality with a clever mechanical concept, featuring conceptual separation of electronic and installation layers, space-saving thin design, innovative staircase-shaped wiring layer, 48MBit/s quick backplane bus, and ETS modules with +-1us timing precision. Designed for industrial automation applications, including automated control solutions, decentralized I/O systems, industrial process automation, and machine control for industrial manufacturers and system integrators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Module exchange without wiring disconnection through Permanent Wiring system
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Phoenix Contact (Axioline/Axiocontrol): Phoenix Contact's Axioline and Axiocontrol PLC/I/O platforms serve the same decentralized automation applications as Vipa SLIO, with comparable modular mounting and high-speed backplane features. Strong European installed base in industrial and process automation.
• Beckhoff Automation: Beckhoff's TwinCAT and EtherCAT-based PC control plus its modular EtherCAT/AX I/O terminals compete head-to-head with Vipa SLIO in compact, high-performance distributed I/O for machine builders. Both target European system integrators with modular decentralized architectures emphasizing backplane speed and compact form factor.
• WAGO (WAGO I/O System): WAGO's 750/753 I/O System is a direct competitor in modular, decentralized I/O with fieldbus-independent design, targeting similar machine-builder and process customers across Europe. Strong overlap with Vipa's positioning on compact form factor and modular flexibility.
• Mitsubishi Electric (MELSEC): Mitsubishi's MELSEC iQ-R and MELSEC iQ-F modular PLCs plus distributed I/O compete with Vipa SLIO in factory automation. Material overlap with Yaskawa given Yaskawa's roots as a Mitsubishi JV and shared customer base in motion and robotics-driven lines.
• B&R Industrial Automation (part of ABB): B&R's X20 and X67 distributed I/O systems compete directly with Vipa SLIO in machine-builder and modular automation applications. Now part of ABB, B&R has access to a broader automation portfolio analogous to what Yaskawa offers the SLIO line.

Broad incumbents

• Siemens (SIMATIC): Siemens is the global PLC market leader through its SIMATIC portfolio, offering modular controllers and distributed I/O (ET 200) that directly compete with Vipa's SLIO. Same target market of industrial manufacturers and system integrators across Europe, with significantly broader portfolio including drives, motion, and software.
• Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley CompactLogix / POINT I/O): Rockwell's CompactLogix controllers and POINT I/O modules compete with Vipa SLIO in mid-market modular automation for discrete and process applications. Stronger presence in North America but competes with Vipa/Yaskawa globally in multinational manufacturing accounts.
• Schneider Electric (Modicon / Modicon M340): Schneider's Modicon M340/M580 PLCs and TM3/TM5 distributed I/O address the same industrial automation use cases as Vipa SLIO, including modular architectures and machine builder segments across European markets.
• ABB (AC500 PLC / S500 I/O): ABB's AC500 PLC platform and S500 distributed I/O compete with Vipa SLIO in process and infrastructure automation. Vastly broader portfolio across drives, robotics, and process industries but direct overlap in PLC/I/O products.

Emerging players

• IDEC (MicroSmart / PLC + I/O): IDEC's MicroSmart and FC6A modular PLCs plus FT1A/FC6A I/O target compact automation applications comparable to Vipa's Micro PLC and SLIO offerings for smaller machine builders and OEM customers in Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vipa_automation
• Facebookfacebook.com/vipa.gmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vipa-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Vipa GmbH