News


EtherCAT Technology Group celebrates 20 years

November 2023 News

The 20-year milestones of EtherCAT and EtherCAT Technology Group (ETG) are a reason to celebrate. To mark the occasion, Beckhoff invited guests to a gala dinner at the Grand Hotel Kaiserhof Victoria in Bad Kissingen. The ETG board of directors, the Beckhoff team working at the ETG headquarters in Nuremberg, EtherCAT developers from the very beginning, and members of the ETG technical and marketing committees were among those who have made a decisive contribution to the success of EtherCAT.

In his welcoming speech, Hans Beckhoff, managing director of Beckhoff Automation, highlighted the role of the original development team, which has achieved extraordinary results. He then congratulated the ETG team on their success and thanked them for their energetic work over the past 20 years.

Executive director, Martin Rostan then looked back on 20 years of EtherCAT and ETG in his tongue-in-cheek keynote speech ‘From fast lightbus to EtherCAT’. He described how the ETG started with 33 founding members, growing to the world’s largest fieldbus organisation with almost 400 member companies from 73 countries, and from zero to 60 million EtherCAT devices. Along the way there were 213 ETG trade fair booths, 175 roadshows in 51 countries, 59 plugfests, and countless working groups and standardisation meetings. The diverse work of the ETG teams contributed numerous entertaining photos, anecdotes and remarkable experiences.

Rostan also thanked the Beckhoff developers for preparing what is recognised as the best fieldbus technology; the ETG team for 20 years of dedicated collaboration; the ETG board and committee members for helping to shape the organisation and the technology; and ETG honorary member, Hans Beckhoff for opening up EtherCAT and supporting the ETG.




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.

Read more...
High-quality sensing and automation equipment
News
The Turck Banner Demo Van is showcasing the company’s latest products and solutions.Turck Banner sells directly to end users and OEMs in a broad range of industries and applications.

Read more...
SA company uses AI to break the language barrier
News
Helm has a unique approach to AI that allows it to automate customer communication in any of South Africa’s 11 official spoken languages.

Read more...
From ground to compound: the journey of crude oil
Wearcheck News
You’re in for a ‘crude awakening’ when you download WearCheck’s latest Technical Bulletin. You will be treated to an in-depth explanation of the processes of producing oil, fuel and other petrochemical wonders that power our modern lifestyle.

Read more...
2025 – a year for growth, amid industry challenges
News
Automation is rapidly emerging as a catalyst for industrial transformation, enabling businesses to meet sustainability targets, enhance productivity and drive economic efficiency.

Read more...
Come and meet Pepper, the friendly humanoid robot
SAIMC News
Pepper, the friendly humanoid robot, is ready to welcome visitors at the SAIMC/SA Instrumentation & Control stand for an interactive glimpse into the future of robotics.

Read more...
SA Instrumentation & Control
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control) News
Published by Technews Publishing, SA Instrumentation & Control is South Africa’s premier ABC-audited information source for instrumentation, systems and automation solutions in southern Africa.

Read more...
Welcome to Africa Automation Technology Fair 2025
News
AATF 2025 returns bigger and better, delivering cutting-edge automation solutions, expert industry insights and world-class networking opportunities.

Read more...
Win a PROFIBUS Installer with Troubleshooting course
Industrial Data Xchange (IDX) News
Join us at AATF for a chance to win a certified PROFIBUS Installer with Troubleshooting course.

Read more...
From the editor's desk: Something completely different
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control) News
The Africa Automation Technology Fair is around the corner, and RX Global is ramping up its efforts to make the 2025 exhibition one to remember. More information can be found in their advertisement ...

Read more...