Schneider plans to make EtherNet/IP the foundation of its network strategy. This indicates the industry's continued push to adopt standard, unmodified Ethernet and Interne technologies. Users will benefit through significantly increased interoperability between the largest installed base of industrial Ethernet networks – EtherNet/IP and Modbus/TCP – as well as between automation products from a growing number of vendors. Combined, these benefits will reduce cost, time and risk for users deploying and maintaining their network architectures.

EtherNet/IP was introduced in 2001 and has more than 1.125 million installed nodes. According to the most recent market study from ARC Advisory Group, EtherNet/IP and Modbus/TCP are the two most widely used industrial Ethernet protocols, representing over 50 percent worldwide market share.

“This is a big development in the automation industry,” said Harry Forbes, Senior Analyst at ARC Advisory Group. “It is unusual to see several automation majors joining in such close collaboration, especially in a strategic area such as industrial Ethernet, and it adds to the value of ODVA and its CIP Network technologies in the automation industry.”

Schneider Electric plans to have its next generation of EtherNet/IP products, incorporating connectivity to existing Modbus/TCP devices, in 2008.

About Schneider Electric
A member of ODVA since 2003, Schneider Electric is a power and control specialist. Schneider Electric provides services to the residential, building, industry and energy and infrastructure markets. With 105,000 employees and operations in 190 countries, Schneider Electric generated sales of €13.7 billion in 2006 through 13,000 distributor outlets.

About ODVA
ODVA is an international association comprised of members from the world's leading automation companies. Collectively, ODVA and its members support network technologies using the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP). These currently include DeviceNet, EtherNet/IP, CompoNet, and the major extensions to CIP – CIP Safety, CIP Sync, and CIP Motion. ODVA manages the development of these open technologies, and assists manufacturers and users of CIP Networks through tools, training and marketing activities. In addition, ODVA offers conformance testing to help ensure that products built to its specifications operate in multi-vendor systems. ODVA also is active in other standards' development organizations and industry consortia to drive the growth of open communication standards.

For more information, visit www.odva.org.

For more information, contact:

Adrienne Meyer Manager
Marketing Communications
ODVA
4220 Varsity Drive, Suite A
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-5006 USA
Tel +1 734 975 8840
Fax +1 734 922 0027
E-mail [email protected]

or

John Jackson
ODVA
EMEA Communications Office 4
3 Quarry Bank
Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2QZ UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1732 352 371
E-mail [email protected]

or