Beckhoff manufactures PC-based control technology: industrial PCs, I/O, drive technology, automation software, machine vision
Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG
Verl · Savage, MN · Alpharetta, GA · Austin, TX · Burlington, MA · Rosemont, IL · Mason, OHNew on Amplifa
PC-based control technology since 1980
Beckhoff Automation, based in Verl (North Rhine-Westphalia), implements open automation systems based on PC-based control technology. The product portfolio comprises industrial and embedded PCs, I/O and fieldbus components (EtherCAT, EtherCAT P, EtherCAT G), drive and servo technology, the TwinCAT automation software (PLC, HMI, Motion, CNC, Safety, Robotics, Vision), the cabinet-free MX-System as well as hardware for industrial image processing. The components can be used individually or as an integrated control system and are used across industries – from CNC machine tools, packaging, plastics and assembly machines to measurement and testing technology, wind turbines, building automation and stage technology. Beckhoff was founded in 1980, employs around 5,450 people worldwide (February 2026) and achieved revenue of 1.24 billion euros in 2025. The company headquarters in Verl combines development, production, administration, sales and service; 41 subsidiaries and representations in over 75 countries ensure international presence.
- Site
- Verl
- Processes
- Automation of plastics machinery (injection molding, blow molding, extrusion, thermoforming), Measurement and testing technology / DAQ systems, test bench automation, Machine Vision / industrial image processing (cameras, optics, illumination, TwinCAT Vision), Automation of 3D printing for microelectronics / additive manufacturing, Technical support, Remote support (TeamViewer QuickSupport), Repair service including express service, Field service (on-site installation, maintenance training)
- Materials
- Industrial PCs and Embedded PCs, I/O and fieldbus components (EtherCAT), Drive and servo technology, TwinCAT automation software, Intelligent transport systems, MX-System, Machine Vision, Modular industrial robot construction kit
- Founded
- 1980
- Industries
- Packaging machines, Assembly and handling technology/robotics, Measurement and testing technology, Machine tools/CNC, Plastics machinery, AV and media technology
- 01
Engineering and product development (Verl)
- 02
Production and configuration of system components
- 03
TwinCAT software platform: PLC, HMI, Motion, CNC, Safety, Robotics, Vision
- 04
Sales via subsidiaries and sales offices
- 05
Technical support and field service
- 06
Repair, spare parts and lifecycle management
Product areas and technologies
Industrial PCs and Embedded PCs
Scalable control platforms (C60xx, C70xx, CX7000, many-core IPCs) as the backbone of all automation solutions.
I/O and fieldbus components (EtherCAT)
EtherCAT terminals, bus terminals, EtherCAT P/G and measurement modules ELMxxxx for simple to complex applications.
Drive and servo technology
AX5000 servo amplifiers, AX8000 multi-axis system, AM8000 synchronous servomotors, AMP8000 distributed drives as well as economy drives AX1000/AF1000.
TwinCAT automation software
Unified software platform for PLC, HMI, Motion Control, CNC, Safety, Robotics and IoT integration.
Intelligent transport systems
XTS linear transport and the XPlanar planar motor system for flexible product transport and fast format changes.
MX-System
Cabinet-free, IP67-capable modular automation system for reducing cabling and complexity.
Machine Vision
Cameras, optics, illuminations and Vision Units with TwinCAT Vision for system-integrated image processing.
Modular industrial robot construction kit
Modular robotics system for integrating handling and assembly tasks into the control platform.
Locations
Verl (headquarters)
DEDevelopment, production, administration, sales, marketing, support, service
- Materials
- Industrial PCs, I/O, drive technology, TwinCAT software
- Development and production of automation components
Savage, MN (US headquarters)
USUS headquarters with central warehouse, training center and service (repair/modification)
- Central warehouse
- Training center
- Repair and modification workshop
Alpharetta, GA (Atlanta)
USSales office
Austin, TX
USSales office
Burlington, MA (Boston)
USSales office
Rosemont, IL (Chicago)
USSales office
Mason, OH (Cincinnati)
USSales office
Products and system components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Automation of plastics machinery (injection molding, blow molding, extrusion, thermoforming)Plastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| Assembly | – | – | – | Lot size 1 – Mass production | – |
| Measurement and testing technology / DAQ systems, test bench automationTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Machine Vision / industrial image processing (cameras, optics, illumination, TwinCAT Vision)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Automation of 3D printing for microelectronics / additive manufacturingAdditive | – | – | – | – | – |
| Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
14 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial PCs / Embedded PCs (IPC, control cabinet and panel PCs) | Beckhoff C60xx, C70xx, C7015, CX7000, many-core control IPCs | – | – | – | – |
| Multi-axis servo system | Beckhoff AX8000 | – | – | – | – |
| Synchronous servomotors | Beckhoff AM8000 | – | – | – | – |
| Linear transport (movers system) | Beckhoff XTS / XTS EcoLine | – | – | – | – |
| Planar motor system (levitating transport system) | Beckhoff XPlanar | – | – | – | – |
| Modular industrial robot construction kit | Beckhoff ATRO | – | – | – | – |
| Cabinet-free automation system (IP67) | Beckhoff MX-System | – | – | – | – |
| Servo terminals / compact drive technology | Beckhoff EDxxxx | – | – | – | – |
| Economy servo drives | Beckhoff AX1000 | – | – | – | – |
| Economy frequency inverters | Beckhoff AF1000 | – | – | – | – |
| Distributed servo drive systems (motor-integrated converters) | Beckhoff AMP8000 | – | – | – | – |
| Servo amplifiers | Beckhoff AX5000 | – | – | – | – |
| – | Beckhoff | – | – | – | – |
| Machine vision hardware (cameras, optics, illuminations, Vision Units) | Beckhoff | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Technological milestones
- 1980
Founding of Beckhoff; focus on PC-based control technology
- 1999
Founding of the US subsidiary Beckhoff Automation LLC (20th anniversary in July 2019)
- 2003
Introduction of EtherCAT as an open automation standard
- 2017
Introduction of TwinCAT Vision – integration of image processing into the control software