The Modbus Organisation, the US-based body representing users and suppliers of Modbus-based devices, has merged with the IDA Group, the German-led organisation which has been developing a multi-vendor standard for distributed intelligence based on Ethernet TCP/IP communications.

The two parties say that they have decided to join forces "in recognition of their goals and vision of the future of industrial communication and automation". The merged body, called Modbus-IDA, will have its headquarters in the US and will continue to work on using Internet technologies "to integrate communications services, Web functions, interoperability and safety".

Modbus-IDA claims that Modbus, which is an element of the IDA standard, is the most common Ethernet protocol in automation.

Ken Crater, president of the Modbus Organisation, says that the merger, "opens up a variety of important opportunities that capitalise on the ubiquitous Modbus protocol".

Martin Jetter, his counterpart at IDA, adds that the merged body will have a strong position in the global market. "The bundling of the two organisations` technical and marketing resources will further the mission more effectively and efficiently," he says.

The merged body has a Web site at www.modbus-ida.org