Bringing Networking Expertise to the Industrial Edge: NXP Welcomes port GmbH

The industrial automation market is transforming. As factories grow more autonomous and intelligent, secure, real-time edge communication is critical. NXP is committed to enabling this shift—and today, we’re proud to take a major step forward with the acquisition of port GmbH .

A Legacy of Industrial Networking Excellence

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Halle (Saale), Germany, port GmbH has built a global reputation for delivering high-quality, standards-based industrial communication solutions. Its portfolio includes protocol stacks for widely used technologies, such as PROFINET, Ethernet/IP, EtherCAT, Modbus, POWERLINK, CANopen and others. port GmbH also support emerging standards like time-sensitive networking (TSN) and open platform communications unified architecture (OPC-UA), which are helping drive greater interoperability across industrial systems.

What sets port GmbH apart is not only a robust product offering but also its deep engineering expertise and commitment to customer success. From off-the-shelf stacks to customized fieldbus and industrial ethernet solutions, port GmbH has helped customers across industries implement reliable, real-time communication in embedded systems. Their support services, training and global partner network have made them a trusted name in industrial automation for over three decades.

We are thrilled to integrate port GmbH into NXP. Their proven software stacks and deep domain expertise are a perfect complement to our industrial edge portfolio. Together, we will empower our customers to build faster, more intelligent, more secure and more adaptable industrial systems.

- Jeff Steinheider, VP and GM Industrial and Network Edge Processing, NXP Semiconductors.

Joining NXP is a pivotal moment for port GmbH. We’ve spent decades building protocol stacks that power real-time industrial communication, and we’ve always believed that software must evolve with the systems it supports. Now, as part of NXP, we’re in a stronger position to help customers simplify integration, scale across platforms and meet the demands of modern industrial design—without compromising on performance or interoperability.

- Christian Bornschein, Chief Marketing Officer, port GmbH.

Why This Matters Now

The timing of this acquisition is no coincidence. The industrial sector is rapidly evolving, driven by the need for:

• Greater flexibility and reconfigurability in production systems
• Stronger cybersecurity protections to meet emerging regulations
• Edge intelligence to enable real-time decision-making and automation

This acquisition enables NXP to offer more integrated solutions that reduce development time and simplify deployment for industrial customers.

Networking technologies are at the heart of this evolution. They provide the data pipelines that fuel AI-driven insights and enable precise control of increasingly complex and autonomous equipment. Traditionally, these capabilities were delivered through dedicated networking modules. But today, infrastructure owners are seeking more integrated, cost-effective solutions—embedding connectivity directly into controllers, sensors, actuators and the processors that power industrial automation.

A Perfect Fit for NXP’s Industrial Vision

By joining forces with port GmbH, NXP is strengthening its ability to deliver turnkey, scalable platforms for the intelligent industrial edge. The integration of the port’s protocol suite with NXP’s industrial processors, particularly the i.MX RT1180 crossover MCUs and i.MX 94 applications processors, will enable customers to accelerate development, simplify protocol switching and meet the demands of the software-defined factory.

These processors feature dedicated hardware extensions for real-time networking, isolated connectivity subsystems and an integrated EdgeLock® Secure Enclave for security. Combined with port GmbH’s proven software stacks, NXP is now well positioned to help customers bring complex industrial products to market faster—with the performance, resilience and compliance they need.

Spotlight on port GmbH

With more than 500 customers worldwide and thousands of devices powered by its technology, port GmbH is a recognized leader in industrial communication. Its middleware platform, Generic Open Abstraction Layer (GOAL) , enables multi-protocol support across a wide range of hardware platforms. This flexibility makes port GmbH and NXP a go-to partner for companies building Industry 4.0-ready solutions.

Broader Industry Trends

This acquisition aligns with several key trends shaping the future of industrial automation:

• Software-defined manufacturing: moving from fixed-function hardware to flexible, software-driven systems
• Cybersecurity by design: security embedded at every layer of the industrial stack, aligning with emerging regulations like the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)—NXP’s combined hardware and software capabilities help address compliance challenges that independent software vendors may face
• Edge intelligence: processing more data, faster for more efficient decision-making
• Protocol agility: supporting multiple industrial Ethernet standards to enable flexibility, interoperability and reduced complexity

While the industry is converging toward open, vendor-agnostic standards, the need for multi-protocol support remains essential to ensure compatibility across diverse industrial environments. As these trends accelerate, NXP and port are well positioned to lead the way.

Author | Jeffrey Steinheider

Jeff Steinheider is the general manager of the Industrial Edge Processing product line where he works with customers to ensure that their design needs are met. He holds Masters and Bachelors degrees in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from MIT. Jeff enjoys playing soccer with his kids and downhill skiing though he's still trying to find some snow in Texas.