The OPC Foundation is truly an international standards organization, made up of over 355 members from 36 countries. It supports regional organizations in Europe and Japan that are the OPC marketing arms for those respective geographic areas. The OPC Europe region and the OPC Japan region are both very active, with respect to hosting interoperability workshops, OPC Foundation trade shows, OPC Foundation road shows, and OPC training and evangelism.
The OPC Foundation’s Board of Directors is made up of seven members representing the best interests of the OPC Foundation. OPC Japan (Yokogawa) and OPC Europe (Siemens) are on the Board of Directors, representing each of their respective region’s interest in the OPC Foundation. The Board will have a face-to-face meeting in conjunction with the Hannover fair in April 2005.
OPC Europe sponsored an OPC Foundation booth at the SPS Drives Show in Nuremburg, Germany, in November 2004. This booth was so successful for the OPC Foundation members who participated in it, that OPC Europe has decided to host an OPC Foundation booth at both the Hannover Fair in Germany in April 2005, and the SPS Drives Show in Nuremburg, Germany, in November 2005. The companies that are participating in the OPC Foundation booth at the Hannover Fair include the following: Ascolab, Afcon, Beckhoff, CyberlogicTechnologies, DVT Corporation, Fast SpA, ICONICS, OPC/Siemens, Phoenix Contact, Siemens, Softing and Wonderware.
In September 2005, OPC Europe will host the OPC Foundation Interoperability Workshop for European companies, but, based on past participation, it expects companies from outside of Europe will also participate in this very important event.
Also in 2005, OPC Japan will host an Interoperability Workshop and will sponsor multiple technical training seminars and end- user events, as well as host an OPC Foundation booth at multiple important trade shows in Japan.
