The origin of programmable controllers in various industrial countries

Global Origins of Programmable Controllers

2026 Industrial Intelligence Report

The PLC was invented independently by multiple industrial countries. Here are the origins—how technology evolved globally.

Origins by Country

United States

1968: Dick Morley, Bedford Associates created Modicon 084

First commercial PLC: For GM Hydra-Matic

Impact: Started industrial controls

Japan

1960s: Yaskawa developed Mini-Pat

1970: Commercial release

Impact: Compact, reliable designs

Germany

1970s: Siemens S5 released

Features: Self-diagnostics

Impact: European standard

France

1975: Schneider, Modicon 184

Improvement: Speed and memory

Impact: Global distribution

But here's what matters: global origins created the market. Today, these same companies (Siemens, Rockwell, Schneider) dominate.

Timeline Overview

Year Country Key Development Legacy>
1968 USA Modicon 084 First commercial PLC
1970 USA Patent filed Industry begins
1975 UK/France GE, Schneider Expansion
1980s All IEC 61131 Standards
2026 Global Edge computing Platforms evolve

The global origins matter less today than the global market. Platform choice matters—not origin. Buy from vendors with 20-year support.

— Field Service Manager

Legacy by Origin

1968-1975
Founding era—fundamental inventions
1975-1990
Expansion—multiple vendors enter
1990-2010
Standardization—IEC 61131
2010-2026
Integration—IT/OT convergence
Pro-Tip: The origin doesn't affect your choice—what matters is platform support, spares availability, and integration.

We've installed all origins. Service and support beat origin every time.

FAQ

+Does origin matter?
No. Support and spares matter—not where it was made.
+Which origins are still viable?
USA (Rockwell), Germany (Siemens), France (Schneider), Japan (Mitsubishi, Omron). These dominate globally.
+What started more recently?
Open source and SoftPLCs are newer. Not yet viable for industrial—platforms like Codesys run on industrial PCs but need more testing.

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