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As trade tensions and cybersecurity risks grow, Siemens, Schneider, Belden, Bosch Rexroth, Nokia, and Dell are revolutionizing edge computing. Platform choices decide your future competitiveness. More insights in our Industrial Edge study.

The edge revolution in manufacturing

The factory floor is undergoing a revolution. Omdia reports that a striking 46% of manufacturers plan to increase edge investments over the next 18 months. Edge computing has moved from an experimental technology to strategically imperative.

What’s driving edge investment growth? A perfect storm of priorities: heightened cybersecurity concerns in an increasingly vulnerable digital landscape, increased data privacy needs (particularly acute amid international tariff disputes), pressure to reduce production costs, and the requirement for near-zero latency in mission-critical production processes.

Yet a paradox emerges. The very technology designed to simplify operations introduces its own complexity. Implementation challenges and security vulnerabilities loom large—especially problematic during an industry-wide talent drought where skilled workers are as rare as they are essential.

Enter industrial edge platforms: the elegant solution to this complexity conundrum. These platforms offer comprehensive toolsets for managing devices, data, and applications while fortifying security through sophisticated protections like encryption and centralized monitoring—turning the edge from a vulnerability into a fortress.

The evolving platform landscape: A new ecosystem takes shape

The industrial edge platform ecosystem has evolved into a rich tapestry of solutions, each addressing different priorities across the manufacturing spectrum:

  • Network solution providers: Players like Belden and Hilscher bring connectivity expertise to the shop floor, focusing on robust connections and seamless deployment
  • Industrial automation specialists: Giants such as Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Emerson leverage decades of OT knowledge to deliver comprehensive, scalable edge solutions
  • Hardware innovators: Dell, Nokia, and Advantech offer industrial-grade computing solutions that elegantly bridge the OT-IT divide with advanced AI capabilities
  • Hyperscalers: Cloud titans extending their dominance from the data center to the factory floor
  • Independent software vendors: Specialized firms like German Edge Cloud, Crosser, and Software AG focus exclusively on edge software excellence

This diversity illuminates the multiple paths to balancing critical factors: OT integration, data connectivity, cybersecurity, and scalability—the four pillars upon which strategic edge investments must stand.

The platform showcase: Innovation at the edge

Below is a selection of both established and emerging industrial edge platforms, each with distinctive capabilities that set them apart in this competitive landscape. Detailed platform analysis is available in Omdia’s “Industrial Edge and the Future of Automation” report.

Belden Horizon Edge (2022) - A robust, OT-centric solution with connectivity and cybersecurity focus - delivers easy integration and minimal cloud dependence. Perfect for organizations of different sizes seeking distributed intelligence with seamless remote management across oil and gas, utilities, water/wastewater, transportation, and smart cities verticals.

  • Belden Horizon Edge emerges as a connectivity powerhouse with OT at its core. Its impressive library of over 300 pre-built drivers transforms the challenge of industrial data source integration into a simple checkbox exercise. The platform’s open architecture welcomes third-party tools like Siemens MindSphere and Amazon Web Services’ Industrial Data Fabric.
  • What truly distinguishes Horizon is its dual-pronged connectivity approach: Secure Remote Access delivers on-demand, encrypted VPN connections when needed while the Persistent Data Network maintains continuous data flow through always-on VPN connections. The ingenious Virtual Node feature breathes new life into legacy devices, bringing them seamlessly into the modern network.

Nokia MX Industrial Edge (MXIE) (2021) and MX Grid (2024) - A ruggedized, mission-critical on-premises platform with 5G integration and distributed AI – targeting industrial campuses of manufacturing (discrete and process), mining, ports, and airports. Serves greenfield or brownfield customers, end customers, and machine builders. The solution is scalable with a "buy-as-you-grow" as a service-based subscription model for both hardware and software, with different capacity configurations.

  • Nokia has masterfully translated its telecommunications DNA into the industrial realm with MX Industrial Edge—a platform that stands at the intersection of industrial operations and advanced connectivity. Its seamless integration with private 5G networks creates a connectivity foundation that traditional automation vendors cannot match.
  • MXIE's centralized approach to device and microservices management brings order to complexity, while GPU support across all hardware models ensures AI readiness. The Nokia Industrial Application Catalog offers ready-to-deploy solutions, including Nokia's own Visual Position and Object Detection and Real-Time Extended Multimedia applications.
  • Perhaps most impressive is MXIE's resilience—maintaining operations even when data center connections fail. Its "buy-as-you-grow" subscription model aligns costs with value, making it accessible for both industrial campuses and standalone deployments.
  • For industrial sites needing high uptime, Nokia MX Grid leverages multiple MXIE edge nodes to create a distributed system that offers redundancy and scalability, simplifying management compared to isolated edge deployments. It supports flexible micro edge deployments tailored to specific application needs.

Schneider Electric Industrial Edge (2024) - A versatile edge manager with integrated AI capabilities for operational intelligence—provides centralized management capabilities for larger enterprises and end users operating across multiple sites, featuring customized edge AI abilities that adapt to specific operational requirements. It enables OEMs with distributed facilities to deliver value-added services through unified device and production line management. The platform serves utilities (water management, energy management), oil and gas, food and beverage, and data centers, among other verticals.

  • Schneider Electric's Industrial Edge platform reimagines device management with zero-touch automatic onboarding, provisioning, and oversight. Its standout feature—an integrated AI engine—democratizes edge AI, allowing manufacturers to develop and deploy artificial intelligence without specialized expertise.
  • The platform's deployment flexibility—available in both cloud and on-premises configurations—puts manufacturers in control of their edge strategy while maintaining comprehensive fleet visibility. Custom workflows and applications extend its capabilities, while integration with existing SCADA and MES systems protects previous investments.

Siemens Industrial Edge (2020) - A comprehensive ecosystem with unmatched development tools and enterprise integration - targets machine builders with specialized offerings, while also serving end customers and system integrators across food and beverage, automotive, electronics, machinery, utilities, and other industrial verticals. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), ready-to-use packages are available to accommodate different operational scales and requirements.

  • Siemens Industrial Edge stands as perhaps the most comprehensive industrial edge ecosystem available today. Its exceptional integration with enterprise systems and digital twin technologies creates a seamless continuum from shop floor to top floor.
  • The platform's microservices architecture provides a flexible foundation for modular application deployment, while its development environment—featuring Mendix low-code platform, edge APPs publisher, specialized SDKs, and GitHub integration—empowers manufacturers to create custom applications with unprecedented ease.
  • A complete AI suite (inference server, model manager, monitor, agent) comes standard, alongside virtualized automation capabilities that bring HMI and PLC software directly to the edge. External database support (OSIsoft PI, InfluxDB) and data lake integration complete the picture, while strong connections to Digital Twin, Siemens Xcelerator, and Insights Hub create a unified digital enterprise.

Bosch Rexroth ctrlX CORE/AUTOMATION (2020) - Reimagining Automation from First Principles - serves industrial OEMs, manufacturers, and system integrators requiring real-time, secure and scalable edge computing capabilities with legacy system integration. It emphasizes decentralized data management, openness (avoiding vendor lock-in), and modularity, enabling vendors to create customized automation solutions through application-based approaches. The platform supports diverse industries including automotive, electronics, food and beverage, machine building, pharmaceutical, energy, utilities, and consumer goods sectors.

  • Bosch Rexroth's ctrlX platform represents not just an evolution but a revolution in industrial automation. Built around a Linux-based real-time operating system, it achieves what was once thought impossible: deterministic control and general computing coexisting on the same hardware.
  • This architectural breakthrough enables a uniquely distributed edge approach, while the ctrlX DataLayer creates a decentralized data fabric connecting edge nodes without constant central management—a truly peer-to-peer industrial network.
  • The platform's app-based approach liberates users from rigid programming environments, with 80+ apps across 16 categories available in the ctrlX OS Store. This open ecosystem invites vendors to develop and publish applications, supported by comprehensive developer resources including SDKs, design tools, APIs, and integration tools.

Dell NativeEdge (2023) - IT Excellence Meets OT Requirements targets larger customers in manufacturing, retail, energy, and smart cities that require enterprise-grade computing at the edge for AI/ML workloads. It features seamless hybrid cloud or multi-cloud integration, centralized management, and remote management capabilities. Dell provides ready-to-deploy blueprint packages developed with ISV partners to deliver comprehensive solutions.

  • Dell NativeEdge brings enterprise-grade management to remote edge deployments, orchestrating both VM workloads across hypervisor environments and containerized applications on Kubernetes clusters.
  • Its catalog of ready-to-deploy blueprints for over 50 ISV software partners—including Claroty, Litmus, Crosser, Cognex, Telit, and PTC—accelerates time-to-value, while support for custom software ensures flexibility. The platform's AI toolkit optimizes and deploys deep learning models, with built-in support for NVIDIA AI Enterprise framework.

The platform versus point solution dilemma: Navigating the decision maze

The choice between comprehensive edge platforms and focused point solutions represents one of the most consequential decisions in industrial digitalization strategy.

Edge platforms require significant investment and often shift cost structures from capital expenditure to operational expenditure models. High upfront costs and long implementation timelines must be weighed against long-term strategic value.

Digital maturity becomes a critical factor—platforms demand a foundation of connectivity and infrastructure that not all organizations possess. For smaller manufacturing companies with focused use cases and limited locations, point solutions often provide a more appropriate entry point.

The advantages of point solutions are compelling: quick deployment, lower initial investment, and operational simplicity make them ideal for well-defined environments with limited requirements and modest growth expectations.

Conversely, edge platforms shine in scenarios requiring scalability, centralized management, comprehensive integration, and complex operations management. They represent the future-proof choice for industries pursuing advanced data processing and adaptable solutions.

Smaller, scalable edge platforms have emerged as a middle path—offering focused functionality with expansion potential. These platforms bridge the gap between simple applications and fully integrated ecosystems, providing an important strategic option.

A significant weakness in today's landscape is the challenging integration of third-party devices and services. Most platforms remain optimized for home vendor ecosystems—creating potential lock-in. The MARGO initiative, launched in 2024 by industry leaders ABB/B&R, Capgemini, Microsoft, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric/AVEVA, and Siemens, aims to address this limitation by establishing open standards for seamless interoperability between edge devices, applications, and orchestration software.

Whether choosing point solutions or comprehensive platforms, a well-planned deployment strategy remains essential to avoid the pitfalls of siloed implementations, redundant systems, and unnecessary complexity—ensuring that edge computing delivers on its promise of simplification rather than becoming a layer of complexity.

Appendix

Further reading

From Data to Decision: Distributed Edge and Cloud Intelligence in Manufacturing Survey – 2025 Data (May 2025)

From Data to Decision: Distributed Edge and Cloud Intelligence in Manufacturing Survey Analysis (October 2024)

Industrial Edge Compute and the Future of Automation Report – 2024 Analysis (April 2025)

Industrial Edge Compute and the Future of Automation Report – 2024 Data (October 2024)

Author

Anna Ahrens, Principal Analyst, Industrial IoT

[email protected]