How to Build a Best-in-Class Industrial Facility in a Multi-Vendor World

What You’ll Learn in This Blog 

You will learn how to:

• Strengthen industrial performance using a multi-vendor, best-of-breed strategy.
• Overcome interoperability challenges caused by diverse equipment and proprietary protocols.
• Use connectivity middleware to unify communication across systems, vendors, and equipment types.
• Evaluate essential features of a high-quality industrial connectivity solution.
• Build a resilient, flexible automation ecosystem that supports long-term innovation.
• Apply DeviceXPlorer OPC Server as the universal translator within a heterogeneous environment.

Why Multi-Vendor Environments Define Modern Industrial Operations

Many in the industrial sector dream of a one-vendor nirvana, having a single supplier provide all hardware, software, and infrastructure across an entire plant lifecycle. In theory, a homogeneous setup promises simplicity. In reality, however, that vision rarely matches operational reality.

Most industrial facilities operate with equipment from multiple vendors. For instance, one line might use an Allen-Bradley PLC, another a Mitsubishi robot, with Siemens sensors in the mix. In practice, heterogeneous environments are the norm. One study of manufacturers notes that companies often end up with a patchwork of systems including legacy platforms, custom tools, and equipment from multiple automation vendors (borderless.net).

Moreover, the industrial automation market itself is highly fragmented, with no single supplier dominating all segments (alixpartners.com). The fragmented automation landscape means virtually every modern plant must grapple with integrating diverse technologies.

Recognizing this reality is the first step toward designing a smarter, more resilient operation. A multi-vendor environment may introduce complexity, but the right approach supported by flexible, interoperable software enables organizations to manage that diversity effectively and build best-in-class facilities.&

Embracing Heterogeneity for Best-in-Class Performance

Instead of viewing a multi-vendor setup as a liability, leading organizations recognize it as an opportunity. No single company can be the absolute best at everything. In fact, industry experts emphasize that no single vendor can provide the best end-to-end solution; the most feature-rich, high-performance systems are inherently multi-vendor (asmag.com). 

Each vendor tends to specialize in certain areas: one may lead in robotics, another in control systems, another in instrumentation. No single supplier serves as a true one-stop shop or dominates all categories. For example, in the global PLC market, even the top supplier holds roughly one-third of the share with competitors close behind (vkwoco-plc.com). And in the industrial robotics market, the largest players are tied at only about 13 percent each of market share visualcapitalist.com.

Clearly, the industrial landscape is diverse by design, and a best-in-class facility takes advantage of that diversity. Choosing a best-of-breed approach allows a plant to use the most precise sensor from Vendor A, the fastest robot from Vendor B, and the most reliable controller from Vendor C, rather than compromising on a one-vendor bundle.

As one industry publication puts it, a best-of-breed solution with top-of-the-line equipment and software is precisely what delivers optimal performance (asmag.com). Mixing specialized products often yields better results than relying on any single vendor’s breadth alone. Companies gain the freedom to tailor a solution that directly addresses their challenges and maximizes business value from day one.

The Challenge: When Specialists Speak Different Languages

While a heterogeneous, specialist-driven setup is ideal for performance, it comes with a significant challenge: interoperability. Each vendor’s devices and software often speak their own language in the form of proprietary protocols, data formats, and interfaces. Without a common communication layer, even high-quality equipment can end up working in silos. 

Imagine a restaurant where you have hired a world-class chef, an expert bartender, and a team of seasoned waitstaff only to discover that each speaks a different language. Coordination would slow to a halt.  

In manufacturing, the same communication breakdown is the risk of a multi-vendor environment without proper connectivity. The heterogeneity of systems can create interoperability issues that cripple business performance if not addressed (mdpi.com).

Real-world data underscores how high the stakes are. Integrating disparate industrial systems is notoriously difficult: nearly 90 percent of manufacturers report struggling with integration issues that impact their operations (betanews.com).

In addition, poor connectivity and data integration can be extremely costly. One study found that 30 percent of businesses lose between 100,000 and 1 million dollars per year due to integration problems, and 10 percent lose over 1 million dollars annually from such issues (betanews.com).

As factories become more connected with IIoT and Industry 4.0 initiatives, integration quickly becomes the main point of failure if not managed properly. A recent quality assessment in one sector showed that system-level integration problems now account for 72 percent of manufacturing defects, up from 48 percent previously (borderless.net).

The message is clear: failing to get heterogeneous devices communicating reliably affects downtime, quality, and the bottom line.

Middleware as the Multilingual Manager for Industrial Devices

In industrial environments, middleware platforms coordinate communication between diverse devices, protocols, and systems, ensuring data flows reliably across the operation. In the restaurant analogy, middleware acts as the multilingual manager, translating between the chef, bartender, and waitstaff so everything runs smoothly. In an automation context, connectivity middleware such as an OPC server or IoT gateway serves as a universal translator, enabling machines and software from different vendors to exchange data seamlessly.

Modern factories increasingly recognize that realizing the benefits of best-in-class, mixed hardware requires an equally capable connectivity layer. According to industrial connectivity expert Ken Lee, as factories integrate more heterogeneous devices, connectivity solutions must support multiple protocols and perform seamless protocol conversion to enable reliable data exchange (iebmedia.com).

In short, the integration layer must be as flexible and robust as the devices it connects. Meeting this requirement demands a connectivity platform capable of linking diverse systems across an industrial operation. 

DeviceXPlorer OPC Server from Takebishi delivers this capability by providing secure, standards-based connectivity across multi-vendor industrial environments.

DeviceXPlorer OPC Server: Universal Connectivity for Multi-Vendor Industrial Environments

Takebishi’s DeviceXPlorer OPC Server functions as a central connectivity hub, bridging devices at all levels of the operation from factory-floor controllers such as PLCs and robots to plant-level systems and building utilities. The software translates device-specific data into a common, standardized format, enabling consistent access across systems.

This architecture allows disparate components such as PLCs, CNC machines, robots, and sensors to communicate and operate in unison. By deploying a universal connectivity layer, organizations enable unified, real-time data flow across multi-vendor environments, improving coordination, visibility, and operational insight.

Designed specifically for multi-vendor interoperability, DeviceXPlorer OPC Server supports connectivity across more than 100 vendors and over 400 device type. The platform includes drivers for common industrial protocols and full compatibility with the OPC UA standard, ensuring secure, scalable, and cross-platform communication.

DeviceXPlorer effectively supports the languages used by industrial machines and translates between these in real time, enabling a unified interface through which data from, for example, a Siemens drive, a Rockwell PLC, and a Mitsubishi robot can be collected, shared, and acted upon.

Key Features of a Best-in-Class Connectivity Solution

When building a best-in-class facility, selecting the right connectivity middleware is just as important as choosing the right machines. Below are key features to look for in a device connectivity platform: 

• Broad Multi-Vendor Support: The solution should communicate with hundreds of device types from dozens of vendors so it can integrate all equipment including legacy and new
• Seamless Interoperability:Effective connectivity requires on-the-fly protocol conversion and data mapping so systems with different protocols understand each other.
• Reliability and Security: Features such as redundancy, encryption, and user authentication support accurate and secure data exchange.
• Ease of Integration: A unified interface for configuration and monitoring simplifies deployment and troubleshooting.

A platform such as DeviceXPlorer OPC Server embodies these principles. It is OPC Foundation compliant, provides high performance data handling, and includes an intuitive management console. DeviceXPlorer is available as a standalone product or bundled within larger SCADA software suites (iconics.com), making it suitable as the communication backbone for facilities of all sizes.

Freedom to Choose, Power to Integrate

Building a best-in-class industrial facility means empowering yourself to choose the best tools for each job and then making those tools work together. Rather than forcing a one-brand monoculture and possibly settling for subpar components in some areas, today’s manufacturers opt for heterogeneity with a plan.

They leverage specialized equipment for its strengths and invest in a robust connectivity strategy to tie everything together. The payoff is a plant that is high-performing and agile. Teams can adopt new technologies or replace equipment without being locked into a single ecosystem or needing to overhaul core infrastructure. 

Operational excellence does not depend on every device speaking the same native language. It depends on having a reliable translator. With an agnostic connectivity solution such as DeviceXPlorer, organizations ensure that their machines can communicate in one unified data language regardless of vendor. This approach results in smoother operations, more actionable insights, and stronger ROI across the shop floor.

Heterogeneity is not only the reality of modern industry. When supported by the right connectivity, it becomes a competitive advantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Manufacturers often raise similar questions as they evaluate multi-vendor strategies and consider their next steps. The following FAQs address the considerations that matter most when planning connectivity for diverse industrial environments.

Why do most industrial facilities operate in multi-vendor environments?
Manufacturers expand their plants gradually using different suppliers. Each vendor excels in specific categories, which makes mixed environments the norm. 

What is the biggest challenge in a multi-vendor industrial setup?
Interoperability. Devices from different vendors use different protocols and formats, which prevents seamless communication without a unifying connectivity layer.

How does connectivity middleware solve interoperability problems?
Middleware, such as an OPC server, translates data between devices that use different protocols, creating one unified data environment.

Why is DeviceXPlorer OPC Server widely recommended?
DeviceXPlorer supports more than 100 vendors and 400 device types, offers broad protocol compatibility, aligns with OPC UA, and has an intuitive interface.

What features matter most when selecting connectivity software?
Multi-vendor support, protocol conversion, security, reliability, ease of configuration, and adherence to open standards.

Can a multi-vendor strategy improve long-term ROI?
Yes. Plants gain flexibility, avoid vendor lock-in, and strengthen innovation when supported by a robust connectivity layer.

Take the Next Step Toward Best-in-Class Performance

Build an operation that performs at its highest potential. Explore how DeviceXPlorer OPC Server strengthens interoperability, simplifies integration, and supports best-in-class performance across diverse equipment environments.

Learn more about the DeviceXPlorer OPC Server or contact our connectivity specialist to discuss your integration strategy: [email protected].