Phoenix Contact

What they do

Phoenix Contact makes components and systems for electrical connection and industrial automation. Its products include terminal blocks and connectors that wire control cabinets, surge protection, power supplies, industrial communication devices, controllers and software, plus charging technology for electric vehicles.

The company was founded in Essen in 1923 by Hugo Knümann and relocated to Blomberg, in the Lippe district of East Westphalia, in 1943 after bombing raids hit its Essen premises. It describes itself as a globally active family-owned company.

Why it matters

The modular terminal block, which Knümann developed in 1928 by mounting individual blocks on a rail, became a standard part of electrical installations. Every factory, building and power plant relies on thousands of such connection points, and their reliability is fundamental to safety and uptime.

Phoenix Contact has since moved up the value chain into controllers and open automation platforms. Its PLCnext ecosystem allows engineers to programme industrial controllers with common software tools, part of a broader shift towards more open and software-defined automation.

Products to know

• Terminal blocks: the foundational product, including PCB and distribution blocks.
• PLCnext Technology: an open control platform for industrial automation.
• Charging technology for e-mobility: connectors, cables and controllers for electric vehicle charging.
• Surge protection and power supplies: protection and power for control systems.

The German angle

Phoenix Contact belongs to East Westphalia-Lippe, a region known for its concentration of family-owned firms in electrical engineering and automation. Neighbouring companies share suppliers, skilled labour and research links with local universities of applied sciences.

The Eisert family led the company for decades after the war, and ownership remains private. That combination of a regional base, family control and steady reinvestment in technology is typical of the German Mittelstand and explains why the firm has expanded into new fields like electric mobility without leaving its roots.