How is WIKA India serving the Indian industries?
WIKA India is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WIKA Germany. The company specializes in Pressure, Temperature, Level, Flow, & Force measuring instruments for critical industrial applications. WIKA Germany has been in measurement technology for 75 years and WIKA India is completing its 25 years of incorporation.

WIKA has four production units India. First one is the instrument plant in Pune.
In Pune, Pressure gauges, temperature gauges, diaphragm seal, level gauges,equipment for SF6 gas handling units are manufactured. We are shortly adding production facility for force measurement or load cells. Most of the industry that gets served from this product range is typically process industry like petrochemical, pharmaceutical, oil and gas station power transmission HVAC various types of industrial machines like pumps and compressors. Our second plant was established in Chennai. In Chennai we make the pressure switches and temperature switches both in distribution marketing in Railways plants like steel plants or power plants etc. The third plant at Ghaziabad make switches which caters to HVAC and railway segment. Our Faridabad plants manufactures Instrumentation Valves & Manifolds, Flow elements for DP based measurements. This plant export products supporting global key accounts.

We cater to wide range of applications across market segments. Oil & Gas, Petrochemical & Refining, Power Generation, Water and Waste Water Management, Food & Pharmaceutical, Industrial Machines, Power Transmission & Distribution to name a few.

What are the advantages of using WIKA equipment?
Quality, Customisation and Service are the three main advantages and differentiators for WIKA products. We believe in Quality products –thus even at a cost differential WIKA finds loyal customers. One of the biggest advantages of using superior WIKA instrumentation offerings is reduced shut down time for the end users. Hence, we say “Cut down your shut down” with WIKA products. Secondly, our OEM customers are very satisfied with high quality and consistent supplies, which helps them to run their production lines smoothly. WIKA Global brand helps them to export products with relative ease. Moreover, our strong distribution network ensures availability of WIKA products in all major industrial towns, thus maintaining consistent support and supply. WIKA India has received extensive support for localisation and has aptly followed the “Think Global Act Local” strategy of Government of India.

What are factors driving the demand for your equipment?
Quality, Affordability through localisation and a global brand name that stands for authenticity, research and development along with sustainability goals are the driving forces for demand of WIKA instruments.

Also, WIKA supports companies in machine building with instrumentation solutions and services for pressure, temperature, level, and force and flow measurement. Through many years of close cooperation with machine-building companies across a wide range of industrial sectors, the industry-specific challenges are well known to us. Thus, not only we have dedicated product range but are able to build customised solutions for the customers. Ingrained expertise and dedicated solution help WIKA to build up sustained demand for its product.

WIKA India is following Strategic initiatives through senior leadership programme, so that it can focus on different segments-- championing and campaigning to grow market shares. WIKA deals in specialised products which are all exclusively suited to various segments of markets—we plan to focus on each of these growing segments to understand which are the best suitable for growth in current economic situation and plan ahead.

How is the market for measurement technology in India?
The global Test and Measurement Equipment market was valued at USD 10810 million in 2020 and it is expected to reach USD 16400 million by the end of 2027, growing at a CAGR of 6.8% during 2021-2027, according to a study done by Absolute Reports. Following the trend, the Test and Measurement market in India is also expected to be driven by 5G implementation, electric vehicles usage and Smart appliances that are being increasingly inducted in every stage and in every field. With the wide variety of IoT, robotics, AI’s manufacturers also require solutions and instrumentation with extensive capabilities and flexibility. The emerging T&M market will be very dynamic and deep, where the backend will have to be ready with customised solutions. WIKA has its strength here not only through expertise of working with so many players over years, but also the global pedagogy and of course the manpower that we have built up.

Could you please brief us about some of WIKA India's recent launches?
WIKA acquired two companies in 2014—Micro Precision located at Faridabad and Switzer Instruments India Pvt. Ltd., with brand ‘Switzer” and “Indfos” with manufacturing locations in Chennai and Ghaziabad respectively. Micro Precision now has a new plant with huge augmentation in manufacturing capacity for Flow elements and Valves & Manifold, catering not only the domestic market, but also very strong in exports. Pressure switches from Chennai and Ghaziabad plant has been suitably engineered and is now available as brand “WIKA”.

Flow switches model FSM6100 and FSFD have also been launched. These products cater to markets like HVAC, firefighting etc. Several other developments are underway. We also recently launched Mobile Calibration Van in South India, bringing service to customer door step. The scope includes pressure, temperature and electrical parameters.

What kinds of new opportunities are you looking to tap in India?
WIKA India has four verticals of businesses-- Projects or expansion business, Maintenance business, Distribution business and OEMs. Expansion, in terms of manufacturing capacity, has already happened for next five years. We will expand and plan with further technology adaptions to Indian demands and global changes.

India is at the cusp of embracing 5G and electric vehicles—both need precision engineering, affordable OEMs and smart instrumentations. According to research by Frost & Sullivan, Indian market for general-purpose electronic T&M instruments alone will touch US$ 300 million by 2022. Apart from that personal healthcare, cold chain and automation drive in every industry will increase the expectation out of T&M market. WIKA definitely aims to be a part of this market along with furthering the cooperation that we already have with established machine-building companies across a wide range of industrial sectors. We have dedicated product range for various sectors, like Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, Filling and packaging machinery, Paper machinery, Power Generation, Power Transmission & Distribution, Calibration benches. Across these industries, WIKA offers many innovative products, supplying to more than 6000 customers.

WIKA is looking at transforming India to be the localisation and a distribution hub for the near-most global markets. WIKA India plans to encash the advantage of affordable labour and thus the cost-effective production process. And with a good supply chain and distribution channel, we will be able to supply products for WIKA Global.

What are emerging trends in the industry?
A connected world with safe equipment will be leveraging advancements of the technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), machine-to-machine (M2M) interaction, 5G and millimetre. These trends will predict the future growth of T&M industry globally and worldwide.

Firstly, there will be a need for embedded/portable T&M solutions, IoT test solutions with remote troubleshooting capabilities and solutions that can support the latest interfaces and protocols.

Secondly, the demand for multi-functional and multi domain testing will be on rise as the engineers will be looking for one stop shop with future precision engineering to avoid mistakes.

Thirdly, smart testing facilities within limited time will be the demand of the day. Predictive maintenance to avoid downtime will also be important for process driven industries.

What are your short- & long-term growth plans?
WIKA India wants to double its turnover by 2025. Also, we are looking at transforming India to be the localisation and a distribution hub for the near-most global markets. WIKA India plans to encash the advantage of affordable labour and thus the cost-effective production process. And with a good supply chain and distribution channel, WIKA today has a firm foothold in India, the strategy is to maximize market share in the segments where we are present.

The second strategy is for localisation. WIKA India has a list of products for localisation, and we are actively pursuing plans to localise them fully.

WIKA is also future ready with smart instrumentation. We have clear roadmap to make the products and solutions IIoT enabled to fit the current demand of ‘smart’ electronics along with the localisation programme.

WIKA Germany has made huge investments for futuristic market segments. The necessary infrastructure and human resource are in place. Necessary strategic partners are identified. WIKA is getting future ready, thus catering to the emerging markets and crystallising long term growth.