Pilz GmbH, known for its safety products and services, has now opened an office in India to extend its knowledge and product reach to companies in various sectors that have not yet given a thought to making their men, machinery and factories safe from risks

With safety for men, machinery and plants not yet mandatory in India as compared to the strict regulations that apply in the developed economies, the important need of the hour is to create awareness about how huge losses can be cut down and accidents avoided if the right measures are implemented. This is what has prompted the German company Pilz GmbH to foray into India with a 100 per cent subsidiary that will now provide its expertise in safety automation technology to a wide array of industries in the sectors of automotive, wind energy, machinery automation, oil and gas, packaging and railway. This was announced by Mrs Renate Pilz, President and CEO, in Pune on October 20, 2012. Pilz has chosen Sanjay Kulkarni to head the operations of Pilz India. "The objective is to come closer to our Indian clients as also those in this region of the world to provide them with world-class support for safety technology specific to their requirements," Mrs Pilz said.

As a company that provides customised products and comprehensive services in the areas of sensor, control and drive technology, Pilz was found in 1948 by Herman Pilz as a glass-blowing firm and later revolutionised by Peter Pilz, who died in an air crash in 1975. Since then it has been headed by his wife Mrs Renate Pilz and now manufactures safety relays, safety sensors, and programmable safety and control systems. The brand is also trusted worldwide for its services in consulting, engineering, safety and control automation. "We provide complete support during all the phases of the machinery life cycle starting from risk assessment and production of safety concepts to implementation and validation. We also conduct product training courses," informed Klaus Stark, General Manager-International Operations.

A financially independent company that believes in reinvesting its profits, the Indian arm is Pilz GmbH's 26th subsidiary in the world and for now will offer readymade components and products along with professional service till it reaches a certain target to justify setting up a manufacturing base too. "We believe in going one step at a time. We already have clients in the automotive sector such as Tata Motors, Mahindra Group, Ford and Daimler Benz as also in the engineering sector but it would be too early to start our manufacturing operations. As of now the prime purpose is to educate the Indian industry about the need to ensure the safety of its people and its machinery. Once that happens, our market in India will grow on its own because we see tremendous potential here. For example, look at how many unmanned railway crossings you have across India. That's a huge risk for the people and it is time the Indian Railways thought of implementing some automated safety measures," Stark said.

Though not willing to share information about their investment in India, Mrs Pilz said that the company had touched a turnover of Euro 168 million in 2010. In another two years' time, the company hopes to add a considerable sum to its topline through its India operations. "We have chosen some specific sectors after a detailed survey and will soon start offices in Chennai and Delhi too. In the south, for example, there is a growing industry of renewable energy with the setting up of wind mills. Here, safety measures are not being implemented. We can offer a solution whereby the blades will not get damaged during strong winds that go beyond the limits of what the blades are capable of," Kulkarni said. The company's research in European countries has indicated that there can be up to 95 per cent reduction in LTA (lost time accidents) if the right safety measures are implemented within the system. "We are also going to tie up with technical institutes to train future engineers in safety-related solutions," he added.