In a landscape where precision, reliability, and digital readiness are redefining industrial operations, WIKA has emerged as a trusted global leader in pressure, temperature, and level measurement. With a legacy of engineering excellence and a sharp focus on innovation, WIKA’s journey in India has been marked by strategic investments, localised manufacturing, and a vision aligned with the nation’s Industry 4.0 aspirations. In this exclusive conversation with Machine Edge Global, Gaurav Bawa, Senior Vice President, WIKA India, speaks to Sanjay Jadhav, Editor, about the company’s evolving footprint in India, its commitment to smart sensing, customer-centric innovation, and how it is enabling Indian industry to transition into a more connected, efficient, and future-ready ecosystem.
WIKA is known globally for its excellence in pressure and temperature measurement. How would you describe the company’s presence and growth trajectory in the Indian market?
WIKA’s strategic expansion in India has been deliberate and infrastructure-driven, underlining its long-term commitment to the region. The commissioning of new production lines in Pune, the establishment of a modern manufacturing facility in Ghaziabad, and the development of a flow laboratory in Chennai reflect a focused investment in both manufacturing capacity and technological capability. These facilities are not only geared toward local demand but also contribute to global supply chains, reinforcing India’s role in WIKA’s worldwide operations.
The Indian market has shown increasing demand for high-precision instrumentation, particularly across sectors like HVAC, oil & gas, and chemical processing. WIKA’s presence has evolved from being a regional supplier to an integrated partner supporting industrial digitisation and operational efficiency. The establishment of NABL-accredited calibration labs and the implementation of Lean Six Sigma methodologies indicate a mature local operation aligned with global quality benchmarks and scalable to future market needs.
“Smart in Sensing” is WIKA’s global vision. What does this mean in the Indian context, and how is it being implemented in your marketing strategy?
In India, “Smart in Sensing” translates into enabling industries to move beyond traditional instrumentation toward integrated, data-enriched systems. The focus is on embedding intelligence within sensing technology to address challenges around digital transformation, resource optimisation, and predictive maintenance. This aligns closely with India’s manufacturing evolution, where actionable data is becoming central to operational and compliance frameworks across sectors.
From a strategic perspective, the vision is being implemented in the Indian market through a focus on solutions rather than standalone products. The communication approach emphasises the complete value chain, moving from precise measurement to actionable analytics. This is reflected in messaging around digital product passports, IIoT integration, and data-driven solutions that address priorities such as energy transition, operational efficiency, and compliance across fast-evolving industrial sectors.
With a broad portfolio that includes IIoT solutions and calibration technology, how is WIKA aligning itself with India’s push toward Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing?
WIKA’s approach to Industry 4.0 in India emphasizes integration of IIoT solutions that are scalable, secure, and application-specific. Systems are designed to support condition monitoring, remote diagnostics, and real-time data collection across critical assets like rotating equipment, storage tanks, and SF₆-insulated systems. These capabilities enable predictive maintenance and asset visibility, aligning with the smart manufacturing objective of optimising performance while minimising unplanned downtime and manual interventions across complex industrial environments.
Calibration technology further supports digital transformation by enabling traceable, high-precision measurement processes across automated systems. WIKA’s offerings include portable calibrators, lab-based standards, and in-country ISO 17025-accredited facilities, facilitating faster compliance and consistent quality control. These capabilities are aligned with India’s emphasis on process standardisation, digital quality assurance, and integration of measurement systems into enterprise-wide monitoring frameworks, which are key priorities under the Industry 4.0 roadmap.
WIKA places strong emphasis on innovation, with over 100 engineers at the Innovation Centre in Germany. How does this R&D capability influence the product offerings and messaging in the Indian market?
Engineering development at WIKA’s Innovation Centre directly influences the technical structure of products adapted for the Indian market. Design priorities include integration of sensing functions with diagnostics and communication interfaces, addressing needs for system-level data visibility and process accuracy. This enables adaptation to conditions common in Indian industries, where measurement must align with digital oversight, compliance structures, and continuous operational performance.
In messaging, R&D output shapes communication to highlight specific functional relevance within industrial applications. Instead of emphasising generic innovation, the focus remains on practical alignment—how measurement solutions support traceability, reduce manual intervention, or meet defined instrumentation standards. Content is structured to assist technical decision-making, ensuring that product communication reflects system fit, lifecycle value, and compatibility with local digital transformation frameworks.
WIKA operates as a family-run business even with a global workforce of over 11,000. How does this value-driven culture reflect in your marketing campaigns and customer engagement initiatives?
WIKA’s cultural principles are reflected in India through a focus on sustained relationships and localised support models rather than transactional engagement. Campaigns and communications are centred around trust, consistency, and responsiveness — reflecting the company’s emphasis on long-term collaboration. This is evident in India-specific training programmes, post-sales support structures, and knowledge-sharing platforms such as webinars and whitepapers, all designed to create technical alignment rather than commercial dependency.
Customer engagement is structured around practical relevance, especially for OEMs and system integrators. Solutions are often co-developed with feedback loops that incorporate customer insights into design improvements. This consultative approach not only enhances customer experience but also ensures that WIKA’s value delivery is grounded in real-world operational needs, rather than abstract branding or broad messaging.
The industrial instrumentation space is highly competitive. What distinguishes WIKA from other players in terms of brand positioning and customer value?
WIKA sets itself apart through a focus on integrated measurement systems rather than standalone instrumentation. Its role extends across the full sensing-to-calibration workflow, which allows for tighter process control and alignment with operational benchmarks. This positioning is particularly relevant where system-level performance, data continuity, and compliance tracking are prioritised over single-point product sourcing.
Customer value is delivered through design autonomy and material control. WIKA manufactures critical sensor elements in-house, reducing variability across high-demand applications. This ensures that performance standards remain stable across environments, including those with thermal, mechanical, or regulatory complexity. The emphasis is on consistency and longevity, not just in individual units but across system-wide deployments.
Standards compliance is central to WIKA’s interoperability approach. Adoption of technical frameworks like VDI 2770 and IEC 61406 supports documentation, integration, and lifecycle validation across mixed-vendor environments. This enables customers to maintain forward compatibility with digital infrastructure changes while minimising operational disruption and administrative overhead during audits, system expansions, or control system upgrades.
With digitisation at the forefront, how is WIKA leveraging digital platforms, data analytics, and IIoT trends to reach and engage its Indian customer base?
WIKA’s engagement with the Indian industry centres on integrating IIoT-enabled instrumentation into operational frameworks. Devices are configured for condition monitoring, remote diagnostics, and asset health tracking in applications where system continuity and regulatory adherence are critical. This supports a shift from time-based interventions to data-informed maintenance strategies, enabling higher equipment availability and improved decision-making across distributed infrastructure.
In parallel, data analytics is used to enhance the functional relevance of measurement data within supervisory systems. Output interfaces are designed for compatibility with existing control platforms, supporting real-time visualisation, trend mapping, and performance alerts. This ensures that sensor-level insights can be contextualised into broader efficiency and compliance indicators, without locking users into proprietary software environments.
From a communication standpoint, digital platforms are used to deliver application-focused technical content aligned with current instrumentation standards. Online resources such as webinars, documentation, and solution guides address themes like traceable calibration, lifecycle instrumentation, and data interoperability. This structured knowledge-sharing approach reinforces engagement with stakeholders seeking clarity on how digital instrumentation integrates into evolving operational models.
Are there any India-specific innovations or success stories that you are particularly proud of and would like to share with our readers?
WIKA developed the Fire Sprinkler Flow Detector (FSFD) at its Chennai facility to address growing fire safety requirements in India’s high-rise infrastructure. The product was engineered by local teams and certified to international standards such as UL and FM, ensuring compliance for both domestic use and export. It reflects a focused response to region-specific safety needs while maintaining alignment with broader technical and regulatory frameworks.
At the Pune facility, WIKA implemented Lean Six Sigma production lines for pressure gauge accessories to improve control, reduce variation, and shorten delivery times. These lines use real-time monitoring and data-driven adjustments to maintain quality and scalability. The approach directly addresses operational demands in India’s expanding OEM and manufacturing sectors, where process stability and efficiency are critical to meeting production targets and customer expectations.