Kistler plans to acquire innovative companies in India
Switzerland-based Kistler Group is a leading manufacturer of sensors and systems for measuring forces and torques, for analysing force-displacement and forcetime characteristics, and for documenting data during assembly and product testing. The company supplies assembly and testing technology and specific sensors and monitoring systems for combustion engines, automotive engineering, plastics processing and bio-mechanical engineering.
The Indian operation of the company is looking for acquisition. “We are operating in different product lines and so acquisition provides benefits to the company,” Anil Anand, General Manager, Kistler Instruments India Pvt Ltd, said. As the products are hi-tech, its production and technological centres are in Switzerland, Germany and the US. The company has 26 sales centres, 9 production centres and 4 tech centres globally.
Kistler is a global leader in dynamic measurement technology for measuring pressure, force, torque and acceleration. Cutting-edge technologies provide the basis for Kistler’s modular solutions. The company’s sensors make it easier to search for generic force sensors that can be used for general measurements in research and development or in test laboratories. The company also offers a vast range of customised force measurement solutions in specific applications.
Customers in industry and science benefit from Kistler’s experience as a development partner, enabling them to optimise their products and processes to secure a sustainable competitive edge. The ownermanaged Swiss company’s unique sensor technology plays a key role in the evolution of automobile development and industrial automation, as well as in numerous emerging sectors. With a broad knowledge of applications and an absolute commitment to quality, Kistler is making an important contribution to the further development of current megatrends. This includes topics such as electrified drive technology, automated and connected driving, emission reduction and Industry 4.0. “We manufacture our products in Switzerland, Germany and the US. Our Indian operation is dedicated for marketing and after-sales services. Located in Faridabad, Pune and Chennai, we sell a range of products. Kistler has 3 main divisions: ART (caters to automotive sector: engine R&D and Vehicle testing areas); IPC (Industrial process controls: manufactures process monitoring sensors like piezo electric, piezo resistive and turbo spindles and digital industrial charge amplifier used in machining chain and assembly line); and Technology (caters to space industry and defense labs). We make special engines which are used for engine development. Kistler support auto-makers in India to enhance the efficiency of engine. From our Indian operation we supply our products to all the major auto players such as Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata, Maruti, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and export to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh,” Anand said.
Kistler which started as a sensor manufacturing company, is now devising exceptional sensors for measurement of pressure, force, torque and vibration. The company’s pressure sensors for measurement are used in automotive sector, R&D activities, developing different types of engines and IT industry. The force measurement sensor is basically used in road sectors, defense, test labs etc. Vibration measurement sensors cater to ISRO and space industy. Torque measurement sensors are used for electrical and mechanical industries.
Anand said, “We are in aggressive growth not only in developing new products but also looking for opportunities to acquire new companies. Last year, Kistler acquired 3 companies in Europe. We expect to acquire some new companies in India to attain organic growth as we have good forecast for GDP and industrial growth. In India, there is an appetite for hi-tech products and Kistler wants to be up to the mark with right solutions for the right customers.”
The addition of KT Automotive and MSC Automotive makes Kistler a leading provider of crash measurement systems. Kistler offers a one-stop shop for complete vehicle-related component crash test systems, thereby making an important contribution to ongoing safety enhancement. Sensors, data acquisition systems and application software from one source provide the user with all the links of the crash measurement chain. This seamless integration greatly facilitates straightforward plug and play crash testing.
By combining piezoelectric sensors with powerful data acquisition systems Kistler adds value to its customers. As a reliable partner of the Kistler Group, KT Automotive GmbH has been developing, manufacturing and marketing crash test data acquisition systems for many years. A market share of about 70 % in this product segment makes this long-established crash measurement specialist the world’s leading provider. MSC Automotive GmbH, which was originally based in Schwieberdingen near Stuttgart, was fully integrated into the Kistler Group by being merged with Kistler-IGeL GmbH in Schönaich. MSC is a leading provider of systems for crash dummy instrumentation, and develops and produces the associated force sensors and accelerometers.
The company makes vehicle testing equipment which includes checking and testing of wheel areas and the whole structural vibration of the body. It also provides better testing equipment to ICAT, Manesar, ARAI, Pune, and GARC, Chennai, to examine the safety of the vehicle.
“This contract is in line with our constant endeavour in upgrading our product lines, finding technoefficient solutions and providing high-performance through our products. We are easily available to support all the major industries in the market. Our sales revenue in India is Rs 6 million MCHF which comes from automotive industry. Over 60% of our revenue comes from automotive sector. We expect to grow to double digit of sales revenue next year as we have plans for acquisition.
In 2016 our investments in R&D (as percentage of sales revenue) was 10%. We anticipate growing at 20% as we are looking for diverse industries portfolio, different product lines and target markets. Primarily, we are looking for merging and acquisition as the growth after that will be exponential. The Kistler Group is on a growth course- last year revenue rose by 9 % to around CHF 358 million. Aiming to stay abreast of this dynamic growth, Kistler seeks innovative and diverse companies who feel at ease in a dynamic, fast-changing international environment. Its average growth in sales revenue for the last 3 years was 8%,” he said. Finding new solutions and technologies is a constant activity for Kistler. As a policy, 20% of its profit is dedicated for R&D upgradation and new product development. Currently, the next generation of products are under development so that the brand could have a diverse range of products to offer their customers. Some 1850 employees at 61 locations worldwide are dedicated to developing new solutions and offer customised service for individual applications.
Since inception in 1959, the Kistler Group has grown along with its customers. In 2016, Kistler posted a revenue of USD 364 million, about 20% of which was reinvested in research and technology. It has bagged a new order from The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) where Kistler will install sensors on the road to measure the weight of the moving vehicle which is the latest concept that the road industry is working on to ensure that the excessive weight of the vehicle would not affect road safety. The company wanted to be the best in every productline in terms of technology and it is working towards reaching its goal.