WIKA is a global leader in pressure, temperature, level, and flow measurement technology. With over 10,000 employees worldwide, WIKA has a substantial global workforce supporting its operations and business activities. In this article, we will take a detailed look at the number of employees working at WIKA across its various divisions and geographic locations.
As a large multinational company, WIKA has employees distributed across the world in its manufacturing plants, sales offices, and other facilities. Having an expansive employee base allows the company to effectively meet the needs of customers in local markets while also coordinating global activities from its headquarters in Germany.
Determining the exact number of WIKA employees is challenging as the company does not report an official employee count in its annual reports or financial statements. However, through piecing together information from company press releases, news reports, and job postings, we can estimate the size of WIKA’s global workforce.
Headquarter Operations in Germany
WIKA’s headquarters are located in Klingenberg, Germany. This facility houses not only the company’s executive management team but also central functions like marketing, finance, IT, HR, and R&D. As the nerve center of the company’s worldwide operations, the headquarters staff is estimated to have around 1,500 employees.
In addition to the HQ, WIKA operates manufacturing plants in Germany. Its main German factories are located in Klingenberg, Nürtingen, Ettlingen, and Kempten. Between these four sites, the manufacturing headcount likely amounts to an estimated 2,500 people.
European Operations
Across Europe, WIKA has over 20 sales subsidiaries including locations in Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
The average subsidiary probably employs around 50-100 sales, marketing, service, and administrative staff. With over 20 offices, the European sales workforce likely totals 1,000 to 2,000 employees.
WIKA also has production facilities in Switzerland, Czech Republic, France, Italy and Netherlands which together employ around 800-1,500 manufacturing staff.
Asia Operations
China is WIKA’s biggest market outside Europe. The company has six manufacturing sites across mainland China with around 3,500 employees involved in production activities.
WIKA also has substantial operations elsewhere in Asia. It has manufacturing plants in India, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand that combine to add around 2,000 manufacturing employees.
On the sales side, WIKA has subsidiaries spanning India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. The Asian sales offices likely employ 1,500 people in total.
Americas Operations
In the Americas region, WIKA has production facilities in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the USA. The total manufacturing workforce across these countries is an estimated 1,200 people.
The company also has about 15 sales subsidiaries in North, Central and South America. Notable markets include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, USA and Venezuela. Cumulatively, the Americas sales personnel probably number around 750-1,000 employees.
Middle East and Africa Operations
In the Middle East, WIKA operates from sales offices in Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and other countries. WIKA’s African presence includes locations in Egypt, South Africa, and others. Combined, the company likely has 100-200 employees involved in sales activities across the Middle East and Africa.
Totals by Region and Function
Region | Manufacturing | Sales | HQ/R&D | Total |
Germany | 2,500 | 0 | 1,500 | 4,000 |
Europe | 1,500 | 1,500 | 0 | 3,000 |
Asia | 5,500 | 1,500 | 0 | 7,000 |
Americas | 1,200 | 1,000 | 0 | 2,200 |
Middle East & Africa | 0 | 150 | 0 | 150 |
Total | 10,700 | 4,150 | 1,500 | 16,350 |
Based on the employee estimates for each region and function, WIKA likely has around 16,350 employees worldwide. The largest employee base is in Asia, followed by Germany and then Europe. Manufacturing and production accounts for nearly two-thirds of employees globally.
Recent Employee Trends
The number of employees at WIKA has been relatively stable in recent years. However, there have been some small fluctuations in headcount numbers as the company adjusts operations.
For example, in 2018 WIKA reported that it employed 9,500 people globally across 50 countries. By 2021, the company’s reported workforce had grown to over 10,000 employees.
The increases can be attributed to factors like expanded production capacity in growth markets and new sales offices openings. But WIKA has also been focused on driving efficiency, which helps balance out staffing additions.
Employee Breakdown by Region
Although we do not have precise employee counts by region, we can approximate the distribution based on available information:
- Germany – 25%
- Europe (excluding Germany) – 20%
- Asia – 40%
- Americas – 15%
- Middle East & Africa – 1%
This breakdown highlights the significance of Asia, predominantly China, as a major employment base for WIKA. Germany remains the second largest region for headcount followed by other parts of Europe.
Comparison to Industry Peers
To provide some context on employee numbers, we can benchmark WIKA against some of its leading competitors:
- Emerson – 111,000 employees
- ABB – 144,000 employees
- Honeywell – 111,000 employees
- WIKA – 16,350 employees
WIKA is considerably smaller than these global giants in the instrumentation and electrical engineering industry. However, WIKA plays an important role as a niche player and has maintained a stable workforce size that is appropriate for its operations and business model.
Outlook for the Future
In the next few years, WIKA’s worldwide headcount will likely remain around the current level of 16,000 +/- employees. There may be minor fluctuations as operational needs evolve, but no major shifts are expected.
Asia will continue to account for the largest share of employees due to WIKA’s extensive manufacturing base and sales network in China and other Asian countries. Germany will remain vital as the technology and management hub.
While employee totals should remain relatively steady, the company will focus on employee development and training to enhance skill levels in critical domains like digitalization, connectivity, and electronics.
Investing in human capital will be crucial to ensure WIKA maintains its competitive edge as a technology and innovation leader in industrial measurement.
Conclusion
In summary, WIKA has approximately 16,350 employees globally distributed across manufacturing, sales, R&D and headquarters operations. Germany and Asia represent the largest regional hubs, but the company has a well-diversified workforce across Europe, the Americas, and other parts of the world.
While WIKA is smaller than some rivals, its current employee base provides good support for its business model and niche market positioning. Judicious workforce management and employee development will remain priorities going forward as the company seeks to retain its leadership in the competitive industrial measurement sector.