The inauguration of WIKA Sensor Technology’s new facility marks a major milestone in the company’s mission to provide global customers with advanced sensing solutions. The project also strengthens our ties to Delaware County, Ohio.
Sensors are at the heart of digital innovations and Industry 4.0. To help our customers create high-tech systems and machinery, WIKA broke ground in late 2021 on an advanced manufacturing facility just north of Columbus, Ohio. A year later, on a 14-acre plot in the Creekside Business Park, the 20,000 sq ft hub went live and started producing advanced force and pressure sensors.
Celebrating Partnerships in the Community
WIKA employees celebrate the inauguration of WIKA Sensor Technology’s new facility.
On April 20, 2023, about 50 staff members, business partners and special guests gathered at WIKA’s latest campus to celebrate not only this state-of-the-art design and manufacturing center, but also the partnerships we’ve made in the region. One Columbus, an 11-county economic development consortium, and JobsOhio were instrumental in supporting this project.
In return, WIKA invested $5.4 million in land, construction, and job creation. Because it is much larger than the former facility, located about six miles to the south, WIKA added 22 good-paying jobs to the local economy, bringing the total to 50-plus employees. In the near future, more than 20 new manufacturing positions will be created when WIKA moves the production of a pressure gauge line from our Lawrenceville location to Lewis Center.
To drive home the fact that WIKA is in the greater Columbus area for good, WIKA Sensor Technology became a lifetime ambassador of CHA Animal Shelter (Citizens for Humane Action). Part of our $1,000 donation went toward sponsoring the Paws to Party Gala at the Cabernet Cat level!
Dozens of WIKA USA employees and customers from around the country attended the grand opening ceremony. Speaking at the event were WIKA Americas President Todd Gardner, who arrived from Texas, and WIKA Group CEO Alexander Wiegand, who flew in from the headquarters in Germany. “This grand opening,” Wiegand said, “represents our commitment to innovation, growth, and delivering cutting-edge sensor solutions to our customers.”
Among the local dignitaries present was Delaware County Commissioner Jeff Benton, who mentioned the area’s strong German heritage and that “the addition of this facility not only brings new job opportunities, but also highlights the continued development of Lewis Center as a hub for advanced manufacturing.” Indeed, the new facility has been certified to AS9100D, a quality management standard for the aerospace industry.
from left: Torii Friedheim (Communications Specialist, WIKA USA), Delaware County Commissioner Jeff Benton, WIKA Group CEO Alexander Wiegand, WIKA Americas President Todd Gardner, WST General Manager Steve McCullough, and Jessica Woodside (Director of Marketing, WIKA USA)
WIKA, Smart in Sensing
WIKA Sensor Technology’s new campus is just one of our latest efforts to help customers excel in IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) applications, including condition monitoring, plant monitoring, predictive maintenance, and process automation. Contact WIKA USA for more information about how intelligent sensors can add value and create more sustainable practices for your manufacturing facility.